Looking to upgrade my sound system

robzombie

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2012
I have a new in the box pioneer DEH-P77DH head unit and correct adapter for stock harness.

I also have decent aftermarket speakers in the rear and dash [forget the brand] and may replace them as well even though they are fine.

I have CSII door panels with tweeters installed [bought them that way] and would like to use them and I assume the wires are there in the door to use them even though the car didn't come with CSII. Let me know if otherwise.

My question is I would like to have quality sound [not competition style] at a price that won't kill me.

I will add a sub [modest one] to get the bass I like and the amps and speakers to compliment the speakers that are used though out.

Could the audiophiles here help me with what amps and speakers would be a good choice for the CSII and front and rear if needed and be able to keep the cost in the 1,000/1,200 range if possible? I know that's a tall order but I'm just looking for quality sound not trunk rattling glass shattering sound.

I'm open to any and all advice as I've been out of the audio game for many years.

Thanks for any help that I can get.
 
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Thanks for the link.

The rear deck has pioneer TS-A4103 speakers and the fronts are JBL but I can't remember the model #.

If these speakers are decent than all I need are good 5.25's for the doors and an amp/s to run them and the sub/s.

I would be open to what full range 4x10's and 5.25's are out there as well as an amp/s that put out good clean power.

Also if you or anyone else ; If I'm leaving something out let me know what my options are.
 
I'm sure you'll get the advice you need here because we can't have a board member named robzombie driving around with an underwhelming sound system. Just wouldn't be right. :D
 
I have my 3.5" dash speakers and 6.5" door speakers wired in series (I made custom oversize CSII pods for the larger speakers - stock size as you noted is 5.25". I have an 8" paper subwoofer from MCM Electronics in the trunk. I have a 4-channel amp in the trunk, 2 channels are running the sub bridged and 2 channels are running the dash/doors. It sounds good but I think it would sound better if I had 6x9s in the back also.

For you I would find a small physical size amp and put it under the passenger seat to run the cabin speakers, properly sized to your speakers capacities. A 4 channel Rockford Fosgate would be good - they aren't that big. It just needs to have high and low pass filters. Wire up the rear shelf speakers on 2 channels and the dash/doors on the other. Then a mono that you can mount to a sub box in the trunk with a low pass filter and you are done other than hooking it all up. I have bought a few from craigslist and they have been fine.

The hardest part is tuning the amps. I am not that good at it but it sounds ok for me.
 
I'm sure you'll get the advice you need here because we can't have a board member named robzombie driving around with an underwhelming sound system. Just wouldn't be right. :D

I agree! That wouldn't be right, and I'm still :ROFLMAO: at that statement.
 
I have my 3.5" dash speakers and 6.5" door speakers wired in series (I made custom oversize CSII pods for the larger speakers - stock size as you noted is 5.25". I have an 8" paper subwoofer from MCM Electronics in the trunk. I have a 4-channel amp in the trunk, 2 channels are running the sub bridged and 2 channels are running the dash/doors. It sounds good but I think it would sound better if I had 6x9s in the back also.

For you I would find a small physical size amp and put it under the passenger seat to run the cabin speakers, properly sized to your speakers capacities. A 4 channel Rockford Fosgate would be good - they aren't that big. It just needs to have high and low pass filters. Wire up the rear shelf speakers on 2 channels and the dash/doors on the other. Then a mono that you can mount to a sub box in the trunk with a low pass filter and you are done other than hooking it all up. I have bought a few from craigslist and they have been fine.

The hardest part is tuning the amps. I am not that good at it but it sounds ok for me.

I have a couple of old amps in the garage that I could use for the sub/s if they are suitable. I got them for free many years ago and they were working when I got them but I might be better off getting more modern amps of better quality.

One is an OPTIMUS [radio shack] bridgeable high power mosfet 170watt amp and the other one is a profile 400watt model [California 2400] mosfet 2ch. bridgeable amp made by a company called Profile.

I agree with you on the craigs list finds but hate to buy used because if it doesn't work, to bad for me and am out the money so unless I can hear it I'm hesitant.
 
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check out image dynamics, diamond audio for speakers, i'd use a multichannel amp so you have only one to mount for entire system. i used image dynamics 6.5 in component speakers in the from and 5.25 in the rear with a jl audio 5 channel am in my sons evo and it sounds pretty good. check out sonic electronics you should be able to outfit you system well within the budget.
 
Is this a good amp for the money ?

Rockford Fosgate Prime R600X5 600W RMS 5-Channel Car Audio Amplifier/Amp
 
Wished you months ago would of been looking for audio stuff, i'd sold you my JL audio 8inch rubber surround poly....... in enclosure car sub that was in my trunk that worked perfectly . It was an older model probably 2010, but that little sucker sounded good and clean. Would of been good for what you wanted to do and the enclosure fit between the rear speakers easily. I would of let it go for like $40-$50 if i still had it instead of getting 20 bucks in gas money out of it at a pawnshop.
I didn't need it since the 3-way 6 by 9's in the back already provided amazing sounding bass powered by just my alpine x303 head unit. It came with the car when i had bought her 4 years ago, but just wasn't necessary to get full sound in the car with the other speakers in the car. A moot point though and back on topic.

Here's a list of what crutchfield has in 5 channel amps to power everything in your car.

http://www.crutchfield.com/g_347150/5-channel-Amplifiers.html?tp=35808

Most are really reasonable priced amps and you can see the specs of them on there too. People left reviews there also.




