Need expert advice on car audio
08-10-2002, 05:12 AM
#1
aka gimmesomesugar
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Need expert advice on car audio
I am finally getting my system installed on Wednesday.
This is what I'm getting:
-Alpine CDA-7893 deck
-Alpine CHA-1214 12 disc changer
-Alpine Type R mids and tweeters
-Alpine Type R 6x9's
-Rockford Fosgate HX2 punch 10" subs (in a sealed box)
-Rockford Fosgate 1000bd monoblock amp
-Rockford Fosgate 300x 4-channel amp
-Cap (forgot the brand but the guy mentioning something about a display/readout thingy
)
I'm going with 10" subs because I prefer SQ over SPL...since I hear it's better for listening to opera and orchestra music:P.
I plan on installing LCD screens (most likely in the visors) with a DVD player in the near future. Will that 1 cap be sufficient with this add-on?
Will an in-dash DVD player + the Alpine deck be able to fit in the space where the stock deck is?
The sealed box is a prefabricated box. Will this do, or will a custom-box result in better SQ?
Will I be fine the way it is in my trunk or should I dynamat? Just certain parts or the entire trunk?
Am I forgetting anything else that I would need?
This is what I'm getting:
-Alpine CDA-7893 deck
-Alpine CHA-1214 12 disc changer
-Alpine Type R mids and tweeters
-Alpine Type R 6x9's
-Rockford Fosgate HX2 punch 10" subs (in a sealed box)
-Rockford Fosgate 1000bd monoblock amp
-Rockford Fosgate 300x 4-channel amp
-Cap (forgot the brand but the guy mentioning something about a display/readout thingy
)I'm going with 10" subs because I prefer SQ over SPL...since I hear it's better for listening to opera and orchestra music:P.
I plan on installing LCD screens (most likely in the visors) with a DVD player in the near future. Will that 1 cap be sufficient with this add-on?
Will an in-dash DVD player + the Alpine deck be able to fit in the space where the stock deck is?
The sealed box is a prefabricated box. Will this do, or will a custom-box result in better SQ?
Will I be fine the way it is in my trunk or should I dynamat? Just certain parts or the entire trunk?
Am I forgetting anything else that I would need?
08-10-2002, 10:22 AM
#2
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Lay off of the caffeine:P
1. Depend.....put 1 cap on and see if the lights still dim, if they do, get another one.
2. Yes
3. Pre-fab boxes usually suck, unless they are made by the speaker company.
4. Dynamat is never a bad thing.
1. Depend.....put 1 cap on and see if the lights still dim, if they do, get another one.
2. Yes
3. Pre-fab boxes usually suck, unless they are made by the speaker company.
4. Dynamat is never a bad thing.
08-10-2002, 01:27 PM
#4
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I'm not too knowledgeable about car audio. I'm going with Rockford Fosgate because that is the sub I am most familiar with. Isn't JL audio really expensive?
08-11-2002, 09:14 AM
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jl audio is not that expensive.... and like everything else in car audio you get what you pay for.... if you want good sound then you will have to pay the money to get good equipment.... personally i would rather go with the alpine type r subs before i went with rockford since the rest of your system is alpine... .... now the rockford amps are a good idea but i really not think you are going to get the sq you are looking for from these subs....
08-13-2002, 02:19 AM
#6
Bent = #1
Yea try to get a different sub if you can afford it...try to stick with the alpine theme and get the alpine type r subs also...better than the rockford subs..but the rockford amps are good..
CL'S
CL'S
08-14-2002, 11:21 PM
#7
I hand out swivel heads
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Isnt an Acura CL expensive? Me personally-i would go with the them you started-for the same money or even less I would go Alpine everything. But I am also a JL audio fan so what the hell maybe you should get the JL subs!!! Do what you like.
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08-16-2002, 03:11 PM
#8
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I have about the same setup as you intend to do. I have a one farad cap and a deep cycle battery (Yellow top). My lights really dont dim
I happen to like rockford, with the right amp and the right box (you might want to try a ported box), they are loud as hell.
I happen to like rockford, with the right amp and the right box (you might want to try a ported box), they are loud as hell.
08-23-2002, 05:52 AM
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Satin Slayer:
I agree with Nicky Pass on everything here...but will post my own reply too...
If you want SQ I wouldn't go with RF subs. Hopefully some dealer didn't push this all on you saying it was good. I love RF, I run their amps, but their speakers, subs included, totally SUCK in the SQ area. I mean suck hardcore. Do NOT get them. You are looking at boomy bass with no SQ.
Also, if a dealer pushed all this on you, I bet I can snag you better prices than you'll find most other places. You can get JL Audio relatively cheap from a guy I know well and deal with quite a bit.
Asking if 1 cap is sufficient isn't enough info...since caps come in ranges of .5F to 50F. I'd say 1 1.5F cap would be fine however...
Your equipment should fit fine in the deck.
A prefab box...if it's not made for your subs, is not likely to sound as good as a custom one. Different subs have different box volumes that they require, and just any standard sub box is not a good way to go. Nor is sealed a good way to go for SQ or SPL IMHO unless you're really concerned about box size and are trying to save as much space as possible. A good custom ported box will treat you much better in both areas.
