all help and advice is appreciated. i have a 2008 acura TL-S and i want to upgrade the system because the factory installed audio system is garbage in my opinion. but i have a 15" alpine Type R subwoofer with a px.1000 alpine amp to support it. i also want to change the center speaker (front), and the 2 rear speakers around the subwoofer. i want the best sound i can get for a budget of 300 dollars.

the only problem is that i have no experience at all with car audio so i dont exactly want to install it myself unless its simple (which i doubt it is). i need advice on how to go about doing this.

 

I too think the stock system is garbage, but others on this site seem to think it sounds good (Go figure!). Anyway, the TL is a bitch to install a new sound system, so I suggest you don't do it yourself. Go to a local installer, or at worst, Best Buy or Circuit City. the door/rear deck speakers are 6.5", the center channel speaker is 3.5", the tweeters are 1" and the subwoofer is 8". If trunk space is not an issue, then go ahead and install 15" Alpine you have. But you could drop an 8" subwoofer in the stock subs place and build a small box around it to keep your trunk space. I had a system installed in my '05, and I've been happy ever since. The stock system, while not being total shit, is still lacking. Hopefully the '09 will address this issue. Good luck!

 

BTW...you might want to research active noise cancellation before you begin your install...just to avoid the hum...

 

you also have to revise your BUDGET... in order to get good sound quality...

I would really recommend getting a Rockford Fosgate 3sixty.2 to handle the OEM Integration. 'Cause you'll just be wasting your money on LOC's in my humble opinion.

You'll need some decent speakers in your front stage being pushed by a decent amplifier, so that your system could be balanced. 'Cause you are pushing a decent sub (15" Type R)with nice power (PDX-1.1000). The factory amplifier is only puting out 160 watts to all the interior speakers @ a 2 Ohm Load...

I would say that it could end up costing you upwards of $1,500 to $2000... to get it right the first time...

 

thanks to all of you for your advice. i will most likely have a professional install it, but i dont want them overcharging me. anyone have an idea about how much it would cost. not exact but in what range to expect. now i just need to get a new center speaker along with 2 rear deck speakers. are the front door speakers good or should i change them too? and wouldnt 3 amplifiers drain the car battery? (one for the subwoofer, one for the 2 rear deck and center console speakers, and the stock one the car came with).

 

You should change out all the speakers, especially the door speakers because they are closer to you. You would end up using 3 amps but you really only need a 4-6 channel for the speakers, another for the subwoofer, and you can still use the stock amp for the center speaker and tweeters. As for draining the battery, I haven't had any issues with that, and I've had my current set up for almost 3 years. As long as you don't add anything else i.e. DVD player, you should be alright with the stock battery. But you can also just get a more powerful battery to be on the safe side. My Acura dealer recommended that I do that because the stock battery was not designed to power the extra components. As far as price goes, like someone stated earlier, expect to spend between 1000-2000 dollars easy. It really depends on the brands you choose, and how much the installer charges for the installation. DO NOT go the cheap route and use some lesser known brands to try and save a few bucks. Not only do you suffer in sound quality, but reliabilty becomes an issue also. Stick with Sony, Pioneer, Alpine, Infinity or Rockford Fosgate and you can't go wrong. If you got the cash to spend, I'd recommend Memphis Audio speakers. They're expensive, but the sound is great. I heard side by side comparisons to some Pioneer and Infinity speakers and the Memphis speakers sounded much better. Not everyone is authorized to sell them, but it would be beneficial for you to search for them.

 

thanks for your help also. which battery are you currently using? i know a couple of audio experts that will be helping me. and yah i always look at quality before price. im counting on keeping my car for a while, so i want the system to last as long. i might as well change the front speakers too. your right that is where i hear most of the sound from. ill probably have to buy everything bit by bit since im still paying off the monthly fee (financed).

 

I'm still using the stock battery. I'm not trying to have too many components in my car. I have a Neo ipod adapter hooked up and a back-up camera, but that's it. I did have a problem with my battery once though. I used to leave my ipod connected when I left the car so it could charge it while I was gone. Came back after a couple of hours and my battery was dead! I got a jump and went straight to the dealer, who ended up replacing the battery for free (warranty), but told me to disconnect my ipod when I leave the car because it continues to pull power from the battery. He also suggested that I go to Advance Auto/Pep Boys/Auto Zone and get a bigger battery. He said there are batteries designed to handle multiple components and that's something I should consider. Hope this helps.