What audio system do you have in your 02?

[jrhone]

I am looking for options as I am about to embark on the audio system. Currently there is no radio so I am looking for ideas on what kinds of systems, amps, speaker placement, etc....I want good sound, not necessarily loud, but high quality...will be using iPhone/iPod for most of my music, some radio, hardly any cd....Already have speaker holes in my door panels and under the rear seats so I will probably use those locations....Anyone have a concealed sub? How about the rear deck? Also how much power can I run? There isnt much electronics in a stock 02...so how much is too much? Is a 4 or 5 channel anp and a head unit too much draw?

[c.d.iesel]

" There isnt much electronics in a stock 02...so

how much is too much? Is a 4 or 5 channel

anp and a head unit too much draw? "

exactly - no electronincs is the way you should keep it for many reasons

snake-0-wires is bad

added electrical draw is bad

added weight is bad

your natural 02 motor/exhaust noise is good

bluetooth, iPod, other'stuff' is bad

too many people here have reported

major collision stories with 02's - having

your attention focused on such devices, in a

nice bare vintage car just adds to your

chances for disaster

PLUS+ it just adds more reasons for bums to break

your windows and other nasty damage when they

look in your windows and see all that nice new

high-powered technology

[FrozenH20]

i just recently spent about $4k on a stereo system for the 02, i'll post another reply with some pics of the custom work, i had all JL Audio put in with custom kick panels so i can return it to stock at any time, i did 6.5's up front, and 6x9's in the back, with their 4 channel amp under my passenger seat....i dont listen to the radio, so i dont have a headunit, just a simple wire that hooks right up to my blackberry so i can use it like an ipod......and just use an equalizer to adjust what i need

the stereo company i used is one of the top stereo shops in the world,(its the place JL audio uses to install THEIR OWN equipment on their JL model cars)

my car was not set up for a stereo, and never has had one installed, so they had to start from scratch. they made the mistake of hooking the power wire up to my horn wire, so when i honked, it made a JOLT through the speaker system, so they had to made a custom relay for it to work and not have any feedback/static in the speakers.

all in all i am extremely impressed with it, the owner of walnut creek customs called up JL audio and told them they should do a small website project about my 02 cause of how incredible it sounds. it sounds super crisp and if you sat in my passenger you would be led to assume i had a 10'' JL sub in the trunk, i'm not exagerating. My 300zx's have all PRO SERIES boston acoustics with JL 10'' subs, along with my bmw x5 having 2 JL 12's, and i'm happiest with my 2002's sound system -

Edit: here are the pics....

here is my equalizer in my center console, its also where the wire comes out to connect to my blackberry for listening to music

6x9's in the back

driver side kick panel with 6.5's, plenty of room to use clutch and spot for front hood latch to move forward and back

and passenger kick panel...

my amp is under passenger seat fits perfect

[Guest Anonymous]

I spent too much money on a better sound system, only to find that at over 60 mph my car has too much wind noise to really appreciate the nuisances of fine music. That doesn't mean I would not get some source of tunes, but unless your car is quiet at speed, a high end system may not be warrented. FWIW. Good luck.

___________________________

Roger

'72 Malaga

[jrhone]

So you are saying my 02 is safer than my Lexus because it's not modern? Ok. Well thanks but I am an audio professional and I do like music so an audio system will be installed. I just wanted to know what some people did in their 02 to get some ideas. Thanks for the saftey lecture. :-).

[FrozenH20]

I spent too much money on a better sound system, only to find that at over 60 mph my car has too much wind noise to really appreciate the nuisances of fine music. That doesn't mean I would not get some source of tunes, but unless your car is quiet at speed, a high end system may not be warrented. FWIW. Good luck.

___________________________

Roger

'72 Malaga

nonsense,

i can have my windows down doing 80+(okay even 100+) with no issue of clarity....what speakers/amp did you get?

[bmcallister]

My system is from the PO: Eclipse head unit with iPod cable plug-in. Two round Boston Acoustics speakers in the kick plate below the rear seat.

