Things you should know about car audio Options

[Niskyspy]

Well, I was doing sub installs for long time and upgraded through about 4 amps and 3 subs in last 8 month.
Three of my friends kinda did the same thing. So here is a couple of things I learned from chaning from crappy amps to almost high end stuff.

>Most of subwoofers are good, for example lets take Alpine Type-E which is the cheapest sub from Alpine. My friend is pushing around 500Watt's through one of them things right now and it sound perfect. Most of the time, when you hear your subwoofer distording or not playing the right sound. Its not your subs falult, it your AMP. I went through a couple of amps from alpine to kenwood to JBL, its a huge difference. So please if you want to get a good sounding system get a cheap sub, but do spend as much as you can on the amp.

>Here's a good example, the firend that I was talking about who's pushing 500Watts through Type-E which is 200Watt RMS rated. His type-E sound as good as my JLW6v2 because he is using a Polk momo amp which is really clean.

>DELETED cuz I dont want people to blow their subs with unclean power

>One more things that I've just learned is that if you like precise sounding subwoofer you will have to buy really good speakers, for example MbQuart (premium/reference) and you have to make a good kick panel for it, so that it can reproduce good mids. It makes the bass 200% cleaner, because most of the bass are tones that are produced by mids ( in first couple miliseconds when drum is hit, you don't hear the bass it self, what you get is a sound of a stick hitting the drum, same as when drum note is passing becaue it goes from low to mid). Because I didn't know of this, I upgraded a lot of components in my car and I never could get the bass to sound the way I wanted. Yesterday I found out that its all about the speakers.

>Please do not buy 4 speakers because the rear speakers are useless, most of the time they just mess up your stage and aligment. Instead of buying 4 speakers for $100 per pair, buy one pair for $200. For example you can get MbQuart Reference speakers for about $240 online and I am telling you, you will never want to go back to 4 speaker setup. If you dont believe me, why dont you go to this summer SPL/SQ shows and you will see what I am talking about.

Well thats it, if you have any questions ask

This post has been edited by Niskyspy: Mar 26, 2006 - 6:43 PM

[Coomer]

>Oh here's another thing that I forgot to tell you, there almost no such thing as limitied Wattage (well unless you are pusing 2000Watts into 20watt speaker). For subs its all about clearity of your amp, and to get that clean voltage/sound you need to have a good HU + good RCA's + good power source (because if your system is taking too much amps from your Alternator it will start to distort).
(ON the Wattage thing, I am not telling you to run 1000Watts to 100Watt speaker. I am just trying to tell you that its posible to push 2000Watt's into a 12" W7 which is 850WattRMS)

Just out of curiosity, what made you come to this conclusion? Any scientific evidence or literature supporting this? Because I happen to think otherwise...I've read so many stories about good subs being powered by good amps in amazing stereo setups and blowing the subs.

[Niskyspy]

>Oh here's another thing that I forgot to tell you, there almost no such thing as limitied Wattage (well unless you are pusing 2000Watts into 20watt speaker). For subs its all about clearity of your amp, and to get that clean voltage/sound you need to have a good HU + good RCA's + good power source (because if your system is taking too much amps from your Alternator it will start to distort).
(ON the Wattage thing, I am not telling you to run 1000Watts to 100Watt speaker. I am just trying to tell you that its posible to push 2000Watt's into a 12" W7 which is 850WattRMS)

Just out of curiosity, what made you come to this conclusion? Any scientific evidence or literature supporting this? Because I happen to think otherwise...I've read so many stories about good subs being powered by good amps in amazing stereo setups and blowing the subs.

OK let me reword this, let for example take my JLW6v2, its 400Watt RMS. I can easily push 700-800Watts to it and nothing will hapen to it but thats only because I have JBL amp. If you get one of them Kenwood amps and try doing the same thing the JL will be blowin in a matter of hours because kenwood signals are really crapy. It works both ways. I am not saying that people should do it because there is always going to be desturtion which will kill the sub. If you tuned audio you know the clipping point, that doesnt happen because speaker cant take anymore wattage, it happens because the amp or your HU is disturting and not giving out clean power.
Sorry for mispeling words, I am Russian if you didn't know

This post has been edited by Niskyspy: Mar 26, 2006 - 6:25 PM

[runriot95]

I agree with SOME of what you said:

I agree with putting more money into a better set of front comps than buying 4 speakers, but that's more personal preference than anything else.

I also agree that a HQ amp will make MOST speakers sound better and that a HQ amp should be top 2 in priorities in building a system.

I also agree that an amp more powerful than the speakers is better, but within reason. An amp that is TWICE as powerful as the speakers IS NOT within reason. You can, and probably will, blow them if the amp is sending the speaker a lot more than it can handle.

I disagree that most subs are good. This is like saying that most mid-bass speakers are good. There is a spectrum of quality for all drivers, just like you experienced with the MB Quarts.

Those are my 2 cents but I'm glad to see you're learning a few things about car audio. It's kind of fun, and expensive, trying to put together that ultimate stereo set-up.

[Niskyspy]

I agree with SOME of what you said:

I agree with putting more money into a better set of front comps than buying 4 speakers, but that's more personal preference than anything else.

