When it comes to car.. er.. truck audio, I am an almost complete ignoramus. I have a 2001 F150 SCab and want to put in a system that gives me maximum sound quality. I am not one of those "I want to share my music / bass with everyone I drive by" people (no offense), but I do want a setup that just sounds amazing.

Anyone out there have good suggestions? I'm also looking for best value recommendations (i.e. bang for the buck).

Thanks,

 

Think speakers first. A set of good component speakers up front would be a great first mod. Just my $.02. Good luck.

 

...so I changed out speakers first. Listen to everything out there and decide for yourself.

I also added Dynamat Extreme to the floor, doors, and rear panel of my rig - and can't (to this day) believe the difference. Much quieter ride and thus better sound.

But, better speakers will be the best quick hit for the bucks - I thgouth I'd be buying Pioneers (had had them before) but settled on Bostons; no surprise how much better the stock H/U sounds with great speakers.

 

now your talking my language.
first off not all base is bad. at least 1 10" sub is needed or else you miss so much of your music.
oh and the gains on your amp (s) don't have to be turned way up..
if you can afford it skip coaxils and go to components(coaxils are a speaker that has tweeter and mid built into one, component has a crossover between them and useally is seperated ) so you can put the mid in the door and the tweeter some where else(for imaging) but thats a whole different can of worms.
short and sweet, here it goes.--your high end should be a far front a possiable(example:kick panals)or on your door high up or the A piller or?? its endless you have to judge for your self.
if you spend good money on speakers you want to hear them right.. this is where amps come in.(let me know if you want me to go into this I will come back)
but you can run off your deck(aftermarket) I don't keep my stock deck due to quality and ease of more installs(like high output RCA's and stuff) yet again another story..
ok best bet. a component set up fron (6" and 1" tweeter ) I like mb quarts but go listen to some and judge for your self(then buy on ebay!!!)
rear fill is ok in these trucks (just run off deck) so you running the front components and rear fill off the deck... but you have to buy a amp and sub for the low end $$$ look for a class D amp cheap watts per doller, not good for anything but subs..! so don't try to run your components later off it.(buy different amp)
and get 1 10 . JL makes good quality and veries in price(again check ebay!!)
let me know what else you need to know I will be back.

 

I personally have an Audiobahn 125watts x 4 amp, 2 pairs of Image Dynamics compenent speakers, a DEH-P930 pioneer deck, an audiobahn 20 band equalizer/line driver, dynamat thoughout the truck, and some quailty wires. This put me back a little under $1500, but it sound incredable!!!!! (no need for subwoofers because the ID's put out awsome mid-bass).

 

IDQs are pretty good speakers, but claiming that a single set of components eliminate the need for subs IMO is not a very debatable subject. You didn't state, but your components are probably 6.5", correct? There is absolutely no comparison between a 6.5 and say even a small sub (10"). I've got some fairly quality components in the front of my Screw, and I'm positive they won't even come close to sounding as clean in bass response as a sub. As a matter of fact it's a matter of physics. Bigger diameter = larger cone area. Larger cone area = larger volume of air being pushed. (For you audiophiles out there, I'm not accounting for extreme extrusion cones). Larger volume of air being pushed = more db. This is assuming that both the 6.5 and 10 are being hit with the same power load. The sub will simply push more air.

If you have achieved the goals you desired without the use of any subs, then consider yourself lucky. I'd-a-saved a S*@t load of cash if I could have done that. This post in no way is intended to say that your system is inferior to anyones. Sounds like you've used some good quality equipment. That's always my #1 suggestion whenever anyone asks me where to begin on planning a system. Most people would agree that if you take two systems of equal equipment and tuning, and one of them adds a subwoofer, then one with the sub USUALLY sounds better to most listeners. An example of this would be going to the movies and seeing a movie in an old movie house with two pretty decent speakers up front, or going to a newer state of the art place with an added subwoofers for definition.

Sorry for rambling. I haven't contributed to a post in a while, so I guess I needed to burn off some energy. JB

 

JBinSD I agree with you that the comps don't come close to the bass that is created from a sub. I have had 5 subs before, but I tend to keep them at a very low volume, so I guess for me I really didn't need to be thumpin' around town. Personally I love the bass that comes from my comps. Its a matter of preferance.