What First: Subs or speakers??

[Sean]

Ive heard that the fist step is to buy an amp and some subs and that the stock speaker are fine. But i got a bunch of people tellin me to replace the speakers first... Will the system sound fine with the stock speakers and a sub and amp...or should i replace the speakers first??

[Rosado]

The question is are u going to change the head unit?
If your not then do the subs first.
If you are then do the speakers first.

[WeibSunder]

New HU with new door and back deck speakers. All depends if you want SQ or SPL.

[10-32]

Yeah, really depends on what you're looking for, what you currently have (and how well it works), and what your overall plans are.

If your stock system works well and you just want to add a little "bump", then go ahead and throw in a sub or two. But take your stock system into consideration when you buy your subs.
If you go out and get some JL W7s, you're probably going to have too much bass for the stock system to handle, meaning you'll have to upgrade the mids and highs to match.
Get some mid-line subs, and you'll be alright provided your stock stereo is pretty good now. Even one 10",12", or even 8" sub will add a nice boost to an already good stock system, and many folks are happy with that.


If the stock stereo isn't what you want it to be, then look at that first. Decide whether or not you want to change the head unit, and then address the speakers. Leaving the stock HU is fine if that's what you want, but I'd recommend running an aftermarket amp to your new speakers.
And as for the speakers, get the higher-end components (as much as your budget will allow). Mids and highs are a good thing, and the more attention to detail you show here, the better your system will sound overall later on. Round speaakers used to be the rule, but they're making some pretty kick-ass 6x9s now, so get what fits.

Even if you do replace the HU, I still recommend running an aftermarket amplifier to your cabin speakers. Actual RMS wattage on head units has gotten better over the years, but you won't truly get the best sound out of your new speakers without an external amp. It doesn't have to be huge or expensive, just adequate and of good quality.

Once you get your cabin squared away, then look to subs. (If you're going this route). You should get good mids and highs from your cabin upgrades, and it'll give you an opportunity to get comfortable with the limitations of your new system.
It's easy to allow the mids or highs to be pushed beyond their limits when you have overwhelming bass at the same time, and I've seen many people blow speakers that way. By getting familiar with the cabin speakers first, you'll already have everything set and you'll know how loud you can go with them. Then all you have to do is adjust your new subs to suit your needs.
Either way, testing cabin/trunk speakers exclusive of each other is a good idea when you're getting everything set up, to avoid any complications with distortion later on. It's the slight, not easily noticeable distortion that'll kill you in the long run.

So that's pretty much it. All that's left is to pick out which speakers/amps/subs/HU to buy. And which wires and how much, and connectors and adapters, etc., etc. But that's all up to you, your budget, and your ultimate stereo goals.

Good luck!

[WeibSunder]

Cliff notes?

[10-32]

Good stock system = get a sub/subs

Bad stock system = fix that first


There, ya happy?

[Ajaxus]

Works for me, lol

[Rosado]

:sikmindz:

[jperryss]

If your stock system works well and you just want to add a little "bump", then go ahead and throw in a sub or two. But take your stock system into consideration when you buy your subs.
If you go out and get some JL W7s, you're probably going to have too much bass for the stock system to handle, meaning you'll have to upgrade the mids and highs to match.
Get some mid-line subs, and you'll be alright provided your stock stereo is pretty good now. Even one 10",12", or even 8" sub will add a nice boost to an already good stock system, and many folks are happy with that.

Well said.

Adding an amp/sub is plenty for most people. Then, when that gets boring, you can look into new headunit and speakers.

If you're not happy with your stock speakers and don't care about getting loud in the trunk, look into upgrading your speakers first.

NOTE: It's easier to upgrade the speakers after installing an aftermarket headunit, but there still may be a bit of trickery involved in getting aftermarket speakers working properly, depending on which stock system you have. Either way, it's nothing too crazy.

[kuecker_dj09]

Good stock system = get a sub/subs

Bad stock system = fix that first


There, ya happy?

x5