TL: Front Speaker Planning '03 TL-S
10-06-2010, 09:56 PM
#1
Front Speaker Planning '03 TL-S
I currently have a 400.1 Kicker amp pushing 2 12" Alpine S types and an Alpine w-205 for my HU. I'm good on bass and would like to upgrade my front speakers. I am not planning to enter any sound competition or the like. Just want to get my system sounding more clear. I would like to also add a tweeter in the location where my side mirror connects. I know I will need to go 6.5's but which model would you guys recomend so that I can install easily without any modding? Getting a spacer to make it fit would be fine with me but other than that, I would like to avoid. Also, should I amp them up or could I just run them direct to my HU and get better quality sound than what I have now (Bose)? Thanks for your time and am looking foward to your opinions.
10-07-2010, 11:18 AM
#3
I managed to get incredibly good sound by leaving the Bose in, adding Dayton ND20FA tweeters to the A-pillar, and of course adding a sub stage that is worlds better than the stock one. Now, the key for me was processing. Each speaker is now controlled individually and amplified separately as well. This is what it took for me to get quality sound. It wasn't that the BOSE is bad sounding, but more that the BOSE speakers are being asked to reproduce sound that is outside their abilities, being 6.5" drivers makes for a beaming higher frequency output and our ears are not by our knees. So the A-pillar tweeters I added accommodated that. you can't just ADD tweeters, of course. You must add something that controls all of it, especially related to time alignment and crossover frequency. A processor is what that takes.
That's my approach, and with $16 in tweeters from www.partsexpress.com, a processor, and an amp (and of course the sub stage which is needed no matter what), I now have a "system" that competes with my other vehicle's high end setup.
Its all about control and careful control at that, IMO.
edited to add:
When I had the doors apart to inspect the BOSE drivers, I added a lot of deadening and sealing materials to the door to make them resonant-resistant and to keep the front wave separated from the back. This makes a world of difference. I also disabled the BOSE EQ which is a prerequisite for doing any aftermarket work on this system.
That's my approach, and with $16 in tweeters from www.partsexpress.com, a processor, and an amp (and of course the sub stage which is needed no matter what), I now have a "system" that competes with my other vehicle's high end setup.
Its all about control and careful control at that, IMO.
edited to add:
When I had the doors apart to inspect the BOSE drivers, I added a lot of deadening and sealing materials to the door to make them resonant-resistant and to keep the front wave separated from the back. This makes a world of difference. I also disabled the BOSE EQ which is a prerequisite for doing any aftermarket work on this system.
10-07-2010, 02:13 PM
#5
Also, I have read the DIY on bypassing the EQ but from what I understand it was being done while using the stock HU and aftermarket speakers. Won't the sound on my bose speakers sound crappy if the EQ is bypassed and going straight to my Alpine HU? I have read here that the Bose "paper cones" depend on the EQ.
10-07-2010, 02:24 PM
#7
Well, other than the deadening materials ( www.raamaudio.com and the BXTII product, and www.sounddeadenershowdown.com products), I don't recommend you install what I did. Reasons: I have a ridiculously rare and expensive main amp, nobody needs something like that and it was just an impulse buy on my part when the opportunity came. Any decent 4chan would do it. The processor I use is old, and noisy and therefore I wouldn't recommend it. King of the hill is the JBL MS8. The Audison BitOne could also work just fine. If you want to get creative, the company www.minidsp.com has some cool boxes that can do active too.
You only blow stuff out if you allow it. I'll admit I have stressed the BOSE speakers with the power I have, but that's what knowing the system limits is all about. I do plan on upgrading to some new drivers soon and in my garage I have a few drivers to choose from, its just taking the time to get out there, remove the door panels, and fab up a baffle and all that to get it done. For now, at the volumes I play at, the BOSE are sufficing. Getting the sub stage to take on some of the lower mid-bass also helps the BOSE get it done. Point here is that, when used within their limits, they sound great. Some EQ here and there helps even out whatever speaker non-linearity you run into, for the most part.
My system is:
Pioneer AV-H3200DVD - HU
Soundstream Human Reign HRU.4 - main amp
Soundstream D-Tower 1.1700 - sub amp
RF 3sixty.2 - processor
Acoustic Elegance AV10H x 2 in a sealed box in trunk
Stock Bose woofers for now
Dayton ND20FA tweeters in A-pillar
thread here:
https://acurazine.com/forums/audio-video-electronics-navigation-22/1999-tl-full-audio-build-ss-ae-dayton-pioneer-776606/
You only blow stuff out if you allow it. I'll admit I have stressed the BOSE speakers with the power I have, but that's what knowing the system limits is all about. I do plan on upgrading to some new drivers soon and in my garage I have a few drivers to choose from, its just taking the time to get out there, remove the door panels, and fab up a baffle and all that to get it done. For now, at the volumes I play at, the BOSE are sufficing. Getting the sub stage to take on some of the lower mid-bass also helps the BOSE get it done. Point here is that, when used within their limits, they sound great. Some EQ here and there helps even out whatever speaker non-linearity you run into, for the most part.
