Good systems don't have to be expensive

[sultan]

A bit of a read, but a post for those that are interested in this kinda stuff (if there is anyone!)

I wanted to upgrade the rubbish stereo in my commodore. I've had big expensive multi KW systems before but I've grown up a bit since then. For this installation I just wanted something that doesn't impact my car with amps and subs etc, provides good sound quality with a full frequency range and with the ability to crank it up when Metallica comes on the radio, etc. And I wanted to pay bugger all for it.

So the brief in order of importance:

1) Low cost

2) Appears stock

3) Sounds good

4) Loud

So I started out by scoring a basic sony headunit and 6" coax speaker pack from repco, brand new for $80. I used a ISO plug kit to install it for $20 or so. This sorted out the front stage. I also picked up a set of brand new fusion 6" coax, for a deal of a price at $10 which went in to the rear doors.

The system now sounded infinitely better, pretty good for the minimal money spent. But I wasn't happy with the lack of bass and midbass. I broke one of the briefs and installed a small kenwood 2 channel amp bridged to an infinity 10" sub, in small box in the boot. It sounded better again, but for the fact I had visible crap in the boot, I wasn't impressed. So back to the drawing board.

I decided the speakers needed to be amped so installed a kenwood 4ch also in the boot. It sounded immensely better, but the boot crap was a big problem. I then bought a set of new sony 6x9s for $69 for the rear parcel tray and decided to use these instead of the sub. The rear parcel tray has the ability to take the 6x9s so all good for appearing stock. When coupled with some aftermarket but factory appearing covers from aussie ($20).

The amps were unsitely. I then flipped the amps upside down and mounted them on the underside of the parcel tray inside of the boot, with the controls facing outwards of the boot for easy access, and routed the cabling up the back of the seat and on the underside of the interior piece of the parcel tray. Very tidy.

I found that although the 6x9s made an excellent amount of bass, it affected the front stage too much by shifting the sound to the rear when ever trying to get bass out of them, so I decided to run a low pass filter on them and crank the gain, effectively making them 6x9 subwoofers. with their high 92db sensitivity and in cabin mounting, i'd say the bass volume is more or less the same as what the sub was, but the sub obviously handled the low 20-60hz frequencies alot better. 60hz+ i'd say the 6x9s have the edge. i perhaps need to be careful with clipping with them pushed like this.

So after all of this, I've ended up with a very good sounding system that can go reasonably loud, has excellent bass response, reasonable sound dynamics with virtually stock appearance, for a grand total of around $160 for gear and $60 for cabling/fuses etc. I already had both the kenwoods i've used, but if I had to buy a brand new amp, there's a sony 4ch for $145 which would make it a $350 system with all new gear. I would run all door speakers in parallel at 2ohms off the first two channels, and bridge the 6x9s in parallel for 2ohms again with lpf.

Thoughts? What would you do differently keeping the brief in mind?

[Scoobydoo]

Coax's are poos, at least get components up front, with an inline filter so you don't have to muck around with crossovers. Good idea on the low-passing the 6x9s.. have often thought about doing that myself, but have always just run a sub instead.

[sultan]

mmm, but even cheap components would equate to half of what i spent on the entire system, and i'd have to do something with the tweeter. there's enough mid range kick to provide a frontal apperance of kick drum, coupled with the rear filling in the rest of the range. the built in tweeter is reasonably bright without being harsh and the design of the factory door pods move the sound stage up reasonably high. have had comps in every other car i've had, and i don't feel at loss really

[Timmah]

Awesome write up. I have been thinking of purchasing components for the fronts, but not sure if I could personally mount the tweeters without looking like a hack job, and then positioned right.

I have some Fusion encounters that have a high pass filter so anything under 45hz isn't played. That's what the sub is for! Sadly I don't much kick from the mids and they get horribly bright after a little increase in volume.

[Greaver]

I dislike tweeters mounted in the standard position you get them on subbies so decent coax are fine - separating the high soundstage too much ruins the effect for me personally.

Good write up for those looking to do stuff on the cheap.

When I finally get around to doing my install I am going to have the time of my life, so much bothering room in the wagon, my R33 coupe has two 12" Soundstream T4's in a sealed enclosure and it takes two people to get the enclosure in and out of the boot used to get some funny looks at the supermarket when I popped the boot and put two bags in, then put the rest of the trolley load in the backseats.

High and low pass filters are a must for any setup - blown heaps of my mates minds when I tune their system a little and set up filters, they can't believe the difference it makes giving speakers/subs one task so to speak.

[Swindog]

Ive got a 6 chan amp running 5 chans.

Front fusion components all mounted in factory positions.

Rear Pioneer bass bullets(components but only running the woofers ie no tweeters) amped up but dialled down just for fill and a solo 12" sony 1200w sub in a flow through box. Im soon to make a custom enclosure for it that follows the profile of the back seat and sits between the rear towers.

Headunit is a shitty old DVD player with ipod cable but has some fairly decent EQ control. Most of its tuned off the amp though. THe only thing i really dial up off the headunit is bass if I want it. Was pretty cheap. Ive had the pioneers for about ten years and they still go hard. Same with the sub...its about ten years old.

[madmike]

Qykchks STI runs an pioneer head unit , infinity components front and infinity rear fill..

Running 2 punch series 12"rockfords driven by a two channel amp..

System was all installed by SSS in Palmy and goes really hard!!!

[Swindog]

Infinitys are awesome speakers though. If i hadnt have got the Fusions at such a good price I would have laid out for some more Infinity references'. Crystal clear sound and a huge step over the fusions.

[sultan]

sounds like a grand+ worth of gear

at one point in my rex i had a 3000wrms x1 + digital designs 3512, pioneer kevlar comps and 6x9s powered off a 100wrms x4 amp with touchscreen headunit. now THAT "went hard" ;P

still prefer my holden's setup though!

my rex currently has jvc comps, pioneer 6x9s, panasonic flip face headunit, and 4 ch amp. no subs.

[DRFVDR]

My rx's system is very simple

Panasonic head unit -2 channel amp-2 front component speakers in the front doors

have no space for rear fill, was running amp and sub till I needed space in boot for spare

[Scoobydoo]

Yeah my current system isn't anything flash -headunit, front components, 4 channel amp and 6.5" sub. Good enough for me!

I won't go into my next SPL build though

[sultan]

6.5" sub??

[Scoobydoo]

Aye. 6.5" sub. DVC even.

[boon]

I used to run some pretty absurd s***. But I've owned my V7 for 2 years now and it still has the factory speakers. I can't bring myself to weigh it down with all the sh!t I'd put in it to get it sounding 'good' - seems a shame when the car is more go-fast than go-loud (look how much shit Scoob got when he dynamatted his Spec C )

When your last 'nice' system involved 7 channel time alignment, full active crossovers and a whole lot of Dynamat you feel a little obliged to go all or nothing.

Although it is tempting to chuck one of my tiny 4x100 Class D amps in the boot, throw some DLS up front and bridge the rears to a little DD 10" or 8" sub.

[spark_38]

 sultan said:

6.5" sub??

http://www.onlinecaraudio.co.nz/DD_SW6_5

[spark_38]

All I'm running is a small tiny E-Audio 480AB with some DD CS6.5" comps and a 8" loaded enclosure. $500-600 maybe. Down from a full blown full Alpine system with all Type-R speakers and subs, and three amps.

Saved about 15kg maybe when I ripped it all out. Cabling was easy a few kg, 2 gauge power feeds.