car audio system help

[skyless]

Well since i know very little about putting a system in a car i figured i would see what help i could get here. I have a 84 vw rabbit diesel, it has 2 speakers in the rear and 2 little ones in the dash. There is an aftermarket cd/mp3 deck installed already (by previous owner). The car is in decent shape and runs really good and get like 40ish mpg. The real problem i have with it is its very loud, sooo i figure in order to make my car not seem so loud i would make my music louder . What should i get, I have plenty of room in the back of the car, the rear seats are taken out, so theres room behind the driver and passanger seats as well as next to the rear wheel wells ( where the current stock speakers are). I need to keep some room for my surfboard to fit. Also, this may sound silly but is there a way to muffle the sound of the engine, sound proofing? Any info or links as to the components I need to get, what size speakers i need to fill the space with sound. Amp, subs, do i need them? Thanks

[teufelhunden]

Amp for speakers will depend on your head unit. Amp for subs is a yes [subs aren't all about making people hear you coming from 3 miles... they're pretty critical for a decent system]. Check out Dynamat or other similar products for soundproofing. Other people will be able to help you out more-- if not here, there's forums all over the place for car audio, check google.

[Tobe2be]

dynamat or any sound proofing is heavy so mpg will go down. diesels are loud when not maintain properly. anti-gel and cleaners help to reduce noice after repeated use. as for sound. amp it with aftermarket speakers and you should be able to raise the volume of the whole system without distortion. hopes that helps

[txaggie08]

Dynamat really isn't that heavy....


First thing I would do with sound issues is dynamat the thing. Next step is to decide, do you want Sound quality or just to blow a window out?

[skyless]

Thanks for the info guys. Ive done some research on the soundproofing and found some different products, im thinking of using damplifier from secondskinaudio.com. Will probably go with a hoodliner too. As for the audio system i just want some quality sound, i dont need to blow my ears out, but being able to open the hatchback and blast some tunes would be sweet.

[txaggie08]

Memphis would be an awesome bet.

[spectre184]

2 little ones in the dash.

I would probably assume those are 3 1/2" speakers in dash. Whether you replace them or not you should definatly put bass blockers on them. Which is nothing more than a capacitor. For that small speker I would recommend cut off around 600hz or so. From them you want more mid/highs than bass since that small speaker typically cant reprodue bass that well.

I've bought stuff from woofersetc.com and they have reasonable prices. though they dont sell the bass blockers

Memphis would be an awesome bet.

they sell that brand too

hope this helps?

[txaggie08]

I'm actually probably putting an M1 12"(maybe a pair haven't decided....) in my truck this Christmas myself. Beautiful sounding speakers...

[kruger]

To get some really good tips, try crutchfield. Just google it and check out the site. They are dedicated to car audio, but have branched out to most forms of electronic entertainment now. But, they do extensive research as to what fits and what works together. Also, they list the specs in a form that you can compare and decide. Also, they have lots of little info tidbits that are real world useful. I have used them a lot in the past and have had good experiences with them.

[Rjewing]

As far as sound dampening goes, don't waste your money on stuff like dynomat or second skin or anything like that. This sounds ghetto, but go to home depot and get some peel and stick roof repair rolls. looks like aluminum foil with a tarish backing. Same stuff, about 1/4 the price. Just use double layers and all will be good for sound levels.

[skyless]

Ive heard about using that roofing material. Sounds like a cheap way to go, just did not know if it really works as good. thanks for the info guys i stilll have a few week befor i can afford to "pimp my ride"

[Miscue]

Ive heard about using that roofing material. Sounds like a cheap way to go, just did not know if it really works as good. thanks for the info guys i stilll have a few week befor i can afford to "pimp my ride"

Yeah, you can use asphalt-based roofing material like Peel-n-Seal - it's basically what the entry-level Dynamat is. It's way cheaper and works well. But here's the problem: It's stinky... particularly when it gets warm. Personally, I think it's better to get the higher-grade Cascade or Dynamat or whatever that doesn't smell... unless you don't care. That's the only reason why I don't use Peel-n-Seal.