BlownHeadlight

i drive 2002 A4 and wanna just upgrade my trunk for more thumps.

was origianlly looking at JL set up. 500/1 and 12w6v2. kinda expensive for me.

so.. i m looking at the Alpine set up.
MRD-M500 amp. and 12 inch type R.

what do u guys think? the alpine amp is digital, JL being analog.

what's the pros and cons for the Amps being Digi vs Analog

Merkin

no difference, JL is probably gonna be louder

Matt Devo

I just picked up a 10" type-R and am very happy with it

GTakacs

I was like you when I was new to the car stereo scene, It would have been really cool to say that I had nothing but Kenwood HU, Kenwood speakers, Kenwood amps, Kenwood sub. But then I realized that the components can be mix and matched, they don't have to be from the same manufacturer.

I personally would not buy any of the mainstream amps like Kenwood/Alpine/Pioneer/Sony. They make great HUs but I just don't believe they make great amps. I'd say if a company puts the MAX wattage on their amp in big bold letters, RUN! I'd concentrate on brands that got their name for making amps. American brands like MTX, Phoenix Gold, Rockford Fosgate are generally underrated and they will perform equally great.

For a budget amp I'd look at a JBL BP600.1, you can find them on Ebay for under $200 shipped. For my setup space was a major concern so I went with an awesome small amp, called Memphis.

As for subs, I would not buy JL, albeit they are great subs, I think you're paying way too much for the two letters. Mainstream might not be the best choice there either but I'm sure you'd be happy with pretty much anything at this point, never having anything before, even the cheapest sub is a big improvement.

I hate to throw out brand names, as it would just reflect my personal preference, and you really have to check the stuff out yourself.

Good luck!

BlownHeadlight

where do u live btw?

GTakacs

I live in the DFW metroplex in TX.

Your car has a lot of show and go, I wish I had the money to do all that to mine, cudos for that one! Sounds like you've started at a different end of the mod world and finally got to the stereo upgrade phase.

I like to keep my car as much OEM as possible, and my wife would definetely not approve the funds for changes like yours! I might add REVO to mine just so I can race the wifey's Tiptronic Jetta 1.8T (she'd beat me, no doubt).

At any rate, it seems like you know how to mod you car, let's hope I could help you to steer you in the right direction on the audio setup too.

BlownHeadlight

i thought u were from europe,
cuz i see your Temp as Cel. mines F.

anyway thx for the compliments, i was origianlly gonna pimp my a4 with Full ICE setup (about 5000 dollars of JL stuff. fully custom) but i decide that it wasn't worth 5K for the sound. but i still one some bass in the back. currently low on budget so im trying to save as much as possible. i guess that Alpine amp for $220 is a good deal. and probably 12 inch type R ($150) or 12W6V2 (around $250-$300).

since im trying to save some money, can u possibly recommend me any of your favorites? (budget is an issue) i think 300 per sub is too much.

Thanks again!

GTakacs

You know that in Canada they also use Celsius, right? ;-). Oh, but my dash is in miles! Oh, but I have military time! Oh, all too confusing :-D
I am originally from Europe (hence the Hungarian flag in my signature, in case you were wondering) so Celsius just seems more natural to me, but I do switch back and forth between the two depending on who's in my car.

For $220, that Alpine seems pretty good, I'd still go with a JBL 600.1 though for about $50 less on Ebay. For subs in the $150 range, there are plenty of options out there. I have been extremely happy with my Infinity Perfect 10.1d, but it seems like you're looking for a 12". They also make a Perfect 12. You can get it for really cheap from www.ikesound.com I think with free shipping. Or you can always shop around and get www.thezeb.com to price match anything pretty much. I've had great luck with thezeb.com I spent over $1K with them before, they're an excellent outlet.

If you want my other recommendations, Image Dynamics IDQs are supposed to be really nice subs with great SQ and good SPL. I'm more of an SQ guy in case you haven't figured it already. I just bought an Elemental Design e10O sub for my car to replace my Pefect 10. If you're interested I can make you an awesome deal on my Perfect 10 in a subzone sealed box.

The type R's are good subs as well, I prefer to go with the not so mainstream applications in my setup but I haven't heard anything bad about the type R's ever.

Good luck with your setup, make sure you show it off once it's all said and done!

jbenedict

... the Digital Control Center with LED Display is. That only controls crossover frequencies and such. JL or Alpine, you will get a good amp either way. JL made their name making subs though, that is who I would go with for a sub between the two. Let Alpine stick to the HU's and Processors.

BlownHeadlight

great! i now know what im looking for... thx!