Stereo & Electronics - Design a SQ System.

Ok guys. Heres the parameters. This is for you audio buffs. I want my car to have great sound quality. I dont want a subwoofer in the trunk. I want speakers to go into all the stock places. And I want to keep the stock headunit. So heres the challenge if you choose to accept it. you have 750 dollars to spend. What id like done is, new speakers all around, good quality sounding speakers. Id like to keep the stock headunit so you can use a diff amp. Id like new kickpanel speakers, new sail panels, and new rears. All for good quality sound. Help a newbie to audio out :)

You'd be hard pressed to get 3 sets of speakers and an amp for $750 that would be worthy of calling it an SQ system. :(

I have no idea what stereo equipment is worth in your area. But here is what I would do. If you would like to utilize the factory head, use a high quality 4 ch amplifier w/ some kind of line driver ummmm audio control has some great quality stuff. If you dont mind spending a couple of bucks get the Audio control EQX eq and line driver. The amplifier and line driver should easily be able to fit in the spare tire well. As for speakers focal is my absolute favorite. Use a set of there 6.5'' components they will fit perfect. In the rear I would use a set of there 5 3/8'' mini woofer in custom panels.
Enjoy

I definantly agree.

ok ok , budget system, least expensive as you can get, but good quality. try now? :)

If you want a real "SQ" system, you won't be using any of the rear speaker locations, and will need a sub. I suggest a nice pair of 6-1/2" components in the front kicks, a line-output converter to give you RCA line output to a good stereo amp, and a mono sub amp, or maybe a nice 4-channel. Bridge the rear two channels of the 4-channel, or the mono amp to a single 8" sub located in the rear, maybe the storage area?. Bottom line, if you want a really nice SQ system, you are going to spent over your budget of $750. I suggest reading up on competition SQ systems, stereo imaging, staging, and saving your money until you have about 1.5-2K. THEN, you will have a worthy system you can enjoy. Reading material:

http://stevebrownuniversity.com/sbu/carAudio/default.htm
http://www.bcae1.com/
http://www.carsound.com/cgi-bin/UBB_CGI/ultimatebb.cgi/
http://www.fbodyaudio.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl

Also, who will be installing this system? Good equipment is only as strong as its installation. For $750 that's you installing it. Read up on proper installation... Also, ebay is your friend. ;)

Just sayin guys, it doesnt have to be COMPETITION LEVEL. just make it sound better than stock.

If you want a real "SQ" system, you won't be using any of the rear speaker locations, and will need a sub. I suggest a nice pair of 6-1/2" components in the front kicks, a line-output converter to give you RCA line output to a good stereo amp, and a mono sub amp, or maybe a nice 4-channel. Bridge the rear two channels of the 4-channel, or the mono amp to a single 8" sub located in the rear, maybe the storage area?. Bottom line, if you want a really nice SQ system, you are going to spent over your budget of $750. I suggest reading up on competition SQ systems, stereo imaging, staging, and saving your money until you have about 1.5-2K. THEN, you will have a worthy system you can enjoy. Reading material:

http://stevebrownuniversity.com/sbu/carAudio/default.htm
http://www.bcae1.com/
http://www.carsound.com/cgi-bin/UBB_CGI/ultimatebb.cgi/
http://www.fbodyaudio.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl

I agree with the sub idea as well. Skip the rears add a sub spend the money that you were gonna spend on both sets, on a high end component set ( shamless focal plug again : ) ) So here is a list of what ya need

- eq w/ line driver ( I recomend the EQX by audio control )
- 4 ch or 3 ch ( Audison has an amp called the srx 3 it is very simple and resonably small 65x2 and 350x1 )
- High end components ( Focal has there access line it is very good and resonable, but if ya can shell out a couple of more bux get there K2P line it is sick )
- Sub ( Focal 27v2 11'' subwoofer. works in a small sealed enclosure very easy to mount in a side compartment )

