15 replies to this topic

[The Reverend]

I am so new to the world of car audio and I have a few questions.

First, I am interested in redoing all of the audio in my car. I want to buy a new HU, at least new front speakers, but possibly rear speakers, a subwoofer and a 4 channel amplifier to power the sub and two speakers.

I went to The Good Guys tonight and listened to some speakers. They all sounded horrible to my ears, very bright and unbalanced. I am open to the idea that it is because they were all mounted on a wall instead of in a car, but I just have no way of telling what is good and not... it is out of the usual context of audio equipment I am used to.

My first question: How do I choose a pair of speakers if none of them sound good to me? I actually think my stock speakers sound better than any that I listened to, but I am positive that an aftermarket pair are constructed much better.

One of my rear speakers is blown out. I am not quite sure how it happened, but it is no longer functioning. Now I have heard several varying opinions about the option of rear speakers. I am not sure if I should just forget about the rear speakers and focus on the front speakers, or if I should buy a pair for the rear as well.

Second question: How should I choose a pair of rear speakers?

This leads to my next question. I want to buy an amplifier for the system. I would like to buy a 4 channel amplifier and power a subwoofer and a pair of speakers in the car, and if I buy rear speakers, leave one set of speakers to the amp and one to the HU.

Which speakers should I let the amp power?

It is so hard to buy something like car speakers when the only way you can listen to them is so far out of context.

Another question that I forgot...

Since the front speakers are a 5 1/4 woofer and a tweeter, should I buy a set of component speakers, or would I fare well with coaxial speakers? If I were to buy a set of component speakers, what would fit in my car? How would I go about powering the tweeters?

However, I also listened to 6.5 inch speakers (actually that is all that I listened to) and they barely had any midbass. I can't imagine that I set of 5.25 in speakers would have any at all. I suppose this is the purpose of rear speakers.

Now lets assume that my system is set up as such: Front speakers for mids and highs, rear for midbass, and a sub for the bass. How do I set up a network of crossovers for the system so that my front speakers are filtered out frequencies below somewhere around 200 hz and my rears at around 90hz and my sub playing everything below around 90? I don't want my front speakers (in particular) working to produce frequencies that they simply can't and distorting as a result. I don't want my rear speakers travelling too far into the realm of bass but I don't mind if they go a little lower than midbass either. Is this something that is just standard in most systems, or am I dreaming?

Thank you if you have made it all the way to the bottom of my post. I look forward to reading any replies!

[steve s]

bing'll probably chime in sooner or later...

but i suggest u go to another store to listen for speakers. obviously, wall setups are not gonna sound the same in the car. but, specialty audio stores may have extended lineups or more options from different manufacturers.

the stock speakers are designed to play the full range...bass.midbass.treble. it's ok. but any large amounts of bass tends to cause the speakers to flutter. almost all aftermarket speakers will not do that. keep in mind that most aftermarket speakers are designed to play mid-bass and treble. they don't produce a lot of bass, necessitating an addition of the subwoofer (which u seem like u wanna do anyway).

u could look into component speakers as well. the front setup on the 850 is actually a component set, with the front door the mid-bass/bass and the dash the tweet.

if u think the speakers u've listened to are a bit harsh...u should look into speakers that have tweets that aren't made of metal. silk tweets are very smooth..metal tweets tend to be harsh, like the kappas i got.. if i had a chance to do it all over, i actually may look into the infinity reference components instead.

ur front door speakers will fit 5.25"..altho on some cars with some speakers, u may need to open up the metal trim behind the speaker.

tweets can go in the spacer provided in the dash, or remove the spacer and put in 3.25" dash speakers if u wish. altho, since u don't like the harshness u heard in the speakers at the store, u may be better off with the components.. 3.25" dash speakers tend to play higher freq better..

[Veneficus]

On the other hand of harsh tweets if you're planning on throwning a sub into your car, and you want to crank it up, you'll obviously want to hear something other than pounding bass. I have the infinity reference speakers (soon going to kappas) because I love being able to hear my front speakers over 400watts RMS of bass in the trunk. I've heard pioneers who use silk tweets (I think) and I'm really not a fan of how they sound. They just sound flat and lifeless. IMO, stick with the harsher tweeters if you're putting a sub into the car.

