Parents

[andrew_the_fox]

Hahah I'm just about to do my stereo work. After the coming winter I will. I actually just came across two 18'' eminence subs yes, I said 18 i n c h s u b s. My buddy had them in his attic, when I was helping him clean it out like three weeks ago. He had no use for them and they were his dads, so I asked the dad about them and I gave him fifty bucks for the pair and they need to be re-coned so itll prolly end up being like $100 bucks total I paid for TWO 18 INCH F'N DRIVERS. I'm also thinking I'll redo the stock speakers with maybe boston acoustics.

My mom usually stays out of my car business and my dad did the same stuff when he was my age (17) so what does he care? He says if I get a ticket or something it's my problem but my parents are usually pretty chill

[Chris_R]

I may be wrong about this but I believe Eminance subs are for home/DJ use. If that's the case they will sound like A S S in your car. Well, let me rephrase... You won't be able to get a big enough box in the car to make them sound good. Do some research before you sink any more cash into those speakers.

As for the parental issue - I have to side with the 'rents to a point... but only if you're a new(ish) driver. I don't think kids with less than 2-3 years of experience should have a system. Too much distraction during a critical learning age.

I can also say that (as a 36 year old parent of a 14 and 8 YO) I will not have less than a 10" sub with 200-300 watts in any car of mine. I don't "boom" (anymore) but I still need that bottom end to round out the tunes.

Kibim - Great story! I hope to have those experiences with my kids too. Having an installer background will be a plus. ;)

[narxs70]

parents suck. i've put some subs in my car and it does help the sound tremendously. do it.

[Chris_R]

parents suck. i've put some subs in my car and it does help the sound tremendously. do it.

If my kids disobey me directly like that I'll take the subs AND the car.

I'm a pretty cool Dad, but don't piss me off about stupid crap like a stereo.

That said, my daughter is in-line to get my old car - Hot pink (magenta) Geo Storm with a mildly built motor, LOUD exhaust, hot pink neon lights, coil-overs, custom matched and polished 3-piece wheels (only 15s but she doesn't care), rear-disk conversion, 12" sub in a custom 'glass tub with 300 watts and MB Quart separates up front getting 75W per side.

I know it's not a new Bimmer or Volvo, but she LOVES it and that's all that matters.

[HPTDoh]

Holy crap! Way cooler than the car I got from my parents.. lol

Not the exact one, but you get the idea..

[Chris_R]

Me too... Mine was a '71 Volvo 144S. :ph34r:

[matt1122]

Just be like, "Mom... Dad... it's either a stereo or cocaine, the money's gotta go somewhere!"

[dragon17]

If you aren't planning to turn the volume up all the way and blast your subs, making other cars rattle and disturb people, why even get them in the first place? :P

[Owned]

I disagree with anyone who says that when you install a sub you don't play it as loud as possible. I've had 5 cars with big systems and ppl always knew i was coming from blocks away. Anyone who ever drove with me always cranked it up themselves. I've got the stock system in the volvo, but in my van i've got a big dual 12" system which doesn't ever run below 90% of it's capacity. It's like power, you always want more.

Is your car's epithet the Tinnitus-mobile?

I'm only half kidding. If you really do have big systems then you have to be careful. One of my installer books has a listing of typical dB values and I've seen other such tables every once and a while. Real systems are some of the loudest things around! Hearing loss start at roughly 85 dB and if you take a look at any good SPL competition you're going to see numbers approching and moving on past double that amount.

[AnthonyR]

If you aren't planning to turn the volume up all the way and blast your subs, making other cars rattle and disturb people, why even get them in the first place?

I've got a fairly decent system, but I don't like the overwhelming pounding bass. I don't mind it, but the highs and mids HAVE to be there with it. My subs actually stay fairly low most of the time.

[8G5L0T]

Hey guys thanks for all your input. I guess i am pretty lucky with the nice car and everything. But seriously i dont understand my parents sometimes. On the other side of things parents dont understand their children sometimes. My dad sat down and talked to me and said, "Son you need to be thinking of better things to do with your money." for example college savings etc. But my dad said i could spend 400 dollars. One of my good friends has a cousin who is getting rid of all his stuff for around 250. its 2 audiobahns 12 inch , box , and an amp. so i think i might just get this. he said i hasnt played it that hard and its only 6 months old. I think i might just wait and see how things pan out.

But thanks again for all your input.

[Jozone]

I hate to admit it, but on that count, your dad is dead on. I sunk a ton of money into my stereo (which by the way.. anyone who says that they won't blast whatever setup they have is a liar), and now here I am in college without a car, and about $2000 worth of car audio depreciating in my room right now. It kills me to sell any of it, just because I like to maintain hope that I will reunite it with a Volvo some day down the road...

So for now.. just be thankful you get to drive a volvo on a day to day basis, I wish I could.

....

-Joe

[Chris_R]

Just hang on to the gear... If it's good gear it will always be worth something to you.

I love my old school amps (Kenwood KAC-921 represent! ) and even my old deck(s).

People who claim you need new gear to sound good are usually trying to sell you something***.

***No offense to Bing or Owned or any of our installer/retailer friends out there.

[Jozone]

Yeah, I have quite a bit of inventory for a 19 year old... or at least I like to think i do.

JBL 1200.1

JL e4300

JL e1400

Some crap sony subs/amp

2 JL10w3v2's (in ProWedge)

2 JL10w0d4

Set of Stock Volvo Speakers

Set of 6'' Bostons

and finally, my first piece of car audio ... my Alpine 9805.

[Owned]

Just hang on to the gear... If it's good gear it will always be worth something to you.

I love my old school amps (Kenwood KAC-921 represent! ) and even my old deck(s).

People who claim you need new gear to sound good are usually trying to sell you something***.

***No offense to Bing or Owned or any of our installer/retailer friends out there.

I agree with that 100%. It's rare to see subs as old as my round Solos in the typical SLAP show (where I mainly compete) but I think that the rounds are far superior than the new L5 and L7 series Solos. Even after multiple vehicles/installs and even more years they still take a huge beating from me and keep on burpin'.

Although, for the new shop truck I run 10 brand new drivers so, take that fwiw. ;)