Adding a sound system, I don't know anything....lol. Options

[ILoveMySilly97]

So I just want to know if it's possible to add a sound system to my car by keeping things as OEM as possible. For sure I want to keep my stock deck and amp. I have the GT model. I don't know what part number the deck and amps are. Any help? I don't know anything about sound systems either so questions and opinions will be good.

[Syaoran]

So I just want to know if it's possible to add a sound system to my car by keeping things as OEM as possible. For sure I want to keep my stock deck and amp. I have the GT model. I don't know what part number the deck and amps are. Any help? I don't know anything about sound systems either so questions and opinions will be good.

Depends on what you want. It's sort of a good thing that you don't know much about them in the sense that you won't notice most of the kinks of having to do OE integration with 20-year old equipment (OEM)

With that said, there's a couple of things you can use. It's all a question of budget. I can start giving recommendations once you give me a budget to work with.

[Box]

Are you just wanting to replace the speakers, or are you wanting to add a subwoofer or tweeters etc...?

[SwissFerdi]

Best thing to do, really, is replace the stock receiver with an aftermarket unit (I recommend Kenwood, they have the highest RMS watt rating). The reason being more power to the speakers, and the option of CD player and AUX input, or USB. Disregard this if you only listen to radio.

I recommend looking at Crutchfield.com, that site will tell you exactly what fits.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Aug 2, 2012 - 10:18 AM

[Box]

I recommend looking at Crutchfield.com, that site will tell you exactly what fits.

Then go buy it off eBay. Whenever I get around to buying another head-unit I'm going with an older Japanese Pioneer model. Then again I'm OCD about my stuff's origin. You may not be.

This post has been edited by Box: Aug 2, 2012 - 11:11 AM

[Promasta]

^this is exactly what i do lol. crutchfield is a great site, but ebay is way cheaper.

[diegohiga]

this website is good too techronics.com but ebay is cheaper and some of them give you guarantee. i highly recommend to get new stuff.
and yes kenwood, pioneer or alpine if you have an ipod are very good stuff. dont get jensen, sony and other cheap stuff i had those and the quality is horrible. i preffer pioneer 10 times better than sony.
for the speakers you cant go wrong with alpine, infinty or even better focal!
the front sepakers of the celica are 8inches and the rear ones 6.5 but you easily can make a bracket to mount a 6.5 on front.

and if you need info to hook up tweeters, capacitors, subs or 1 amp for the mids and highs and 1 for the lows let me know its simple amd i can show you with pics.

This post has been edited by diegohiga: Aug 2, 2012 - 11:34 AM

[Syaoran]

Second-hand headunits are most of the time OK to buy. Headunits aren't something that receive a beating like, say, subs or speakers.

diymobileaudio.com/forums is a good place to find used headunits, and sometimes even new subs.

[SupraKid]

http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=77088

[ILoveMySilly97]

http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=77088

Thanks for that link! It'll help out a lot.

My budget is maxed out at 150 and looking to spend somewhere around 100. I got a friend that's helping me out. He competes in the states. He told me that I can just get a sub and have it powered by it's own amp and still keep both the stock deck and stock amp.

[richee3]

You lose a bit of sound quality that way but I see it done all the time. I've found that a low power amp and a 10" sub is a decent setup in our cars. The hatch acts as a second box, throwing the sound into the cabin and making the most of your sub. I'm not into the loudest sound systems with the most bass and it sounds like you might be the same way. A 10 won't take up much room in your trunk, plus they have great response. Plus it won't overpower your speakers.

Another viable and relatively inexpensive option is to your door speakers with 8" subs. I have never heard this setup so I'm not sure how it sounds.

[kurt95gt]

If you would do 8inch door. Subs put some sound deafening behind it
An it will be best to run them off there own amp
I have a pair of 300watt 8s in my doors an 2 300watt 12 s in my trunk.
It gives me plenty of bass
The 8s alone weren't enough for me but I like bass lol
8s are a good upgrade over stock an will give decency bas if setup right

[SwissFerdi]

Whenever I get around to buying another head-unit I'm going with an older Japanese Pioneer model.

kenwood, pioneer or alpine if you have an ipod are very good stuff

Pioneer, quality-wise, is excellent, but their receivers are on the lower end of the max RMS watt range.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Aug 3, 2012 - 12:41 AM

[ILoveMySilly97]

You lose a bit of sound quality that way but I see it done all the time. I've found that a low power amp and a 10" sub is a decent setup in our cars. The hatch acts as a second box, throwing the sound into the cabin and making the most of your sub. I'm not into the loudest sound systems with the most bass and it sounds like you might be the same way. A 10 won't take up much room in your trunk, plus they have great response. Plus it won't overpower your speakers.

Another viable and relatively inexpensive option is to your door speakers with 8" subs. I have never heard this setup so I'm not sure how it sounds.

Yea. It seems like we are on the same page. Lol. I just want a lil something more than the stock ones. I'm not a big fan when it comes to sound system. Lol.

[Syaoran]

Whenever I get around to buying another head-unit I'm going with an older Japanese Pioneer model.

kenwood, pioneer or alpine if you have an ipod are very good stuff

Pioneer, quality-wise, is excellent, but their receivers are on the lower end of the max RMS watt range.

No headunit will send decent power to any aftermarket speaker setup...

[SwissFerdi]

No headunit will send decent power to any aftermarket speaker setup...

While this may be true, a 50% difference between power output is still a 50% difference between power output. The difference is noticeable.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Aug 5, 2012 - 1:08 PM

[ILoveMySilly97]

No headunit will send decent power to any aftermarket speaker setup...

While this may be true, a 50% difference between power output is still a 50% difference between power output. The difference is noticeable.

Can you break this down to me? I don't understand what a head unit is and I don't understand what you mean by power output? Sorry I have no clue when it comes to this. Lol.

[Box]

Whenever I get around to buying another head-unit I'm going with an older Japanese Pioneer model.

kenwood, pioneer or alpine if you have an ipod are very good stuff

Pioneer, quality-wise, is excellent, but their receivers are on the lower end of the max RMS watt range.

22W RMS is more than enough for me. I don't like music really loud while driving anyway, just want it to sound good.

This post has been edited by Box: Aug 6, 2012 - 12:33 AM

[SwissFerdi]

Can you break this down to me? I don't understand what a head unit is and I don't understand what you mean by power output? Sorry I have no clue when it comes to this. Lol.

The deck. A typical aftermarket deck will have something like a max output of 4 x 50 watts, meaning it is capable of transmitting 50 watts in a channel, four in all (left front speaker, right front, left rear, right rear). However, it cannot sustain this output, so there is a more realistic rating, RMS watt: this is more like a steady output, the amount that each channel (and each speaker) constantly receives. So let's say one receiver is rated at 14 RMS, and then another at 22 RMS; from there, a 50% power difference.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Aug 6, 2012 - 12:01 AM

[Box]

Looked up, my bad was 22 RMS and 45 peak. Still, plenty for me.

But unless you plan on entering car audio competitions, a standard head-unit is more than enough.

This post has been edited by Box: Aug 6, 2012 - 12:33 AM