How many watts is good for the ep??

[epblue05]

So i'm looking to get a system, nothing outrageous but i do want it to bump. i keep hearing for a hatchback like we have 200-250 watts rms would be good enough. However i have friends that have systems that put out like 600watts rms and its very loud, but would less then half that still be loud in the ep? how much watts rms are you running?? and and what kind of sound are you getting from it??

[james04si]

1.5k rms sounds about right for me. Thats what I run to the sub. Of course I also have 600rms to my componets up front and 6.5s in the back. To get a serious response you need to give us more details about what you have and want to do. Some subs crave more power some cant handle as much. also you have to take into account what type of sub box you want sealed/ported.

[epblue05]

i was going to go with a sealed box with two 10'' alpine subs. it puts out 50-175 watts rms per sub. There is a bass package on crutch field that i was looking at. i just dont want to spend mad money.

[VegaS10]

That should be fine in the ep3.

[SiN05]

if your just looking for a lil bump then one 10" doesn't have to be anything fancy and an amp to give it enough juice. I had a JL Audio W6V2 being pushed by a 600 watt alpine mono amp. that was plenty. Especially if you have stock speakers don't wanna drain those out. I usually do my research on crutchfield then purchase on ebay for a reputable place.

[epblue05]

why do you buy from ebay.. do you think crutchfield is to expensive??

[Tortoise]

I have 1200rms to one kicker L7 in my hatch. It qaukes. Its alteast twice as loud as it was in the trunk of my other car..too loud. 300-350 rims should be fine wit those 2 alpines i think u will be happy wit that.

[epblue05]

I have 1200rms to one kicker L7 in my hatch. It qaukes. Its alteast twice as loud as it was in the trunk of my other car..too loud. 300-350 rims should be fine wit those 2 alpines i think u will be happy wit that.

damn that shit must be loud... but thank bro.. i think i'm going to go ahead and get them

[EricP3]

Yeah, That should make you happy. It also depends on what you consider loud. Those guys that are running 1000+ watts to their subs obviously dont have the same definition of "loud" as you do. I've got a 10" type-r in my trunk running on a 600watt JBL amp and its pretty loud. My friend has two 10"s in his trunk with a 300watt amp I think and it bumps just as hard as mine.

[epblue05]

Yeah, That should make you happy. It also depends on what you consider loud. Those guys that are running 1000+ watts to their subs obviously dont have the same definition of "loud" as you do. I've got a 10" type-r in my trunk running on a 600watt JBL amp and its pretty loud. My friend has two 10"s in his trunk with a 300watt amp I think and it bumps just as hard as mine.

yea thats what i'm trying to do.. two 10'' for a combined 300-350 watts rms with 700 peak. and its like a 350 watt amp.. thanks for the input

[RON]

First off... What do you want; and how much are you wanting to spend? I had 1 12" in a ported box running on 150rms. And it was way more than enough to shake the car next to me.

[Chad]

First off... What do you want; and how much are you wanting to spend? I had 1 12" in a ported box running on 150rms. And it was way more than enough to shake the car next to me.

I agree, it depends on your listening habits, I'm more than thrilled with 250W rated into the sub (built for efficiency in it's passband) 100W to each mid/bass and 25W to each tweet, 5 channels of amp, 5 speakers. It satisfies 95 percent of my desires, the other 5 I can live with being limited, you can never have enough power but you certainly reach the point of diminishing returns, only you can decide that point.



Remember you have to double your power to gain 3dB, the difference between a 500W amp and 700W amp really is not that much, it's the first watt that counts, chose drivers wisely ;)

Chad

[epblue05]

i wasn't planning on swapping out the stock speakers due to not enough funds. i guess the most important part is i want it to be clear. will the stock speakers handle the extra power safely? the last thing i want is to blow them out.
this is what i was looking to get http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?g=208250&i=113PW510&tp=442&tab=other_items&viewAll=True#Sealed%20&%20Ported%20Boxes

[RON]

Its all right (but there is a reason they are so cheap), but for what you'll spend you could do a nicer single sub and it would probably sound better. Is $300 your budget? I would search ebay for some good used equipment. I just got a new car... I am planning on one 12" in a sealed box to exact specs. I am looking to be in the 200 - 400 rms watt range. I will more than likely only end up spending $400 - 500. But I am going to build my own box, and I already have all the wiring stuff (took all of it out of the EP). I will only need to buy a new power cable.

