20+ years as an installer. I've installed everything from Rockford T series subs, Focal components, Sundown amplifiers and everything in between. Including all the stuff people order from amazon and a handful of other car audio websites. As far as the high end audio pipe and their large spl drivers they are ok but I don't spend allot of my time installing 3000+ watt amplifiers and multiple 15's in the back of suburbans enough to form a good opinion. The large mono block power amps don't seem bad either but longevity would be the only issue with these as I am not familiar with the build quality as well as I'm not familiar with there failure rate. That being said most of the entry and middle of the line product that most people seem to buy I have installed frequently and they sound inferior compared to even other cheaper entry level components. For instance, I have installed two different audio pipe 6.5 components. One of those set ups was being driven by a Rockford 300x4 Prime amplifier. I also installed the same Rockford 300x4 amplifier and a set of Polk Audio 6.5 components in a similar suv. While the audio pipe components sound good compared to the factory speakers when I compared them to the entry level Polk Audio components (which cost less) the Polk Audio's blew them away. So with that I can honestly say that the audio pipes components even though they may sound better than the factory setup were absolute garbage compared to the entry level Polk Audio model db6501's
I have installed some of Audiopipes entry level $59 12" subs and found several other brands such as Infinity and Soundstream sounded way better for the same $59 and the build quality looked better as well. Hell, for just a extra $10 NVX makes a 12" for $69 that sounds like its in another league all together and when you compared it to the Audiopipe you'd be pissed off after you heard it. Always, listen to the guys that do this sh!t for a living and yes you can get an idea of the sound quality of a speaker by looking at the build quality and specs. The other thing I would also tell you is you can't complain if someone tells you something sounds like garbage. Installers don't have to set in a car for hours or wait until the speakers are completely broke in to tell if they are of good quality. We install thousands of systems and listen to them on a daily basis and can make a fairly quick judgment about the sound quality.
Rarely are there any small companies making a name for themselves that are good anymore. The market is and has been fairly saturated with those guys. So in conclusion. Either buy reputable equipment and get what you pay for Rockford, Kicker, JBL, Alpine, Sundown, PSI, DD, Crecendo, NVX, RE, Focal, Polk Audio, Image Dymamics, etc.. or shop amazon and a host of other online retailers pushing subwoofers for $50 that hardly anyone uses just because they look cool or your buddy thinks they are awesome and become another sucker. Actually, you'd be better off standing in the car audio isle at your local Wal-Mart buying Kicker and Pioneer. Even the entry level kicker amps at Wal-Mart are tested and rated appropriately and the pioneer crap is so massively produced and Wal-Mart buys so much in large bulk you can come out spending less money with a better sounding system. Still won't be nearly as good as buying the quality stuff for just a little more $$. Good day to you sir and may your speaker endeavors shower you with cheap knock offs and repackaged pyle, legacy, pyramid and other companies that try to sell something that 'looks' coooool and is soooo cheap man.
Side note: I once was forced to install a Boss component set in a brand new BMW with a factory upgraded sound system. Against my advice the customer insisted and argued with me and acted like I didn't know what I was talking about. He after all, paid a whole $99 for them somewhere and demanded to use them. I charged him $75 to install them. He brought his car back the next day and didn't say a damn word to me other than. Sorry man, can you just put my factory component back in. Sure I said, but it'll cost $140 because I'll have to undo a lot of work and its more time consuming to re-install them. He rolled his eyes and paid. I of course lied and it was a piece of cake but thats what the customer gets when they insult my intelligence and bring me that crap. So in the end he was stuck with a pair of $99 components, $75 install charge, and a $140 re-install fee which brings his total cost to....approximately $215 dollars. For $130 and a $50 install he could have bought a variety of components in the store that would have sounded awesome and his grand total would have been $180 bucks. What does he have now? A set of factory speakers back in his car and he's out $215. PRICELESS.
If you would like to respond to me and call me a typical basher who doesn't know what he is talking about maybe you should take your ass somewhere that people get together and talk about how well they love the sound of cheap crap like the reviews on amazon and sonicelectronix. They have plenty of people who praise Boss amplifiers and give them 5 stars. I'm starting to think you already bought a bunch of Audiopipe stuff and just want to feel good about your purchase. Sorry bro.....