This is what I have so far:
-Pioneer AVIC-Z1 with Bluetooth
-Zenclosures 10" under strut box with ID 10" subwoofer
-Kicker 300watt amplifier

What components and Amp would match up well in the $500-$600 total range. I don't mind ebay shopping. Also, are you guys just changing out the front speakers and leaving the rears stock? Does that mean the amp would only power the fronts or do you connect all four channels and just power down the rears??

 

My first system consisted of Elemental Design amps and some a/d/s comps. This system would fall around your price range. I only ran front comps and it sounded great. I have since added a four channel JL audio amp and Polk SR all around. Can't say that the extra money for a high end four channel and rears was truly justified, plus it is hard to tell if the improved sound stage is from the components or addition of speakers. On some tracks the rear fill does sound excellent in combination with the sub and front, but if you are budget minded you will not be sacrificing a lot. Going from elemental design to DLS to JL, I can honestly say that you do not automatically get double the quality for double the expense, but you do get improved SQ when you upgrade to higher caliber products. For day to day listening I would still go with eDesign for amps. For speakers, it is just too much of a personal preference and in your price range I couldn't really recommend much, but more knowledgable members will certainly chime in. Oh, I would say that I was able to sample some Memphis Audio products while I was waiting for my JL and Polk SR sub to come in and will say that their stuff was really clean, much more so than I had expected.

 

I had front and rear for awhile, comps up front and after market coax in the back. Dedicated amps for both front and back. When I did some clean up on my install and needed extra room, I pulled out the amp that was driving the rears and just left them installed since I don't have the factory speakers anymore. I don't miss the rear channel. I typically only used it for a little bit to fill in, sometimes with good results, sometimes not.

 

What do you think of the Alpine PDX-2.150 to power the front components??

 

Soundstream will handle all your amp/component/sub needs and wants.

 

Focus on your front stage. Leave the rears powered by the headunit or disconnected altogether.
That leaves you more room for getting a better 2 channel amp and better components for the front stage.

 

OK, so I like the PDX-2.150 for the Amp, now what's a good set of components that will match up to that amp?

 

Nice amp. I can only recommend brands I am familiar with
CDT (a lot of choices but CL-62's are nice)
MTX TXC6.1 sound good (thinking about getting these for my X-terra)

Again there are a lot of choices out there, personally I wouldn't buy anything I couldn't hear first so thats gonna limit your choices. Check out your local audio shops for a test listen.

 

I have an ID 10 in a Zenclosures as well. I run Rainow SLC 265 components. They are a high-end german manufacturer and really make great stuff. PM me if you are interested and I can give you the contact information of an authorized retailer that sells for great prices. I am sending mine 125 watts from an MTX amp.

http://car.rainbow-audio.de/home/home.php?lan=2
I would recommend SLCs which you can get for ~$210 or Germaniums which are in the $300-350 range

recommendations:
Rainbow SLC 265
Rainbow Germaniums
Boston Acoustics Pro60
MB Quart QSC216
Polk Audio SR6500

And I would just replace front components and use a 2 channel to power them. I used to have a four channel with the rear channels powering aftermarket coaxs in the rear and it sounds better with the stock rears (they will be almost non-existent on the head unit power once you amp the components). And that Alpine amp you linked would work perfectly...that is a very clean, solid line of amps

 

buy my CDT's

 

Rainbows are really nice, it is just hard to find a place to listen to them. You can get some nice Focals online fairly cheap too. The Polk SR you will not find for less than six hundred, even on line.

 

which focals? 165v1 or 165v2??

 

http://www.soundstream.com/SHOWCARS.htm

 

OK, so I decided on the Alpine PDX-2.150 and Focal 165v2 components.. Now where do I get the best prices???

 

what guage speaker wire should I use for the focals?