nfordhk

iTrader: (2)

Ill make this short for you all.
I have an aftermarket stereo
I kept hearing this do-do-do-do sound and took it to an audio shop for diagnosis.

I was told my amp was going but they weren't 100% cause all my speakers were blown.

I purchased 2 6 1/2 Kicker KS650 and had them installed - 110 + 40 install
After install they said oh there not going to work cause you need your amp rewired.

You need to do an amp bypass. Thats 20 + 50 for install and then I won't be able to use my sub.

But you should replace your fronts first and see how you like it. Thats going to be 80 + 40 install. Does that a least mean my fronts will work? Cause the only thing thats working right now are my tweeters and its almost worthless listening to the radio

So im guessing if my radio is powering my speakers I will need a new amp to power the stock sub? Which will be like 200 total. Is it me or are they just continuously ****ing my wallet with this audio.

tneig002

They're not bleeding you for money; those prices are actually relatively cheap in terms of labor. It sounds like you do indeed need an amp bypass, although what you should do is completely up to how much you want to invest in the car and how much you love your audio.

Personally, I'd ditch the factory sub, install an aftermarket 4-channel for your mid-ranges and tweeters and then put in a separate aftermarket amp to drive a subwoofer. You could also go for a 5-channel for simplicity but I'm not really a fan of them (it's lazy and they don't sound very good IMO).

If you're not into spending all that money and not that serious about making ground-breaking improvements, have the shop do an amp bypass and then see if you can live with the way that sounds without a sub. If over time you just can't stand it, you can always go back and install an amp and sub.

nfordhk

iTrader: (2)

Sounds good. Now if I went out and bought one 4 channel for now and power my speakers is there any certain specs I need to look for? Or can I just go online and pretty much pick one? Same with 5 channel. Also if I get one new sub (im a fan of trunk room) Do that just drop into the new slot. Any recommendations? Or is it going to be boxed in my trunk?

Thanks

tneig002

Unfortunately, in the world of audio, there are no easy answers to these questions. I could spit out all kinds of facts, opinions, and statistics about total harmonic distortion, signal-to-noise ratios, power ratings, etc. - but it doesn't really mean anything unless you can hear the difference. I'd recommend you listen to some amps in a local audio shop. Audition "low-end" and "high-end" models. If you can't discern between them, there's no point in really spending the extra money to attain quality you can't even appreciate. Pick a reasonable budget without lowballing yourself and try to stay around there. It's hard to really generalize with all the internet prices out there and small companies making good amps, but a decent 4-channel for the average person will likely have an MSRP of roughly $250. For a good 5-channel, expect to pay around double that.

That being said, try to avoid REALLY cheap amps. As a general rule, if an amplifier looks cheap or flashy (AKA form over function), it probably is.

As for your subwoofer, you really have to decide what size and quality you want first. Determine if you enjoy the boom of a sub or just like smooth, tight, bass. That'll give you an idea of what size you should go with. I wouldn't recommend trying to put an aftermarket sub in the factory spot. While it is a reasonable proposition and can be rewarding with the right infinite baffle speaker put in place, I'd much rather have a sub with an enclosure (which WILL take up a small part of whatever storage/trunk space you have).

nfordhk

iTrader: (2)

All the quality and specs of sound aside. Theres nothing mandatory I have to look for then? Nothing that an amp must have to work in my car. Their all universal?