Audio upgrade -- 2000 Accord

Speaking price/performance wise, what would give me a better bang for
the buck: upgrading the head unit or upgrading the speakers on a 2000
Honda Accord LX Sedan?

Also, am I correct in assuming the Head Unit on my car is an Alpine?

This sales rep at Circuit City told me that even the cheapest after
market speakers (costing about $25 for the pair at CC) would sound
better than my standard ones. Is that true or just sales talk?

Bear in mind I am not a true audiophile so I don't need the absolute
best but I do appreciate good quality sound. IOW, I would not want to
spend $200 for a head unit (I need the MP3 player functionality) and
*then* spend more than $200 on speakers. I am thinking I can probably
live with the factory HU and upgrade to some decent speakers myself
for (don't laugh!) under 200 bucks (maybe 150). Is that reasonable?
Maybe a couple of months later I can upgrade to an Alpine HU for
another $200.

Thanks,
bc

 

Mostly it's true. Good speakers can bring out the best that the head
unit has to offer. Bad speakers can make the best head unit sound like
crap.

Always buy sound systems from the speakers in.

That being said, head to Ebay and find a full size head unit from an
EX--either the CD-only unit from the 98-00 Accords, or the in-dash
tape/CD changer unit from the 01-02 Accords.

 

Yeah, 6 disc changer from 01-02 is very nice with QUALITY speakers

 

Also I would not buy the $25 speakers from Circuit City thinking they would
be better than the factory ones in the 2000 Accord LX. The OEM in there may
not be the greatest but for $25, you get what you pay for.

You should listen to different speakers and try to use the same head unit
while listening to them. Have the bass, treble and loudness controls zeroed
out with the volume about the same when comparing speakers. If you can,
bring a CD you're familiar with to audition the speakers. What may sound
good to one person may not to someone else!

I have an Alpine am/fm cassette head unit with an Alpine CD changer in the
trunk. Infinity speakers in the doors and MB Quart in back. Everything
works well, except I'm not impressed with the FM reception compared to the
OEM head unit (which had cleaner reception).

When upgrading the head unit I'm unimpressed with the gadgets, buttons, eq,
etc... I could care less about the fancy lights, bells and whistles - if it
doesn't SOUND good I don't want it.

But remember - get what sounds good to you.

Let us know what you decide on and how things turned out..

Good luck,
-Dave

 

Hi,
Good speakers will improve sound quality and can hear the difference.
But not that 25.00 a pair from CC. After speaker upgrade, still
unsatisfied, then head unit and amps, etc., etc. Sky is the limit.
Tony

 

Sky is the limit indeed. Thanks guys for the replies so far. Yes it is
a vicious cycle of upgrades. I bought this nice set of 5.1 speakers
for home at a discounted price and since then, have spent so much more
on all my audio video upgrade (at home). Seen the prices on those
cables?

The same upgrade at home is now making my car speakers sound
ridiculous. It would be nice to upgrade it cheaply. I don't think I
can afford to spend hundreds on a separate amp and a subwoofer. And
then the road noise would seem to make having a refined audio system
in car such a waste, wouldn't it?

Regarding the cheap speakers, I thought so. I mean it didn't make
sense that a $20K car would have speakers inferior than the $25
Circuit City junk. But then Pioneer makes some $50 replacements (saw
them online at Crutchfield) for the front door speakers. I am
considering those. Anyone has experience with those?

<pauses to get the model number from website>

Here you go: Pioneer TS-G1647

Dave, are yours these: Infinity Reference 6002si?? They are for 100 at
crutchfield. Thanks for the remaining sound advice again.

bc

 

Seen the reviews on those cables?

Only suckers buy those cables.

 

I put the Infinity speakers in several years back. They are the 652i
Reference Series, and in the rear are the MB Quart DKD116. Clean sound -
clarity means more to me than volume, and I don't need to have people
hearing me coming several blocks away. Don't want to spend $$ on a hearing
aid down the road! Besides - I'd rather spend more on my home system than a
car system.

I picked up the Infinity at CC but you won't find the MB Quart at CC or Best
Buy. I found them at a local car audio shop and they were the best for me
compared to other speakers I listened to. However they were about $180 so I
found them online for half the price. Spoke with the salesman at the shop
and explained he didn't have to match the price but if he could drop it a
little I would prefer to buy it locally from them. Couldn't come close, so
online I went! A friend liked the sound so much he bought the identical
pair for his Toyota....
Poineers are generally decent products - but for my personal tastes I'm not
a fan.

Whatever you do, don't buy the speakers blindly - listen and compare, trying
to make the source equal. Spending a little more on speakers is common.

Any other questions feel free to ask, or you can email me
davelieuATyahooDOTcom, but remember - this is a CAR so you'll have other
external noises anyway.

Have fun!
-Dave

 

Hi, Dave
You are my kind. I have installed Infinity speakers on my kids cars with
Polk audio ones. And swapped out the head units with MP3 playing one.
Some times eBay has them. I used to play in concert band when I was
young. I dig good clean sound. No interest in loudness. Kids play piano,
flute, guitar, sax, etc. They're into music. Lot of people don't realize
they're damaging thier hearing with TOO loud music. When they get old,
they'll know why they have poor hearing.
Tony

 

Hi Tony,

Yup. Sounds like we have a very similar appreciation to music - except I
haven't played any instruments since music class in elementary school! (Many
moons ago) My first pair of Polk was the 5jr+ (bookshelf) which I bought
back in '89. Still have 'em and sounds good. Also have the satellites
w/sub and center channel by Polk. Wish I learned how to really play
something when I was younger....

MP3s are ok, but I heard a distinct difference when comparing a track on a
CD vs. the same song on an MP3. I've found you need at least 192 bit rate
on the MP3s to compete with the CDs. Then again in a car I guess it doesn't
matter much. I'm sure your ears are much finer tuned than mine!

The same people who can't hear an ambulance or fire truck behind them now
because of their blaring music will be the same ones who won't hear them
when they're old because their hearing is shot.

Rolling along in my automobile.....
-Dave

 

Pioneer is a good brand.
But personally, I would go with Infinity. They reproduce sound incredibly
well. There are brand new sets that you can find on ebay.
They should be about 50 for a pair. Trust me you will NOT be dissapointed.
The clarity of these are amazing

 

I just scored some Infinity on ebay! Yay!
605CS for $71USD
692.5i for $5.24USD, without crossovers.

I've built passive crossovers before.