money concerns

neomagus00

just out of curiosity, how much did you guys spend on your system? i mean beginning to end, incude everything you can think of (cause i am)...

i ask because this summer i'm finally in a position to MAYBE get a sub in my car, and as i sit here adding up the numbers, they seem to be rather larger than i'd have anticipated; more specifically, the pre-tax total is over $3k... and this is for a single Eclipse Titanium 12 powered by a Zapco Reference 1100.1... tons of deadening, an eq, Stinger Expert everything, 'glass supplies, batteries, literally everything i can think of...

is this right??

p.s. i hope i haven't broken any unwritten rules in asking, PLEASE don't feel obligated to answer in any way...

VR3

Does this count upgrades? Because if its does...I wont even start...

But my -CURRENT- system ranges right at 3-3.5 K - I have Almost 1,000 invested in just my mains after upgrades/repairs...

(although I know this dosnt help you)

exalted512

with all the things ive had in my truck...around 5k is what id guess, that being a minimum. When I get the new truck every cent invested in it will be marked so I'll know exactly how much money was put into it.

AustinKP

I did this over on CAF a while back...it was kinda fun. We posted both retail value and what we paid. Lemme see:

...............................Retail...|...Paid (shipping included)
Alpine CDA-9815: $500 | $360 - discountjungle.com
Polk MM6 Comps & dB650's: $470 | $200 - eBay
Ascendant Audio Atlas 12: $162
HiFonics Zeus ZX6400: $600 | $220
Knukonceptz 4ch 4ga amp wiring kit w/ extra speaker wire: $55
2 gal SecondSkin Spectrum V.2: $120 | $90
Fiberglass door pods: ~$50
3/4" MDF 1.8 cu ft sealed sub box: $40 | $0 (father-in-law is a carpenter )
Plastic pocket to fill hole from stock CD player below the stock tape player: $20

Total retail value: $2017
Total out-of-pocket: ~$1100

note: Due to my PPI amp fiasco that some might remember, I actually only paid like $180 for my hifonics. I bought my PPI amp for $160, sold it on eBay for $225, then got my hifonics.

Looks like I've gotten everything for about 50% off of retail cost. This is largely due to installing everything myself. Plus, I just buy online, price match, wait for deals, etc. Anyway, that's my system so far.

-Austin

neomagus00

sheeyit, i can't get a lot of my stuff less than retail - stinger doesn't sell any expert-level stuff online... and for the rest of it, i could see another $500 for retail prices...

so, the buildup has its own page now, here, and is heavily under construction... all that's there currently is the BOM...

the replies have been very useful (and unusually prompt), keep em coming!

MacLeod

Well, I looked for bargains but I refuse to buy from unauthorized or used so my options are limited. However I have found that clearance items are your best bet. There is nothing wrong with them other than they are last years models. They are fully authorized and warrantied.

I bought my Alpine from Circuit City for $260. That was retail of course.

My MM6 I got from Sounddomain on clearance for $160!!! This was an outstanding deal. You can usually get really good deals from your local shop as well on last years models. They usually knock off 20% or more just cause its last years.

My MTX sub I got on clearance from Circuit City. Its a $100 sub I got for $50. Im up in the air as to my upgraded sub due to my space limitations. If I stick with an 8 Im gonna see if I can find a Diamond Audio CM3. These were discontinued this year so I should be able to get one for a song assuming I can find one. If I can fit a 10 Ill use the Polk MM2104 from Sounddomain probably as its 15% off thru them.

Same thing on the amps. Last year models. My Crossfires are about $700 MSRP but I got em for $400 total as a clearance.

Cables are a different story. I use Monster Standard RCA's. Nothing fancy but they are shielded and durable and go for $15 for 20'.

Speaker wire I use Radio Shack Premium flatwire. 50' of 14 guage wire for $20. Not too bad either.

There are plenty of deals to be had out there without having to resort to some 3rd rate, unauthorized internet dealers or buying used. Ya just have to do some legwork and sometimes wait til end-of-year specials. But take my MM6's. $350 speakers for $160 fully authorized and warrantied.

exalted512

I can get expert series for cost:D
-Cody

neomagus00

Originally posted by exalted512
I can get expert series for cost:D
-Cody

you are my hero... IF you can pass the savings on to me (no, really, about $650 MSRP of my list is stinger expert...)

and mac - believe you me, i am religiously crawling the clearance and specials pages... cause i'm in the same boat as you with used and unauthorised stuff

MacLeod

As I said. Dont underestimate the deals to be found in your local stereo shop.

Most shops sell at retail but will have clearance and end-of-year items laying around that theyre dying to get rid of.

Another good time to catch some deals is when a manufacturer changes a line. Like the Alpine V12 amps are all new this year. Most Alpine shops will likely have some of the old style V12 amps laying around at a pretty good markdown.

