linuxrunner

I guess it is time to face the facts, i am no longer a hip young teen, and my investigation into a new audio system has made this very clear... my progression.

Started with one 12" sub

Next two 12" subs

Next new amps new 9x6's and a 15" sub

Next two 15" subs

Then back to one 15"

then two 10's

then back to one 12" sub

last and my current setup one 10" sub.


I am no longer interested in bass. I am looking for a nice clean system with really good highs. (something I cared very little for in my teen years).

I also do not want a sub at all anymore. (I would still like a full sound tho)

So what would you suggest? I would think that two rear 6x9's would be able to handle the low end of the audio. Then I still have 2 spots for 6" speakers. Should i look into setting up two dedicated tweeters? Or would just those 4 speakers do the job if i was willing to get good quality?

Last when you are talking about head units in the $250 - $300 range is there going to be any big sound difference between them?

I have owned..
Alpine
Pioneer
Sony
Kenwood
Head units and I really could tell little or no sound quality between them (build quality was a different story) but then my system was usually setup to sacrifice quality sound for lots of low end bass.

Elton

what are you looking to spend ?

linuxrunner

well, i am kind of ready for a full replacement. So...

250 - 300 on a head unit
150 - 200 on rear speakers
100 - 150 on front speakers
And my question at this point is do i need tweeters? How much better will it sound if i use a crossover and tweeters to separate out my low and high sounds?

If so I do not know much about a good price range for a pair of tweeters and a crossover setup.

all in all i don't really want to spend over $800


(edit)
Also the less flashy the better!! I don't really want it to look like i have $800 worth of audio gear. So the more plain and colorless the stuff the better

Elton

heres my idea of what would be good
fronts http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?...roduct_ID=5207
rears
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?...roduct_ID=3066
amp
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?...roduct_ID=5223
deck
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?...roduct_ID=5466

linuxrunner

I like the speakers (anybody else ever run CDT's?) they look like they have good specs but they are also nice and plain so that's a plus. Also the deck is good too that is really what i am looking for, I don't need a trillion features or a video display screen, I just want something that will sound good and last.

I am not sure I really need a 1200 watt amp to power 6" door speakers (especially since the speakers linked look they they handle only 90 watts.)

Elton

if you wire the speakers to run in 4ohm it will be just about right other wise you would have to keep the gain lvl down

stormin94

MB Quartz would be real good, esp if you actually want to hear the music. A little on the pricey side, though.

86tuning

Get a set of quality components for the front. 6.5" woofers + tweeter if you can fit the larger woofers. Otherwise, most 5.25" component systems are good.

My last car ran 5.25 a/d/s/ components, and the car before that had 5.25" MB Quart gear. All good stuff.

Running an active crossover for the front stage can give you more versatility when tuning. Aim for 50w/side for the mids, and 30w or so for the tweets.

I'd suggest running a single 10" or a pair of 8" for the bottom end. 6x9 don't really cut it, even in small-ish cabinets. Build a nice small sealed enclosure for your sub(s).

My last stereo car had 2kw and only 5 drivers: 2 tweets, 2 mids, and a single DVC 12" sub.

My current car has no radio. And the radio in my truck doesn't work, and I haven't bothered looking at it yet.

infiltrator

i know that boston acoustics are the best you can buy

next is bose

after that is polk audio.

stormin94

X2 on the Bostons. JL Audio is good stuff as well.

Corey

iTrader: (1)

I know what you mean about getting older and not needing the bass anymore.
I had a new system put in my rig the past year, and I was going to go with a few 10" or 12" subs and an amp, but no longer feel the need.

Here is my setup, and the speakers provide plenty of low bass in the doors.

Speakers and amp
https://www.yotatech.com/50672046-post202.html

The headunit is the Pioneer DVD nav AVIC-D3
https://www.yotatech.com/50487202-post113.html

Overall I am impressed with the highs and low bass the Focals provide.
I got them on sale, and could not pass them up at the time.

gte718p

Everyone has an opinion on their own favorite speakers. What are your goals, and what do you listen to? Your price range is a good one. Off hand I can think of over 100 different systems I can put together in that price range.

