Your ICE

[Stu]

zetecgirl- my statement hasn't changed in the slightest.

[Matt Escort RS2k]

ZetecGirl, thanks for your comments, although I do feel that perhaps your strong opinions towards subwoofers may be somewhat inaccurate, have you had a bad experience with them in the past?

 

To be honest to me there are 4 kind of people with subs....

 

1 - Your grade A audiophile, generally running minimal speakers as possible but processesed and amplified to the max for precise control and headroom, usually have 1 sub usually an 8in or a 10in but it will be top of the range musically to fill in the lower end with out intrusion to the rest of the music. These people would gladly sacrifice loudness of quality.

 

2 - Your average car enuthiast, does some reasearch about different products, likes all kinds of music, not fussed about the precise detail to much but likes some improvement over the stock system. - Can easily be turned up loud but are mature enough to realise that is not the point.

 

3 - your 5* chav/chavette, went to maplins bought a £20 BassMaxExtremeWooferBoomer bandpass box, hooks it up to a cheap ass amp with bell wire lobs the lot loosly into the back of a car turns it up to the max vibrates the hell out of his car, thinks sound deadening is some form of crap music and wants to show the world he is the man by making as much noise as possible.

 

4 - People who think all car audio will make them look like number 3 above. Usually have no interest in it, or don't know where to start. Happy with stock or simple replacements and stereotype all others.

 

I mean no disrespect to you or anyone in my comments above, I have a system in my car that fits somewhere between number 1 and number 2 im quite happy with it. I don't crank my system loud to attract attention, the only time I really give it a work out is on motorways to over come the road noise.

 

Id like to invite you to listen to my car if we ever get the chance to meet, I hope that you will see that with the right attitude towards audio a subwoofer is an asset to any system.

[Drax]

i agree with Matt, its a bit harsh. i like my subs, and yeh people who play them at high bass with the windows down do look a cock half the time (especially the chavs that go round town in circles for half the day with happy hardcore etc), doesnt mean ALL people with subs are cocks! i like to keep my windows up 99% of the time for my music, and when i do have them down its cos probably because its a nice day and ill listen to the sweet music that is my exhaust.

[1pukkadeal]

The main thing to realise with car audio is you have the purists as zetegirl sounds not wishing to install boxes or modify panels etc but trys to get the best out of what locations she has , or the boys that like the full range systems and quality installs ,and of coarse I agree the feckers that just blast distorted crap out of their car thinking it makes them look cool, for me the car is more important than the stereo as most people seem to forget this

[mykez69]

dvd head unit motorised

1000 watt amp, chanelled to a jbl 1000 watt sub,

other chanel to a pair of 6x9's 500 watt,

front jbl door speakers, rear alpine speakers

4 alpine tweeters to fit

 

sounds,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, sh1t,,,,,,,,,,,, think i need upgrade on my amp, not enough settings on it, get rid of my head unit as well,

 

 

 

That's a comment from someone who doesn't understand speaker systems (or is just repeating that of someone who thinks they do)..

 

A sub-woofer is a component of pretty much every audio system you can find, home cinema, night club, car, etc. Manufacturers put subs in cars from the factory to provide a flat response. You simply can't get a great sound be replacing OE speakers with aftermarket ones.

 

I have my own thoughts and do not need to copy anyone elses thank you ,I worked in the automobile industry unlike most other females I want to keep my car audio system looking as original as possible and I am sure the RDS6006E is top of the range for that ,I run component 165mm in my front doors with seperate tweeters as for the rear I run the same ,I had the original wiring replaced with quality grade wire ,The majority of people that use subs in cars is not for audio perfection but just a way of showing off ,bit like when someone is in the car alone playing heavy bass music to themself they feel the need to lower their windows to share it with everyone else thus acting like a 1st class d1ck heads ,And to try and put someone down because their beliefs are different to yours is very immature on your part.

 

nothing standard in car audio is top of the range for anything IMO

Edited May 1, 2008 by mykez69

[Stu]

mykez69- it sounds Shite because it seems you've just thrown random crap in there without actually doing an 'install', as such... Burn the 6x9's, get some components up front and sound proof as much as you can, then you should hear a difference.

[Nearly-Def]

I run a RDS 6006E head unit with uprated front and rear speakers with wiring ,Hate subs as most who have them are little more than posers rather than music listeners

 

I just found this posting and just had to reply with my own view.

Zetecgirl has a valid point with the majority of people using subs in an entirely wrong and sometimes annoying manner due to really poor equipment and lack of soundproofing , on the other hand when the producers in the studios made the music tracks a crucial and fundamental element of all music is bass , be it drum or guitar , and most factory and normal speaker systems CANNOT reproduce this element of the track.

A subwoofer when used in its proper context is undeniably critical in the reproduction of any music track and can only enhance the audible experience for any listener.

