might as well network.........

[9tinyfingaz]

im big on networking with people and seeing where i have a "hook up". I couldnt find a thread about it so i thought i might as well start one.
I am a business sales rep at CompUsa. That means i can discount whatever I want at CompUsa close to cost. Not just down here in florida but online too. That means I can order and deliver whatever i have online with a discount. Its a beautiful thing. What i really right now though is a hookup for car audio. Circuit City, Best Buy, Sound Advice, Flea Market?. I need some high end car audio...but cheap Hopefully we can find someone that works in every industry and never have to pay retail again.

[Ruflyf]

Sweet, personally my field of work wont help much being a firefighter & locksmith, but the offer is very generous of you. Btw, what is the average % of mark up on CompUSA goods?

[9tinyfingaz]

Well if I ever lock my keys in a burning VX in Biloxi Ill give you a call. The mark up depends on the product 6-7% laptops and desktops. 10-15% on cameras and mp3 players 30-40% on upgrades. 15-20% home entertainment.

[volume311]

Mr.Locksmith, willing to explain how to pick a tubular 8-pin lock so I can empty a couple vending machines?

[Ruflyf]

Mr.Locksmith, willing to explain how to pick a tubular 8-pin lock so I can empty a couple vending machines?

Well you would need a pick designed for tubular locks, specifically a 8 pin tubular lock. I would say it may be easier to have it picked by a local shop or if you are set on doing it yourself, it would be probably easier and definately cheaper to drill it, there are tubular drill bits designed for this out on the web.

[iamjacksadrenalgland]

well, i'm not a car audio dealer, but i've been into car audio for many years and have learned a few things about getting good prices on equipment. what kind of setup do you have planned? maybe i can help with the hunt.

[9tinyfingaz]

Something simple and classy.

for the headunit. That i can just pick up at walmart. The usb feature is great. But the component speakers are where i need the help. I am a audiophile and sound clarity is the most important thing to me. I was thinking some jl audios or pioneer premier rev series. from reading around i need 6 1/2 in the front and 4' in the rear. Also a small single 12 sub in the back or custom box for 2 10' maybe rockfords or kickers. I havent purchased a sub in 4 years so i dont know whats still good. I dont want to be the neighborhood boom box. but i want to enjoy my music to the fullest. Im also out of the loop on amps. One amp for the components and one for the sub(s) Also need to see if the hu im interested in has cd changer hook up and find a single din mp3 cd changer to replace the stock. I watch unique whips on tv everyday. I just feel like working on my car all day.

[iamjacksadrenalgland]

it's easy to spend tons of money in pursuit of sound quality (SQ). many find that the best thing to do is set a budget to work within and stick to it. and remember installation and tuning is just as important as the equipment you use, so budget in money for lots of sound deadening, wires, RCA cables, etc.

i would consider both JL audio and pioneer rev series components to be pretty good for that price range, but i definately love JL's amplifiers. they are often better than much pricier equipment ... excellent filters and power regulation.

rockford and kicker subwoofers tend to be designed with SPL (sound pressure level) in mind, rather than sound quality.

in my opinion, the best SQ for the dollar for components, coaxials and subs is CDT america. but keep in mind CDT's musical tonality tends to favor acoustic type music as in rock or jazz over synthetically produced sounds as in rap/hip-hop or techno/trance. if you prefer the synthetically produced music, a JL audio setup would be more suitable. here's a couple setups i considered for my own VX:

CDT...
CL-61A - 1/6.5" Components - $160
CL-4X - 4" Coaxials - $70
CL-1215S4 - 12" SVC Suwoofer - $100

JL Audio ...
XR650CSi - 1/6.6" Components - $260
TR400CXi - 4" Coaxials - $60
12W3V2D6 - 12" DVC Subwoofer - $180

i was planning to use a single multichannel amplifier for simplicity. JL audio's 500/5 amp uses hybrid class A/B circuitry for the fronts and rears and class D circuitry for the sub, so it's relatively small for the amount of power it produces. unfortunately, JL amps are not exactly cheap - $610 for this one.

anyway, those are my recommendations for a couple budget-minded SQ systems. i got the prices from wooferetc.com (my favorite online store).

it sounds like you're set on that USB feature, so i won't lecture you on the importance of a clean source signal for SQ, but i will say that using a head unit with 24-bit DAC's (digital to analog converters) goes a long way in terms of sound quality.

[transio]

9tiny,

Rockin! I'm a glorified web designer, about to break out on my own and start a new web business. I might be hittin' ya up for some computer favors!

[9tinyfingaz]

9tiny,

Rockin! I'm a glorified web designer, about to break out on my own and start a new web business. I might be hittin' ya up for some computer favors!

Not a problem. I extend my discounts to the whole VX Fam. I'd actually like to build my business up some more. So if anyone knows of a buyer for massive amounts of equipment let me know. Or even small stuff im not picky

iamjacksadrenalgland
That was an amazing amount of help. Im going to look into the CDT america as I am not familiar with that brand. But am steering towards JL Audio. I just bought the hu online from "walmart" lol of all places. $88 bucks shipped and just realized it has audio in so i can plug my portable xm2go right in. no more fm transmitter crap.

[kpaske]

Something simple and classy for the headunit. That i can just pick up at walmart.

LOL! Yeah, I go to Wal-Mart for all my "classy" shopping needs.

I personally prefer the older Orion equipment that used to win all the sound offs back in the 90's. The amps were known as "cheater amps" because they were very underrated - meaning they put out much higher amperage that they were rated for, allowing competitors to compete in lower classes with better equipment. At any rate, Orion is a great choice for both SQ and SPL setups. A lot of the older equipment can still be found brand new on E-Bay. And by the way, forget the rear speakers unless you have passengers back there most of the time. If you rarely have more than two passengers, you can create an excellent front stage using only front seperates and a sub or two.

[9tinyfingaz]

sorry i put the wrong punctuation on the wrong word. Looking for something simple and classy (for a system. no loud ghetto boom boom. been there done that.) (period) (new sentence) For the HU the vr3 radio. Its actually very nice for the price. A hell of alot of features. I dont need alot of power b/c im going to run the mids and highs off of an amp. But line-in, usb, sd, mp3 cd play back. You have to imagine a 6 disc stock cd changer 6x20=120 songs when 1 mp3 cd holds 150 songs at near cd quality. no need for a cd changer when i can mount a 500gb hard drive under the seat with mp3 galore. Plus since i put the xm2go in the car i rarely listen to cds anyway. for 80 bucks you cant go wrong. I remember orion from a while ago. I might take a look at some of those.

[psychos2]

I have always used JL audio subs and have been very pleased with them. They are some of the best subs out there. I would use W6 or W7. As far as mids and highs i would use MBQUART. I think they have the best sound of anything that I have listened to. If you have never heard MBQUART speakers I would go to a place that sells them and have a listen. shawn