Like the title establishes, I am a complete noob when it comes to audio. I want to replace my entire system and I dont really know what to do. I have a 99 Toyota Solara with the JBL stereo. I want to replace my tweeters, 6.5's and i think the rears are 6x9's. I also am planning on goin with a sub(s) later on. I dont know how things work. What are component speakers? They come with tweeters and 6.5's right? And a crossover? What is a crossover? Will I be able to use the tweeters and 6.5's from the component speakers and replace the speakers in the front doors of my car? Also I hear that if you get subs you will most likely need to delete the rear speakers, so should I just go ahead and do that now? I plan on getting a new headunit as well. What kind/ type would I need for my purposes. I plan to run an amp for my tweet's and mid's and then a seperate amp for my sub(s). Would I also need a farad capacitor? I want to get 1 JL W7 13" sub or 2 JLW7 12"s. I listen to alot of hard rock and really bassy rap so is the 13" the type of sub that would sound best or should I run the 12"s? Any help from you guys would be great. I have seen some very nice systems on this site and I hope to have one as well.
Also I play hockey and I need to put my sticks through the backseat every time I use them, so if I was to have a box, I would need somethin for that as well. Ive been told I could have a 'glass box made in the corners of the trunk near the taillights firing into the backseat with the amp set in between them. Does this sound good, literally, or would it be better to have the subs firing toward the trunk door, or also firing down towards the ground?
Thank you in advance
P.S. I have around a $2000 budget but I want to get the best quality stuff so if I had to, I could go for around $2750, I know its a big jump but if applicable, try to help me with a $2000 budget
wow thats alot of money to throw down! haha you shouldnt have a hard time at all finding some good quality stuff!.. my quick sudjestion for you would be to find out information on this site about systems and things. You should also try to hit some audio forums and learn up about anything you can. It will help alot in letting you uinderstand whats going on.
As for your speakers they are 6.5 and 6x9's you are right. And component speakers are just as you described a tweeters and a midbass. Crossover is just a item used to seperate freqencies to the tweeters and the midbass.. that way high freq. gets to the tweet and lower to the mids. As for a cap. not needed whatsoever.. they do nothing and are worthless.. the only gain of having one is measuring you volts. As for rear speakers.. you don't really need them.. but if you like a more surround sound and some music for passengars then that would be the way to go. But in the same sense you could get a killer comp. set and amp it and have incredible sound too.. either way works.
The headunit you need will just have to have rca cable inputs so that you can run amps off it. Depending on how many external amps you are going to have is what type of headunit you should look for..
JL is good.. but for as much money as your willing to lay down you could buy cheaper subs at the same quality, but i can see if your totally into JL go for it.. JL makes great subs too.. and the W7 is definatly one.
That about all i can offer for knowledge on this stuff.. Im not gonna reccommend anything because im not really sure what would be the best option for you.. and no im not singling out you Cam2X.. but i dont wanna be misleading and reccommend something stupid so.. i leave it to others on that.. Ill just say i helped provide some standard information
For Cam, most likely no I am not going to install.
For Corolla, thank you very much. I like having the brand name of JL but I dont really care. If I can find subs almost exact matches of the w7 or better for cheaper, Im all for it.
The problem for me is not having the proper skills for installing this stuff. I want it to be setup right the first time so I dont have to mess with it. Also I want everything to be clean and look nice, IE wires coming to and fro the headunit and amps. Also another question would be, what is this "active" you speak of. Ive heard it all over this board and it sounds like a good thing. Thanks for the input
wow thats alot of money to throw down! haha you shouldnt have a hard time at all finding some good quality stuff!.. my quick sudjestion for you would be to find out information on this site about systems and things. You should also try to hit some audio forums and learn up about anything you can. It will help alot in letting you uinderstand whats going on.
As for your speakers they are 6.5 and 6x9's you are right. And component speakers are just as you described a tweeters and a midbass. Crossover is just a item used to seperate freqencies to the tweeters and the midbass.. that way high freq. gets to the tweet and lower to the mids. As for a cap. not needed whatsoever.. they do nothing and are worthless.. the only gain of having one is measuring you volts. As for rear speakers.. you don't really need them.. but if you like a more surround sound and some music for passengars then that would be the way to go. But in the same sense you could get a killer comp. set and amp it and have incredible sound too.. either way works.
