I just want to preface this by saying I know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about car audio, just that the audio in my 03 z (non-bose system) sounds like ****....even for me (a person that doesn't care too much about audio).

My goal is to have a primarily stock looking set up - if I can use the stock locations that is even better.

Head-unit - Pioneer AVH4200-DVD
Sub + box - Wicked Cas Corner Enclosure + JL Audio 10W1v2 or a JL Audio 10W3v3 (whats the difference between these two, is one clearly better than the other, worth the difference in price?)
Speakers - ?
Amp - ?
Tweeters - ? (are these even needed)

Probably my biggest complaint about the stock setup is the front speakers, sounds like they're non exisistant and everything is coming from behind. I want everything to sound 'centered' -- if that makes sense.

With the head-unit, box, and sub, i'm probably pushing close to a grand already. I want my limit to be 1500 all together, is this doable?

 

This might blow your budget by a little but try FOCAL components in the doors. You can also put FOCAL full range speakers in the rear, but not necessary.

 

Should I just ditch the speakers behind the seats all together?

Also, how is this amp

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-O7gZJbQ...-J2-250-1.html

 

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_107DB65...1s.html?tp=105

any opnions, i know nothing about brands or anything. Just going by crutchfields popular stuff.

 

Well the prices are attractive and the units you are looking at are fine. As far as the rear speakers go, you'll find that some on this forum will tell you to ditch the rears all together and that rears are not needed, and just go with components in the doors and a sub. I went a slightly differnet route. I went with Kenwood AMP, Kenwood HU, FOCAL components for the doors and full range FOCALS in the rear. I have no sub and I don't miss a sub. The FOCAL's give me enough bass for my taste. I've never been a boom-boom bass kind of a listener anyway. The FOCAL's provide a nice tight bass and the rears compliment the front components. Go to your local audio store and give a listen to the various choices, or better yet, find your local Zee brothers and sisters and have a listen to what they have , then make a decision. Just my 2 cents. good luck

 

thanks.
I checked out focals and yeah they would bring me very close to my budget.
i'm not trying to be to bass heavy but have a nice set of hi's mid's low's all kind of going with each other, don't want too much of one and not enough of the other. figured this would be easier to configure with a sub.

why do people say ditch the rears? do you get a nice kind've "surround sound" effect with your setup?

 

I like my surround setup with the components in the doors and the full ranges in the rear. And Like I said, I do not miss a sub and people who hear my tunes ask me where my sub is and I tell them there isn't one and there surprised.

 

if you spend cash on great fr door speakers and great power, you can skimp on the sub and still have great music.
I run Boston Pro 60 se in wicked C.a.s pods, and an apline 4.150. with the right crossovers ( i use alp9ne imprint) ,its sick. I adde 2 jl 10w7s and a 1.1000 but still ahve it turned way down to be balanced.

id reccomend buying good speakers always ,iterally always get the best you can find.

If you ahve to skimp, then buy them on ebay. the stock stero in the z is literally the worst i have ever heard.

Rear speakers are always necc, but going w out them is doable. If you had enuff to buy 4 decent speakers or to pull the rears out and buy one set of GREAT speakers, id do that.

I run alpine SPrs in the rear and its just fine.

 

i just saw your budget.
i bought an alpine iva w505 new on ebay for 700 bucks ..
boston pro60se for 389...
you can get the same alpine spr coax's for 75 bucks,
and you can get away with running a 5 channel alpine pdx amp for now t that wicked CAS sub.

No one could laugh at your system, it would be an easy install, and will be good quality stuff.

I ran w other amps, but this one would still be sick. check em out. I ran an audio shop for 10 years.. this is quality merch.

 

I have everything you need forsale... I dont know what your budget is... Here is an idea though... Top of the line amp and custom kick pods made by Bing on this forum and all the wiring you would ever need...

Also have a Pioneer Z2 that I would give you one hell of a deal on if you bought the whole thing...

https://my350z.com/forum/audio-video...ck-panels.html

Chris

 

I got the same head unit
Focal 165 v30 front components
Alpine spr coax rears
Alpine MRP-f300 amp for the speakers(came with the Alpine rears)
JL 10w7
Alpine mrp-m1000 for the sub
Sonix enclosures box w amp rack
1 gallon Edead liquid deadener
20 sq ft Edead peel n seal
75 sq ft jute
40 sq ft neoprene

My total budget came to about $2200. I got the sub used for $200, they retail for a little over double that. The pioneer head unit is really competitive for half the price of the Alpines, although I've always beena huge alpine fan. I found the deadening to be completely necessary, but it may not bother you. It's a huge project to take on yourself, I have about 40 hours in that alone. World of difference though. I'm not saying everything here is the absolute best, or completely within your budget, but I think my system sounds pretty damn good and it didn't break the bank. I found that for an extra hundred bucks on each piece of the system, it really made a huge step up in quality.

I personally like having rears, I think they fill it in nicely. I've shut them off and tried everything, couldn't get it to sound as good.
I would also highly recommend focals. The polyglass line sounds great and theyre not that expensive (picked mine up for 320). Just use google shopping for everything, you'll find the best prices around.