Can I get some advice on a complete Stereo Upgrade for my 05' G35 Coupe?
#17
Originally Posted by ZombieHunter
Thanks all for the great advice....
I got a few questions for you Rudy...
I cruised on by Tweeter today and got a quote for the below install:
Polk Audio Separates for the Front, and either the 6x9 or 5x7's for the rear.. (forgot the size).
JL13W6 with sealed box for the sub.
Two JL Audio Amps to run this.
1 farad capacitor.
Bass **** installed to control the level of the bass.
All gold connectors/battery connectors and good wiring.
Lifetime Guaranteed Install
Installed: $3200.00
I know that isn't very specific but that was what we came up with in about an hour.
Do you think you can do better Rudy at around that price? Also how long have you been in business? Lastly how can I contact you or your shop to set up an appointment? If you can beat the hardware and/or the price I'll throw my biz your way.
The bottom line is the install above is decent at best. I just want something to get me by until I can go big with a full on custom deal.
I got a few questions for you Rudy...
I cruised on by Tweeter today and got a quote for the below install:
Polk Audio Separates for the Front, and either the 6x9 or 5x7's for the rear.. (forgot the size).
JL13W6 with sealed box for the sub.
Two JL Audio Amps to run this.
1 farad capacitor.
Bass **** installed to control the level of the bass.
All gold connectors/battery connectors and good wiring.
Lifetime Guaranteed Install
Installed: $3200.00
I know that isn't very specific but that was what we came up with in about an hour.
Do you think you can do better Rudy at around that price? Also how long have you been in business? Lastly how can I contact you or your shop to set up an appointment? If you can beat the hardware and/or the price I'll throw my biz your way.
The bottom line is the install above is decent at best. I just want something to get me by until I can go big with a full on custom deal.
#18
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Originally Posted by CLS2G35
Some sub amps come with a volume control that can be mounted up front.
Sub $80-$1000
sub amp $200-$1000
4 ch amp $200-$1000
speakers $60-$1000
install for one amp $50-$60
install for speakers $40-$50 or more.
As you can see prices can vary greatly for equipment. Set yourself a budget of what you want to spend. Then start from there. Come up with a budget and I can make some suggestions.
Sub $80-$1000
sub amp $200-$1000
4 ch amp $200-$1000
speakers $60-$1000
install for one amp $50-$60
install for speakers $40-$50 or more.
As you can see prices can vary greatly for equipment. Set yourself a budget of what you want to spend. Then start from there. Come up with a budget and I can make some suggestions.
I was looking for a budget for around $1500, installed. I like JL stuff. What do you guys think I can get for $1500 bucks? TIA
#19
If I were You I would look around at other shops. I have not dealt with Tweeter and they may be fine. I live in DFW so we have lots of choices, but there is a good audio shop that does lots of competition cars. They really know their stuff. Two things stand out from the Tweeter quote, 6X9's or 5X7's both are a bad idea. Neighter speaker is round and 6X9's don't produce as true a sound as a round 6.5. As I said before you don't need the 6X9's on the rear deck. Several shops in DFW have told me to lose the 6X9's in the coupe, the just mess things up. Front components and a sub would be fine. You could add rear doors speakers for fill but it pulls the sound stage back. Some people prefer some rear fill. A lot of people are just running components up front and a sub. Where are the speakers at a concert? up front! I am experimenting with some rear fill. I just ordered a sub and JL 300/4 to power the tweeters up and rear fill. The rear fill however will be delayed to create a larger sound.
Zguy
BTW - Focal are not bright they a made to be flat and then tuned to the listeners preference. I had heard Dyn Audio have a rep of being bright.
Zguy
BTW - Focal are not bright they a made to be flat and then tuned to the listeners preference. I had heard Dyn Audio have a rep of being bright.
#20
Originally Posted by ZGUY52
BTW - Focal are not bright they a made to be flat and then tuned to the listeners preference. I had heard Dyn Audio have a rep of being bright.
Last edited by CLS2G35; 03-09-2005 at 11:28 AM.