I have been looking at Elemental Designs (amp and sub) or JL (amp an sub). But I am really searching hard for a PPI Artseries 600A or 400A that looks new! I always wanted one! Chad you know what I mean!

[epblue05]

yea all my friends spent like 1000 on their systems. i dont really want to spend that much. how much is installation for like one sub, amp, and headunit. that could make or break me depending on price.

[epblue05]

yea all my friends spent like 1000 on their systems. i dont really want to spend that much. how much is installation for like one sub, amp, and headunit. that could make or break me depending on price.

[james04si]

I purchased a refurb 12L7D2 for about 150 shipped. A refurbed KX1200.1 for 300 for a total of 450. Both have served me well of the last couple of years. Plenty of bass and doesnt take up as much room as 2 10's. Just remember when you get more smaller speakers and less wattage and less quality you take up a lot more room to produce the same results. Also look at refurbished speakers. they are quite a bit cheaper and the manufacturer only reuses the magnet/basket assembly and replace the cone/spider/voicecoil. basically its a new speaker that has a couple superficial scratches. And with an amp thats refurbished look at it as a component that passed quality control 2x.

[bchaney]

Install it yourself. Cheaper and more fun.

If it were me I'd upgrade the speakers before adding a sub.

[RON]

yea all my friends spent like 1000 on their systems. i dont really want to spend that much. how much is installation for like one sub, amp, and headunit. that could make or break me depending on price.

What is the budget?
I would look at one 12" and a decent amp that would put down a solid 150 rms. The spend the extra money on a decent head unit. A good head unit will give you a noticeable increase in sound quality (even with the stock speakers) and then if you ever decide to do a full blown system your one step a head! I would personally start with a head unit, and do a sub second. I would say you have $60 in a wiring kit (for the subs), and $30-60 on a LOC (line-out-converter) since you don't have an aftermarket HU.

If your trying to save money; and interested I just bought (May 5th) a Pioneer Premier Deh-p600ub I would cut you a super deal on it since I got a great deal. PM me if interested. Here is what it looked liked installed (post 10)!
http://www.ephatch.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44802
If you use an MP3 player it is awesome! Works unbelieveable with the Ipod. And if I can sell it to another EPer its already got the wiring harness solder together!

[Breakep3]

If you need any reassurance, I am pushing a 600 rms and it is ridiculously loud. Go with a single 12 and I think you would be really happy.

[epblue05]

i'm looking to spend about 350 with out a head unit. i already have one in the box waiting for me. the thing is installation is a lot with wiring and everything. i'm looked at best buy installs and they said around 200 for a standard install on one sub, amp and headunit. so now its like 550. I know infinity and rocksford fosgate make a good sub. hows alpine?

[RON]

i'm looking to spend about 350 with out a head unit. i already have one in the box waiting for me. the thing is installation is a lot with wiring and everything. i'm looked at best buy installs and they said around 200 for a standard install on one sub, amp and headunit. so now its like 550. I know infinity and rocksford fosgate make a good sub. hows alpine?

honestly it is all pretty easy to install. CD player is really straight forward. You need an install kit and a wiring harness for a 02-05 civic. The rest is easy. EP's have a really easy stereo to take out. I wouldn't pay some one to do it but you know your limits better than I.

[powdbyrice]

its pretty easy to remove the headunit/install an amp.

running the cable is the most time consuming part. i only had a slight idea of what i was doing when i installed my amp.