Just sayin guys, it doesnt have to be COMPETITION LEVEL. just make it sound better than stock.
Ohhh! http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/gr_jest.gif well, I would use a good CD deck, (whatever options you like) a nice 4-channel power amplifier capable of 100 watts per channel RMS. Then, a nice set of 6-1/2" component speakers with passive crossovers, and can handle 75-100 watts RMS. Connect those to the front channels of the amp. Next, get a single 10" or 12" subwoofer capable of handling 500 watts RMS. I believe MTX and JL Audio make pre-made enclosures to fit in the storage cubby in the hatch. Another company makes good MDF and fiberglass versions that you can install your own sub in as well, PM a member by the name Megabass, and i'm sure he'll hook you up. So, simply:
1- Good deck----------- $200
2- 4-Channel amp-------$350
3- 6-1/2" components---$250
4- Subwoofer-----------$150
5- Installation materials--$100
TOTAL----------------$1050

NOW, those are generalized new equipment prices. I built my entire 4-amp, 1400 watt RMS system from components bought for about $1500 using used gear bought off of Ebay. I personally favor the "old school" Rockford Fosgate amps, and they are found at decent prices, and are typically underrated. I'm sure you could do a system like the above for $750 or even less.

Howzabout this:

Put these in the stock locations in the front doors or in the kick panels, with the tweeter mounted directly over the woofer

Infinity Reference 6.5' Component Set (http://www.crutchfield.com/S-LJuePOsxRfF/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?s=0&c=10&g=76400&I=1086000CS&o=p&a=0&cc=01&avf=N&search=)



Put 2 of these subs into a small sealed box in a common chamber, with the 2 voice coils of each sub wired in series, and the two seperate subs wired together in parallel, to present a final 4-ohm load to the amp in mono (check here for wiring diagrams if you're confused about this: Subwoofer Wiring Tutorial (http://www.jlaudio.com/tutorials/wiring/index.html))

Two Kicker CompVR 8" dual 4-ohm subwoofers (http://www.crutchfield.com/S-LJuePOsxRfF/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?s=0&c=10&g=67500&I=2063C8VR4&o=p&a=0&cc=01&avf=N&search=)



Have the Infinity speakers connected to the front two channels of this amp pushing 111w RMS x2 @ 4ohms, and the two mono-wired subs on the rear two channels bridged mono pushing 278w RMS x1 @ 4ohms. This amp will accept either speaker-level or line-level inputs, so you can use your stock head unit now, and upgrade to an aftermarket one later that has RCA outputs. For now, run the speaker wires that are powering the front speakers to the speaker-level inputs for the front two channels, and run the speaker wires that are powering the speakers in the hatch area to the other two for feeding the channels going to the subs. Obviously, you won't be using your existing hatch speakers, and you can disconnect the monsoon stuff (if you have the monsoon), and remove it for wieght savings.

Infinity 4-channel amplifier (http://www.crutchfield.com/S-LJuePOsxRfF/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?s=0&c=3&g=120&I=108R7540A&o=p&a=0&cc=01&avf=N&search=)


so:

Front Speakers - 159.99
2 8" Subwoofers - 179.98
1 4-ch amp - 259.99
Total: $599.96

with money left over for wiring/materials

Thats a sweet setup, Are there any subs i can fit in the sail panels? The rear speakers in the hatch can come out, but can i fit any subs in the rear sails? Hell, even midbass would do good, 4 speaker system, good good headunit, and good 4 channel amp would do me just fine.

If you want a SQ system, you don't need any speakers back there. All your music should come from in front of you, just like at a concert. The only time speakers should be behind you is if it you are using the system to play sound from a video source (a LCD screen), then you would have rear speakers to reproduce the the 5.1 or 7.1 surround signal, or if the speaker is a subwoofer.
If you want to get rid of the subwoofer in the hatch, and instead put the sub in the sail panels, there is only one sub I can recommend, the Kicker RMB6, or RMB8. I think the RMB6 would be pretty much a drop-in replacement with a little modification, but i'm sure with a little more you could fit the RMB8 in ther as well. Soon, I will be putting RMB8's in my front doors for midbass. :)