hello Acurazine,

I'm new to the forum, I bought my Acura TL about a month ago and am planning on getting my system I've had sitting on my room for a few months installed this weekend, ive done alot of research on the ELS. geez, what a PITA... I know some people will bash me for ripping it all out but hey, to each it's own.. well onto the good stuff, it consists of

a 12" w7
box built and tuned to spec
alpine mrp 1000 rms monoblock
jl c2 650 components in front
jl c2 650 coaxials in back
jl J2 320.4 channel amp
jl cleansweep(what il be using as a iPod interface until I buy a iSimple)u
kenetik HC 600

am I missing anything? if your just gonna slam on up and say that they suck or whatever please keep your comments to yourself, I could careless what you think hits hard or whatever, but if you have constructive criticism/advice please feel free to chime away, I'm all ears.

 

center speaker change?

 

Would it really make that big of a difference?

If so, what would you recconmend as a good replacemen? I see you have a kicker 3.5, can you tell a difference/improvement in sound staging, equilization etc with the upgraded center channel?

 

Cleansweep? Should've got a real processor.
Entry level components? Should've spent some of that sub money toward better speakers

Never understood why people spend tons on their sub stage and neglect their front stage which is playing the majority of the frequency range.

 

Those JL's for the front and rear stages do not sound bad. I sure love the way mine sound.

The MS-8 would have been my choice of processors

 

They're nothing special. It's also weird to have a semi top of the line sub and everything else be entry level.

 

okay...? To you they are nothing special. I love the JLs in my car and, IMO, the OP will be happy with them and will be a huge improvement over the OEM. As with many things.. spend more $, get better sound up to a point where you get minimal differences for more $... but I digress.

OP, yes, you should change out the center too if you listen DVD-A's or use surround sound.

 

Enjoy it. If you would like to upgrade to some better stuff, then we are full of opinions.

The iSimple will have nothing to do with the cleansweep. The iSimple just interfaces with the radio directly.

 

I've never been a fan of the components through JL audio, now JL does make good subs and amps though.

 

Components kind of match OEM though.. having the highs up at the windshield is nice, IMO.. but I grew up loving Jensen 6x9's 3 ways in the rear deck

 

Believe me I didnt pay anywhere near retail on the w7, if neverdrop a grand on a sub, that's ridiculous. Bit eventually I'll be getting slash series amps and probably c5 components, this is just to start out, I got one hell of a deal on the JL stuff so I bought it, heard plenty of jl systems and always thought they sounded really clean,

Jda123, I know it wont have anything to do with it but hey, everyone loves controlling their ipod from that nice 8 inch navi screen(:

 

What are you doing writing here?? Get out there and get busy installing I am waiting to hear your report back

 

I grew up with alot of Alpine stuff and Mb Quarts when they were good back then, now every component speaker I own is Focal.

 

When did Focal come out? Until recently, I had never heard of them. When I did my audio change 3 years ago, the JLs were all the rage. I hadn't kept up with car audio since I did mine cuz I am Ivery pleased with my system

In your opinion, what makes Focal better than JL, or any other brand? I ask because I plan to get into a new TL soon and will, most likely (knowing me), upgrade the audio. I am guessing that I will need to hear to know...

Thanks.

 

how do you like your rockford 360? from what I've read it does the same as a cleansweep, please, enlighten me

 

Im waiting on my damn cleansweep from Techronics to get here! lol, i want to install it SO bad, that w7 has been a coffee table in my room for 3 months talk about teasing..

i ordered it on tuesday so it should be here today or tomorrow, I'd install everything myself but given the cleansweep i think I'd be in over my head.. My dads an audio freak and has always had bangin systems and taught me how to CORRECTLY install a system but, I just dont want to cut into my wiring then be the dumba$$ 17 year old who dosent know what the hell he's doing

 

Props on getting a deal on all of it since they're products while good are way overpriced. What kind of box u got planned for the w7?

 

Focal has been out for a while, its owned by JM Labs. It sounds alot more clear than the jl's do in my book. Maybe try listening to a set to see if you like it.

 

I will look into them for my '12 TL, thanks

 

Exactly, exxxactly. Their products are amazing for SQ IMO, I'm 17 so of course I love bass, but I didn't but a w7 for SPL. If i wanted that i would of bought a couple ID max's, Fi's, Solo X or something along those lines, i listen to a lot of rap but also rock so i wanted something that could pound but also be very musical. i was planning on 2 12" w6 v3's but then this 12" w7, apline m-1000, and a box built to spec showed up for $550. the sub got dropped into the box, out of the manufactures box right in front of me then hooked up and played lightly to prove it works, considering a w7 is what $850 new? i think i did pretty good..


but to answer your question, the box is ported a faaaat port on the left side, I believe its tuned down to about 33hz? dont qoute me on it, i dont have the exact specs on the box but my friend has a very similar set up(his is built to spec) and our boxes are indentical.

 

x2. If you know where to look, you can source the jm lab drivers for a fraction of the price

 

Go ahead with your install without the cleansweep. The 3g TL does not need a signal summer. Take the signal pre-amp and both the front and rear signals are full range and very flat. The clean sweep is a waste of time and money in a 3G TL. I will say this again - the 3g TL does not need a signal summer.

