Seeking advice on the best car stereo, getting close to making a decission Options

[VegasRacer]

I've read all the old threads I can find on the subject. I've Googled until I went (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) .
I have visited most of the audio stores in a 10 mile radius.
The more I look - the more confused I get. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)
It is getting close to time for making a decision and spending my $$'s.
The casette deck and one blown speaker have got to go. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ar15.gif)
My budget is $500 max. Can I find something that will make me happy?
Do I need a power amp and / or a sub woofer?

I am favoring the Kenwood EZ500 head unit. It seems as good as most and better than many. I do like the retro look. I'm not crazy about the flip down front to play a CD. I don't need the remote.
(IMG:http://www.infinitecaraudio.com/shop/uploads/im_ez500_lrg_2004_kusa.jpg)

I'll probably go with the speaker pods that morphenspectra sells. Are these really the best way to go? Any recommendations for what I should use to fill them? I want something good. Polk Audio, Infinity, Boston Acoustics. Should I be looking at 2 way or 3 way speakers? I don't want separate tweeter components.

Please help me spend my money. What do you have that you like?
What should I avoid? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[Twystd1]

You should of seen my 72 teener when I bought it. There was two 10" Sub woofer cut outs in the engine firewall, firing a pair of 10s into the cab.

Could hear the engine throught the cones. The voice coils would overheat in 5 minutes and pruduce histericly obtuse bass imaging. Sounded like the drivers were making the sounds like a small rocket taking off... was really good for a laugh.
Am still welding the holes up.. Stitch by stitch.

Really the only way that I have made good sound in a Teener was to put two 5 inch SEAS Subs (yup they make em) in the center console with two molded speaker pods in the kick panels next to my feet. Had to make a custom fiberglass enclosure for em.

The kicks had a 6" DynaAudio Mid base and a DynaAudio D-28 soft dome tweeters with hand made crossovers.

Had an Orion 5 channel amp in the front with a changer. Ran the two subs in parralel to create a 2 ohm load for the sub channel of the amp.
Ran everything else in the standard fashion.

Head unit had DSP. In this way I could delay whatever speakers I needed to that would allow me to bring the sound stage up into the windshield. Took a crap load of tweaking to get the sound to come out of the windshield. Yet it came out pretty good.

Actually sounded very tight, and loud when needed on the freeway or with the top off. The trick was to know that there REALLY is a 5 woofer that is tight and will go down to 35HZ without falling on it's face. The other trick is that I had to make a custom fiberglass enclosure for the 6" mids in the kick. It is imperative to NOT let the front sound wave from the speaker hit the back sound wave. Because they cancel each other out...

Thats the downside of having OPEN BACK speaker pods. They are to some degree self cancelling. And the more you turn em up, the more they cancel.

If you are good at crafting fibeglass and understand the basics of physcoaccoustics.

Shit howdy.. you can do it. Just spend a month reading before you start the project. Make some parts (enclosures) out of card board. Tape them to wherever you think they can fit. Do your best to have the speakers pointed at your head if possible.

And buy the absolute best components you can find. Buy em used and save some money. Speakers either work or they don't. Same goes for amps. Buying high end used components is a great way to go.....!!!!!!

Just my .02 worth

Twystd1
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