Why is car audio dead around here?
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Seriously, why is car audio absolutely dead around here? For the past 2 years, I've been selling (on average) around $500/mo to local people and around $4k/mo to people from Minneapolis...and I don't even advertise on their forums regularly. This doesn't even include the big projects that I get from down that way (Ski Boats, trucks, Porsche GT2's, etc....)
Would a formal competition get you guys more interested in it? If so, what kind of show/comp would you like to see?
SPL (loudness)
SQ (Sound Quality)
DB Drag (SPL, but you get 30 seconds to get the loudest reading and you run head to head with another competitor)Or maybe have a "Train and Tune" where we would bring in some industry professionals to give a clinic on how to do some basic fabrication, how to properly aim speakers, the fundamentals of good sound, etc... and then have a competition afterwards w/ one or more of the above formats.
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SPL competition could be a lot of fun, would pull a lot of people here from other areas around MN and ND as well.
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Crops?
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I think some of the reasons are that since a system adds weight and slows a car down and more for looks they get labeled show offs/ ricers, some which is true. Main reason is thieves, I have way more car audio equipment inside my apartment than I do in the three cars I own, even with alarms too much of a risk for me.
A sound show of some sort would be good. I'd instal my stuff just to show up. Db drags were a lot of fun, sq is always nice to shoot for as well.
If there was a clinic before, that would probably spark some interest who are borderline or didn't have an interest prior.
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I have too much crack to buy, i can't afford ICE.
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yesh. people that be stealin shit. have had my car broken into 3 times now
fuck systems. good components with a good 4ch amp and good head unit ftw. -
I think it's a combination of things. People around here play it 'safe' for one. They go somewhere they've heard of or they know someone else went (best buy, site on sound), buy brands they've heard of (rockford, sony). The safe bit is funny considering the AIDS you get from being raped in the ass on prices.
Second, people are frightened by the prices around here. I mean really, a few weeks ago, I was looking around at best buy and noticed the only amp kit they had in stock is the rockford kit for like $150. Shit better be gold. I asked the guy about it and he said some bullshit about noise rejection and magic rockford fairys, and then tried to sell me a cap for $150. Shit just about went down. People add up those kinds of prices in their head and realize the great deal on that pioneer 12" just turned into a grand w/ installation and hardware.
Third, kids in thier grand prix just want a prefab box and a punch 12 with the amp screwed to the back of the box so they can bump eminem, you can't change that, it's the nature of the beast. Those stock speakers work fine right? Just use the high inputs off the rear deck speakers, it will sound wonderful.
Forth, thieves have made it a bitch to do ANYTHING with your car. People around here apparently have no shame. They'll steal a $50 pyle cd player out of a ford escort. So in addition to the cost of the system itself, you gotta get an alarm too. Alot of people decide it isn't worth the hassle.
Fifth, bitches don't know about tjamz. Sorry dude, even I'm guilty, I didn't think to check if you sold REAudio before I bought mine, and I already had the amp.
Finally, people have bad experiences with some of the shops and never go back. I had one system installed for me EVER. Worst mistake I ever made. My first car I ever bought for myself was a red 98 civic EX, it was the shit, dawg.
I took it into site on sound and bought a fuckton of pretty high end equipment, and wanted it installed with sound deadening, the full meal deal. It took them 2 weeks to install front door components, rear deck speakers (lol at my rear fill), a sweet deck, sound deadening, and the subs (nothing special, rectangle box 2ft^3).
I got the car back and they had installed the components with the mids in the stock locations and the tweeter way the fuck up in the sail panel. So i've got highs blasting me in the face, and my leg is in front of my mids, great. They 'installed' the passive x-over by drilling holes in the front of the map pockets in the doors and just throwing the x-overs into the map pockets (wtf) There were various other niggly things like they didn't bend the tabs on the din sleeve so the deck slid right out, but the worst thing... I noticed that the doors werent alot quieter than before so I took off the panel and GOOD GOD... the sound deadening material that they used (cascade if I remember right, good stuff) was just draped loosely on the door panel, in like 2 big sheets, attached only at the top, WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSED TO DO? I did call them and express my dissatisfaction, their excuse was that is the way they install things, and that is the way they were instructed by the distributor to install the sound deadening. NEVER EVER LET SOMEONE ELSE INSTALL MY SHIT AGAIN.