[1pukkadeal]

well said that man , unfortunately most people walk into halfords buy all their crap throw it in the car and expect it to sound like a show winner, same as when people throw around theses 1000w figures willy nilly ,in real money more like 200 tops

[Nearly-Def]

well said that man , unfortunately most people walk into halfords buy all their crap throw it in the car and expect it to sound like a show winner, same as when people throw around theses 1000w figures willy nilly ,in real money more like 200 tops

 

I have seen a lot of HALFORD bashing in the last couple of days and i got to say , yes the product range on show is normal run of the range JAP crap and not particularly audiophile directed but in fairness the majority AUDIO SPECIALISTS selling the products are all AGENT and FACTORY trained ( alpine , kenwood ,sony ) to industry standards and generally can offer sound advice.

For a few years i was involved with the RIPSPEED training programme to develop and tutor the audio staff to help them gain an understanding of music fundamentals and music reproduction , all staff had to sit a written test and physically demonstrate by means of installation a solid understanding of music pricipals.

The testing is not easy , based on sound engineering course work , many failed or gave up but a good few music enthusiasts got good marks.

I agree most stores do not have said specialists but most ripspeed branches have proper trained staff.

[1pukkadeal]

I have seen a lot of HALFORD bashing in the last couple of days and i got to say , yes the product range on show is normal run of the range JAP crap and not particularly audiophile directed but in fairness the majority AUDIO SPECIALISTS selling the products are all AGENT and FACTORY trained ( alpine , kenwood ,sony ) to industry standards and generally can offer sound advice.

For a few years i was involved with the RIPSPEED training programme to develop and tutor the audio staff to help them gain an understanding of music fundamentals and music reproduction , all staff had to sit a written test and physically demonstrate by means of installation a solid understanding of music pricipals.

The testing is not easy , based on sound engineering course work , many failed or gave up but a good few music enthusiasts got good marks.

I agree most stores do not have said specialists but most ripspeed branches have proper trained staff.

 

 

As you said yourself not all stores have trained staff ,I am called regular by the local halfords to help with cocked up installs and faults ,and I have to say there are 3 large halfords near me all with ripspeed sections and one with 3 car fitting bay ,and they struggle with basic stuff at best,as none of them are trained

Edited May 1, 2008 by 1pukkadeal

[Nearly-Def]

I was part of a team that included members from various UK audio groups that were brought in to develop new staff for a venture for halfords as they wanted to launch smaller stores with only car modification in mind - Ripspeed stores.

These stores are gradually opening around the uk and are independent of the halfords banner and dont do normal car products.

From my understanding most normal ripspeed store staff working within a normal halfords store have been on the main agent training and not the full monty.

From what you have said it sounds like the basic main agent training needs beefing up !!!! either that or the standards in the stores are dropping.

I used to do a bit of role play customer shopping to identify lacking knowledge within staff , i wonder if this is still continued based on your experiences.

Shame really as the younger audio enthusiast will be getting sub standard info and help.

Might be worth an email to ripspeed to identify this problem.

Also the stores run a permitted purchase scheme where a store can order more exotic products for true enthusiasts but if the knowledge is not there then the scheme seems a complete waste of time really !!!

[1pukkadeal]

Lets face it halfords have the presense and the shop front to be awsome in this field ,but they pay peanuts for their staff most of which are fresh out of school ,so those with the correct knowledge and know how cant afford to work for them ,theres a huge branch with fitting bays in colindale NW London when I was called there to rectify a fault from my dealership ,the manager tried to head hunt me to work for them for £7.50 an hour as he thought I would be on peanuts at ford ,he was quite shocked when I told him I was on £14.12 ,the bosses at higher level dont seem to fussed on training no matter what PR comes out of their mouths ,Ripspeed used to be a decent brand prior to halfords buying the name now its watered down and treated by most in the game as tacky chavvy products Edited May 2, 2008 by 1pukkadeal

[Nearly-Def]

I totally agree with you that the once great RIPSPEED name has been utterly ruined by the halfords outfit and doubt it can be saved unless as you say a major investment in people and products is made.

I personally would like to see it recover thats why i agreed to get involved with the training program but now in reflection i can see that instead of starting education at the top managerial tier they tried to do it arse about and sounds like it failing.

never mind at least they paid me well for my efforts and god loves a tryer !!!

[Stu]

I don't think Halfords or Ripspeed should even come into this as neither are car audio specialists....

[Nearly-Def]

I don't think Halfords or Ripspeed should even come into this as neither are car audio specialists....

 

 

there was no mention of either halfords or ripspeed being audio specialists , it related to the so called by title only staff within these stores that worked within this specific field.

I merely pointed out the recent influx of derogative posts aimed directly at these stores and in SOME specific stores that this was a bit harsh as a number of staff have pretty indepth knowledge in their chosen field be it audio or styling but after a curiosity visit to my local ripspeed shop today i have to totally agree with 1pukkadeal that the standards have really bottomed out.