300.00 for front comps, 100.00 for rear co-axials, 200 for an amp (50x4 etc...), 100-150.00 for install= decent system. later you can upgrade your head unit, add a subwoofer system, and...you're done! well actually, you've just begun...lol...

One thing to note. Try as much as you want, but when they are in the car, they'd sound different, be prepared for that. (due to the position, acoustic, and etc)

^^very true, but I've yet to hear a bad sounding speaker on the board that sounded better in the car. Point is...get the best sounding speaker you can afford, and though it may change in the car, it'll still sound good.

Yeah......what he said.....and they will be a large improvement from what you have now.....:smokin:

anyone know anything about how the kenwood excelon line compares to other brands... i was recommended a set of component speakers retail 399, coaxes in the back 199, and an x40 amp for 400... all installed for 800+tax.

audio heaven

so should i go for it? or would you guys go for cheaper speakers+amp to get a new head unit?

I like the Excelon line myself.....you really need to take a CD of something you know well out to a few different places and listen to as many speakers as you can. Other people may be able to help with info on quality construction of a product or reputation of a company, but when it comes to the sound, use your ears, you have to live with it after the purchase. Since you will hear the sound from the front speakers the most, they should be good ones....if you spend $300 on a component set, all of the major manufacturers have something at that price that is decent quality.

If you like the look or functionality of the factory head unit, you can use it as a source for now. You may need a unit similar to this one to compensate for equalization built-in to it to produce a better signal to hook your new toys up to, but a new deck isn't free either....:D

If trunk space is a serious problem but what your friends in the back seats hear and really loud bass is not, you could also try ditching the rear speakers completely and putting 1 or 2 small woofers in the back deck. The 4channel amp would have no problem driving this setup to a reasonable volume level, and if it is installed and tuned correctly you may find it's enough.

HTH

Personally, Kenwood speakers don't "do it for me". By comparison, they're a very 'bright' sounding speaker, and do not produce miss-bass frequencies as well as other brands...

I'm still going to suggest that you get the MB Quart Premium PVI216's from MR2NR. I'm positive if you had the chance to listen to them side by side, that you'd elect to go with the MBQ. As for the amp, you shouldn't have too much of an issue with Excelon.

I would only replace the head-unit if it does not have 3 pair of RCA preouts (front, rear, subwoofer). I'd be surprised if that OEM unit has that... Look at the Kenwood Excelon KDC-x595. My fiancee bought this unit a few weeks ago. Controls are fairly easy to use once you learn the basics. The upgrade in sound from her stock speakers after the deck was installed was astounding - I still can't believe how much of a difference it made. I know you can get this unit for $225 at East Hamilton Radio. But they charge more for the wiring harness, and mounting kit (if you need one), then FM Audio did, here in Brantford. FM Audio also had a deal for free install on new decks.
You'd be looking at $300, roughly, for that deck. We also bought an 8Gig USB flash drive that connects to the back of the unit via a cable, and the stick stays in her glove box. She has something like 600 songs on the thing right now, with room for plenty more.

Dude, I have some incredible deals posted, consider the system that I designed for you. I know that it will provide a superior level of performance to any other options available to you.

The only Kenwood product that I'd buy is their DD head unit. The 8120 is the DD holy grail. Other than that, I wouldn't buy anything Kenwood unless you can get their top of the line amp for really cheap. Granted, I did not try everything, and I'm biased when saying the above :cheeky4:

im not really to big on kenwood...maybe their decks and indashes but never any further
many ppl out there recommended excellent products like the mb quartz....you can't go wrong with these at all and diamond audio is great as well