The headunit you need will just have to have rca cable inputs so that you can run amps off it. Depending on how many external amps you are going to have is what type of headunit you should look for..
JL is good.. but for as much money as your willing to lay down you could buy cheaper subs at the same quality, but i can see if your totally into JL go for it.. JL makes great subs too.. and the W7 is definatly one.
That about all i can offer for knowledge on this stuff.. Im not gonna reccommend anything because im not really sure what would be the best option for you.. and no im not singling out you Cam2X.. but i dont wanna be misleading and reccommend something stupid so.. i leave it to others on that.. Ill just say i helped provide some standard information
Good info..only thing I would word differently is the bit about the preamp outputs on your headunit.. You can have only one preout and run many amps, alot of amps have line outs to send the signal over to the next amp.
But in the case of having upwards of 2K to spend, any headunit chosen will have 3 pairs of preouts anyways.
10W6V2 JL's are a little better in terms of sound quality compared to the W7, but the W7 will get louder if you have the power.
I just bought a JL 10W6V2 for a very good price, might be looking into getting another. But for the price they go new, I would say better subs can be had, but IMO the W6V2 is a very good sub to chose.
Like the title establishes, I am a complete noob when it comes to audio. I want to replace my entire system and I dont really know what to do. I have a 99 Toyota Solara with the JBL stereo. I want to replace my tweeters, 6.5's and i think the rears are 6x9's. I also am planning on goin with a sub(s) later on. I dont know how things work. What are component speakers? They come with tweeters and 6.5's right? And a crossover? What is a crossover? Will I be able to use the tweeters and 6.5's from the component speakers and replace the speakers in the front doors of my car? Also I hear that if you get subs you will most likely need to delete the rear speakers, so should I just go ahead and do that now? I plan on getting a new headunit as well. What kind/ type would I need for my purposes. I plan to run an amp for my tweet's and mid's and then a seperate amp for my sub(s). Would I also need a farad capacitor? I want to get 1 JL W7 13" sub or 2 JLW7 12"s. I listen to alot of hard rock and really bassy rap so is the 13" the type of sub that would sound best or should I run the 12"s? Any help from you guys would be great. I have seen some very nice systems on this site and I hope to have one as well.
Also I play hockey and I need to put my sticks through the backseat every time I use them, so if I was to have a box, I would need somethin for that as well. Ive been told I could have a 'glass box made in the corners of the trunk near the taillights firing into the backseat with the amp set in between them. Does this sound good, literally, or would it be better to have the subs firing toward the trunk door, or also firing down towards the ground?
Thank you in advance
P.S. I have around a $2000 budget but I want to get the best quality stuff so if I had to, I could go for around $2750, I know its a big jump but if applicable, try to help me with a $2000 budget
In your case if you are going to want to have a little bit of space leftover in the trunk, the W7 is probably not the best choice. The W6's work well in smaller enclosures so if you want to run two subs it might be best to use those(or something else)
JL subs alone are going to take up a bit part of your budget. You may be better off going with something less expensive in order to use more of the budget on things that will make a greater impact on how well the overall sound system sounds. (Like better front speakers, Deadening, headunit, etc..) This things are going to make it enjoyable to listen to the system. Subs aren't the most important thing(that doesn't mean less costly subs will not sound as good, or hit as hard as JL's)
A few subs worth looking at are Oz Audio MAtrix Elite's , Diamond Audio M6, TC Sounds TC2+ 10"(99 each ), Dayton Reference HO. Image Dynamics ID12V3, or for a little more the nicer Arc Audio 12D2/4. There's tons of good choices all under 200 bucks each, compared to the Jl W6's 275-350 each or the even more expensive W7's. IMO spending this much on subs with your alloted budget is probably not the best idea.