600w rms would be waaaaaaaaay too loud for me. 200-300w rms is it for me.

[SiN05]

why do you buy from ebay.. do you think crutchfield is to expensive??

yes they are but I'm not saying not to buy from them because there shipping and customer service is second to none.


i wasn't planning on swapping out the stock speakers due to not enough funds. i guess the most important part is i want it to be clear. will the stock speakers handle the extra power safely? the last thing i want is to blow them out.
this is what i was looking to get http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?g=208250&i=113PW510&tp=442&tab=other_items&viewAll=True#Sealed%20&%20Ported%20Boxes

I think you would be better off getting a heftier 10" i mean one of those needs 1 cubic foot of air space in a sealed box so thats 2 cubic feet gone from our tiny hatch. but its not a bad price for what you get.

[ep3drc]

hm i have 2 12 inch kicker cvr's , sealed box and a 1200 watt (max) amp they work fine wit a nice radio u can set it so theres not too much bass or as much as u want i suggest a nice pioneer radio no matter what u choose to go with , for twelves they bump really hard even though my amp is crappy , but like i said u can lower the sub bass on the radio so u can make it as loued or as clean as u want

[ep3drc]

hm if u want speakers and such u can go to etronics.com they have good prices

[epblue05]

yea i'm going to ask around and see who knows about systems and get one of my buddies to help me out. then i could put that money toward getting better subs and amp.

[rwest44]

I think i have something that might be perfect for you...i dont know if this is "against the rules" due to my post count but im looking to get rid of something that is similar to what you are looking for and i have everything needed to install including wires for a little over half of what your initial budget was. Sorry for being so vague but i dont want to get scolded by the mods. Im located in PA about 15 minutes from King of Prussia. If you drove up id install the subs and your headunit as a service for a fellow ephatcher/for buying my shit. A tip would be nice but whatever. PM me if your interested.

[rwest44]

Oh yeah....and its all Rockford Fosgate

[epblue05]

pm'd

[rwest44]

replied

[cg78]

I have 1200rms to one kicker L7 in my hatch. It qaukes. Its alteast twice as loud as it was in the trunk of my other car..too loud. 300-350 rims should be fine wit those 2 alpines i think u will be happy wit that.

Sorry I do not mean to jack, but did you do any thing to the charging system. I am running 400 rms to my components and 200 rms to my basslink. At night my dash lights dim below 2k rpm. I have stock battery and alternator.

[ShadySi]

I've got a 200 watt amp in my car running one 12 and it is plenty. it doesn't really "bump" but it can get pretty darn loud if you turn the sub up. I had a 600 watt for a while and that was too much really. I like clean, full sound rather that obnoxious bass tho. :peep:

[RON]

Sorry I do not mean to jack, but did you do any thing to the charging system. I am running 400 rms to my components and 200 rms to my basslink. At night my dash lights dim below 2k rpm. I have stock battery and alternator.

Well you should change out you battery to a something better(Stinger; etc.), Have you updated the big three?

[cg78]

Well you should change out you battery to a something better(Stinger; etc.), Have you updated the big three?

Big three?? I have an upgraded ground kit and thats about it. I am trying to get a stinger, but they are slow in getting back to my friend. He owns his own business and can get the stinger for the ep for about 120.

[RON]

Big three?? I have an upgraded ground kit and thats about it. I am trying to get a stinger, but they are slow in getting back to my friend. He owns his own business and can get the stinger for the ep for about 120.

Big three:
Battery ground - Engine ground
Alt to Battery - Alt ground
Battery to fuse box - Fuse box to ground

Some of the other guys on here have a different opinion as to what the Big 3 entails upgrading but on all my cars that have an amp I always update those!

[Tortoise]

Sorry I do not mean to jack, but did you do any thing to the charging system. I am running 400 rms to my components and 200 rms to my basslink. At night my dash lights dim below 2k rpm. I have stock battery and alternator.

haha nope nothin at all...i really need to