To Do or Not To Do?

[UGHH]

Yeah sometimes the "high end" shops are charging you for their name. I had a supposed "high end" shop here do a "custom" install of a Pioneer AVH-X5500BHS to replace a stock head unit. Custom meaning trimming some dash bracing for depth and notching a trim panel. The morons didn't even bother to reset my gains for my subs and put in a non amp PAC unit that rendered my Bi-Amped 6x9's virtually non existent. Not saying your guys **** but man don't just take someone's word for sh*t because they are a high end shop. Check their prices and their work and don't be afraid to haggle.

What shop?

 

[Suisiders]

I'm just gonna let the pros at Soundscape do the job. I have the money to do it so why save some money and **** it up on my new car. I definetly don't feel comfortable experimenting with my new car especially on electrical stuff! I'll also get a warranty from the shop which is peace of mind to me. I know I need custom mounts for the 6.5 components (Someone on the 2014 Corolla forums replaced them and you need custom mounts for aftermarket speakers for sure). I definetly need custom tweeter work since I have the base model my car didn't come with stock tweeters so I don't have premade locations for them at all. Finally I don't even wanna attempt fiberglassing a sub box for my trunk! Thanks for everyones suggestions I appreciate the advice!

 

[Dmac1991]

That's not apples to apples lol. of course they will only charge $50 to install his amp and dsp if everything else is done. All they gotta do is plug it in. If hes already ran all the wiring and installed everything else, I'm sure he would be able to connect it to the amplifier. That is the easiest part of the install. That be like me making a pizza and baking it, then taking it to dominos to deliver it to me.
OP, if you want some advice from someone who has spent some time building an SQ system, LMK. Tuning alone takes quite a bit of time.

That's a terrible analogy if I say so myself

Why in the blue hell would anyone want to pay a shop to tune their system or anyone else for that matter is beyond me.

Why would he ask you for advice on how to tune his system? Are you listening to it or him?

Why in the blue hell would anyone pay a shop to wire their subwoofer box to an amp? That literally takes an hour max to look it up and do it yourself.

Why in the blue hell would anyone pay a shop to remove their door to replace the speakers when there are car forums out there with the exact same car and someone on that forum who's replaced the factory speakers?!

IDK, I guess I just am truly passionate about this hobby and want to learn as much as I can through experimentation, and actually knowing the ins and outs of what Im doing.

OP research, and do it yourself. Nobody can tell you how to setup your system to YOUR liking

Like it has been stated, get into contact with the shop and get the nitty gritty of what they are going to do. If they aren't fully integrating the enclosure and amp into the into, making custom door panels for the comp set to make it look factory, then you are getting jipped point blank period.

By the sounds of it, they aren't doing all that by mounting your amp to the back seat and just building a ported enclosure for the trunk

Good luck with your system OP.

 

---------- Post added at 02:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:04 PM ----------

 

Yeah no sh*t I wouldn't listen to crap that other guy has to say. I' am not super hip to trust everything someone says but don't go ghetto either lol there is a happy medium that comes with some knowledge of what you expect I think.

but you'd spend money to let a shop **** up your system instead of learning for yourself? **** it's time alot of yall changed hobbies

 

[UGHH]

That's a terrible analogy if I say so myself
Why in the blue hell would anyone want to pay a shop to tune their system or anyone else for that matter is beyond me.

Why would he ask you for advice on how to tune his system? Are you listening to it or him?

Why in the blue hell would anyone pay a shop to wire their subwoofer box to an amp? That literally takes an hour max to look it up and do it yourself.

Why in the blue hell would anyone pay a shop to remove their door to replace the speakers when there are car forums out there with the exact same car and someone on that forum who's replaced the factory speakers?!

IDK, I guess I just am truly passionate about this hobby and want to learn as much as I can through experimentation, and actually knowing the ins and outs of what Im doing.