I think that the founding fathers wrote into the constitution that if you have the username of Audiophile, or a derivitive, and you use c5 components, that you will spend time in a federal prison. They are not even average for half of the price. There are plenty of options in the 300 range that will blow c5 out of the water - ID CSX, HSKs, even Polyglass Focals, I think that the Boston Pro60s have more detail and stronger midbass than c5s, morel tempos are even better IMO... the are way more choices out there. At least listen to the others before you buy some c5. Other than the slash amps (which I love), I don't think that most of what JL makes gets into the very good category... good yes; but very good or excellent, no... but it is damn good compared to the big-store stuff.

I am a Focal guy too. For me, the TN52 tweeter is very detailed without being harsh (the focal TN47 can get harsh at times, but it is also very detailed) - one of the best that I have ever heard until the Be. The mid bass is very strong and also very detailed and can handle power up to 125 watts if you keep it above 90hz or so. I started with polyglass and almost immediately went to K2 after hearing them in my car for a month. I have the stuff to upgrade again, but haven't yet.

 

I don't think that the control of the iPod will quite be what you are thinking with the iSimple. You basically use the 5 and 6 buttons on your radio face with the tune knob. You can use the 5 and 6 buttons on the navi screen, but you still need to use the tune knob. If you are expecting some kind of sweet intuitive GUI or system, then it won't be there.

The iSimple gets some good quality music into the TL, so it is worth it, but the interface is not that neat.

 

I mean the c2's sound really good IMO, what is your take on LOC's for hooking up the amps?

I LOVE Focal Polyglasses, they sound soo crystal. I know that c5's are a waste, maybe im crazy but i listened to both without subs, (c2 vs c5) and i could barely tell any difference, the c5 had a little more low end punch but the c2's stayed more clear at high volumes. just my \

thanks for the extended post though, you guys are honestly helping me alot..

 

Processor would be exponentially better, but all the CS ends up being is an expensive LOC on our cars since we don't need to signal sum. Just get a high quality LOC and use it if you are not going to process.

Polyglass are pretty much entry level focals - they just go up from there. Focal has the Access line, but I have honestly never heard them - Polyglass are cheap enough not to use the Access IMO.

If you think that the c2 sound good, then be prepared to be blown away.

Remember, PRE-AMP SIGNAL if you do use a LOC.

 

So being that I bought these two pieces,

http://www.techronics.com/caraudio_9...leanSweep.html

http://www.techronics.com/caraudio_8...gital-EQ-.html

im guessing i wont need the first one..?

 

I am no JL Audio expert, but I don't think that you need either. The first one sums the signal and the second flattens it out. Neither are necessary for our TL. The 8v output is nice, but the stock deck is around 1v which is good enough for most any decent amp and certainly good enough for a good amp.

You need to get some better input than mine, though. I am not a pro on these.

 

okay, well on the subject of bypassing the factory amp, isnt that what we need the cleansweep for? from what i read thats where the signal goes to shat..

or are you saying just solder RCA's before the factory amp and skip it?

 

The factory amp will cut the signal. Don't let the signal get that far. Even if you did, the post-amp signal for the fronts is like 80-90hz and up, so that will work just fine for most components anyway. I found the rears to be from 80-90 up to about 3.5K, but some say that they go up past 10K... so I dunno since I cut the rears at 3K anyway for my tastes.

The sub is up to 80-90hz and the center is 350hz and up, or so.

 

Okay, I'm gonna talk to my installer about that and see if I can save myself some money with some LOC'S then

 

Even the most expensive loc's have a limited bandwidth. Atleast with a processor, you'll get full bandwidth between 20-20khz & the signal would be flat.

 

I see, well that'd what ill end up doing, I'm gonna start out with the cleansweep then go to a "real" processor, is the LC7 a good processor? I hear a lot of good stuff about Audio Control. What're some suggestions for processors?

 

Audiocontrol stuff is cool, but dated.

Best processors are

Jbl ms-8
Mini dsp
Audison bit-1
Zapco dsp
Rockford 3sixty.2(3sixty.3 comes out soon)

 

Zapco and audisons amps are so amazing, the sq those things produce is mind boggling. I know Steve Maede HIGHLY recommends the 360, what's an Audisons or Zapco gonna do to my wallet?

I've seen the JBL ms-8 in action though, that was pretty convincing to pony up the mula, thing was amazing.

 

Audison or zapco will kill your wallet. If you're on a budget, either look for a used 3sixty.2 or pick up the mini dsp.

You can read about the dsp here. http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/...ternative.html

heres a tutorial for a diy loc with a mini dsp
http://www.mobilesoundscience.com/f1...dsp-module-51/

 

Btw, talked to my installer and he said that I could just use LOCs and no cleanswwrep but that would result in bass getting cut out at high volumes, does this sound right? And so if I did go that route along with a processor would it fix the bass issue?

 

Never heard of that before.

 

Would the new 360 be worth waiting for? Or would it be better to just go ahead and get a rockford 360.2 off of Craigslist?

 

From what i read, yes.

Once it releases, you should be able to get the 3sixty.2 for <$200.

 

I just hopped on Craigslist and found one for 170, thats pretty cheap given the retail, should I grab it? It's pretty tempting