#21
It's not that Focals are "bright". Bright would imply that they play certain frequencies (like 2.5-8k) on an elevated level. That's not the case. They just play frequencies that other speakers either can't or play them at the right level. The sound you hear is what it is supposed to be. I agree that they can "hurt" some times, but that is not the fault of the speaker. Fact of the matter is that recording studios don't expect speakers to be able to play those frequencies with such tonal accuracy. I just tune those feq down with a good eq. Just don't misinterpret accurate sound reproduction for poor sound quality. The fact that other speaker don't play those frequencies as well just reenforces in my mind that they are sub-par speakers. I want a speaker that is capable of hitting a full range with a flat and accurate response. That leaves me with the option to tune to my ear instead of simply being unable to play those feq that are generally viewed as bright.
***Don't get me wrong. I don't disagree that it really depends on what you like. If you don't want to bother with an eq, focal speakers may not be right for you. Your cup of tea isn't the wrong one, just not mine. =)
***Don't get me wrong. I don't disagree that it really depends on what you like. If you don't want to bother with an eq, focal speakers may not be right for you. Your cup of tea isn't the wrong one, just not mine. =)
Last edited by pathfinder36; 03-09-2005 at 12:17 PM.
#22
Originally Posted by pathfinder36
It's not that Focals are "bright". Bright would imply that they play certain frequencies (like 2.5-8k) on an elevated level. That's not the case. They just play frequencies that other speakers either can't or play them at the right level. The sound you hear is what it is supposed to be. I agree that they can "hurt" some times, but that is not the fault of the speaker. Fact of the matter is that recording studios don't expect speakers to be able to play those frequencies with such tonal accuracy. I just tune those feq down with a good eq. Just don't misinterpret accurate sound reproduction for poor sound quality. The fact that other speaker don't play those frequencies as well just reenforces in my mind that they are sub-par speakers. I want a speaker that is capable of hitting a full range with a flat and accurate response. That leaves me with the option to tune to my ear instead of simply being unable to play those feq that are generally viewed as bright.
***Don't get me wrong. I don't disagree that it really depends on what you like. If you don't want to bother with an eq, focal speakers may not be right for you. Your cup of tea isn't the wrong one, just not mine. =)
***Don't get me wrong. I don't disagree that it really depends on what you like. If you don't want to bother with an eq, focal speakers may not be right for you. Your cup of tea isn't the wrong one, just not mine. =)
#23
Thats the key to any speaker purchase, go listen! Everybody is different and has differnent tastes. I Initially was dissappointed with my setup - Eclipse 8443 Head unit, Focals K2P, Jl 300/2. I like clean hard hitting base, not thumping. Some of the music I had listen to previously just didn't hit like I thought it should, seemed muddled. I was still good but not stellar. Then I started listening to other discs and realized it was actually how the CD was mixed and mastered. Some CD's sound fantastic, just unbelievalbe imaging and perfect hard clean bass, from a 6.5's no less. Others not so good. Its GIGO, garbage in garbage out. I remember the dealer telling me who ever mixes Kid Rocks songs sucks. Your getting such clarity from the system your getting whats on the CD. Cheaper sound systems build in the typical EQ "smiley" curve (high bass) (low mids) (high high's) that's what we have been conditioned to hear. Fortuantly the Eclipse has 6 custom EQ settings you can save to memory, so I can just recall the memory EQ settings and get good sound from almost any disc.
BTW any good component system up front will sound much better than stock, Focal, Polk, Dyn Audio just listen first to what you like. This would be a config I would recommend with all the research that I have done (pick your components speakers up front Focal, JL, Dyn Audio, PoLk etc) either JL 300/2 and no rear fill or 450/4 run 150X2 to the front and 75X2 to the rear doors, run a low pass filter on the rears a 1KHZ with the filter on the JL amp(cuts off the top freqency to keep the sound stage forward). For rear door speakers you could put 6.5 mid bass (no tweeters) or get a coaxial for rears. Your not going to use the tweeters in coaxials if you cut off @ 1KHZ but they would be easier to resell. I was told by one dealer you could run stock 6.5" in the back it doesn't matter you can't hear them their just fill. Dump the 6X9's as I stated previously and put the 4080 box in the back with a JL 10"W6V2 with either a JL 250/1 or a 500/1 amp. 250/1 should be plenty but I went with a 500/1 it was only $100ish more and you can always turn down the gain to balance the Bass with the front components.
hope this helps.
