Yah no kidding right. I guess if ur stupid like me and really don't understand audio systems you don't have any business being on this forum.

 

completely opposite Dean... this forum is full of guys willing to help with advice, products, sales, installs...and the new guys with questions are what keep this forum rolling. 2 years ago i was in your shoes...and the guys like gannicus and tailwind (and countless others) got me where i am tday and are still guiding me
i use my phone to access this site, so i have no clue where you are located, but id be willing to bet there is a forum member with a wealth of knowledge that lives within a reasonable day trip from you
keep askin questions and keep an open mind
ultimately the decision is yours as to what you install...but i havent been steered whong yet .... nuf said

 

Good question Dale, where ya at Dan T? MN is a big state.

 

Don't take it the wrong way brother. We were all stupid with this stuff at one time or another. Even if you set up systems on cars for 30 years. Bike audio is a whole different animal. I was being dramatic to save you from going through the same heartache I did about 15 years ago. That's mainly my goal here everyday is to keep guys from spending tons of unnecessary money and being unhappy with the results. Been there done that a long time ago. You are EXACTLY the kind of guy who belongs on this forum! You can spend a lot of time and money with this stuff and not be happy. We are here to prevent that.

Now that we have that out of the way. An amp is a must have on any system. Budget or high dollar. Doesn't matter. If you want to hear your tunes clearly at 80 MPH. You gotta have an amp! Let's call it RULE #1!! Tough love bro!

 

I am surprised I do not see the first question you should be asked. What is your end game? Do you want a stereo that you can hear loud and clear at 80mph? What is most important to you? Volume? Clarity? Bass? Of course we all want them all but there always are trade offs. What is your budget? What kind of music do you listen to? Answers to these questions will help with recommendations for you. I would agree that you want an amp, but you can get a minor improvement without one. You still wont hear it on the highway though - which for me is supremely irritating. Personally I would spend money on an amp before a head unit because you can get more bang for your buck as far as volume and clarity - even if you buy inexpensive speakers. for $400 you can get a nice improvement. Of course the more you spend, the better the improvement...

 

P.S. Be sure to be honest with yourself. IF you say okay I want to save money so I'll go with the $400 system don't be surprised if you hear a better system and want to upgrade. You save the most money by just doing this once. Personally I have done it twice...

 

Not at all brotha!!! G and I spend a lot of time snapping each other's panties. We go a ways back and all in good fun.
His honesty is priceless so don't take this shix personal. Sugar coating some of this stuff will not serve anyone well.
Ur gonna need an amp.

T.

 

I live near montgomery Mn

 

I understand where ur coming from. I took it the wrong way. Thanks for clearing the air.

My main reason for starting this project was so I could flip thru my songs on my I pod using my hand controls lol....i really do appreciate the help so I am not wasting a ton of money. The reason I asked the question about the amp was because I really don't know and right now I am able to hear my music when I'm doing 80. But now I am really curious how much better I could hear it. So let's talk amps that will work for my speakers. Or is their more information you need from me?

 

Crap, sorry I didn't spell your name correct. No disrespect intended. Don't mind the guys poking at one another, there are some guys who have been around for a long time and it's normal, no worries. I, just like Gann am a huge Sony fan, but there are also a bunch of guys in favor of most of the big names.
Kris