Another thing that will eat up your budget is fiberglass sub enclosures. THese are big bucks if you don't have a connection. I was quoted a while back 500 to make two fiberglass enclosures for my Camry. That 500 dollars, 150 of it could have went into a sturdier MDF box and would have left 350 dollars left for the rest of the system.
For headunits, IMO the best headunit for the money on a starter SQ system id the Pioneer DEHP860MP. It does all the stuff most people want(MP3, Ipod interface, removeable faceplate, etc) but it also has the ability to control a 2 way active component's and a sub preout. (AFTER you have made yourself very familiar with systems).
Another part of the overall system that makes a huge difference is sound deadening/proofing. You can buy 1K dollar speakers but the car will sound like crap if there's tons of rattles.
This part of the install I would highly suggest doing yourself. It is ALOT of hours of labor and if you're paying someone to do it the RIGHT way, it's going to take up a VERY large part of your budget.
If you are willing to be patient and learn how to do the entire installation yourself the differnce can be HUGE in determining the quality of the gear you pick out.
But if youaren't willing to install yourself, I would still highly regard doing the deadening yourself, which really doesn't take too much skill or knowhow to do it. We have plenty of threads on deadening and the dissasembly of the door panels.
The most important areas to deaden are the doors(IN your case the front doors), The trunk lid, the trunk itself, and the rear deck. I'm not gonna lie though it's a hell of alot of work. It took me 8-10 hours of my labor to do each front door, but thta also included installing the speakers.
Ok, I took your advice Cam and went and checked out W6V2's and they look really good. Although they only push 400W, how do you consider their sound quality? I talked to someone today and they said that I could get 2 12"s for $350 a piece. Is that a good price? That sounds pretty high priced. Also what amp would you recommend?
I am now considering the Alpine CDA-9847headunit, Boston Acoustics SL60 components or Infinity Perfect 5.1's, Boston Acoustics S95 6x9's or Infinity Kappa 692.7i's.
I have no idea how to choose amplifiers and I need some help with that.
I want to do the install by myself I have now realized. All I need is the 1-din tray, and new wiring harness for my headunit, How do I choose which harness? I am also gonna add sound deadening into the fron doors and lid of my trunk.
The place I went to today is where I will get my JL 12" W6V2's from. They will also be making my MDF box and amping that with a farad cap. The box will be simple because I have decided if I need my hockey sticks, Ill put them in the car. The box with go flush in the back of the trunk and its back with be flush with the rear seats. I will probly put the amp to my interior speakers under my drivers seat but I am not sure where I will put the cap and mono amp for the sub.
How do my selections look? Are they quality items? Can I have some help with amps? Does the Infinity Reference 7541a amp look good for my components and 6x9's? That headunit has a built-in amp so would I use that to amp my tweeters?
I don't know what your total wattage/ampage is going to be, but a place that installs a cap without doing a big three upgrade doesn't sound like a place I would want to intall my stuff (you didn't mention the big three or wiring at all for that matter, so I'm assuming they won't be doing the big three.) If there is anyway we can talk you into doing some parts (or all) or the install youself, you'll save nearly half your budget, and that will open up so many more options for your products.
I was in your shoes this time, last year. I had a BB-like shop install my deck (for $40 dollars) and now that I look at it, it wouldn't have been difficult for me to do at all. After that, I've set up everything else on my system (except I had Marv build my box) and I'm very happy with the way it all turned out, and I'm very satisfied/pleased that I did most all of it on my own (sound deadening, amp wiring, speaker wiring, etc...). It isn't all that difficult to actually do yourself. However, the true artform in all this is getting really good at it (multiple installs, just repitition of the process) and learning the "complex" stuff like wiring active, eq-ing, stage, imaging, etc... or the really complex stuff like amp designs, how they work, building speakers, etc... Based on my experience, I would say save yourself the money and possible frustration of having someone else do your install, and do it yourself. You'll be so much more pleased knowing that you did it all, and that you're responsible for it all.
BTW, I'm not sure if your familiar with bcae1.com, elitecaraudio.com, or even crutchfieldadvisor.com or similar sites, but check them out, cause there is a lot to be learned from them all.
