Speaker/amp setup

[JonB]

I'm looking to change my setup. Right now I have a blaupunkt head unit alpines up front, crappy 8in subs in the sail panel with a crappy amp, and stockers in the back. Basically my amp as taken a crap so I figure what he hell lets do this right. I'm done with the whole 8in subs in the sail panel, and want to go with probably a 10in stealth box in the back. Should I just run a coaxial in the sail panel or keep a mid bass? If I go with a coaxial I would have to run them threw my amp or right of my head unit correct?

[seasponge]

I feel your pain. I just finished setting mine up last night. It took me a little while getting parts little by little but I started with a pair of 4" Memphis Car Audio (hereon MCA), then ripped out the head unit and dropped in a Pioneer 7900BT, then replaced the door speakers with 6.5 MCA then the sails with the same, finally, a nice 50x4 MCA amp to run the doors and sails while the h/u runs the hatch 4". Later, I'm droping a 10" MCA powered by an MCA amp.

I'm very happy with sound thus far but this weekend I have to take off the door panels and add some foam around the speakers so the grill doesn't vibrate so much form the woofer hitting it...it actually hits the factory door grills so I'm going to space them out about a half inch...AND caulk it from the inside to make it even quieter.

How much are you willing to spend?

J.

[ls1speedster]

i went to the professionals...
told them i want a good in car stereo that would sound good...
and thats what i got...which i chose the fiberglass box in the hatch area...with two 10inch mtx with amp in middle..and a head unit with jl audio door and middle speakers

looks killer more expensive i no...
but its done right and i dont have to mess with wires..

[seasponge]

Who were the "Pros" that installed your equipment?
One thing to look for is soldering...if they solder your speaker wire to your speakers then they know what they are doing. If they just use the clip-on connections then they are not exactly "Pro", they simply "know how".

All speaker connections should be soldered at the speaker. The power for the amp should be soldered to the connecting terminal, etc. And, all head unit connections should be soldered and insulated with shrink tubing...that's a professional job.

Shops that use crimps and twist connectors are they tipe that work in quantity, not quality.

I like quality.

J.

[ls1speedster]

my speaker to wires wires to amps are soldered...

if they do it for a living...and have for several years..and they are good at it..i would call them professionals...

[seasponge]

Very good. I din't mean to downtalk your install. I just find it funny that some people call Best Buy or Circuit City install guys "Pros".

[Wesman]

Very good. I din't mean to downtalk your install. I just find it funny that some people call Best Buy or Circuit City install guys "Pros".

If you see the people that are actually doing the installations at some of those places, you wouldn't want to ever take your car there.

[seasponge]

lol...right on!

[LgndKller20073]

do you know of real professionals in the Denver area? The only places i know of are places like circuit city, best buy, quality auto sound, and car toys. I can't really find any where else on the internet. thanks

[seasponge]

I'm not from Denver but I can tell you this...find shops that do nothing but car audio and alarms, places that are authorized dealers for high end equipment; there you'll find installers that know what they are doing since they have to be trained at a certain level in order for that shop to be an authorized dealer...that's how the warrantees work with most manufacturers.

[fredmr85]

If I go with a coaxial I would have to run them threw my amp or right of my head unit correct?

unless you just want bass/midbass there - you could always pull the hatch wires forward if you don't mind ditching hatch speakers -- or yea, HU power

[ls1speedster]

seasponge..

i know exactly what u mean...i have friends that say theres is done like the pros when they went to walmart or best buy...

[seasponge]

lol...not good. Their connections are probably all mixed up or taped together with duct tape!...lol

[JonB]

So what speakers should I go with for the sail panel. Should I pick up an amp for the doors and sail panel? Or just leave it the way it is threw the stock amp for the fronts and just hook the sails up to the h/u. I am looking a spending about $400-$500. The subthump box with a 10 is about $200 an amp will be about the same then the sail somewhere around $100( I have't really looked into what speakers so they may be less). Also on the subthump website there are three different options for the sub what one does everyone recomend?

[seasponge]

Well, you want to go with a pair of well matched speakers. By matched I mean amp RMS power matched to speaker RMS power. Its ok to overpower speakers a little but don't underpower them. As for brand, well, that's all about preference in my eyes. I have all Memphis Car Audio which carry a life time guarantee...you blow them, no problem, you get a new one. My amp is also MCA and that carries 3 years. But if you want to stick with conventional then you know you can never go wrong with Pioneer, Alpine, Infinity, etc. Budget is the key here though as you mentioned; just don't cut yourself short on quality...you get what you pay for.

J.

[bigrondownhiller]

try some polk speakers. they are always having deals, buy 1 set, get 1 half off. not bad speakers for the price.

[fredmr85]

Well, you want to go with a pair of well matched speakers. By matched I mean amp RMS power matched to speaker RMS power. Its ok to overpower speakers a little but don't underpower them.

My sub wants 800wRMS, most give it over 1000wRMS........I'm only giving it 700-750wRMS.

My components can handle 150wRMS, I'm giving them 100wRMS.

---

point is....underpowering a speaker is fine and causes no problems at all.

I believe the myth you are referring to has derived from clipping, which is somewhat related..

If you purchase a speaker that handles 100wRMS, and the amp puts out 75wRMS....then just because the speakers can handle more does not mean you crank the HU volume to max, gains on the amp way up, etc. etc...... the power simply will not be clean -- but distorted, which will cause damage to the speaker. Underpowering a speaker itself will not cause any damage.

[seasponge]

yeah, I know...its just that if you under-power, distortion can come earlier.