Audio help for a beginner?

SouthArk370Z

The main problem you will have if you keep the Bose is that it uses a lot of non-standard parts - it's designed as a complete system, not mix-and-match parts. This can cause problems (eg, impedance mismatches) when you start adding in more conventional amps, speakers, eq, &c.

As far as specific brand/model recommendations, if you stick with the major brands, it's hard to go wrong. I like Tadpole's advice - let your ears be your guide. Keep in mind that it will not sound the same if you are not listening in a Z, but you should be able to get a good idea of which components sound best to your ears. Nowadays you can get good sound in a car without spending big bucks.

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StanceZ37

yea i understand and i thank you all for the great advice. i would just like to know what you guys recommend doing and what route i should take.. if you guys recommend a certain product then i can look into that and see if its something that i would like. that way im not walking into a store completely blind..

Nillaz

Head units are relatively easy to demo as they are widely available for you to walk into an audio shop and play with. I would recommend looking at Kenwood and Pioneer first.

Speakers can be a much more involved process as sound quality is so subjective and no shop could possibly carry or have available to demo all of your options. My personal preference is for Hertz but good luck finding a local dealer that doesn't have to special order them for you.

Before you even choose a sub you will have to sit down and think about what you want to achieve. Are you looking for the biggest boom you could get, or perhaps you want something a little more subtle? Are you prepared to trade trunk space for a sub box, or do need something more discreet? You will have to give the logistics of this some thought. Start your search with well known brands like JL and expand from there. Sometimes there are lesser known brands that can give you just as high a level of performance (or higher!) for less money.

Your selection of amps will be in part determined by the speakers that you choose since you will want to find one that will drive your speakers appropriately.

Hope this gives you some starting points to work with. Best of luck!