I also agree that a HQ amp will make MOST speakers sound better and that a HQ amp should be top 2 in priorities in building a system.

I also agree that an amp more powerful than the speakers is better, but within reason. An amp that is TWICE as powerful as the speakers IS NOT within reason. You can, and probably will, blow them if the amp is sending the speaker a lot more than it can handle.

I disagree that most subs are good. This is like saying that most mid-bass speakers are good. There is a spectrum of quality for all drivers, just like you experienced with the MB Quarts.

Those are my 2 cents but I'm glad to see you're learning a few things about car audio. It's kind of fun, and expensive, trying to put together that ultimate stereo set-up.

Yea, its fun alright. Especially when you start with really low system and gradually go up, cuz thats where you can hear the difference each component makes. Eh my next upgrade are MbQuart Premium speakers and some stinger RCA's. Hehe it should sound way better becaue my Discus aren't enough anymore

[afroman]

i have to say a good head unit with a high output voltage coupled with an amp that will accept that output votage is a good starting point. you can over power subs and speaks and not blow them up. most subs that blow up are underpowered and the gains on the amp are turned up(improper tuning), but everything blows up at some point. All gains on amps are really for is matching out put voltage of the deck. with good voltage there will be no need to use gains and thus no distortion or cliping of the amp. I have had MBQuarts (discus, reference, Q),Diamonds(Hex, D9), and infinities(dont remember), i like my Diamonds the most. my post prolly makes no sense but take it as you wish
-Aaron-

[Niskyspy]

i have to say a good head unit with a high output voltage coupled with an amp that will accept that output votage is a good starting point. you can over power subs and speaks and not blow them up. most subs that blow up are underpowered and the gains on the amp are turned up(improper tuning), but everything blows up at some point. All gains on amps are really for is matching out put voltage of the deck. with good voltage there will be no need to use gains and thus no distortion or cliping of the amp. I have had MBQuarts (discus, reference, Q),Diamonds(Hex, D9), and infinities(dont remember), i like my Diamonds the most. my post prolly makes no sense but take it as you wish
-Aaron-

Try out Premiums or Q-Seires MbQuart, u wont regret it
I am getting my Premiums for $300 new

[afroman]

I have had MBQuarts (discus, reference, Q),Diamonds(Hex, D9), and infinities(dont remember),

i have QSD216, i still liked my diamonds better
-Aaron-

This post has been edited by afroman: Mar 26, 2006 - 7:12 PM

[Niskyspy]

I have had MBQuarts (discus, reference, Q),Diamonds(Hex, D9), and infinities(dont remember),

i have QSD216, i still liked my diamonds better
-Aaron-

I'll looking into Diamonds, maybe I should get those things Hey could u give me their web-site if they have one cuz I cant find it.

This post has been edited by Niskyspy: Mar 26, 2006 - 7:32 PM

[afroman]

the QSD have awsome midbass and a sweet tweeter but sometimes the tweet is really harsh, the diamonds are really nice, i am running Hex right now because i can run them in a three way, they havent released the 5.25 D9s yet. if i was NOT gonna run a three way i would run MB Quarts. they have more midbass and in straight compenet set they might be slightly better, the diamonds are flatter. its all personaly taste. To be really honest it depends on the day
-Aaron-

[dustinkemp]

im gonna take my pioneer 6*9 and 6 1/2 ne day man! they have a great clear sound and with my subs and stuff i can turn it up and it won't become all distorted like most cheap speakers will

[Niskyspy]

im gonna take my pioneer 6*9 and 6 1/2 ne day man! they have a great clear sound and with my subs and stuff i can turn it up and it won't become all distorted like most cheap speakers will

Dude, I dont think u ever heard MBQuart speakers once you try it you'll never go back

[K-ESD]

if you really want fact, i learned most of what i know here

www.bcae1.com

[CelicaZR]

Nisky, what is your opinion on Alpine type X splits and type X sub.
I'll be most likely running Alpine amps to power the splits and the sub.
I've heard the MB quarts, and was impress. But I must say if I had unlimited
amount of money I would go with Focal.

[soven]

CellcaZR, you know about http://www.caraudioaustralia.com/forums/ ?

In australia, and they would know wverything about car audio there.

[CelicaZR]

No, I didnt know about that site.
Thanks

[Niskyspy]

Nisky, what is your opinion on Alpine type X splits and type X sub.
I'll be most likely running Alpine amps to power the splits and the sub.
I've heard the MB quarts, and was impress. But I must say if I had unlimited
amount of money I would go with Focal.

I'd go with alipne Sub's cuz they are really nice, I gave a couple of examples in my first post. By the way yesterday we were pushing 500Watt's into the Type-E. It did distord/clipped like crazy but nothing happened. At lower volumes its really precise. For Alpine Amps I am not sure, the once my friends owned were really underpowered and overrated. Go read up some reviewes about the Type-X it might be good.
I just checked them X-subs out on alpine web and they look pretty good but I'd rather spend $500 on Treo (http://www.treoonline.com/ssx.html). I know two kids who run these subs and they are just amazing. It definataly better then W7.