shadowgoon

Previous thread found here for car audio woes: https://honda-tech.com/forums/audio-security-video-27/line-noise-when-stereo-turned-2962350/

In addition to the problems stated in the above thread, the previous installer jury rigged 6 3/4" Pioneer Type-S speakers into the factory 5 1/4" mounts, so I'm going to be replacing those with the same speaker, just in the correct size for the mounts.

Rear 6x9's are the stockers, so those will have to go.

Below are the components I'm considering for my system. It is a modest system, nothing extreme. My goal is to be around $1k budget before taxes and be able to enjoy a wide array of genres... from country to dubstep, hard rock, metal and punk, hip/hop etc.

As well, I will include a visual diagram of how I will be wiring the system up, placement of the distribution block/amp/sub/grounds will be in the trunk.

If anyone has some suggestions for improving the performance/price or installation of the system, by all means let me know.

• Head Unit: Alpine CDE-123 $199.99
• Amp: Alpine MRX-F30 $299.99
• Distribution Block: StreetWires CBXS024 (4g in, 2x 8g out) $79.99
• Subwoofer: MTX Road Thunder $249.99
• Rears: Sound Ordnance P-69 $59.99/pr
• Fronts: Alpine SPS-510 Type-S $99.99/pr
• Total before tax: $989.94

I'm not including a wiring kit in the cost, as I will just be buying the bare wire in the lengths required for the install and crimping myself. I may also spend a little extra for screw power rings and the like, just to make the install clean.

Diagram: Btw, the reason for wiring 4g from the battery to the distro block is to give me the head room to upgrade to a bigger and badder set up in the future, and I really only feel like running main power once through the firewall. Unless anyone can give me a legit reason not to do so, that's the plan.

edzy

I wouldn't go with any of that(except the headunit)

Aside from the amp which is already overpriced, all of that otherwise is pretty shitty.

Is space a concern?

shadowgoon

Budget is pretty much the primary concern. I'm not looking to win car shows, I'm just wanting a good all around system for the plethora of musical genres that I listen to. I don't need the biggest and baddest, but something with a bit of a punch while remaining affordable is key.

edzy

Sub wise, this deal is pretty hard to pass up

You can read about and order here
http://www.soundsolutionsaudio.com/f...ecial-package/

They build the boxes to whatever shape, color, or tuning you want. I'd tune low(28-32hz)

edzy

http://www.woofersetc.com/p-9623-esk...nt-system.aspx

Got my hands on these a couple weeks ago. Hell of a set for <300. Midrange is smooth, tweet is smooth and not harsh like most sets in this price range. Midbass is awesome. I'd supply them with around 150ish watts. You must remember that your speakers play 99% of the frequency range. You don't want to skimp there.

Rear speakers aren't needed as they pull your sound stage back. You'd want to keep all the sound upfront.

To power the components, i'd go with the soundstream stl 2.560. Very tiny amp that will supply you with 150 x 2.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Sound...#ht_4895wt_982

To power the skar sub(you'd want go to with the dual 4 ohm version of the sub, so it can be wired to 2 ohms)

I'd go with the matching soundstream stl 1.600
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Sound...#ht_4536wt_982

Total is $721.13

I'd use the rest on the big 3 & sound deadening.

If installed right, this will be a clean sounding setup with a decent amount of output.

shadowgoon

Thanks for your reply,

A couple of questions, and a point of note.

What do you mean by big three?
By employing a sub, the rear deck speakers are rendered moot? What if I were to go with speakers in the rear more designed toward the mid-high range freqs, wouldnt that bring more clarity all around while letting the sub do all the low end work?

That is a good deal for the sub/box, however it is too big. It would fit, but I require the retention of the cargo space in my trunk as I haul around safety gear/equipment from site to site for work.

My initial thought was to fabricate a custom fiberglass enclosure tucked into the corner of the trunk (where all that dead space is above the wheel well, and I've been reading a few how to guides.

edzy

This explains the big 3 in detail
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p82xRzCr-lc

edzy

Rear speakers are moot in any system that isn't a 5.1 system. Music is 2 channel(left and right). You want to keep the majority of the sound upfront, not all around. On the contrary, a properly amped component will fill the whole car up with sound.