OP research, and do it yourself. Nobody can tell you how to setup your system to YOUR liking

Like it has been stated, get into contact with the shop and get the nitty gritty of what they are going to do. If they aren't fully integrating the enclosure and amp into the into, making custom door panels for the comp set to make it look factory, then you are getting jipped point blank period.

By the sounds of it, they aren't doing all that by mounting your amp to the back seat and just building a ported enclosure for the trunk

Good luck with your system OP.

 

---------- Post added at 02:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:04 PM ----------

 

but you'd spend money to let a shop **** up your system instead of learning for yourself? **** it's time alot of yall changed hobbies

I see what you're saying when it's a full blown "hobby" as you say and you're a full blown "do-it-yourselfer," but not everyone is like that. I don't know a **** thing about installing car audio, so I can't have a nice stereo in my car? I will gladly pay a quality shop do the install so long as its done to my liking and I get exactly what I want. And I won't pay until its done how I want it. And I will have them show me how to play with the tuning, so I can get the sound how I want it. But it sounds like you're saying you can't have a nice system in your car if you don't do it yourself, which is just rediculious.

 

[Dmac1991]

I see what you're saying when it's a full blown "hobby" as you say and you're a full blown "do-it-yourselfer," but not everyone is like that. I don't know a **** thing about installing car audio, so I can't have a nice stereo in my car? I will gladly pay a quality shop do the install so long as its done to my liking and I get exactly what I want. And I won't pay until its done how I want it. And I will have them show me how to play with the tuning, so I can get the sound how I want it. But it sounds like you're saying you can't have a nice system in your car if you don't do it yourself, which is just rediculious.

Im not saying you can't have a nice system. But would you really pay someone almost 2k to do something that you can do by looking it up on the internet and actually learning a thing or two during that process?

You would really spend 2k?!

whew, it's ALOT of big spenders around here. **** I need to get like y'all

 

[UGHH]

Im not saying you can't have a nice system. But would you really pay someone almost 2k to do something that you can do by looking it up on the internet and actually learning a thing or two during that process?
You would really spend 2k?!

whew, it's ALOT of big spenders around here. **** I need to get like y'all

Me personally, it would depend on what's being done. I'm learning about the wiring and setting gains and all that, but custom fiberglassed door panels and woodworking I know nothing about. I have a guy local to me to build a box, so I'll never pay a shop for that. Or I'll have someone on here build me one. But for a full custom install, yes ill pay up.

 

[sam_b03 10+ year member]

It depend on what they want. Some people want to have a good sound. They dont care how it gets there or why it sounds good at an engineering level. All they want is to turn the knob and jam. Just like in racing. Some people want to spec an engine out and have touched every pary of the engine. Others are happy to pay the extra to have someone design, build, and install it.

Other's time become more valuable. I dont make the kind of money were it is worth a coiple grand for somebody install my stereo, but when I was at $30k year i thought it was stupid that people paid for oil changes. Now i have better paying job and work 70-90 hours a week 11 days on 3 days off. I gladly pay for an oil changge so i can enjoy a my little time off to relax. In a year or two once i get enough experience i can switch jobs and make $1500/day 12hour shifts for 2-3 wks on 1 wk off. I doubt i am doing much work for myself.

 

[csu87 10+ year member]

That's a terrible analogy if I say so myself
Why in the blue hell would anyone want to pay a shop to tune their system or anyone else for that matter is beyond me.

Why would he ask you for advice on how to tune his system? Are you listening to it or him?

Why in the blue hell would anyone pay a shop to wire their subwoofer box to an amp? That literally takes an hour max to look it up and do it yourself.

Why in the blue hell would anyone pay a shop to remove their door to replace the speakers when there are car forums out there with the exact same car and someone on that forum who's replaced the factory speakers?!

IDK, I guess I just am truly passionate about this hobby and want to learn as much as I can through experimentation, and actually knowing the ins and outs of what Im doing.

