hello.... i'm new here... I just recieved my F150 from my dad. It's a '98 regular cab with side steps... i wanted to mod it, but i don't want to put too much money into it because i'll have to give it to my sister in the not too distant future, so i want to get something that i can transfer to a different vehicle later. So i decided to work on sound... being the musician and music lover i am, i thought it's be the way to go. Just one problem... I don't know **** about it... Does any body know what i could do with a budjet of lets say $1000- $1500??

Thanks For your time.

 

You can get A LOT for $1500.

What kind of sound are you going for? Do you want to rock the neighborhood or for it to sound exceptionally well only inside the truck?

Are you doing the installation yourself or will you pay a shop to do it?

I'd simply get a couple of 10" subs, a great component speaker set, powerful enough amps, CD/MP3 head unit (probably Kenwood and get the Kenwood Music Keg)
Well.. basically I already have the system I want... with the exception of a few equipment upgrades (component speakers, amps).

I'll refrain from spitting out brand names at the moment.

 

thanks... but after re thinking that, i do not want to spen $1500... haha. Preferably $400 to $700...

i'm going for quality, not loudness... I just want something that sounds alot better than the stock stuff... and me and my friend will be doing the instalation... he said domething about haveing to buy a new piece of the dash for the air conditioning/radio area, but i wasn't exactly with him.

thanks for your help

 

El,

To keep it brief.

Get a good head unit (cd player) with RCA preouts w/sub level control.

Get an amp with decent power for the subs

Get a couple 10" subs and a sealed box (1, 12" or 10" sub is another option to save costs)

Get either a set of component speakers up front or a high quality co-ax (hybrid compnent basically). This will allow ease of install here and keep price low.

You could opt to get a second amp for the door speakers or choose a good 4 or 6 channel amp that can do your subs and door speakers.

A basic system along these lines will sound good, give you the bass that is currently missing, will play loud but not earth shaking. The best part would be that you could get it for around 650-800 bucks with everything you need to install it, you supply manpower of course.

 

good door speakers and two 10"(400max. rating) or 6x9s' with a 400w amp go with mid price equip. $250 deck $200 door speckers
$150 sub or 6x9 and $200 amp

 

We don't really spit brand names out any more it seems. Everytime someone suggest something it seems to turn into a ten page argument.

 

Dead on the money with that one Invalid. It is like everyone has their own opinion of who makes what best for what price. The truth be told there are many companies out there that make equipment that is great for much less but may not have the name brand recognition and this causes much debate. Another thing that I have found with car audio (or in our case truck audio) is people become very brand loyal (for what reason I will never know) just like they do over Ford, Chevy, Toyota, Honda, etc. The fact remains that everyone wants what they own or perceive to be the best to actually be the best. Since there is no clear cut winner in scenarios like this then each persons opinion is 100% accurate because they are the ones that will have to live and be happy with their purchase. In all actuality depending on what you are going for the most expensive, cleanest sounding equipment may not be best for what you want. At the same time what I feel sounds best of all may not sound good to another and the specs on it could very well be horrible (unlikely but possible).

If you want brand names then get them. I remember the day when truck audio was first coming on the scene and Rockford Fosgate was a tiny little company building their amps out of their garage. Nowadays, they are a mulit-million/yr company with everything from entry level to competition level equipment. Same goes for companies that started building inexpensive entry level equipment but now in fact make some nice things. Look at Planet Audio in this case, they used to make junk in the first year or two but now they have reliability up and decent power output for the money.

The bottom line to all this is that trust your own ears and not sombody else's. You as a consumer know exactly what you are looking for and how much you care to spend to get it. Not to mention that you know what your price vs. quality cut off point is. For me I feel that top notch is the only way to fly but then again I am an audiophile all the way and could care less about cost (to a point of course). I mean I am not going to spend money on something that gives me zero improvement but would if I could combine multiple things together to each give slight improvement that would in the end result in large improvement. Think of it as adding the cold air intake. It is a good HP/TQ increase that gives a little (IMO not noticeable) but combine that and a chip and gears and synthetic oil, etc and you have a very noticeable increase. Many things can help a little and not be noticed by themselves but then again it is the overall effect that you want to notice.

 

BTW, That is a sweet looking ride you got there Invalid.

 

Thanks. Your truck looks very good as well. Great post you tell it like it is.

 

Thanks! I try to educate people by getting them to use common sense and their own judgement. It all boils down to are you happy with how you spent your money. Regret is the worst taste and even more bitter when it comes from someone you trust misleading you.