[V Tuning 850]

What is your budget first off?

This what I would do.

Boston Acoustic speakers all around, they might be a little pricey but very good quality, I love mine. Then run a 4-6 channel amp to them to boost their power.

As for a sub get like a JL Audio, or even a Boston Acoustic, and their are other brands, but these are I am fond of. And get an amp for it that is reccomended for it.

Your system will sound very good. If you can spend the money on the Boston Acoustic component sets do so, they are extremely nice.

[Veneficus]

You don't necessarily have to go all out and buy BA or JL equipment. I've heard most of the JL line and eh... I think they are nice, but the price tag on them is simply outrageous. If you give us a price range we can give you a better idea of what to get. Unless you just have a lot of money and want to go all JL.

[V Tuning 850]

I just suggested JL because it is good quality stuff. Yeah the price is high.

Some other good brands are Infinity, although I don't like them. etc...

[Bing_0]

i covered what i consider is the key to good sound in the post pinned in this forum

as for choosing speakres that dont sound good, well, keep on sampling them and definetly try to sample them in the car, if you think speakres sounds harsh on the sound board, they will sound even more harsh in your car...

but it seems you are basicalyl looking for a moderate system, so perhaps taking some advice form others and just go ahead and try out a set up may be good enough...

b

[The Reverend]

I guess this is my problem. I am used to listening to my home system (which is my dad's) and it is a fairly high end system (nothing you would ever see at circuit city). It sounds wonderful. I am also very into my headphones. The problem is that I want a beautiful sound system but I don't have much money. I have some, and I have kind of decided the order that I will do things. I am planning to go for an Alpine HU, the 200 dollar one with the 4 volt preamps. After that I would like to get a subwoofer. Then I will either buy new front or new rear speakers, since my rears are blown. I know most think that rear speakers are unnnecessary, but because my front speakers can only be 5.25 inches, i would like something with more midbass. So I would like to go cheap, but I don't know exactly how much yet. The set up I am thinking would be around 900, but I think I can do better in terms of value for the dollar than that.

Anyway, back to my homework.

[Bing_0]

well for 900, and the maximum amount of sound quality, i would say a good headunit around 250, a st of kicks with say a pair of crystal component coaxials for abotu 350, an amp for about 200 that does about 4x75 (ebay perhaps), and then a sub for about 100

b

[The Reverend]

BTW,

I emailed this message to Crutchfield, and they told me the doors can only accomodate 4 inch speakers and didn't answer many of my questions. They just told me exactly what to buy, which I am sure has much more to do with profit margin than sound quality.

Edited by The Reverend, 20 September 2004 - 05:41 AM.

[Bing_0]

hehe, well, crutchfield will give you good support after you buy their products

but anyway, if you are really serious ab out getting good sound quality in your volvo, PM me, i can help you design a system out

or find me on msn at bing_0@hotmail.com

b

[The Reverend]

Here is what he recommended:

4" Alpine Speakers for the rear??? I thought the rear was 6x9 and the doors were 5.25... this guy doesn't know the car.

Kenwood Weak Amp

My Personal favorite:
THIS is the sub he recommended.

That is just about the worst system I could imagine.

[Bing_0]

all i will say is that if you came to my shop with 900 dolalrs, I will make your car sound ALOT better than what the crutchfield recommended.

b

[steve s]

bing really likes kick panels if u haven't noticed

crutchfield will give u what they know will definitely fit.

that said...u could fit 5.25" in both doors...just donno, for ur particular car, if the front speaker magnets will hit the door, or if the rear speakers will fit under the stock grill

[Bing_0]

yup, our car is a clasic case of very poor stock locations, the size and location just pretty mhch kills any possibility of good sound quality using stock locations

b

[Figawi]

I just suggested JL because it is good quality stuff.  Yeah the price is high.

Some other good brands are Infinity, although I don't like them.  etc...

i have infinity kappas all around and i must say that im not impressed with them one bit. your better off with JL or BA. i would invest in a pair of kick pods because the door locations can't handle much bass (or maybe it's just my car).