Hey, Im about to get a new car in a couple of months and decided that unlike others, driving for me is not merely a means to an end, but rather an experience I would like to enjoy.
I'm getting a 1999 VW Golf 1.6i with the standerd sound system in it as of now. I have heard things about a split system and stuff. Ive got a JVC KD - G405 50w times 4 and Its also an mp3 player. I listen to mainly rock ad jazz. Could someone please explain what exactly would be my best option and what makes I should go for? I'm willing to spend in the 2000 pound range.
Get a sub. Not a boyracer boom-boom sub but something that'll make you feel the upright bass - with a proper crossover (get the bass out of the doors...). And if you're going for sound quality choose carefully - I'm more than happy with my Alpine setup. Think also about who's in the car, if it's mainly just yourself then find a system with individual delays to the speakers - time aligning everything for the driver makes for such a more natural sound than you can imagine.
Also remember, EQ can't fix anything - get the system right. And for the ultimate shakedown test it using mono speech - you'll be shocked how bad it sounds on most systems.
Personally? would go on Alpine head unit, Alpine or Focal front speakers, Alpine or pioneer rears, Alpine or infinity sub, seperate amp for the fronts maybe.
Oh, and less is more - no need to go more than 2 way on anything and no need to sacrifice all the boot for the sub - single 10" of top quality is better than a double 15 cheap job.
I selected all my gear myself, got a local installer to install the speakers and they were stunned as to how good it was, especially considering that if I'd had 2000 quid, I'd still have had about 1500 of that in my pocket..
What the other said as far as stereo stuff goes. And you'll get something fairly decent for about 500 quid or so - no need to spend *that* much.
But if driving is an experience you would like to enjoy, consider something other than a 1.6 Golf - unless you do 99.9% of your journeys in city centres, you'll find it pretty slow. Consider something with a bigger engine if you must have a Golf, but the Mk4 Golfs are very bloated and really not much of a driver's car. Still pretty decent cars in many respects, but you could do much better. Pull out if you still can (said the actress to the bishop.....).
Yep something along that line, avoid the Nakamichi CD500 but the CD400 is a top head unit. (Many people say that having a good source is the most important part but for me I'd say it's better to spread you cash about as even the best head unit will sound bad through a bad amp and speakers.) For Rock and Jazz I'd probably be looking at something in the 10" sub range (they won't go as low as
12" but also don't take as long to react), and a decent set of components up front run them both off a medium powered amp (a true 4x50w (rms) amp not a head unit should be more than enough, with the rear channels bridged)
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