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I can get the rockford for 200.00 bucks new. Is that enough power.

Also I'm wondering how many watts will be enough??

I want clean sound at a decent volume, with low THD when cranked up.
 
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i know basic but i tjink w the 600 watt amp it might be hard to also push a sub unless its a low rms. im used to old school. one amp for subs one amp for interiors. maybe o read wrong but it seems like you can do everything with one amp.
 
I'm old school also and haven't done an audio system since the 90's.

I used to do the same thing as you but now I'm just looking for simplicity and a little less volume then I did in the hair band years. LOL

All I need now is a clean balanced sound and I'll be happy. I still like to hear all the detail and crispness, just not looking to rattle the car apart like the rap crowd.

The specs on the rockford are
  • Number of Channels: 5
  • Rated Power
  • (RMS Continuous Power): 50 Watts x 4 + 200 Watts x 1 @ 4-Ohm
  • 75 Watt x 4 + 300 Watts x 1 @ 2-Ohm
  • Total Power
  • (Sum of Rated Power): 600 Watts RMS
  • Dynamic Power
  • (PVC/PowerCube® Measurement):
  • Bridgeable: Yes
  • Efficiency (average): Front/Rear Channels: TBA% @ 4-Ohm
  • TBA% @ 2-Ohm
  • Sub Channel: TBA% @ 4-Ohm
  • TBA% @ 2-Ohm
  • Crossover Controls: Channels 1/2/3/4: High-Pass/Low-Pass 50-250Hz
  • Sub Channel: Low-Pass variable 50Hz - 250Hz
  • Tone Controls: Channel 1/2/3/4: 0dB/+6dB/+12dB @ 45Hz
  • Sub Channel: Variable 0dB to +12dB @ 45Hz
  • Sub Channel: 0°/180° Phase Control
  • Signal Input: Low Level: 3 Pair RCA
  • Signal Output:
  • Power Input Connector: Screw Terminal
  • Power Wire Gauge: 4 AWG
  • Speaker Wire Gauge: 8 AWG
  • Heat Sink Type: Extruded
  • Speaker Output Connector: Screw Terminal
  • Cooling: Convection
  • Remote Controls: Remote Punch Level Control
  • Visual Indicators: Power
  • Protect
  • Circuit Topology Class: Class-A/B (ch 1/2/3/4)
  • Class-D (sub)
  • Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz +/-1dB
I was also looking at the Infinity kappa Five and it's only 70 bucks more and here are the specs on it;


  • Kappa Series 5-Channel Class D Car Amplifier
  • 4 ohms: 50 watts x 4 chan. + 200 watts x 1 chan
  • 2 ohms: 75 watts x 4 chan. + 300 watts x 1 chan
  • Bridged, 4 ohms: 150 watts x 2 chan. + 200 watts x 1 chan
  • Peak Power: 1200 watts
  • MOSFET power supply
  • DirectFET technology transistors
  • 5/4/3 Channel operation
  • Dynamic Bass Optimization
  • 3 LED indicators (2 power, 1 protect)
  • Bass Boost (0-12 dB bass boost)
  • Protection Circuitry
  • Non-Stop Thermal Protection
  • Bass boost: 0-12 dB
  • Variable high-pass filter (32-320 Hz, 12 dB/octave)
  • Variable low-pass filter (32-320 Hz, 12 dB/octave)
  • Frequency response(Full Range): 10-75,000 Hz
  • Frequency response(Subwoofer): 20-320 Hz
  • CEA-2006 Compliant
  • Dimensions: 14-3/16"L x 7-1/16"W x 1-3/4"H
 
Wished you months ago would of been looking for audio stuff, i'd sold you my JL audio 8inch rubber surround poly....... in enclosure car sub that was in my trunk that worked perfectly . It was an older model probably 2010, but that little sucker sounded good and clean. Would of been good for what you wanted to do and the enclosure fit between the rear speakers easily. I would of let it go for like $40-$50 if i still had it instead of getting 20 bucks in gas money out of it at a pawnshop.
I didn't need it since the 3-way 6 by 9's in the back already provided amazing sounding bass powered by just my alpine x303 head unit. It came with the car when i had bought her 4 years ago, but just wasn't necessary to get full sound in the car with the other speakers in the car. A moot point though and back on topic.

Here's a list of what crutchfield has in 5 channel amps to power everything in your car.

http://www.crutchfield.com/g_347150/5-channel-Amplifiers.html?tp=35808

Most are really reasonable priced amps and you can see the specs of them on there too. People left reviews there also.




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Wish you still had that stuff I would buy it in a second.

That's all I really need as I'm going to stick with the 4x10's in the rear and 51/4" in the doors.
 
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Seems like the kappa has a wider and better sound frenquency range for both the sub and the speakers, probably better sound quality too.
Wished i still had it too, think it was a v1 of their w series 8 inch sub i believe.

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

That's what I'm thinking and for only 70 bucks more it should be worth it.

I'll keep looking and see if there are other comparable amps out there.

I still have to get some speakers for the doors. I think I'll stay with the pioneers in the rear deck for now and I have JBL 3.5" in the dash already.

An amp and front speakers in the door will complete my search.
 
Yeah, the enclosure also was similar to what i had.
If i ever decide to put a sub back in, i would without hesitating get the JL Audio 8w, it sounded larger than it was without being silly sounding.


Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app
 
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