Zguy
BTW any good component system up front will sound much better than stock, Focal, Polk, Dyn Audio just listen first to what you like. This would be a config I would recommend with all the research that I have done (pick your components speakers up front Focal, JL, Dyn Audio, PoLk etc) either JL 300/2 and no rear fill or 450/4 run 150X2 to the front and 75X2 to the rear doors, run a low pass filter on the rears a 1KHZ with the filter on the JL amp(cuts off the top freqency to keep the sound stage forward). For rear door speakers you could put 6.5 mid bass (no tweeters) or get a coaxial for rears. Your not going to use the tweeters in coaxials if you cut off @ 1KHZ but they would be easier to resell. I was told by one dealer you could run stock 6.5" in the back it doesn't matter you can't hear them their just fill. Dump the 6X9's as I stated previously and put the 4080 box in the back with a JL 10"W6V2 with either a JL 250/1 or a 500/1 amp. 250/1 should be plenty but I went with a 500/1 it was only $100ish more and you can always turn down the gain to balance the Bass with the front components.
hope this helps.
Zguy
#24
I don't know when you listened to the Focals, but their tweeters where not so good. You mentioned you would cringe at the sound of a trumpet. Many competition guys would buy the focals and dump the tweeters on ebay, TN41's, TN42's I believe. Focal has since upgraded the tweet's, now TN52's and they seem much better, but your right, if you heard the TN42's you might not have liked the Focals. I don't think Focals are perfect, but I have been very happy. I picked the K2P's over the more expensive Utopia's because of better bass. They can play very low. The dealer I talked to put them in a Honda S2000 and didn't even bother with a sub.
I just ordered the rest on my stuff - JL 500/1, JL 10" W6V2, JL 300/4. I plan on bi amping the front components, adding rear fill along with the sub. I'm anxious to see how it sounds.
Zguy
I just ordered the rest on my stuff - JL 500/1, JL 10" W6V2, JL 300/4. I plan on bi amping the front components, adding rear fill along with the sub. I'm anxious to see how it sounds.
Zguy
#25
Originally Posted by ZGUY52
Thats the key to any speaker purchase, go listen! Everybody is different and has differnent tastes. I Initially was dissappointed with my setup - Eclipse 8443 Head unit, Focals K2P, Jl 300/2. I like clean hard hitting base, not thumping. Some of the music I had listen to previously just didn't hit like I thought it should, seemed muddled. I was still good but not stellar. Then I started listening to other discs and realized it was actually how the CD was mixed and mastered. Some CD's sound fantastic, just unbelievalbe imaging and perfect hard clean bass, from a 6.5's no less. Others not so good. Its GIGO, garbage in garbage out. I remember the dealer telling me who ever mixes Kid Rocks songs sucks. Your getting such clarity from the system your getting whats on the CD. Cheaper sound systems build in the typical EQ "smiley" curve (high bass) (low mids) (high high's) that's what we have been conditioned to hear. Fortuantly the Eclipse has 6 custom EQ settings you can save to memory, so I can just recall the memory EQ settings and get good sound from almost any disc.
BTW any good component system up front will sound much better than stock, Focal, Polk, Dyn Audio just listen first to what you like. This would be a config I would recommend with all the research that I have done (pick your components speakers up front Focal, JL, Dyn Audio, PoLk etc) either JL 300/2 and no rear fill or 450/4 run 150X2 to the front and 75X2 to the rear doors, run a low pass filter on the rears a 1KHZ with the filter on the JL amp(cuts off the top freqency to keep the sound stage forward). For rear door speakers you could put 6.5 mid bass (no tweeters) or get a coaxial for rears. Your not going to use the tweeters in coaxials if you cut off @ 1KHZ but they would be easier to resell. I was told by one dealer you could run stock 6.5" in the back it doesn't matter you can't hear them their just fill. Dump the 6X9's as I stated previously and put the 4080 box in the back with a JL 10"W6V2 with either a JL 250/1 or a 500/1 amp. 250/1 should be plenty but I went with a 500/1 it was only $100ish more and you can always turn down the gain to balance the Bass with the front components.
hope this helps.