OP research, and do it yourself. Nobody can tell you how to setup your system to YOUR liking

Like it has been stated, get into contact with the shop and get the nitty gritty of what they are going to do. If they aren't fully integrating the enclosure and amp into the into, making custom door panels for the comp set to make it look factory, then you are getting jipped point blank period.

By the sounds of it, they aren't doing all that by mounting your amp to the back seat and just building a ported enclosure for the trunk

Good luck with your system OP.

 

---------- Post added at 02:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:04 PM ----------

 

but you'd spend money to let a shop **** up your system instead of learning for yourself? **** it's time alot of yall changed hobbies

ive built tons of systems but currently, id rather spend my money to have someone build one cause i can. I can afford it and i dont have as much time as i used to. Thats great for you that you want to do it yourself. Ive done it myself and hit every goal that i set out to do. I screwed up and started this current build myself instead of taking to a reputable shop and having them do it all and ive been working at it for weeks/months.

OP has said he doesnt have much experience. Learning how to build and install is all fine and dandy when you are going for a normal build, but judging by the fact hes driving a new car, and going with some higher end equipment and shooting for an sq build, im guessing hed rather pay someone to do it right the first time, then mess something up doing it himself.

Just last week i broke a switch on one of my doors. Do you know how much those cost on a BMW? $300. could have had a shop do what i was doing for that price. Not to mention i have over $200 worth of materials in my corner fiberglass enclosure and 10+ hrs of labor when i could have had a shop build me one for $350 //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

 

[Dmac1991]

Just hit up one of my audio buddies out of Garland and he said QSG is the best in Garland hands down

QualitySoundGarland

@Suisiders; might want to hit them up before you commit

 

[Suisiders]

Thanks for the suggestion Dmac.

 

[350zspl 10+ year member]

cost of buying all the parts needed as cheap as can be bought new, from a non-brick and mortar , non authorized vendor / vendors with no warranty = ?

cost of buying all the parts needed as cheap as can be bought new from authorized vendor with warranty = ?

what are these two cost first off ?

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

to start out, learn how to take out your corolla head unit to get access to RCAs, you'd probably can just reuse factory wiring for your speakers so you can run speaker wires and RCAs from head unit to amp at the same time. Open up your hood, see if there's a firewall/grommet to fit the 4 gauge wire through, if not you might need to drill one then place rubber grommits. Feed the wire through, run it under your carpeting, run RCA wires on the opposite side of power wires. The rest is plug and play.

A corolla is very easy to play with, I had one before and it was like playing with legos compared to my current minivan

As long as you just have the confidence to pull everything apart, you'll be able to switch out everything yourself real easy.

Most of the things in your car that looks all nice and fancy is just cheap pop up panels

The most you'll need is a screw driver/drill 20-50$, soldering iron + solder to solder wires together (waay easier then it sounds) 25$, electrical tape or heat shrink tubing if you wanna get fancy. Something to cut and crimp wires (scissors or knives work if your cautious)

There is nothing scary about working with electrical systems, just take off the negative terminal on the battery before you start working on anything. Your not gonna fry anything, your not gonna destroy the head unit or car computer or anything. Everything to do with the radio is pretty much all plug and play.

Have the shop do the things you cannot do yourself if you dont have the tools. Like making custom MDF speaker mounts for your door speakers, pay like 20-30 bucks to get it created. Sub Box, you can buy a box from other sources that will work completely fine and look great, but if you really really want the fiberglass look, make sure that its exactly what soundscape plans to do for you.

Think of it from a working perspective. Lets say you at most spend around 10 hours total on your install and save 2000$ thats 200 dollars an hour. Think about how many hours you normally work. Do you make enough where 2k aint nothing or does that 2000 dollars = to a month of work?

 

[fasfocus00 5,000+ posts]

just amazing how all of you guys are complaining about the cost of quality work than wonder why the car audio industry is littered with POS products advertising max wattages and shops that do messed up installs. the OP has a reasonable quote from a quality shop. staying in business isn't cheap, being able to have a good installer is just as expensive. looks like all you guys want the 12v industry to just disappear, WTG.