If I did it, I would go with an Alpine and 2 Hertz speakers in the same place.

I love music and audio equipment, but my personal opinion is that the 02 is just too noisy of a car to really enjoy "audiophile" quality equipment.

My opinion is too keep the system simple but use good quality components.

Good luck and keep us posted on what you decide.

[FrozenH20]

" There isnt much electronics in a stock 02...so

how much is too much? Is a 4 or 5 channel

anp and a head unit too much draw? "

exactly - no electronincs is the way you should keep it for many reasons

snake-0-wires is bad

added electrical draw is bad

added weight is bad

your natural 02 motor/exhaust noise is good

bluetooth, iPod, other'stuff' is bad

too many people here have reported

major collision stories with 02's - having your attention

focused on such devices, in a nice bare vintage car just adds to your chances for disaster

im very curious as to how exactly BLUETOOTH is bad? added weight? really? i dont wanna sound like a jerk here but come on dude, i'm sure a bowling ball sitting in your back trunk adds more weight than an entire sound system adds....dont be so desperate for reasons to NOT have a stereo in your car

[albone]

I wanted a nice stereo that would try to look period correct. I opted for a McIntosh MX-406 head unit. I am driving a 12" sub and 3 way seperates up front. This is being driven with over 1500 watts of power. Yes, I cut holes in the car, I added dynamat and a ton of wires. I like my 2002s and I like my stereos so sacrifices must be made. I think it should be kinda loud so you can hear the stereo when you're cruising about 80mph. If you need help with putting one together and sourcing parts I can help and live down in San Diego.

[TTyMiller]

(nt)

[Jon_uk]

I went for simple, quality components - Nakamichi head nit (cassette deck but with a phono in and ipod lead) and infinity speakers. I also mounted an amp in the rear (underneath the parcel shelf in the boot trunk). All in all, the system sounds great and is more than enough for what is in essence, quite a noisy car!

[BLUNT]

Ive got Bill Williams Pro Line kick panels up front and a JL audio 4 channel amp under the rear seat powering the front stage and the rear channels bridged powering a JL 10" sub and an alpine head unit with ipod hookup.

[Anschauer]

Non-period Radio Shack AM/FM Cassette ('80's?) and two speakers under the back seat.

Sometimes my right knee kicks it on accidentally and I begin to get the sweats and heebee jeebees because to me the static coming from behind me sounds like expensive differential music.

To be fair, in '74 I remember yanking a Becker Mexico out of some Benz in Stucker's junkyard and replacing the godawful Bowman 8-track in my Polaris '73. I thought it was the kick ass setup and way cool but it wouldn't play 8tracks so bummer.

Can't blame people from putting in better acoustics but c d diesel makes a valid point about listening to the car....

/those kick panel speakers are just plain ugly IMHO

//intend putting in an '87 Pioneer SupertunerII head unit with remote I have had in the Peugeot for 278k and the GMC for abt 200k and it still works very nice indeed - but because it has no knobs at all and a detachable faceplate. I'll hide the new speakers under the dash (because my knees appreciate high fidelity) and wish I could fix up a phony Blaupunkt faceplate to hide it....

[Pierre]

The beauty of 2002s is their versatility and the wide range of optional setups that could be done to it.

Here is what I have.

In my 69, my audio system is an M20, 1.5 inch dual pipes collecting to a single 2.25 inch pipe through a magnaflow muffler.

In my 74 tii, my audio system is a healthy M10, (10:1 pistons, 292 Schrick) and a stock Eberspaecher.

If I want to hear sound though head units, amplifiers and speakers on the road, I drive one of my E30s or E36s.

This is what works for me. I would not install any stereo equipment in my 02s. And if I REALLY REALLY wanted some tunes, I would install a basic head unit and two full-range 5-inch speakers on the rear shelf.

[TTyMiller]

Old School Becker Europia II with the ipod cable for my iTouch.