Zguy
BTW any good component system up front will sound much better than stock, Focal, Polk, Dyn Audio just listen first to what you like. This would be a config I would recommend with all the research that I have done (pick your components speakers up front Focal, JL, Dyn Audio, PoLk etc) either JL 300/2 and no rear fill or 450/4 run 150X2 to the front and 75X2 to the rear doors, run a low pass filter on the rears a 1KHZ with the filter on the JL amp(cuts off the top freqency to keep the sound stage forward). For rear door speakers you could put 6.5 mid bass (no tweeters) or get a coaxial for rears. Your not going to use the tweeters in coaxials if you cut off @ 1KHZ but they would be easier to resell. I was told by one dealer you could run stock 6.5" in the back it doesn't matter you can't hear them their just fill. Dump the 6X9's as I stated previously and put the 4080 box in the back with a JL 10"W6V2 with either a JL 250/1 or a 500/1 amp. 250/1 should be plenty but I went with a 500/1 it was only $100ish more and you can always turn down the gain to balance the Bass with the front components.
hope this helps.
Zguy
About rear fill, not a fan, but there are some instances where it is necessary. While I was in the car audio industry we built a SQ system for a client. In an BMW E36 3 series we did Sony ES CDX-C90 headunit- matching eq/dsp/crossover. Running Old ES Amps (the real big red ones with the silver plate). Components were Boston Pro 6.5 in kick panels and 3 10W0s. When the system was first put together sounded good, but then as we kept listening to it realized the sound stage was too low. So what we did was install one MB Quart 4" coax on the rear deak fiberglassed it in to look stock. We ran it mono out of phase off the front channels and added an attenuator to it. When you started to turn the volume up on the MB Quart you would start to literally see the sound stage coming up to eye level. It was awesome. These are the times when rear fill is truly needed.
Everyone has added some great points in this thread.
#26
Originally Posted by ZGUY52
I don't know when you listened to the Focals, but their tweeters where not so good. You mentioned you would cringe at the sound of a trumpet. Many competition guys would buy the focals and dump the tweeters on ebay, TN41's, TN42's I believe. Focal has since upgraded the tweet's, now TN52's and they seem much better, but your right, if you heard the TN42's you might not have liked the Focals. I don't think Focals are perfect, but I have been very happy. I picked the K2P's over the more expensive Utopia's because of better bass. They can play very low. The dealer I talked to put them in a Honda S2000 and didn't even bother with a sub.
I just ordered the rest on my stuff - JL 500/1, JL 10" W6V2, JL 300/4. I plan on bi amping the front components, adding rear fill along with the sub. I'm anxious to see how it sounds.
Zguy
I just ordered the rest on my stuff - JL 500/1, JL 10" W6V2, JL 300/4. I plan on bi amping the front components, adding rear fill along with the sub. I'm anxious to see how it sounds.
Zguy
#27
There is no perfect speaker... only perfect to the listener. Focal speakers are by no means perfect, but have some of the most accurate sound reproduction that you can affordably install in your car. That may not be what everyone wants though. If I didn't want to drop the cash for a good EQ, then I'd probably go with something a bit "warmer" too. An individual speaker could have the most accurate sound in the world, but it wouldn't really matter if it didn't sound good to the listener. I may never actually tune those brighter feq in and would be just fine with a speaker that comes stock unable to fully reach them, but I personally want the potential.
#28
Originally Posted by pathfinder36
There is no perfect speaker... only perfect to the listener. Focal speakers are by no means perfect, but have some of the most accurate sound reproduction that you can affordably install in your car. That may not be what everyone wants though. If I didn't want to drop the cash for a good EQ, then I'd probably go with something a bit "warmer" too. An individual speaker could have the most accurate sound in the world, but it wouldn't really matter if it didn't sound good to the listener. I may never actually tune those brighter feq in and would be just fine with a speaker that comes stock unable to fully reach them, but I personally want the potential.
#29
#30
Audio Control makes some nice things. Not too familiar with all their new stuff though. Right now I have a Sony ES CDX-C90 and the matching eq the Xdp 4000 eq. Unfortunately not running the eq right now, but will be in my new car. For fronts I have Canton tweeters and MB Quart Reference series 5.25 midrange and a JL 10W0 sub. Running 2 old, old alpine amps. The limiting factor in my system right now is everything except the HU and EQ.