My system is:
Pioneer AV-H3200DVD - HU
Soundstream Human Reign HRU.4 - main amp
Soundstream D-Tower 1.1700 - sub amp
RF 3sixty.2 - processor
Acoustic Elegance AV10H x 2 in a sealed box in trunk
Stock Bose woofers for now
Dayton ND20FA tweeters in A-pillar
thread here:
https://acurazine.com/forums/audio-video-electronics-navigation-22/1999-tl-full-audio-build-ss-ae-dayton-pioneer-776606/
Trending Topics
10-07-2010, 02:29 PM
#8
Always keep in mind, its not what you have, its what you use of it. So, even though my amp can put out ~200W or so per chan, it doesn't mean it always IS. Music is dynamic, and SPL is something we relate relative to the square of power. It takes 10x the power to get twice as loud, so imagine when your music volume changes twice as loud as before, that's 10x what it was just before. Think this way and you can see why I picked a powerful front amp. Clipping (exceeding the amp's spec for power) sounds horrible, so having lots and lots of headroom is one way to keep things sounding good.
10-07-2010, 02:51 PM
#9
Honestly, I just want to get a quick inexpensive improvement. I do listen to my music loud and would like for it to be clear and if I can do that while using my stocks that would be great. Has anyone tried connecting the bose speakers straight to the HU before? Also, when my buddy got his CL-S audio done, at ABT, the installer installed a PAC OEM device where the gains were adjusted. Is this really needed? His sounds a bit more clearer than mine. The reason, I think, he has a factory tweeter and that is making the diff.
Sorry for the dumb questions but this whole factory EQ stuff throws me off man. I feel like just running new wires from Alpine HU to new speakers and call it the day. What ya think?
Sorry for the dumb questions but this whole factory EQ stuff throws me off man. I feel like just running new wires from Alpine HU to new speakers and call it the day. What ya think?
10-07-2010, 04:25 PM
#10
Drifting
replacing the stocks with a pair of components and amping them would be cheaper.
If i were you, i would start off with processor and deadening
Then save up for drivers and amp(s)
Forgot to ask, what kind of box are your subs in? sealed? ported? prefab?
If i were you, i would start off with processor and deadening
Then save up for drivers and amp(s)
Forgot to ask, what kind of box are your subs in? sealed? ported? prefab?
10-07-2010, 06:45 PM
#11
Which amp and comps would you guys recomend? Based upon your recomendation, what would be a descent sound processor for my setup considering that I'm on a budget and the benefits from starting this way? My 12's are in a sealed box. They hit pretty hard and I have had them for over 5 years without any problems. My factory sub has been pulled out as well. They came out of a previous car I owned, a '97 Buick Park Avenue Ultra 
10-07-2010, 08:58 PM
#12
how about killing two birds with one stone? It is a little tricky to work with at first and it takes a while to set up, but the Kenwood X4R amp has a decent processor on board. They sell refurbs for about $200. It isn't perfect, but I do have one (along with the sub amp X1R) in my other vehicle, and it works fantastically when all set up.
if you go this route, you can then run individual drivers, which may end up costing less than a set of components.
if you go this route, you can then run individual drivers, which may end up costing less than a set of components.
10-07-2010, 10:57 PM
#13
I looked up the specs on the Kenwood and looks nice. It's just wierd to think the stock Bose speakers would handle it. Again excuse my ignorance.
I am just gonna see what a set of Alpine Type S comps do and take it from there.
Seeing the rms that these take, I noticed that Alpine has a mini amp that connects to the back of my w205 and then amps the comps. Would this be something to consider?
Total on this would cost me $266.
miniamp:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Alpine+-...=1218112724899
Components:http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Alpine+-...=1199494646675
I am just gonna see what a set of Alpine Type S comps do and take it from there.
Seeing the rms that these take, I noticed that Alpine has a mini amp that connects to the back of my w205 and then amps the comps. Would this be something to consider?
Total on this would cost me $266.
miniamp:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Alpine+-...=1218112724899
Components:http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Alpine+-...=1199494646675
10-08-2010, 12:46 PM
#17
seconded. Active, it would be the X4R, Dayton Rs180, and Dayton ND20FA, passive, the RSd65cs would be good.
Damn things are getting rare though.
http://cgi.ebay.com/KENWOOD-KAC-X4R-...item45f5dbac35 this guy has one if you want to make a bid, shipping is high but you might win it cheap.
Ikesound.com has them for $245.
Running the RSd comps in active would be sweet, I did that with my brother in-law's 2010 Sentra, he likes it.
Damn things are getting rare though.
http://cgi.ebay.com/KENWOOD-KAC-X4R-...item45f5dbac35 this guy has one if you want to make a bid, shipping is high but you might win it cheap.
Ikesound.com has them for $245.
Running the RSd comps in active would be sweet, I did that with my brother in-law's 2010 Sentra, he likes it.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
sockr1
Car Parts for Sale
22
10-01-2015 01:31 AM
alan_rich
3G TL Audio, Bluetooth, Electronics & Navigation
0
09-07-2015 11:08 PM
