I have an 02 TLS and wanted to upgrade the whole system. I currently own a Kicker 600.1 amp with a Kicker L7 Solobaric in a ported box. (so my bass is straight). I plan on purchasing the Pioneer avic-x920bt. I want to add 2 component sets 1 for the 2 front doors and 1 for the 2 rear doors. I am currently looking at the Boston Pro 60SE. I also think that the alpine pdx f6 would do a great job pushing those components. The bostons are pretty costly, any body have any suggestions as to another component set on the market that are comparable and a little less in price (please add in an alternative amp as well)? Im a little old school and have been out of the loop for a few years. Thanks in advance.

 

comps in the rear are a waste

what's your budget?

 

( I know eggy will dig this. lol )

Well,

First make sure that ported box is tuned nice and low. Pull the stock sub, cover the hole with some speaker cloth (the brake light shines through the hole to your rearview mirror at night!), and you should be OK.

Second, consider taking this a different way. I have had extremely good success implementing active systems in the cars I build, and you would probably love the results yourself. This vehicle does very well with A-pillar tweeters. Observe:



Now, in order to implement an active system, what you need is a processor that can handle the signal output of each channel separately, and then a single amplifier channel per speaker. In my experienced opinion, if you make the front stage strong enough and tune it well enough, rear speakers aren't even necessary. At the very least, they don't need to be component drivers of anything expensive. From experience, making the rears do just a bit of fill duty would be the approach I would take. Heck, the stock speakers would probably be just fine.

I'll get back to processors in a bit, for now let's cover that head unit. I have had good luck with the AVIC line of head units so your 920 sounds good. Another option would be the AVH 3200 or 4200 model and then add navi or other features as you see fit. The performance of my 3200 really suits me (and I have a 900 in my other vehicle.)

Now, back to the processor. If you are going this route, you can run either a processor in the head unit (not with a double-din model though), a processor in the amp(s) (RARE but there are a couple), or stand-alone processor. There aren't too many players in the processor game, but we are blessed with the extremely high performance JBL MS8 which literally smokes all the rest if you can afford it. The fact it auto tunes with a pair of stereo microphones on a headset and the fact it has 8 channels of processing power, and the fact it has onboard amplification means it is king right now.

Now, given that a system like this is running individual speakers instead of "components", you can focus on individual diy drivers from www.partsexpress.com, www.madisound.com, etc. OR you can go shopping through home audio sites or car audio sites looking for individual deals. I don't know if you are willing to wait (or maybe someone could sell them to you off a classified ad), but the Dayton RS180 makes a good woofer for ~$40 or so. Another strong option is the TangBand W6-789E driver, again around ~$40 each. To mate with this, you just need a good tweeter in the A-pillar, so I'd vote something as simple as the one I have like the Dayton ND20FA or similar. All you really need is something that doesn't have too much diameter or too much depth, so it fits the A-pillar without effort.


For amps, well anything works really, just consider that each speaker needs its own channel. But the rears really can run happily off the MS8 so you really only need a 4chan. Maybe a matching Kicker amp so things look good?

Don't forget deadening materials for the trunk area and the doors at the very least. I recommend and use www.sounddeadenershowdown.com products as well as RAAMMAT BXTII from www.raamaudio.com. don't skimp here, nobody likes to have all their sound system work wasted due to door panel resonance and the like.

 

Well I already have the kicker amp, and the L7. My budget is about $1500. I was thinking $600 for the 2 components and $440 for the alpine amp. I already found these on ebay at these prices. I left the deck out because thats a definate. I would also be willing to spend up to $85 for a cap. My installer told me he would charge me $300 to install the hu, 2 amps, and components. The processor is a bit steep. I saw them in the $700 range. I wanna keep it simple because I dont think that I have an ear for sound and its tuning. I havent bought the deck yet, but Im also looking at the avic-x910.

 

So eggy. you think I can get away with a component set in the front, and a 2 x 150 amp to run em? 4th, I guess you are saying with the processor, I can just add tweeters and a good mid and the processor will push em all?

 

Yes

If you go along with fourth's approach, you would need a 4 channel.

 

$1500 spent well, IMO:

(This isn't the only place to buy one, I just picked a place quickly. Ebay buying is A-ok IMO but make sure they have a squaretrade logo and I would purchase a squaretrade warranty for assurance.)
http://cgi.ebay.com/JBL-MS-8-DIGITAL...item20b40b11fd
$589

IF these will fit (I think they will, you just need to fab up a baffle and seal things up)
https://www.madisound.com/store/prod...oducts_id=8614
$61.25 x 2 $122.50

These should do in the A-pillar, might need to fab up some basic fiberglass pillars but maybe not. Certainly easy enough:
https://www.madisound.com/store/prod...oducts_id=8664
$47.15 x 2 = $94.30

So speaker subtotal $216.80.


And then because I'm a match-aholic, I would find a high performance Kicker 4ch that matches the monoblock you have. This one looks like it matches but I dunno
http://cgi.ebay.com/Kicker-KX650-4-4...item483abbab35
$162


What are we at here? About $967. Now you can budget some deadener, some good wiring kit and distribution, and probably still have a couple hundred left over to fab up a perfect box and amp rack w/ carpet or whatever you want. BTW, 100 feet worth of 16 gauge 2 conductor wire should do it for speaker wire, and if you don't feel like going through the doors you could reuse the stock wire at the head unit point. I did that, and there was no issue.

 

Thanks 4th. Im gonna talk to my installer later on 2day and see if this is up his alley

 

Fair warning, not all installers I've come across understand active crossover solutions. But, hopefully yours has seen the light and knows what's what. Bottom line is that time alignment, and precise driver control (EQ and individual channel gain) is key in an automotive environment, where so many different compromises must be made just to get speakers in front of you somewhere.

You may also note that Eggy is a silent proponent of active control Observe the man's signature. In fact not only is he running active, he's running some PRO audio gear! Too sweet!

FYI you can definitely install in a car like this all by yourself if you have tools. The head unit is cake, the A-pillars are easy, and the trunk is... a trunk. This car wants to be built.

 

Make sure your installer knows what he's doing.

active setup + noob installer= disaster waiting to happen

But...if you get the ms-8, it should be a cake walk since the processor does about 95% of the work for you.


Pro audio is such a bitch to work with since they have nasty nasty peaks in a car.

Took me months of tuning to get right.

 

Go with Boston Acoustics only. I did for years and won multiple sound quality comps.
Front: Pro60SE + Neo Type-M Imaging Tweets in pillar
Rear: Pro60SE
Sub: Rockford Fosgate P3(12) or T1(12) if you want a bigger punch
Amp F & R: Go digital if you have the funds - Alpine
Amp Sub: Rockford T1000

Trust me, this is a solution for success...