Since you want a sub that'll work in a small corner pocket enclosure, check out the image dynamics idq & jbl gto

rjr162

The exception to that is if you have you carry passengers It allows them to hear the music easier, but yes, other than that the rears pull the sound stage back. So unless you have a DVD head unit and a signal processor/decoder they aren't required

The Type-S's aren't bad for their price (but $99.99/pr is around their typical in-store retail price.. or slightly under that). You should be able to find them for less.

Oh, and no need for the ground at the distribution block.. that's only if you're using it back near the amps to do a cleaner looking grounding with two amps as well as their power supply, or if you're doing a capacitor as well

shadowgoon

Thank's for the info guys. I need to seriously re-think my setup, I wasn't aware of the acoustical properties of crossovers, and how pointless rear speakers are (I never have rear passengers).

I think how I'm going to approach this, at least from the subwoofer standpoint, is to create the enclosure first and determine just how much volume it will contain. This will narrow down the selection quite a bit.

Not only all of this, but I will also be upgrading the battery and all of the primary electrical connections thanks to that video.

I was thinking of these for the fronts: http://www.crutchfield.ca/Kicker_11K.../206ks525c.htm. I found 2 of these amps on Ebay for 125 CDN/piece: Soundstream LW2 260

A quick Google search brought up the specs: 2x65w RMS @ 4ohm, 2x130w RMS @ 2ohm, 1x 260w RMS @ 4ohm. If the unit produces true to claim power levels, it matches the components spot on, and all I need to do is find a sub in the 200-250w range that will fit with what my enclosure will provide for air volume (it's going to be sealed).

edzy

The kicker speakers are BAD. no midbass and fatiguing highs. The ss lil wonders are also somewhat noisy.

When it comes to soundstream, the lines to get are stealth, rubicon, reference, and drt.

shadowgoon

How are the infinity components, ie http://www.crutchfield.ca/Infinity_R.../1085030cs.htm ?

drzxc1usive

they are pretty good

drzxc1usive

http://cgi.ebay.com/HIFONICS-ZXi6-5C...item53e8937cae

check those out cant go wrong

drzxc1usive

http://cgi.ebay.com/SA-10D4-SUNDOWN-...item19bea78ee3

you could just make your own box

drzxc1usive

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-RE-AUDIO-REX10...item45fc3810b6

or these

drzxc1usive

http://cgi.ebay.com/RE-AUDIO-SRX12D2...item45fc3d19df

shadowgoon

lol that box is ridiculous, and exactly what I'm trying to avoid. I'm thinking of contacting skar and getting a quote for a custom made box.

I'm going to be deleting the rear 6x9's so that will leave two holes in the rear deck, so I was thinking about inverting a shallow ported box.

For example, standard shallow ported box is mounted like this: |\ what I wanted to do was invert that like so: |/ and port the top side of the box aligned with the factory 6x9 openings.

Something like this that spans the width of the car, and because it's inverted and angles away from the back of the trunk, it allows for maximum cargo storage and possibly housing 2x 12" subs.

edzy

Infinity is worse. Tweets are too harsh and midbass is none existant.

Another good set is the image dynamics ctx65
http://www.woofersetc.com/p-6201-ctx...er-system.aspx

and the incriminator audio i series
http://www.soundsolutionsaudio.com/s...omponents.html

I'd seriously opt for the hertz, though. They're amazing

rjr162

Ah see, I'm the type that like bright clear highs from a well powered speaker (like the Focal Polyglass or K2 lines.. but not the tinny sharp crap)

shadowgoon

I think it's going to be difficult to find a set of comp's for my setup that is adequate for the range of musical genres I listen to solely based on suggeston/reviews.

Everyone's perception is different, and not to mention the frame of reference -- the acoustics can change from vehicle to vehicle.

I guess I'll just have to roll the dice and see what happens, maybe I can find a good deal on ebay...