I have an 87 4runner, I'm running a sony xploded head, alpine 500 watt alpine amp, JL audio 10 inch sub. I've got cheap 5 1/2's in the doors and the back. I'm going to upgrade the door speakers to clarion. The entire system set me back 400 dollars. Of course I got it on a great sale at best buy.

200-300 dollar head units are top of the line these day unless you want video. Really unless you are true audiophile you probably will not hear the differance. I like Clarion and Eclipse in that price range. Its mostly astetics and features.

Speakers are entirely a matter of listening preferance. Its all in the design and construction. Polk and a/d/s tend to be a little harsh. Eclipse and clarion are a little more mellow. Diamond can be a little shrill. You just ahve to listen to them. Bose car audio is crap. They are selling their name. The 4 runner has small down facing front speakers. I like infinity for sound and price, but thats just my opinion.
I would either relocate them or use components. There is good space in the kick panels or doors. There are two good places for the tweeters. You can either put them in the A piller or on the dash pointed at the windshield.

I would not forgo the sub. 6x9 can not replace the frequancy range of a sub. I highly recommend a small bazooka tube. It's not going to hit very hard, but it will fill the space. I had one in my truck for years. I had a really high end system. Without the bass it was missing lacking.

linuxrunner

thanks for all the replys.

I listen to pretty much everything...
(except rap, or hip hop, or country, or rock, or oldies, or jazz, or talk radio... j/k)

No really I listen to a lot of more classical style music and what I would call "rock orchestras". (those who are familiar with Trans Siberian Orchestra it is a lot like this... but not Christmas music.)

I also listen to other music but really no rap, hip hop or jazz stuff.

I am thinking i may see if i can wire it up for a sub while i am installing everything then if I feel like i need one later I can pick one up and it will be much easer to install.

The long droning bass is just annoying to me now, I am really looking for a nice clean low end.

I DO NOT LISTEN TO MY MUSIC VERY LOUD. Just wanted it to be obvious that I listen at pretty low volumes, i like to hear if somebody is honking or yelling at me (or if i run over their cat )

dijlop

well, i can personally attest for the staying away from bose. i hate hate HATE dislike very passionately the bose speakers in my maxima right now. i love polks, a lot. they are very nice and very clean. go high end on whatever you do though. you will appreciate a set of 6.5 high end polk compentents a lot more than 2 sets of lightning audio 6.5's. as far as bass, there are subs out there that dont bump. a good sound quality sub sounds like exactly what you are looking for. worst comes to worst, go with a nice 10 inch sealed, or even an 8 inch if need be, and run minimal power to it. but i find it absolutely needed in a real audio system. even lexus has a built in subwoofer. it doesnt pound by any stretch of the imagination, but it fills that lower region to a point. on the topic of head units, i have had a top end alpine with the multi angle faceplates, tons of settings, etc etc, never rly figured out how to change the frequency filters, but i had it done at sound advice, it worked, i was happy. it was very nice. and then ive got my current pioneer deck. it plays audio discs, read writes, read onlys, mp3's. ive got cds with hundreds of songs all divided into their seperate files, its fantastic. cost about 180 or so. couldnt be happier.

it all depends on what you are listening to, and your personal preferences. best of luck.

ldivinag

more chances, LOOSE the rear speakers.

after all, in the car audio world, STEREO is still king.

my design?

buy the biggest and baddest set of speakers for the fronts. then find an installer willing to work with you to install that set in the front.

second, buy the biggest and baddest SINGLE subwoofer. one that is optimized to work in a small SEALED enclosure. why sealed? best to work with that kind of music you listed...

again, have the installer make that enclosure.

then find 2 amps or a single 3/4 channel amps that is MATCHED with power for your speakers. also, assume biggest and baddest amp thing too.


have the installer make the items invisible if possible.

also, if your main source of audio is CDs, you also need to BEST source unit (typically UNpowered, has great S/N numbers, lots of internal buffer memory - prevents skipping).

might want to find a head unit or a downstream active unit that does time alignment of the audio signals.

farmerj

my audiovox does me just fine and all told cost less then $150 bucks for radio and PLASTIC cone 6X9 speakers for the rear.

I was more concerned with just having enough to drown out the rattles and squeaks as I drove down the road.