I am a newbie here and to audio in general and would like to get some advice from you seasoned audio gurus.

I have a 99 Lexus GS400 with the Nakamichi upgraded audio system - this comes with a sub, separate amp in the trunk, 6-disc cd changer and ofcourse speakers in the front and back doors.

I have bought the following equipment to upgrade the stereo:
1. 2 (two) JL Audio 10W3 D2 V2 subs
2. JL Audio 500/1 mono amp to power the subs above
3. CDT Audio CL-6X rear fill speakers
4. Zapco C2K-1.0X amp for the rear fill speakers
5. CDT Audio HD-62ST with the SatNet 560 crossovers for the front speakers
6. Zapco C2K-3.0X amp for the front speakers
7. CDT TW-19/LP Image Enhancement System tweeters
8. A whole bunch of sound deadening equipment from CASCADE - trunk kit, door kits, speaker kits

I have bought some other miscelleaneous stuff:

1.0 Farad Lightning Audio Capacitor
Street Wires Distribution block
HI/Lo Line level output converter
4 gauge Lightning Power wire- 194inches long
4 gauge Lightning Ground Wire
All ancillary wires, etc

Am I going in a good direction? What else do I need in terms of hardware to complete my system? I am considering the Sony ES CDX-C90 to replace my HU. I am also considering getting the Sony XDP-210 digital eq, pre-amp. I have not considered replacing the CD changer with something better, but am open to suggestions on a high end CD or DVD -changer....

A friend of mine says the Decware subs and Harrison labs amps are better than the JL Audio equipment I have listed above. Can anyone else comment on this?

What else do I need? Please be very specific in terms of manufacturer and type of audio equipment. The last thing I want to do is buy something in a hurry and end up upgrading it later. In the same vein, please let me know a good installer in the Mississauga or GTA as I need a custom box built for the subs and someone who can tune the system properly.

Thanks for your help!!

[ February 15, 2004, 09:16 AM: Message edited by: SilverGS ]

 

Not sure of the power consumption of those amps, might goto 0/1 awg...anyone else
???

 

If you have already bought equipment of brand names like JL, CDT and Zapco, I would recommend steering away from Sony stuff. Alpine, Kenwood eXcelon, Clarion and Eclipse would be some better alternatives. But then again, it's all a matter of priorities (SQ, processing, features) and budget.

Steven

 

With a high quality installation the high quality components mentioned will shine. But don’t be surprised if you do upgrade, it is natural since you obviously want the best (this upgrade will address YOUR opinions as to what is best not ours).

 

JL has built their reputation on products that sound good and I would consider the equipment you have a very good value. The W6-series subs are a step above the W3 and are also a great value (You might need the 1000/1 or two of 500/1 if using W6 subs)...but keep in mind that a bad install can make great gear sound horrible vs. a well designed & installed system will sound awesome even with mediocre gear.

I concur with the notion of going with bigger power wire the first time around as you may want to upgrade and/or add an amp or two at some stage so build a good foundation as there is a small diff in cost, besides running more wire when the system is already in is a real pain.

Sony does have a reputation for poor reliability, very generally speaking. If most of the people here were putting in a higher end system we would probably lean towards Alpine, Eclipse and Pioneer's high end stuff, maybe the Excelon gear from Kenwood.

If you are thinking DVD, Alpines screens can't be beat, go have a look at the Alpine DVA-900 headunit/DVD/Screen and I bet you won't be able to see the pixels (they figured out how to put 4 pixels where there used to be one) and the picture looks awesome even 45 deg off axis.

I like Cascade, great product!

 

Dereck is the deck in equestion an ES deck? If so is it as good as the ES line of the past?

 

the c-90 is one of the better decks ever made. I agree with dereck. Dont listen to them. Steve Head runs a c-90 in is iasca world champ car.

 

Yeah, the c90 is a fantastic deck.. Even better than it's mobile ES predecessor the C910.

 

Thanks everybody for the feedback - it appears as if I am going in the right direction. Do I need anything else in terms of equalizers or anything else in the same vein?

I am considering competing in SQ competitions sometime this year in the summer, so will really like to upgrade to the Sony ES CDX-C90 HU.

Any recommendations for a good install place in Mississauga/Oakville/Brampton area or even slightly further like Milton or Kitchener/Cambridge or Hamilton areas?

I have heard that Perfect Tones in Milton is good. Anyone have experience with them?

What about Phantom Car audio in Mississauga? Anyone here dealt with them?

Lemonlime, which install shop do you use?

[ February 16, 2004, 04:42 AM: Message edited by: SilverGS ]