Diamond Audio also recently revamped their line as did MTX.

swerve

Here we go!

Head Unit - $420
Wiring - $180
Sub - $435
Amp - $538
Box - $240
Speakers - $160
2 Ch. Amp - $75
Alternator - $290
Batteries - $250
Deadening - $300
Security//Remstart - $400

I don't have it all but I'm right on track with buying everything.
Total: $3,288

What I've spent so Far: $2,048

And I still want an AVICN1 or N2 so god knows how much it's going to be...

AustinKP

Originally posted by exalted512
I can get expert series for cost:D
-Cody

Can you get them for friends

I've learned much since I bought my first car audio component - my HU - a couple years ago. I got it from discountjungle with no warranty since it was $20 cheaper than somewhere else I found it with a 1 year warranty. Since then, I heard a lot of bad things about discountjungle, so I'm really glad I didn't get ripped. So far, I've been very lucky to not have gotten ripped off from anyone.

All the stuff I've bought without a warranty has lasted longer than a warranty would have. My amp, I was sure to get with a warranty, as well as a 3 yr on my sub. Hopefully, I'll never need them. Unless I can get a killer deal on eBay for something that usually doesn't need a warranty like cables, I stick to authorised online dealers. That seems to work best for me.
-Austin

1996blackmax

I usually do what Macleod does, which is look for closeouts from the previous year, and try to go the authorized dealer way.

I bought my Eclipse CD8454 for $425 dollars from an authorized dealer (this is big because if the unit is stolen within the 1st year Eclipse will give me a new unit). The 8454 use to go for around $600 dollars. I bought my Alpine MRD-M501 for $299 dollars shipped to my door, they use to go for $499. So I got good deals and still have the factory warranty intact.

I have gotten stuff on Ebay, but it is usually stuff that can't be found anymore. An example would be an Alpine PXA-H600 digital phase processor. At the time they were very hard to get. I ended up getting it from a guy in Australia. Man that was one sweet piece of equipment.

spwuinmk67

Mine is still in the works, but of what I'm keeping...

MB Quart QSD216...retail $1400, paid $550
Pioneer Premier DEH-P8MP retail $440 paid $275

The rest is left-overs from the first system. I've worked out a rough estimate of what I'd need to finish it off, I'm looking at another $4000 probably, or around there.

exalted512

what exactly are you guys looking for? I might be able to help you out.
Word of warning, the guy took his Stinger Expert Series RCAs out and put the ones he got for knukonceptz for $15 in...you cant hear a difference...
-Cody

MacLeod

What do you think of the debates going on over on the HA side about cables needing to "burn in" before they perform their best?

I personally believe there are differences in SQ in cable but only in noise. Im not sure about needing to burn them in tho. Ive never personally noticed a difference.

exalted512

*cou(****)ghs*
-Cody

MacLeod

Man they flat out brawl over this issue on the other side.

Most of the dudes over their know what theyre talking about so maybe there is something to it.

Maybe it does have an effect but its inaudible in a car because of the noise floor being higher. I dunno.

neomagus00

Hmm... maybe someone can point out a thread or threads to read up on this a bit more, cause I can't see ANY physical effect of use on a cable, other than possible oxidation. I know that I've not seen a difference in my stingers since their installation, and I'm fairly proud of my low noise floor (which the experts dropped like a hot potato...)

cody - i'm looking for ::huge breath:: fuse holders, battery terminals and covers, cap, d-blocks, RCAs, power, ground, and speaker cable in multiple gauges... and i know a bunch of you will probably get angry that i'm using expert cables, but this may end up being a bit of a show installation, and i'd really like to be able to say that it's all cool-looking TOTL stuff... it just makes me warm and fuzzy inside, and i can pay for some warm and fuzzy...

AustinKP

Originally posted by exalted512
what exactly are you guys looking for? I might be able to help you out.
Word of warning, the guy took his Stinger Expert Series RCAs out and put the ones he got for knukonceptz for $15 in...you cant hear a difference...
-Cody

I was just wondering if I could get experts for the same price as the knu's. I'd like some RCA's with better shielding. If the experts will cost more, I'll just go with knu's. It just sucks to always have to explain to those not "in the know" that brands they haven't heard of can actually be better than Audiobahn... If I had Stinger, it would just be instant recognition, rather than a 2 minute explanation.
-Austin

exalted512

sorry guys, but no can do...i asked but he said that he just put a order in for a few people so he wont be able to put in another for 6-12 months...sorry bout that.
on a side note, i might be coming into contact with some ground zero stuff in the next few months.
-Cody

AustinKP

knu it is then. What's Ground Zero?
-Austin

AustinKP

oh, and 700 POSTS!

MacLeod

Originally posted by neomagus00
Hmm... maybe someone can point out a thread or threads to read up on this a bit more, cause I can't see ANY physical effect of use on a cable, other than possible oxidation.

