Bret

In to car audio since the 80's. My first install was some Kenwood head unit that was removable not sure what these are called but I felt dumb carrying my whole stereo around at Parties. The subs (if you could call them that) were Pioneer, I think, that came in a factory plastic enclosures. They weren't big, maybe they were mids, I don't remember. This was in a '71 Toyota Landcruiser.

I had a 80's subaru hatchback for a while. I think I moved the same gear to it.

I bought a Nissan Maxima in the 90's, which was pretty much a girl's car. Don't hate on me if you have one. It had 6mm exhaust manifold studs that all popped off. Who was the engineer behind that? Anyway. I bought a Punch 60 DSM for my sub amp with a 1st gen Image Dynamics 15 in a sealed enclosure I made. It was dayglo green with purple fur on it. The HU and front stage was all high end Clarion stuff that sounded great to me. Like a dummy I let it all go with the car, except the sub. Still want a Punch 60 again one of these days.

After that I was in to motorcyles for many years and didn't drive a car at all. After a few bad wrecks I decided drivers here were just getting too stupid to keep riding. I built a 67 Triumph chopper I still have.

I had a 68 Galaxie for a while with no system because the exhaust was so loud I figured why bother.

I had a Volvo 240 Wagon with Low end everything except the ID sub I still had after all those years. I bought two more modern ID 15's and built a sealed enclosure for them. It hit the lows so loud but sounded muddy to me. Maybe my crummy prime amp. I gave the car to my girlfriend along with the old ID sub and then she dumped me.  I had kept the two newer ID subs.

I lost my house and put everything I owned into a storage unit that got robbed. That's when I lost my ID subs and all my tools/rolling toolbox and my dads crazy huge collection of tools I had inherited.

Bought another Volvo wagon, a '96 960. Immaculate interior. Really super nice for it's age. I'm running an Alpine 143bt HU which is great as long as I don't use my iPhone with it. I have a Zapco st850xm ii mono amp pushing two Punch p2d2-10's in a ported pos prefab box. I really like the clarity of the subs but they lack the low end grunt I had been used to with years of 15's. I could build a proper box for them but instead I got some 15's again and am currently rebuilding them. The front stage is a stock Volvo with a bunch of speakers that sound good but are lacking in the mids department. While I was collecting parts to do a really big upgrade to this, the engine started howling real bad. Not sure if I can repair it.

I'm a long time TIG welder and hardfacing welder and a manual mill machinist. I just quit my job when a coworker tried to kick my ass and the company didn't do anything about it.

So I pretty much have not been dealt the best hand in life but I've been given a lot of opportunities too. I have always worked with great people who have taught me everything they know, so I'm lucky in that regard.