I've got a 96 lx sedan and I already got my deck in. It's a Kenwood kdc-mpv619 (50x4) and I bought/got it installed at Good Guys with a 5 year warranty. It's a good thing but its a bad thing. I have to have anything else I get installed through them cuz if I don't I void my warranty (i think, usually the case but I'll look into it more) so installation by me is out the window... I still have stock speakers all the way around. So now for the Q:

I would like a balanced sound when I add a sub and amp. If I do it soon I'll have about $325 to play with. My friend has a JL 12w3 (i think, forget if its 3 or 6) and it's L-O-U-D but it's not balaned at all... I want to avoid that but still have good bass. I know nothing about systems and wiring and ****... My judgements point me towards a 12 because my speakers are louder than my friends so I think if I had his same sub setup it would be more balanced, so should I go with a 12? if so what kind is good and atleast semi-affordable and what kind or size amp should I get... I don't know what I need to push the sub as far as watts... I told ya im an audio noob

Thanks for your time and help and patience with my n00bishness. It's greatly appreciated

basically, something affordable which sounds good bumping anything (like punk... but mostly techno )

 

okay look into a quality 4 channel amp (40-75 watts per channel) not peak but rms at 12volts...that gives yopu a lot of amps to look at. Okay use front channels to run door speakers...radio runs the rear speakers...rear amp channels bridged to run the sub. this is a very good starting point..then when you get more funds to add a decicated sub amp just switch the rears ont the rear amp channels.

have fun

 

Good advice. I'd stick to the higher end of that range though...75Wx4 ish. This should yeild 150+ to your sub which should be plenty for a JL sub. If you have the stock speakers up front they probably won't like 75w, but as long as they're well cooled, just drop the bass to them so they don't bottom out and they should survive till you can replace them. I have several JL 10w1s floating around here...good overall drivers for the price. If you really want a nice sub, try to audition the Infinity 12.1 perfects in a small sealed box. Very accurate reproduction.

 

Thanx guys, Sounds like a good plan. I'll make sure I look for something 4 channel cuz I don't wanna spend my $$$ on something that I just need to replace later... I'm getting an intake first to start off my mods and I think Ima ask my family for a sound system for christmas or something I'm just broke right now and I want to mod my car with something and since I'm not saving up for a swap I wouldn't be able to afford turbo so NA for me...