*OT* Car Audio. *OT*

[shartley]

[Lord Vader]

Bazooka woofers are the only way to go...

[Miscue]

Precisely Shartley! I don't know why people give a darn about how loud you can make it... except for the technical feat (it is very difficult to accomplish), it's pointless. You can't listen to music like that. Personally, I usually keep my stuff at a very moderate level... all I care is how good it sounds. A system that sounds good at whisper levels is very impressive.

I will never do a SPL (Sound Pressure Level) comp, only SQ (Sound Quality)... zero interest. What's kinda funny is that a high SQ system can spit out big dbs too... because the equipment necessary for high SQ does high SPL too... depending.

Randomboy... you need to reresearch the thing on underpowering your equipment. The cones do not move correctly when underpowered. This breaks them. I know it sounds totally counter-intuitive, but that's the way it is. Also why overpowering doesn't hurt, you can overpower and because the cones are still moving correctly until you start to raise the volume higher than it can handle... doesn't hurt it. However, very bad idea to do because you can blow it up really easy if your levels are too high... that's when having too much power is a problem.

[randomboy]

Shartley, I'm with you on this, cept for the fact I enjoy the SPL comps a bit more than the slow and boring SQ comps I more than enjoy a very clean and sonically sound system, but for some reason I have something against using the AC in my car, so not only does it have to sound good, its gotta sound good when loud enough to be heard over the roar of the wind

[randomboy]

Miscue, I had another few people read this, we are both right, you however are wrong about "breaking the cones"

[Goblyn]

I am going be installing my system into my truck soon but already have the parts. They include a Sony 600DSP head unit, Precision Power amp (4)5x7's(stock),(4)8" subs(Infinity Kappa), and an electronic x-over(Yamaha). I am looking at some Infinity Reference 5x7's to replace the stock speakers soon. It may not thump real hard but it should put out some very clear/clean sound reproduction....

[shartley]

randomboy:
I would have to agree on the SPL comps being more interesting than the SQ comps. But we both know that most of the people who put in these ear splitting systems do NOT do it for Comp reasons.

But you confused me..... you said:

<font face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
I more than enjoy a very clean and sonically sound system, but for some reason I have something against using the AC in my car, so not only does it have to sound good, its gotta sound good when loud enough to be heard over the roar of the wind. </font>

hmmmm... What kind of WINDS

[Hasty8]

Let me ask you all something. What kind of jobs do you all have that let you lpay paintball and put $2000+ sound systems in your car?

Are they hiring?

[shartley]

[randomboy]

Well, not necessarily as "loud" seeming over the wind, but just as clear as at low levels parked

And me, I do/am doing it for the simple fact I like designing and building all this stuff and seeing the results I can get out of it. And the job I do that allows me to play paintball and put several thousand dollar systems in my car?? I work for 8.75/hr mowing for a landscaping company during the summer, and in 3 weeks I will be unemployed. lol. But I'll be in community college going to school about 1/2 as many hours as I did in high school, leaving alot more time for a little money makin on the side

Oh yeah, I gotta remember I have a monthly insurance payment too!

[Miscue]

In my case, I make very little cuz I'm a student. About $15,000 a year. But, I don't have a whole lot of bills and I live at home. I paid off my truck, so I just do gas/insurance/maintenance. Then I pay for my tuition/books, about $3500 a year. Then there's food. That leaves a decent amount of spending money, not a whole lot, but I can get a few toys sometimes.

Have a few toys at home too.. hehe. This is my favorite (No, of course 'I' did not buy that!):

http://www.liquidmagma.com/automags/miscuepiano.jpg

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"Don't mill your tank." - Miscue

Miscue's Profile

[This message has been edited by Miscue (edited 08-07-2001).]

[pyro45]

1998 eclipse GSX (Dont have it at the moment, but its what I am getting.)

What work cant I do???....

[Goblyn]

As to the money issue, You may say that I am a little frugal as my equipment ( except the amp which is new, and 5x7's that I haven't bought yet) has been in 2 of my previous cars in the last 3 years. But it is still in excellent condition and I can't bring myself to put out the money to replace it( I don't see a need until something breaks). Besides it is a 2001 truck like I would have any money left to buy a lot of new stereo equipment. And my old stuff still sounds crystal clear.
As to recommending good new stuff I have always liked Infinity Kappas, Boston Pro's, and MB Quart for speakers. Zapco is tops as far as amps go, Precision Power is also good(in my own humble opinion).But your best bet is to go to the audio store and listen to it for youself and find what you like and can afford(hence the reason I have a PPI amp instead of Zapco). Well talk to you all later...