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Originally Posted by cam2Xrunner
With a bangin sound system, Carputer with online connection, 1+ lateral G's, and a Twizler Dispenser. That's pimp right there.
Cool, thanks for the info. I was actually planning on doing the Big Three myself and doing all other wire upgrades myself. They do not look hard. My only problem is making a box and installing the subs. I want it done right, so I thought they could just finish my system out so it could done with, thats why I wanted that company do do the box, subs, amp, and cap for me. I will be 'matting my car, installing the H/U and speakers and wiring everything. other than that, that company will do the rest
Installing a sub is pretty easy stuff. And Have Mr. Marv build you a box. I got my box (dual chambered, 1.7 cuft @ 31 Hz, for two 12's; 3/4" MDF all around, and some of the finest craftsmanship I've ever seen (he builds cabinets and boxes for aliving)!) for $300 shipped. And that was after a little extra stuff I had him do. Surely he can build you a couple smaller boxes for even less. That way you wont have to mess with anyone else in your car. Just sayin' though. If you want someone close to build you a box, then by all means. Just giving you some options.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cam2Xrunner
With a bangin sound system, Carputer with online connection, 1+ lateral G's, and a Twizler Dispenser. That's pimp right there.
Ok, I took your advice Cam and went and checked out W6V2's and they look really good. Although they only push 400W, how do you consider their sound quality? I talked to someone today and they said that I could get 2 12"s for $350 a piece. Is that a good price? That sounds pretty high priced. Also what amp would you recommend?
These subs are known to be some of the best SQ subs. The price for the 12"s is about right through an authorized dealer. You can get a 10w6v2 for about 200 if you don't mind buying used or new-secondhand.
There are cheaper subs if you want to save money, Diamond D6, Oz Audio Matrix Elite, Dayton Reference from Partsexpress, you can get ADS subs pretty cheap right now, TC Sounds TC2+ 10" D4 subs are only 99 bucks each @ www.oaudio.com
Quote:
I am now considering the Alpine CDA-9847headunit, Boston Acoustics SL60 components or Infinity Perfect 5.1's, Boston Acoustics S95 6x9's or Infinity Kappa 692.7i's.
The headunit is a decent headunit for everyday use. I'd go with different component choices though. What do you want to spend on a set of components for the front dors and an amp for them?
Quote:
I have no idea how to choose amplifiers and I need some help with that.
Do you want one sub to run all your speakers and amps, or would you prefer seperate amps? What do you want to spend?
Quote:
I want to do the install by myself I have now realized. All I need is the 1-din tray, and new wiring harness for my headunit, How do I choose which harness? I am also gonna add sound deadening into the fron doors and lid of my trunk.
For the tray, go to the dealer and get the dealer one. It's stock equipment on like a corolla or a gen3 camry with single din radio/cd player. It's like 15 bucks and has a little door. Good stuff.
Quote:
The place I went to today is where I will get my JL 12" W6V2's from. They will also be making my MDF box and amping that with a farad cap. The box will be simple because I have decided if I need my hockey sticks, Ill put them in the car. The box with go flush in the back of the trunk and its back with be flush with the rear seats. I will probly put the amp to my interior speakers under my drivers seat but I am not sure where I will put the cap and mono amp for the sub.
How do my selections look? Are they quality items? Can I have some help with amps? Does the Infinity Reference 7541a amp look good for my components and 6x9's? That headunit has a built-in amp so would I use that to amp my tweeters?
For an amp, I'd check out the MB Quart RAA2400's from www.crutchfield.com They're 249 shipped with full warranty and rated for 200 watts rms x 2 @ 4 ohms or 800 watts rms x 1 @ 4 ohms bridged.
Get one for the subs and bridge it, then get one for the front component speakers.
