What would you do??? Stereo upgrade

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Old 09-05-2011, 02:15 PM
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What would you do??? Stereo upgrade

Hi to all, I sold my 06 Mustang GT last month and i was gonna pull the trigger on a 330 BMW....
BUT, i saw this white-pearl non navi 08 TL!!! SO ITS SLEEPING AT MY GARAGE RIGHT NOW!!!!

I have already a complete stereo system, double din dvd player, 4 Mb quart speaker sets, 2 amps, 1 is a class D for the kicker solobaric sub, epicenter, soundstream preamp.

have already checked out here, and read few threads of the center console mod for accepting the dvd.... definitely, i want more power and ipod source.


Question for all you guys, is:
would you keep the stock stereo , using an adapter for the amp and the ipod?
or would you install the DVD upgrading the stereo???

thanks btw.
Old 09-05-2011, 04:11 PM
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I would keep the stock headunit for sure and add an ipod source unless you really like to watch DVDs. Replacing the stock HU requires custom work as you can see in a few threads around here. If you have a non navi TL, it's easier but you don't want to lose some of the car's features which you can lose if not done right.

Are you throwing all of that equipment into the TL? I tend to prefer a more laid back tweeter since the stock locations bouncing off the glass can be as harsh as having the tweeters in the pillars.

What are the future plans, namely are you going to add a processor at some point or not. That would determine a lot of things such as if you should upgrade the rears and center or not and how many channels of amplification you'll need.
Old 09-05-2011, 05:10 PM
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Originally Posted by I hate cars
I would keep the stock headunit for sure and add an ipod source unless you really like to watch DVDs. Replacing the stock HU requires custom work as you can see in a few threads around here. If you have a non navi TL, it's easier but you don't want to lose some of the car's features which you can lose if not done right.

Are you throwing all of that equipment into the TL? I tend to prefer a more laid back tweeter since the stock locations bouncing off the glass can be as harsh as having the tweeters in the pillars.

What are the future plans, namely are you going to add a processor at some point or not. That would determine a lot of things such as if you should upgrade the rears and center or not and how many channels of amplification you'll need.
thanks for answering, no, im not planning in adding more devices....
was planning to use just the Dvd head unit, 2 Mb quart sets (mid/tw) for the front and 2 more Mb quart sets for the rear powered by a 4 channel amp. Subw powered by a class d amp, and center channel via an alpine small amp.
since the Pioneer DVD has front, rear and sub outputs, i was thinking in getting rid of the soundstream pre amp....

as far as i have read in this forum, i thought i will only lose the stereo screen, but not the top one, with the ac controls.....

thoughts???
Old 09-06-2011, 12:00 PM
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you want rears and a center with no processing?

This already has fail written all over it.
Old 09-06-2011, 08:57 PM
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^^ is right. If you change out the radio your center channel speaker will be useless...i use the area to store my crossovers. If you plan on keeping the oem radio, i would go with fosgate's 3 sixty.
Old 09-07-2011, 10:26 AM
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Originally Posted by crazyjr79
^^ is right. If you change out the radio your center channel speaker will be useless...i use the area to store my crossovers. If you plan on keeping the oem radio, i would go with fosgate's 3 sixty.
thanks man!!!! im considering in the RF 3sixty!!!
Old 09-07-2011, 12:18 PM
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3sixty and 3sixty.2 can be had for CHEAP for what they do. If you're serious about your audio, I highly suggest a processor. I've come to realize just what I was missing w/o one.
Old 09-07-2011, 01:40 PM
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Don't forget the MS8 too. Very good auto tuning processor.
Old 09-07-2011, 02:55 PM
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Yup, MS8 also..depending on your overall budget. I would sell the 4 mb sets and buy a nicer single set. Unless they're the old mb q components.
Old 09-07-2011, 08:00 PM
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Is the tuning processor required or just recommended if your just upgrading front component speakers and adding a sub? TIA.
Old 09-07-2011, 08:44 PM
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Originally Posted by vp55
Is the tuning processor required or just recommended if your just upgrading front component speakers and adding a sub? TIA.
Kinda, sorta. You'll need either

a) a line out converter x2
b) an amp that accepts balanced input
c) a processor or line driver that can convert balanced to unbalanced.

Pick your poison.
a) drops out low end $20-$50 x2
b) Starts about $100 more than a descent unbalanced unit
c) allows the cheaper amp and can be had used for as low $75ish for a line driver, or $100 used 3sixty.1, $225 used 3sixty.2, or the ms8 which goes about $400 used IIRC.

For the price difference a used processor like the 3sixty is worth picking up.
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Old 09-07-2011, 08:50 PM
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The problem with that is that used MS8s are going for nearly the same price as new MS8s. They're over priced when used and people don't know where to find the really cheap new ones.

I haven't had the problem with the loc killing the low end of my system. There might have been a small difference when I got rid of it but nothing major. On test tones, the system would play 7hz with it.
Old 09-07-2011, 08:56 PM
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Originally Posted by I hate cars
I haven't had the problem with the loc killing the low end of my system. There might have been a small difference when I got rid of it but nothing major. On test tones, the system would play 7hz with it.
Even a "good" LOC rolls off when put on a spectrum analyzer. Its nothing extreme, but it is there. IIRC it didn't even look like a -3db slope, but still....

I think its one of those things that you'd be fine with a little EQ, but the TL already rolls off a little down low, plus the LOC rolloff. Not having EQ could lead to a sub-optimal lowend.
Old 09-08-2011, 07:02 PM
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Originally Posted by geekybiker
Kinda, sorta. You'll need either

a) a line out converter x2
b) an amp that accepts balanced input
c) a processor or line driver that can convert balanced to unbalanced.

Pick your poison.
a) drops out low end $20-$50 x2
b) Starts about $100 more than a descent unbalanced unit
c) allows the cheaper amp and can be had used for as low $75ish for a line driver, or $100 used 3sixty.1, $225 used 3sixty.2, or the ms8 which goes about $400 used IIRC.

For the price difference a used processor like the 3sixty is worth picking up.
Thanks man. As you may know I had a thread earlier about upgrading comps and adding a sub but no mention of adding a processor.

I've already reached my budget and picked up the MB Quart Q150 as suggested by you and other members (thanks again) so I am not sure if want to purchase a processor if this amp is at least somewhat decent in having better bass, power etc. BTW, here is the sub I purchased since my old sub was 2ohm http://www.crutchfield.com/s_107MM10...d%7cPolk+Audio

OP-Sorry, didn't mean to jack your thread!

Last edited by vp55; 09-08-2011 at 07:08 PM.
Old 09-08-2011, 07:57 PM
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Originally Posted by geekybiker
Even a "good" LOC rolls off when put on a spectrum analyzer. Its nothing extreme, but it is there. IIRC it didn't even look like a -3db slope, but still....

I think its one of those things that you'd be fine with a little EQ, but the TL already rolls off a little down low, plus the LOC rolloff. Not having EQ could lead to a sub-optimal lowend.
That makes sense. I *think* I heard a very slight difference but unless you're paying attention you're not going to notice. As you said, you can eq the difference pretty easily.

What did surprise me is that 7hz test tones still made it through pretty well. I did not expect that.


On that note, someone buy my freaking Dyn 142 midranges! I'll cut a good deal to anyone here. They will really liven things up.
Old 09-08-2011, 08:03 PM
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Polk mm is a nice sub.

Woulda got a dcon, though.
Old 09-08-2011, 09:37 PM
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^ lol...I knew that was coming
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