Here is a good one with plenty of good points on each side.

audiobliss

Originally posted by AustinKP
oh, and 700 POSTS!

Congratulations on reaching that 700 post mark!!




(Now someone can congratulate me on finally passing 1500......)

beavis240

speaking of sweet times to buy ish, i was at my local tweeter the other day and the guy said soon would be a killer time to get some MB Quartz over there, cuz they will be puttin them on clearance when they are gettin rid of them.

audiobliss

And I bet they will be; if only I had waited to get my components.....:(

MacLeod

No need to fret. Bostons are by no means weak speakers!

Jstas

Over the years with all progressions of upgraded gear and replacement of broken/worn out gear or just at the current system?

Over the years, for the current stereo in my truck, I'd say close to 9K for that one stereo alone. That includes 4 different head units, 3 different sets of speakers (EX coaxials, Pioneer coaxials and dB components) three sub changes (dual Kenwood subs, single Pioneer sub, single Polk dB sub) two sub box changes, 4 amplifier changes (Hifonics stereo amps, Kenwood stereo amps, Profile amps, Kenwood multi channel) two cd changers and a rewiring of 3 different vehicles. Plus materials for installation and custom fabrication including wiring.

Current value of the system now was about $4500 retail but I paid just over $2600 on closeouts and through sales or discounters.


Overall, including the times I competed, probably around 25-30K. That is over all vehicles I worked on, both competition and daily drivers. That is way too much equipment to list too. Alot of it is considered junk now but when I was in to it really hardcore, names like JL were the garage junk and Phoenix Gold, MTX, Kenwood, Clarion, Sherwood and Pioneer were king of the heap. Earthquake made the Brahma subs of the day and were pretty much unbeatble matched with Kenwood or Sherwood models classified with the "true-wattage" nicknames. Rockford Fosgate was pretty much an unheard of no-name and the REAL high end came from Adcom, Denon, McIntosh, Becker and a few other companies that I can picture the equipment but can't recall the names.

But things chage, time progresses and the old folks are left by the way side to recall thier glory days only to be drowned out by the laughter of youngins that think they have it figured out. Not that that was a shot at anyone here because it wasn't. I just find it amazing at how soon people forget and neglect to look at the past for inspiration in the future. You mention great names like MTX or Kenwood now and some of these kids will laugh you right out of the store because it's"mass-market crap". You tell them that you remember when heavy hitters like JL and RF were unheard of and they look at you like that is impossible. You mention that Hifonics was the stuff to have at one point and they snicker because Hifonics lets thier stuff gocrazy cheap 'cause they would rather get thier name out there on a quality product again than rape thier customers in the name of dealer networks. It's just changed and it's dis-enchanting that marketing conglomerates have taken what was once teh greatest stuff and either stuffed it into the trash bin of oblivion or hoisted it up on an asian maufacturered pedestal to reduce cost and maximize profit at the expense of quality. Polk Audio is one of the few accesible and attainable products out there that has remained a great buy on a quality product and it is such a shame. It's hard to compete and survive in a market where your competion in any price point can't compete in anything but marketing prowess.

neomagus00

hmm... first off, congrats on everyone's ###th post, whoopee for us...

second: yeah, hardcore commercialism ruins a lot of people, but it also allows the average joe to experience what used to be the realm of the elite... and there's still mcintosh, denon, and the like to entice those of us that still consider ourselves the elite... commercialism also forces cultural innovation (a statement i'll make without support unless someone calls me on it...)

letter 3: cable burn-in... i'm a physicist by nature and training, so i can't deny A/B comparisions; i'll also agree with the statements made in that thread that we don't know everything there is to know about electromagnetism, not by a long shot, so there's no way we can conclusively decide one way or another - at the present time, that is. i'll say that i've never had the opportunity to experience cable burn-in, but i'm seriously putting an A/B test on my (long, long) todo list...

4: jstas, i didn't know you competed... elaborate?

audiobliss

Originally posted by Jsts
Jsts' post

.....wow.....

MacLeod

Originally posted by neomagus00

second: yeah, hardcore commercialism ruins a lot of people, but it also allows the average joe to experience what used to be the realm of the elite... and there's still mcintosh, denon, and the like to entice those of us that still consider ourselves the elite... commercialism also forces cultural innovation (a statement i'll make without support unless someone calls me on it...)

I dont think so. Back then you could still get high quality gear for fair prices. Ive had stereo systems in my cars since 1988 and all have been name brand stuff. Mainly MTX, Coustic, Pioneer and Rockford Fosgate. So there was plenty of good equipment out there for the average guy.

I do agree that a lot of competition only benefits us, the consumer. Everybody has to keep coming out with better gear at a better price to stay on top and thats great!