I do enjoy installing audio myself, both home and car.
My first car I started with some Polk audio coaxiles (decent), a Sony receiver (crap..lol), a 500watt RMS amplifier (ratted at 14.4volts, so it was more like 470watts..lol), and a 12" OZ audio subwoofer in a large ported box. Can you say bass kil (hit harder and louder than most duel sub systems in my area!)...
I was kind-of immature back then. Now, a couple years latter, I have grown up and matured. I'm still into audio, but for musical re-creation. The shimmering highs, and the low notes only a sub can create just are important to me. I can never go back....NEVER you hear...Mauuuuughghhhhhhhh
I'll just skip my Cavalier; it featured three subwoofers along the way, and the best being a Peerless. Still has the same old Pioneer deck, and Infinity Kappa speakers (3.5" front, 6x9" rear side panel). The only reason I choose Infinities, is because there isn't really anywhere else to go for 3.5" speakers...Infinity's tweeters are just to harsh for me, but the EQ can solve that fairly well at a small cost of tone.
Now I have my 1995 Acura Legend sedan; great car, 10years old and still runs like off the showroom floor; after all, it's a legend.
The factory Bose audio system didn't sound good, so out with the old and in with the new. I purchased a 1-bid D/a converted double din size Pioneer CDplayer. It's a good looking receiver, nothing fancy. In my factory front location is a set of 6.5" CDT Eurosport components and 4- CDT tweeters, along with two passive-crossovers. Two tweeters are mounted above the woofers and other tweeters in the paneling; CDT refers this to the "front image enhancer". When toned correctly, the results are amazing! It's concert quality sound, like the music is coming up front and above you! I don't know how CDT did it, but with the second passive crossover and tweeters, they created a "lifted" sound.
I simply unplugged the factory rear 6x9's and didn't add anything. Rear feel is worthless to me if the fronts can immerse you in the first place.
I added sound deadening material around the front woofers and the metal areas of the door (Acura door panels are a pain to get off...
). Also covered most of the trunk, and layer the carpet back over it - some people don't do this - keeping the untouched factory look.
In the trunk I had a 12" Renaissance (Moral Acoustics) Connon subwoofer in a polly stuffed 1.5 cubic foot box - a tad to large - . The quality was excellent until recently. It makes a hissing noise, and there is a crack on the dust cap, and the spider keeps coming off.
I'm awaiting a 12" Image Dynamic IDQ subwoofer - duel 2ohm voice coils -. I already have a .85 cubic foot sealed box for it, because the 1.5 one is to large unless I port it, which I dare to do. I've heard nothing but outstanding things from this subwoofer, can't wait. Suppose to arrive by UPS tomorrow!
Powering the system are two USaccoustics amplifiers. There is simply NOTHING that is better for your money.
As you may notice, I always go for the specialty branded speakers. For some odd reason they are better than the mass marketed stuff you find at Best Buy and other retail chains. Next time you get speakers, don't go for a company that only cares about image (Audiobahns "flame designed" magnet cover; Sony's "unicorn" subwoofers that actually hurt it's performance...), but rather go for something that strive on quality, craftsmanship, and since they don't waist money and material on "cool looking" designs, you save money.