[Miscue]

<font face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by pyro45:
WOW... I was not aware We had so many Experts here at AO... This is amazing. Now, if I may get some input, What companies/models of speakers , subs and head units do you guys recomend...

(Just getting a little input....)

I am looking at getting Phenix Gold subs for my car, They run like around the $150 range or something.
Thanks.</font>

Have you looked into AlumaPro subs? I believe they are in that price range... they are very musical subs... don't need much of an amp, and they look really good if you're into showing off your stuff.


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"Don't mill your tank." - Miscue

Miscue's Profile

[Fritzy]

I would suggest working the following path for a personal vehicle:

1. Sub/amp
2. Head unit
3. Front soundstage
4. several options, EQ, additional amp (depending on what happened in step 1), rear speakers, sound dampening, improved wiring

For a personal, daily driver vehicle the less complicated the better. you will notice the largest gain from the addition of a sub. In your price range i would really recommend the Infinity Kappa 10" sub. They have excellent sound quality, efficiency and prodigious output. You can spend a lot more and not gain anything. They also go in a small, sealed enclosure (0.6 ft3) which is the simplest to build. Sealed enclosures also exhibit the best power handling, tighter bass and low end extension. For an even less expensive option you could pick up a Rockford or MTX entry level sub and get pretty good performance as long as you have enough juice and a good enclosure (MDF, at least 3/4", glued, screwed and caulked).

The next choice is an amp. A modestly priced 2 channel amp can be bridged to a single sub with very good results. I recently installed an MTX road thunder amp (RT2400) in my sister's car. It cost $200 and puts out @400 watts bridged. Great for a sub and inexpensive. Rockford has slipped a bit lately, as they have started mass producing their stuff again. However, this has brought the price down and they still perform. Other good choices are Kicker Impulse amps. Relatively inexpensive and a nice, high current design. PPI, Phoenix Gold, Xtant, etc...are probably overkill in your situation.

Another option here is to buy a 4 channel amp if you are planning to amplify your front stage. With a car like the Eclipse one 4x50 or 4x75 amp will run your whole system and will have a basic, effective crossover to boot. This will put out between 200 and 300 watts to your sub (bridged).

The next decision is the head unit. I usually replace these for simplicity's sake, but I have seen systems run off a hi/low converter that were very listenable. However, if you are going to go that route, avoid using an amp's internal hi level inputs. They generally don't alow you to adjust the line level, which will greatly reduce your amp's effective output. Spend the $30 on a simple AudioLink.

If you do replace the head many CD players can be had for $150. However, these usually do not have a non-fading output. I would recommend a slightly better unit with a non-fading output as this is the best way to adjust your bass level on the fly. Adjusting your bass tone control or loudness usually sounds dreadful. Other than that it is strictly preference, they are all very similar in the below $400 price range.

Most people will tell you to concentrate your resources on your speakers as the electronics are all so similar (can you tell the differenct between .05%THD and .0005%THD, I don't think so). This is more true in home audio, but still applies to car audio, especially for the non-competition user.

However, there are some very nice, inexpensive options available today. I have heard a number of coaxials that sound excellent, but some are as much as a high end component set (Quart, Morel). I installed a pair of Kappa 6.5 coaxs in my sisters car. Cost @ $150 and sound quite good. I won't lie, my Boston's are a world apart, but the Infinity's are fine for most people. I would actually recommend them, or something like the Polk or Boston coax, over a cheap component set.

Rear speakers are the least of your worries. They are more likely to hamper your soundstage than help it. Run the stock rear speakers off your head unit and be done with it. You don't sit in the back anyway, right?

The rest is all gravy/show. So, in summary (now that I have gone on too long already) buy a single 10" sub ($150), 4 channel amp ($300), front speakers ($150) and a head unit ($200). Run the sub off the rear channels of the amp bridged, the front speakers off the front amp channels stereo, and the rear, stock speakers off the head unit. Use a non-fading output to feed the sub channels. I think you will find this works excellent for $800! Allow a few more bucks for box/wiring.