lost in an ocean

EverZeplin — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 18:54:38 GMT

Its been about 6 years since I've even looked at audio components for a vehicle and there are just so many new things out there (and I've forgotten almost all that i learned) that I am just lost in an ocean of choices and options.

First off I have a 2000 Ford Ranger 4 Door 4wd SuperCab. The front and rear speakers are both 6x8s and the head unit depth is 7-1/2" with the sizes as E, F2, S, and U.

My most obvious dilemma is; what to get for my car? I know that everyone has their own opinions and that people will disagree on what is better or what is worse but after reading the FAQ and Help sections on the site and even reading Customer Reviews on many items I am still no closer to deciding what the best route to take is.

I am looking for dang near everything for my truck; new head unit, front and rear speakers, amp and subwoofer. So pretty much the nitty gritty of this post is can someone help me build a good full sounding system for my truck? I mainly listen to rock and punk but am known to bust out a good hip hop track every so often. MP3 Playback and IPod connectivity would be necessary as well as XM and HD Radio tuning already in the head unit would be highly preferred. I would (needless to say) like to go as cheap as possible but wouldn't mind going around $500-750 (more would be ok if it was worth it) on the whole thing.

OTHER QUESTIONS/CONCERNS:

-    I don't know if its best to stick with one brand all the way through (alpine receiver, speakers, and sub) or to mix and match brands.
-    I would like to shy away from component systems as they seem a bit too intricate for me to install myself and I would prefer not to get a kick panel.
-    The site says that 5-1/4" will fit into my truck, as well as 5x7s; is it really "the bigger the better" and go with the 6x8s or is it better to get the round 5-1/4" rather than an oval shaped 6x8 or 5x7s?
-    Is an amp a good idea to get to supplement power to the speakers as well as the sub? And can I power both the sub and the speakers with the same amp?
-    Should I go after 2 way speakers and get a sub or 3 ways and a sub? ACK! HELP!!

Thank you all so much in advance and I apologize for writing the novel that this post has become, but...as I've stated before I am just so lost and in desperate need of help with all of this stuff!
sTeve

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lost in an ocean