Well, since we decided to keep the truck, rather than get a new car- I started putting money back into it.


In the last 10 days, I have bought new 6 x 8" speakers, two amps, A fosgate 400W (55 watts RMS x 4 channels) and a Kenwood 150W 2-channel amp for the Fosgate 10" sub I'll pick-up in a week or two. I've put new tires on her $859.00 Pirelli Scorpion ATR's, and this past weekend I had the exhaust re-routed from straight out the back- like 99.9% of all trucks have, and had both pipes come out in front of the right rear tire.

I washed her, got her all pretty- and it rained today- so I pulled out the Expy (Since it was already dirty). But, as soon as it's dry, I'll snap a pic to show the new exhaust location & tires.

When it's all said & done, I will have a truck that sounds great on the outside, and incredible (music) on the inside.

Now, all I need is the custom enclosure built to house the 10" sub...

 

Awesome!

 

Sounds cool...how 'bout sending some of that extra money my way??


BREW

 

Naw, if he sends it anywhere, it has to be kept within the siblings. So, he'd have to send it to me, because I'm his Brotha from anotha *****!!!



Word.

 

Finally got my stuff installed.

It sounds great now; at first, they had my bass-boost turned all the way up, and while the bass rumbled on certain songs, the speakers sounded like they were gonna tear apart on others. I turned the boost down, and adjusted the bass on the head-unit, and it sounds great now...

I'm not as amazed by the bass as I hoped I would be; but it still sounds far-far better than any stock F-150 system. I can't wake the neighbors up- (well, I probably could around midnight, but- I could not annoy them during the day)- but it still sounds good, on the inside.

I cheaped out, and took the Fosgate stuff back as well as the Kenwood amp, and got a PowerAccoustic Amp. The guy told me I didn't need an amp to run the door speakers. THat weekend they had a sale whereas the purchase of any amp $149.99 & above, came with 2 free subs at Best Buy (10" Dual Subs).

The amp I bought had 620 watts, and the Subs can handle 375 watts each (peak) with 88 db at 1 meter.

I may go back and get another amp for my 6x8's so they'll match the sound of my subs. Everything sounds good now- it's just not LOUD.

Stuff: (Speak of the devil; I went to find the link for you, and it seems they're running the deal again- this is what I bought weeks ago)


http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....ryRep=cat03000

I know it's BS compared to some of you guy's systems- but, this is the best sound I've had in a car/truck, since my 1991 Cavalier...

 

Unfortunately with audio equipment you have to invest some $ to get great sound. The cheap stuff will sometimes do ok at low volume (it's better than it used to be), but turn it up and it can't take it. One general rule of thumb is that if they advertise the peak ratings ahead of the RMS ratings it's not that great.

Believe me, I've been down that road myself and wasted that money. I wasn't satisfied with it and bought new better stuff. If I woulda spent the time and money on the higher quality stuff the first time I woulda spent 2/3 of what I did in the end.

If you're looking to keep it on a budget do this....
Get a decent HU and get rid of the STock one. the stock speaker will sound a lot better. $150ish
Get a GOOD amp. It doesn't have to be 1 bazillion watts. I have a 150watt Orion SX that will bridge mono and run 2 4 ohm(2ohm parralel) subs at a total of 450ish watts RMS. I ran 15's off that thing for a long time. Bridged 4ohm it's 300watts RMS. $300ish example
Start off with a single mid range sub. I have a JL 15w1 that's rated at 150watts rms, it's taken 300 watts with no problems at all. $150ish example
All you have to worry about now is the enlosure for the sub. If you're handy you could build one for $40. Otherwise they are $130ish. Do one that handles dual subs so you can add one down the road.

You can add and modify this base system at any time to improve the performance.

Keep the stock HU so you can put it back in when you get rid of the truch and keep the other stuff for your next ride.

You know funny thing is I almost asked you what you were gonna do back when you first commented you were gonna do this. Sorry. :o

 

Yeah; even my wife- after she b!tched me out for buying a $300.00 custom sub box, told me that if it didn't sound right, to go buy myself some better subs....

I really love her, sometimes...

They built my speaker box so my speakers down fire. The way this box is mounted, I can't even get the SOB out. It's in there pretty good. I guess they drilled it to the floor. When I say it won't move- I mean it won't move.

Is there any truth to the statement that down fire boxes sound better than upfire?

 

The only real advantage I've found in an enclosed cab is that downfire vibrates the floor more and reverbes through the vehicle. In a trunk a rear fire sounds "deeper" for some reason I can't explain. Seat cousions can absorb sound also, so that might be an advantage of a downfire. Overall it's the effect you're going for. If you're a true audiophile then the upfire will probably sound cleaner.

 

Yeah, my friend has two 12's in his 745Li, and they face the rear of the car...

At first I thought WTF? but, on the inside- the boom is undeniable...

Especially if you put in 50-Cent's album, and select track # 14. (Just a Lil' bit)

 

Heh, imagine that with 2 15's, that's what my old 83 Lesabre sounded like.

I would really like to go out in the garage and throw my 15 in the back the wifes LS430 while she's in Cali, but she told me "NO!" already. It's too bad because it has the mark Levinson system in it and it's pretty much plug and play for a bigger amp/sub. It's got a puny little 8 in it already. Sounds good, but it lacks any semblance of BOOM. I'm holding out for a home audio amp for christmas to pair with the 15 so I can use it on my computer. Then I'll have to figure out a way to sneek a 10" with my orion into the f150. I was told "NO!" on that end too.

 

I feel you- my wife was HOT, and not in a good way either, about me spending money on stereo equipment...

She was on my a$$ like a spandex suit.
Made me so mad, I almost said "B!tch, **** and go sit your A in the GD car."... Almost...

 

Heh, good call.