Need recommendation for decent but not exxpensive car stereo

jrebman · « **on:** 5 Jun 2008, 05:51 pm »

Folks,

I need a recommendation for a reasonable, but not too expensive car stereo for our car. We're quickly approaching our first anniversary and my wife spends a lot of time commuting and would really like to have something a bit better, and a bit more modern to listen to as she drives. By this I mean, can play CDs, AM/FM radio, and absolutely needs a front panel input for her iPod which has most of the stuff she's likely to want to listen to on it.

We'd probably also need something a bit better than the stock speakers, but nothing like a sub/satellite system -- just some decent in-door speakers.

The car in question is a 2005 Honda Civic Hatchback, so I realize that limits a lot of the choices for speakers. We also have to leave the rear deck unmodified, and whatever gets installed cannot interfere with the ability tofold up the rear seat and make the back into a cargo area.

I know zilch about all this stuff anymore -- the last time I dealt with any car audio was back in the early 80s -- and I don't want to be BS'ed by the local salesman. There are apparently a couple of decent installation shops and services in the area, so I won't even remotely be attempting my own installation.

Thanks in advance for any guidance/recommendations,

Jim

P.S. -- budget is in the $500 - $700 range tops.

sbrtoy · « **Reply #1 on:** 5 Jun 2008, 06:58 pm »

Car Stereo is very much a commodity and you can find some good deals on the internet if you are willing to do the install yourself. Installing a head unit is pretty much cake, and from there wiring an amp and speakers is not much tougher.

I have been impressed with some of Elemental Designs stuff, seems like a good value overall. I would recommend getting a decent set of components speakers for your front doors and maybe a small sub.

I put some Polk components, 8" sub and an Alpine head unit in my S2000 because the stock system could barely be heard with the top down. It is all I would ever need in such a noisy environment and cost about $500 with me doing the labor.

KS · « **Reply #2 on:** 5 Jun 2008, 08:00 pm »

For speakers, I'd look at offerings from Madisound, Zylatron, and Parts Express, probably in that order. Good luck finding a head unit that does not look like the Ginza at night.

TF1216 · « **Reply #3 on:** 5 Jun 2008, 08:05 pm »

Hey,

I would search and/or post on diymobileaudio.com/forum.

You can find a ton of used equipment there as well as information on installation and equipment.

If I was you, I would spend most a couple of hundred on a head unit that has the features you want and will power aftermarket speakers. Keep it simple and buy some nice coaxials speakers for the doors. With the rest of your money, spend that insulating your door as that should help the performance of the coaxials.

jrebman · « **Reply #4 on:** 5 Jun 2008, 10:20 pm »

Thanks for the recommendations. DIY is not an option here as I'm blind and also recovering from surgery that has temporarily left me somewhat less mobile than before.

I will check out some of these leads and see if I can get any local recommendations for installers.

-- Jim

santacore · « **Reply #5 on:** 5 Jun 2008, 11:04 pm »

I've been very happy with my Alpine head unit with high speed iPod connection. It was the cheapest model at the time and works great. For speakers I've been using Focal separates and I think they sound fantastic. I would guess their coaxials will sound really good too. The Focals are definitely the best car speakers I've owned.

mcullinan · « **Reply #6 on:** 5 Jun 2008, 11:14 pm »

I like Pioneer. The sound is pretty good. I think a 4 channel amp that would drive the speakers will make the system as a whole sound better. Check into that option.
Some speakers which I thought excelled but will kick your budget a bit are the Pioneer PRS-720 components. Very nice natural sound.
Mike

mcgsxr · « **Reply #7 on:** 5 Jun 2008, 11:58 pm »

For better, but not ULTRA car audio, I recommend my own path, the one I recently took with my old Accord.

Craigslist or Kijiji for the head unit - I sourced a 2 year old Pioneer that does everything you need, for $120 installed.
I then turned to eBay for the speakers, and in my case amps.

I bought new, but aged in the box, high end separates - in my case Zapco, but there are Alpine, Focal and MB Quart on there all the time.

I also bought used amps on eBay, but stuck to high end brands used - I bought a late 90's Orion, and an early 90's PPI.

All in under $500.

For a new, simple setup, I would honestly consider new from Best Buy or Future Shop for a head unit, and get them to install it.

Speakers, it is hard to recommend coax's, though for the application you suggest, it will likely do.

For the hatch - are there speakers in stock locations back there?

If so, upgraded ones, and the use of a 4 channel amp might prove useful, especially since so many now include crossovers for each set of channels. You could use one set of channels for the front speakers, and high pass them where they sound their best. You could then consider running the rears (hopefully 6x9's) low passed, in mono, in parallel, simply as baby subs.

I bet your wife would like the added, but not overwhelming bass, and the stock locations leave you wide open in the hatch for utility.

Good luck, there are tons of quality used car audio options.

Stick with high quality used speakers, and I bet your budget is easy to stick to - now that IS rare in audio!

Rocket · « **Reply #8 on:** 6 Jun 2008, 10:12 am »

Hi,

I use an Alpine head unit, focal 4 channel amp, and for the front speakers I installed focal 6inch splits and an 8inch focal rears.

The sound is pretty good. I have used mb quart previously but focal speakers sound better. Lots of different products to consider but focal and alpine are pretty good products.

Regards

Rod

doug s. · « **Reply #9 on:** 6 Jun 2008, 03:16 pm »

i have been using my gf's 2004 honda civic for quite some time now. its factory cdp system is ok. but, i should finally be getting back my hot-rodded alfa gtv-6 3.0 next week - even tho it has no radio at all, its sound system under the hood & thru the exhaust is hard to beat for any auto sound system under $100k!

doug s.

jrebman · « **Reply #10 on:** 7 Jun 2008, 06:30 pm »

Thanks again everybody. Lots to go on here. A neighbor has the identical car so I was able to check his out the other day and everything looks pretty straightforward. Just wish I knew the size of the speakers that are just to the outside of the rear deck. They look to be ovals but they also seem quite a bit smaller than 6x9. I'm sure the local car audio place can tell me though.

Thanks,

Jim

mcgsxr · « **Reply #11 on:** 7 Jun 2008, 08:40 pm »

It is possible that they are 4x6, that is a fairly common size. My Accord had 6 inch rounds in the rear, but I was able to use a piece of mdf cut to size, to allow the use of a 6x9 in the rear in my last install.

This time around, I am using a sub in the trunk, and just a set of 6.5 inch separates in the doors - mind you, due to the depth of the aftermarket drivers, I had to build up an mdf trim ring anyway, so it is not always just a drop in solution, even if the diameter is the same.

Have fun!