Tight sounding Car audio

[usaownz]

Are there any suggestion for a very affordable amp and sub that is meant to sound nice instead of just being loud? I am on a really really tight budget...

[xplorer]

It really depends on your EXACT budget.....

When you get into sound quality that is where money is usually a factor. You can make a cheap low powered wall of subs "boom" but to get a sub to accurately reproduce for excellent sound quality you can usually expect to spend 2X-5X more.

From the sound of it you will be looking for a 10"-12" subwoofer in a sealed enclosure. But until you can provide more info, there isn't much to go on. Are you planning on doing the install yourself? What kind of vehicle? Stock Head Unit?

You will quickly learn that when it comes to car audio you can't cut corners, you WILL regret it when you spend twice as much to make it right.

[usaownz]

250 for amp and subwoofer, I know it's very low. But I don't needs something super loud. Even a slightly boomy setup would suffice, although the audiophile in me cringes at the thought.
I'm a bass player for it irks me when I can hear the bass player that well.

[xplorer]

I hear you, what kind of vehicle is it, and do you already have an after market head unit?

The 250 is a pretty tight budget, depending on what you already have.

Bare minimum you will need:
Wiring Kit
Amplifier
Subwoofer
Enclosure

But depending on your application you will need:
Wiring Kit
Amplifier
Subwoofer
Enclosure
Line Level Converter
Relay
Add-A-Circuit
Extra 2 conductor wire
Scotchloks


Wiring:
For the wiring I can't recommend knukonceptz enough, great prices, quick shipping, and a bunch of the nit-pick parts that aren't included in a lot of off the shelf kits.

http://knukonceptz.com/productDetail.cfm?prodID=KOL-AK8


Subwoofer:
A 12" Sub in a matched sealed enclosure is ideal for what you are looking for, more low end without being boom/rattle. In my experience for a daily driver you can't go wrong with Resonant Engineering (12 RE Series). Shop around for the best price, super wide range in pricing.

http://www.reaudio.com/specs.html#sp_re


Enclosure:
You will need a 12" sealed enclosure ranging from .5 cubic feet to 2.0 cubic feet. (Ideally more toward 2.0) I highly suggest calling around to local shops and seeing what kind of deals they have. (You will have to haggle with them, markup in the industry is killer) Make sure that it is at least 3/4" MDF, not particle board like you see at the flea market. Take the time and buy a tube of clear silicone and make sure the inside of every joint of the box is SEALED, don't forget the terminals where they wires come in.


Amplifier:
This comes down to personal preference of course but you will want to be in the 200w range stable @ 2 ohms MONO for the 12 RE. The amp doesn't have to be a monoblock amp, you can use a stereo amp, but it must be bridgeable! You can always go a little bit higher and back off on the gain with a higher powered amp. I highly recommend choosing an amp that has a remote gain control so you can adjust the level from your seat. There are a billion brands out there when it comes to amps, try to stick with the name brands, you wont regret it. (Rockford Fosgate, Kicker, JL Audio, PPI, Alpine...etc)


As you can see the money she goes quickly! More info always helps to suit things to your specific install!

Good luck!

PS - Nice avatar, great animation!

[usaownz]

97 Accord EX. Hopefully it won't sound too bad coming from the trunk :-\
Already have the headunit it's a Pioneer DEH-P3000IB.
Thanks for the help!