TL; DR?
1: People are afeared of change.
2: OH SHIT YOUR WALLET IS ON FIRE!!
3: I've created a monster cuz no one wants to see marshall no more, they want shady
4: Pirates
5: Bitches aren't well informed
6: Bad previous experiences with other shops -
also, a DB comp would be cool, i'd like to see what this 12 can put out, i'd build a ported box just for the occasion. SQ is cool, but I don't think alot of people around here have what would be considered a competition SQ system. Not saying there aren't some damn nice systems around, but the termpro doesn't lie to make you feel better about the money you spent
Of course maybe that will spark some interest in some EQs, processors, etc. If you do get something going, let me know, I'll totally help out. I'm not an expert but I did take home quite a few trophys in SPL and SQ (different cars), also 2001 USAC world finals 4th place in my SPL class. -
JohnW you made LOL really hard, the people in the computer lab are staring at me now.
Otherwise JohnW makes some good points, it's the same way in Bemidji(where I'm from) if you have good stuff it gets jacked.
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The shit getting stolen thing amazes me. I've had multi-thousand dollar systems in my cars over the past 19 years and never had anything stolen....and until my WRX, never had an alarm in them. I guess my advice is, don't bump your system close to home...
As for JohnW's comments...here is my thoughts:
- Everyone wants to be different by doing the same thing their friends did?!?!?!
- I can assure anyone that my amp kits are reasonably priced, and I'll never sell anyone a capacitor....EVER.
- I'd be happy as shit selling prefabs all day every day. WAAAAAAAY more profit in that stuff.
- Again....never had shit stolen
- I'm in the book, on this forum and any other forum that will have me...lol...and I guarantee I am among the lowest priced legit dealers out there.
- It is my personal goal to offer guidance only when asked for....you tell me what you want in your system and I may offer a couple suggestions for improvement, but I won't push you to get it. I've been on the consumer side, I remember how bad it sucks to spend money on something you didn't really want in the first place.
Faber: Most of the stuff I sell in Mpls is not installed by me. I am ok with this. I am, however, working on a major project for a high-end client right now....I will post pics when completed.
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I will let you know when I need the deck and install for the car.
It has a old ass 250w amp under the passanger seat. Is it really worth keeping.... Or should I just rip it out. From what I can tell the outputs on it are wired back to the stock wires where they should be hooked up to the deck....
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If I may also add.
A lot of the newer cars today make it vary hard to install an after market deck, some of which need damn near the whole dash removed just to put in another deck and others need a shit ton of custom work to install one. Then there's wiring, a friend of mine had a 2000 or so chevy van and he wanted to put a really nice alpine cd player in, well after he installed it his instrument cluster didn't work and later he found out he needed a special wiring harness so he could keep the factory radio plugged in with the after market deck. Most people just don't want the hassle.
Sterling Archer: Oh my god! You killed a hooker!
Cyril Figgis: Call girl!
Sterling Archer: No Cyril! When they're dead they're just hookers!
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bubba;215818 wrote:
Id rather spend my money on making it go faster/handle better.
Let me know when you actually DO <u>exactly</u> that.bubba;215818 wrote:
My 2 door speakers and a good head unit are good enough for me.
Ya cuz I'd hate to see someone make their stereo louder than their intake/exh. I's really annoying to have to turn the stereo down to hear the VTAKKKK kick in. And what do you consider a GOOD head unit?I agree with Tony... There doesn't seem to be as much of the younger crowd into the REAL QUALITY end of the car audio/video area. I'm going out on a limb here but, I think that most of them are too cheap to spend any money on the stuff.
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