Sorry this ended up so god damn long. Bored as hell on a Monday Night so if you dont want or like to read alot, hit the back button NOW! Just a warning.

Hopefully some knowledgeable audio people here will take the time to read thru it all & give some advice. Listed below is my set up.

This is in a 1991 Integra RS.

I am running MB Quart 6.5" Components in the Front. And running 6.5" Infinity Kappas in the rear.

Also, a 10" Lightning Audio Sub. In a sealed box. I know its a cheapy wal mart sub, but it hits alright IMO. I havent a lot of experience with different subs since this was my first one.

H/U is a Kenwood KDC-MP8017

All Ran off of a Kenwood KAC-959 5 Channel Amp

Wires are some no name RCAs coming off the H/U preouts to the Amp. And some Radio Shack 16 Guage to the speakers. The Sub, Amp Power Wire, and Ground from the Amp are pretty big. They are all the same size, I think they are 10 Guage.

Amp is grounded to car body/frame along the back part of the rear seats.

Soooooooooo anyway,

A little explanation on why the set up is like this so far.

Had a 2k1 Civic. Bought all above pieces except the Infinity Kappas. In the 2k1 I had MB Quart Coaxial 6 X 9s in the rear.

Pulled the system & got rid of the 2k1. Bought a 91 Integra RS. It had the crappy stock speakers that played nothing but distortion at any volume & a old piece of crap Sony tape player. So I threw in my old system from the 2k1. I didnt want to hassle with modifying the rear openings to hold the 6 X 9's. So I impulse bought the Infinitys just to get something in there so I had some rear fill.

With the 2k1, I could have the fade @ 0, and it all sounded good & even throughout the car. Never once in 2 years had to change the fade setting. But with the DA, I have to fade it almost completely to the front to not have it sound like I am running rear speakers only (staging issue?). Also, the bass is sometimes is overwhelming & drowns out the other speakers. I think I notice this the most since I am technically in the same compartment as the sub & there isnt any sheet metal & thick rear seats that seperate & deaden the sound.

Also, I dont think the shop installed the tweeters from the components in a good place. They were placed in the door, facing straight across the front passenger area.

The music I listen to mostly is Metal / Hard Rock / Industrial at a high volume. Occasionally some rap gets in there somehow but its rare. The H/U has a max volume of 35, I run it at 28-30 quite a bit. its loud, but not anywhere near ear bleeding type volume. I mention this because I have heard that it can make a difference in what kind of set up you should have for it to sound best. Misinformation?

Things I know I have to change to make it sound better:
Seperate Amp to drive sub.
Correct front/rear staging somehow.
Possibly upgrade sub.

FINALLY! TO MY QUESTIONS!
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1: In a DA, Should I get a kick panel to mount the mid & tweeter as close as possible to each other to solve the staging issue? Where would be a possible place to re-install the tweeters for decent front staging if I dont want to invest in a kick panel or just plain cant find one?
2: Would it be worth it to upgrad the Sub to something better quality like Infinity, JL Audio, Kenwood or?
3: Is there anyway to cure the fade issue described above?
4: After moving the sub to its own amp, won't that increase my power to the other 4 speakers therefore making them a little bit louder at the volume I usually listen at?
5: Should I redo the wiring with better quality wires? And will it make that much of a difference?

Now please keep in mind I am not looking for a $10,000 show quality system. I am just looking to correct most of the weak points, replace poor quality parts & fine tune it from there.

Thank You for taking the time to read ALL this crap to help a fellow H-T member/Audio Newbie out.

(C/N: Just hit the back button cuz they would be long as hell too...)

 

wow i read it all! wells i am a noob just tryin to learn stuff so i dont know ****! but i was wondering how those Kappas r ?!? good? i wanted to get the 2.5i or the 3.5

also i got a 90 integ that is prob y i read all that stuff...

cuse i am BoReD ima try to take a shot at these questions anyways... they prob aint rite...

1. no clue!
2. I have never heard the ghetto 1s ur talkin bout but if u got some extra cash u might want to get some Infinty 1s i hav heard sooo much good stuff about them... ima check out 1 of my friends soon...http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAu...roductID=13352 these sure do look like they could blow out some windows...
3. maybe it is a connection issue
4. i would guess it doesnt make THAT much of a difference... wont be worth the money u spend on it...
5. yes, i would do it ... it is inexpensive the worse thing that happends when u do this is u lose 10 bux in wires/connectors and u lose around 2 hrs at the most... (unless u dont know how to connect that **** then that is a diff story)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by IMMORTAL-B18 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">FINALLY! TO MY QUESTIONS!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1: In a DA, Should I get a kick panel to mount the mid & tweeter as close as possible to each other to solve the staging issue? Where would be a possible place to re-install the tweeters for decent front staging if I dont want to invest in a kick panel or just plain cant find one?
2: Would it be worth it to upgrad the Sub to something better quality like Infinity, JL Audio, Kenwood or?
3: Is there anyway to cure the fade issue described above?
4: After moving the sub to its own amp, won't that increase my power to the other 4 speakers therefore making them a little bit louder at the volume I usually listen at?
5: Should I redo the wiring with better quality wires? And will it make that much of a difference?

(C/N: Just hit the back button cuz they would be long as hell too...)</TD></TR></TABLE>

1. Try some other things first .. like your next four questions, and if still not happy then look at spending more money
2.if your happy with it then bang with it, unless you want to spend more money
3. sounds like your gains are not set-up properly for how you listen, re-tuning the system should actually take care of a lot of your problems, bring down the rears, and raise the front so you don't have to fade
4. putting a sep. sub amp in will not make you other speakers louder, the sub section is a seperate part of the amp
5. I'll let someone else give their opinion of this......


that's just my thoughts...

 

my 2 cents:

try and get the tweets aimed right. ( pass hitting driver, driver hitting pass). get them as close to the other speaker ( the 6 in the door) as is possible, for point source imaging. kicks would be ideal... but try and do the best with what you got. play around till you get it.


for the fader deal:

Turn all gains down. put your deck to 80 or 90 % of is max volume. now turn up the gains on the fronts till they distort... now just back it off a bit. remeber what ever "number" this is, and never go louder. next turn up the rears until you can just hear them, while sitting in the drivers seat in your normal pos. Now back it off just a bit till they 'blend in'. Last do they sub, turn it up till it sounds good ( to you), with your 'normal music, till it's up enough. dat's it.

 

Sweet. Thanks for the recommendations. I am a bit hesitant to start messing with the gains & all. But I will probably give it a try here soon. I need to start learning how to do all this stuff anyway. Any other opinions welcome.

Thanks again.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by IMMORTAL-B18 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I mention this because I have heard that it can make a difference in what kind of set up you should have for it to sound best. Misinformation?
</TD></TR></TABLE>
thats misinformation. a good system is a good system and will play all types of music very well.