Ok, so I have a system now but....

[Rico]

I want more...lol
Heres some background info

I have a Pioneer DEH-P1Y (60w x 4) headunit.
I have a GM-6100F 600w Max Pionner amp.
I have a TS-W306C 1000w Max Pionner sub.
and like the $60 amp wiring package (the cheap one).
I also have pionner 6x9's and pionner front speakers.
[I'm trying to keep this all one brand as you can see]

Now in relation to the stats, my system should rip my mates system however it doesnt even come close. Now my mate has a 2004 holden astra 2 door with like a 1000w jbl sub and like 500w amp and like a headunit that only gives out 40w x 4. I know smaller cars sound better with subs but when I put my back seats down (my accord allows that) so my sub is like right in my ear, have all the windows down it just sounds like a small bump. I was just wondering what do I have to do so it sounds better? Maybe buy another 12" and amp? bigger amp? Amp the 6x9's and front speakers? I have about $600 to spend, because the amp sub and wiring costed me $540, so I might ebay it cause theres much cheaper gear there.
I'm mainly heading for pioneer equipment but I'm open to any suggestions.

[Fr3aKi3]

Instead of using 6x9's as front speakers mayb get a set of good compenents
IMO pioneer subs are ok i have a personal preference for Infinity gear though.

[2DR33M]

ok.. scrap the pioneer subs!! your mates system sounds better casue he has a lot better subs. The 6x9's are prefect for the rear fill in your car, but the front stage shoudl be a clean pair of splits, they work wonders for you front end sound and its easy to wire some up, because of hte standard split setup in the accords!

ok, your sub amp in fine, 600w is a good solid amp, but you really need to upgrade your subs. You could run something similar to yours mates subs (JBL) as they are pretty good and are usually rated slightly lower (power output) which makes then a suprise package.. I use MTX cause they are awesome subs, but for a budget maybe a pair of JL Audio subs might be the way to go, they are fairly well priced and will give you some killer bass!!

hope that helps you a little ;)

tim...

[Rico]

Ok...so I'm thinking scrape the whole one brand idea and maybe sell the pionner 12" sub. Whats a good pair of subs for a cheapo like me? or just a single sub around 12" size. My mate has a 15" kicker and thats crazy, I might lean towards the alpine type r subs? I hear their good

[dhdevil]

mate go out and buy a JL w3 12'' SUB, it will blow your mates car away with deep clean clear bass!

bout $450 rrp but mate, u will LOVE it, and your mates 15'' kicker will sound like a baby 10''

enjoy.

[J-MuN]

The Pioneer subs aren't THAT bad. They are a decent budget priced sub in box when you purchase them at the right places. JL Audio is awesome but if you want to compete, you're obviously competing against each other and trying to find out who's got the louder system. I wouldn't recommend JL if you're gonna do that. Don't get me wrong, I buy nothing but JL but they're a company that strives to create Sound Quality. They're not overly fuss on peak power.

If you're after something rather decent in price and you want to kill you're friend system, go have a look at the dual Kicker Comp 12" subs. The model number of the sub is the Kicker C12. You can get 2 in a box for under $400. I know its not cheap, cheap! But trust me, hear it and I'm sure you'll be impressed.

[vividjazz]

For pure SPL - RRP$690- Crossfire XT15F 1.4OHM 4000W - 1500W Nominal. Hit over 150db with just one of these babies. Its the amp and dedicated battery needed to drive it thats the killer dollar wise.

[fly_vti]

nice setup, now whats your rego, does your car have a alarm? and where do you park?.. LOL! JOKES GUY

[Rico]

Does anyone know a good place in Sydney that sells this stuff? Cause where i live there aint much shit, like 1 or 2 strathfields and like one jb hi fi. Otherwise I might ebay the stuff.

[ITRBoI]

Does anyone know a good place in Sydney that sells this stuff? Cause where i live there aint much shit, like 1 or 2 strathfields and like one jb hi fi. Otherwise I might ebay the stuff.

where in syd are you??? i know a good place PM if interested

[Fhrx]

You're more than welcome to come down here if you don't head over to No Limits (which I assume Joe is going to recommend). These is much to discuss regarding your system and it cannot be rushed.

Just in relation to your system, I'd keep the Pioneer deck but change kist about everything else. Well let take a step back first though and I'll explain why I said what I just did.

I'll start with the speaker issue first.
Now Pioneer make some fantastic decks. Its speakers and subs are very well designed and constructed too but I (and a serious % of audiophiles) find Pioneer speakers sound a little weak and artificial sounding. Now bare in mind this has nothing to do with actual sound quality; this is all about having your speakers sounding as close to the real instrument / voice as possible. Pioneer speakers just don't seem to possess the natural sounding hard hitting attack that many people desire from their system.

Moving along to the amplifiers.
Again Pioneer amplifiers are very well designed and constructed but they tend to lack serious power. Also, their THD levels, damping factors, slew rates etc are not overly impressive when compared to many other amps within the same price range. Now these things may not be huge differences but it's all the little ones that sway a buyer like myself.

Now cables are one subject bound to start an argument at any audio gathering.
Everybody has a different opinion on cables. To me, cables are not just cables. The reason we go for high quality cables is two fold. One reason is that the better quality the cable, the more strands it usually has and hence more current carrying ability. Now this is not important at all as you can simply buy a larger cable if need be so I wouldn't try and sell a cable based on that argument. The other main reason is that better cable tends to have a much more uniformly extruded jacket. If you get a meter of cheap cable and compare it to a meter of QED cable; chopping it at 25mm intervals, you'll often find the cheap cables come dangerously close to breaking out of the jacket every so often due to poor extrusion. Again not important if you plan on having your system for three months but if those cables have to withstand literally years of abuse under carpet (water / dirt / feet landing on them) then this does become an issue. The oxygen free argument is bollocks when referring to car audio cables and will not make an audible difference.

Brands.
Now some brands I would recommend adding to your audition list (do still include Pioneer too) for your budget (some you'll need to raise the budget for if possible) include:

Speakers & Subwoofers:
Boston
Phoenix Gold
Diamond
DynAudio
Hertz
Focal
Crossfire
Morel
Vibe
Phass
Eton
Rainbow
Lotus

Amplifiers:
Audison
Phoenix Gold
Diamond
Treo
Boston
Crossfire
ARC Audio
Zapco
Tru-Tech
Milbert
Digital Designs

Cables:
Stinger
Streetwires
QED
Audison Connection

Let your ears do the decison making.
Remember the key is too listen to as many products as you can and let your own ears decide for you. There is no special scientific formula behind the choise. Just go with what you like the sound of. Please don't just take my word for it. My opinion is only one of many. Other audiophiles such as Joe and the like may well have totally different tastes. Check the products out yourself and see if you remain with the afore mentioned ones or you settle on something else. :D