Ahhh, very good info, but another change. I will be doing the Big Three and 'matting the front doors and trunk myself (hopefully by the end of Thanksgiving). My hockey coach is going to be making my sub box, but I need to know how to make it right. Im not really sure what the specs woud be for 2 12"s with probly a 15 degree tilt on it. I am gonna make the box then have the face of the box continue all the way to the sides of my trunk. So itll be like this:
_________
l l la l
l l lm l
l l lp l
l-------( )---( )-------l
The box will be like this: (like a 15 degree tilt)
l---------l
l l
l l
l l
l l
l-------------l
I could probly spend like $400 at most for components and probly like $450 at most for a good amp for my comp's and 6x9's. I dont think Ill be able to spend more than $600 on my sub amp
I would prefer seperate amps for my subs and speakers.
How would I wire the amps? Why wouldnt I need a 4 channel amp for my speakers and run it to my comp's and 6x9's? Then a 1 channel for my subs and bridge? them?
Should I get a better H/U?
I wouldnt mind getting a set of subs that are cheaper if they are the same quality and same sound. I like the name, thats why Ive only stated JLAudio.
Ahhh, very good info, but another change. I will be doing the Big Three and 'matting the front doors and trunk myself (hopefully by the end of Thanksgiving). My hockey coach is going to be making my sub box, but I need to know how to make it right. Im not really sure what the specs woud be for 2 12"s with probly a 15 degree tilt on it. I am gonna make the box then have the face of the box continue all the way to the sides of my trunk. So itll be like this:
_________
l l la l
l l lm l
l l lp l
l-------( )---( )-------l
The box will be like this: (like a 15 degree tilt)
l---------l
l l
l l
l l
l l
l-------------l
Take some measurements of the space you have available. Factor in the divider for the hockey sticks to go through. And keep in mind the opening in the trunk to get the box in there.
Quote:
I could probly spend like $400 at most for components and probly like $450 at most for a good amp for my comp's and 6x9's. I dont think Ill be able to spend more than $600 on my sub amp
Damn nice budget. You don't need to spend that much for a sub amp though. I would go with a pair of MB Quart RAA2400's. A pair is 500 shipped @ crutchfield. One for the front components, and one for the two subs. They do 200 watts rms x 2 @ 4 ohms , and 800 watts rms x 1 @ 4 ohms bridged. For components in the 400 range you can get Seas Performance Components @ mobilesq.com, you can get new Oz Audio Matrix Elite's for low to mid 300's, MB Quart QSC-216 components for 400, or about half that with the same great tweeter as the QSD/QSC kit, you can get the PCE-216/PSD-216 components from MB Quart.
Quote:
I would prefer seperate amps for my subs and speakers.
How would I wire the amps? Why wouldnt I need a 4 channel amp for my speakers and run it to my comp's and 6x9's? Then a 1 channel for my subs and bridge? them?
You can get a 4 channel amp for the fronts and rears. The RAA4200 is good 100 wrms x 4 @ 4 ohms. I prefer no rear speakers at all. But you can get some coaxials speakers that will work good off headunit power. I'd use a 6.5" coaxial as compared to a 6x9 though. Just make a speaker baffle/adapter out of MDF.
Quote:
Should I get a better H/U?
Only if you think you might want to try wiring active when you get more experienced. But for controlling a system when the components are wired passive using their included crossovers, the Alpine will work fine. For an alternative that will allow you to upgrade and have beeter SQ than the Alpine, look into the Pioner Premier DEH-P860MP.
Quote:
I wouldnt mind getting a set of subs that are cheaper if they are the same quality and same sound. I like the name, thats why Ive only stated JLAudio.
Well those ADS subs on ebay are a great deal at 93 bucks shipped. Or the TC Sounds TC2+ 10" for 99 bucks at www.oaudio.com or the Dayton Reference @ partsexpress for like 99 shipped.
What do you think about MB Quart DTE-169 6x9's and MB Quart QSD216 components? I found out I will be getting a free JL Audio 10" sub and box until I get my custom box with 2 12" JL's. I looked at onlinecarstereo.com and found those speakers. Are the prices on that site good? I found my headunit, dynomat, and MB Quarts amps on Crutchfield for like $900, does that sound like a good price for an Alpine CDA-9847 H/U, 2 MBQ amps, and Dynomat trunk kit?
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, Diamond Audio M6, TC Sounds TC2+ 10"(99 each 
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