Define fine. If you have the money to Dynamat, do it. It will make the sound actually "sound" better, reduce rattles, etc. It's worth it, but I suggest Cascade instead of Dynamat...cheaper...not smelly...and easier to work with. I would do as much as possible in the trunk (sides, bottom, top, lid)
clean cl-s:
Not true at all man. The two work for totally different things. A battery is a large source of slow to discharge power, while a cap is a small source of quick to discharge power. A standard battery (aka not the kind I plan on using, Hawker XP series) won't do crap for your sound system. Why? It depends on the speed of chemical reactions, and thus can't discharge and absorb large quantities of power. Nor can it produce power, so if you have a system that needs voltage buffering it won't do much, nor will it help if you are just running a high power system. A cap also won't help with the high power drain situation, but WILL help in that it will buffer the voltage wave out. The sub amps will draw power in spikes determined by the bass beat...not a constant drain. A cap will absorb power on the dips and release on the peaks much quicker than anything else in your car (nothing beats the breakdown of an electric field!) and thus steady the voltage so you don't have "flashing" (dimming) headlights, amp cut outs, etc as a result of a voltage drop. Of course, you can also just feed the whole system more power with a new alternator...though it's a more expensive alternative to caps and one not necessary if you don't have an overall power shortage.
Austin519
I agree with Nicky Pass on everything here...but will post my own reply too...
If you want SQ I wouldn't go with RF subs. Hopefully some dealer didn't push this all on you saying it was good. I love RF, I run their amps, but their speakers, subs included, totally SUCK in the SQ area. I mean suck hardcore. Do NOT get them. You are looking at boomy bass with no SQ.
Also, if a dealer pushed all this on you, I bet I can snag you better prices than you'll find most other places. You can get JL Audio relatively cheap from a guy I know well and deal with quite a bit.
Asking if 1 cap is sufficient isn't enough info...since caps come in ranges of .5F to 50F. I'd say 1 1.5F cap would be fine however...
Your equipment should fit fine in the deck.
A prefab box...if it's not made for your subs, is not likely to sound as good as a custom one. Different subs have different box volumes that they require, and just any standard sub box is not a good way to go. Nor is sealed a good way to go for SQ or SPL IMHO unless you're really concerned about box size and are trying to save as much space as possible. A good custom ported box will treat you much better in both areas.
Define fine. If you have the money to Dynamat, do it. It will make the sound actually "sound" better, reduce rattles, etc. It's worth it, but I suggest Cascade instead of Dynamat...cheaper...not smelly...and easier to work with. I would do as much as possible in the trunk (sides, bottom, top, lid)
clean cl-s:
Not true at all man. The two work for totally different things. A battery is a large source of slow to discharge power, while a cap is a small source of quick to discharge power. A standard battery (aka not the kind I plan on using, Hawker XP series) won't do crap for your sound system. Why? It depends on the speed of chemical reactions, and thus can't discharge and absorb large quantities of power. Nor can it produce power, so if you have a system that needs voltage buffering it won't do much, nor will it help if you are just running a high power system. A cap also won't help with the high power drain situation, but WILL help in that it will buffer the voltage wave out. The sub amps will draw power in spikes determined by the bass beat...not a constant drain. A cap will absorb power on the dips and release on the peaks much quicker than anything else in your car (nothing beats the breakdown of an electric field!) and thus steady the voltage so you don't have "flashing" (dimming) headlights, amp cut outs, etc as a result of a voltage drop. Of course, you can also just feed the whole system more power with a new alternator...though it's a more expensive alternative to caps and one not necessary if you don't have an overall power shortage.
Austin519
08-23-2002, 10:34 AM
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I think Alpine makes great equipment. You will be happy with the Alpine TypeR subs. They are very good for a mix of SQ/SPL. They usually compare these subs to the Infinity Perfect. I would consider switching your TypeR components over to a different mode that Alpine carries. The IMO sound much smoother. I had a chance to listen to them, and I was impressed. The 17 series Alpine comps are nice. They are their flagship model for speakers.
http://www.carstereotime.com/alpine/spx-177a.html
Follow the link below to give you an idea. The link I posted is a 2way 6.5" set. These have been made by scanspeak, and Alpine. Much better then the TypeR comps.
http://www.alpine1.com/html/press/2002_1w.htm
I just replaced my battery with a SVR 80-12, and after testing it out last night, batteries help out tremendously. I'm also using pulleys, and still replacing the battery helped me out a lot.
Spiro
http://www.carstereotime.com/alpine/spx-177a.html
Follow the link below to give you an idea. The link I posted is a 2way 6.5" set. These have been made by scanspeak, and Alpine. Much better then the TypeR comps.
http://www.alpine1.com/html/press/2002_1w.htm
I just replaced my battery with a SVR 80-12, and after testing it out last night, batteries help out tremendously. I'm also using pulleys, and still replacing the battery helped me out a lot.
Spiro
Originally posted by Austin519
Satin Slayer:
I agree with Nicky Pass on everything here...but will post my own reply too...
If you want SQ I wouldn't go with RF subs. Hopefully some dealer didn't push this all on you saying it was good. I love RF, I run their amps, but their speakers, subs included, totally SUCK in the SQ area. I mean suck hardcore. Do NOT get them. You are looking at boomy bass with no SQ.
Also, if a dealer pushed all this on you, I bet I can snag you better prices than you'll find most other places. You can get JL Audio relatively cheap from a guy I know well and deal with quite a bit.
Asking if 1 cap is sufficient isn't enough info...since caps come in ranges of .5F to 50F. I'd say 1 1.5F cap would be fine however...
Your equipment should fit fine in the deck.
A prefab box...if it's not made for your subs, is not likely to sound as good as a custom one. Different subs have different box volumes that they require, and just any standard sub box is not a good way to go. Nor is sealed a good way to go for SQ or SPL IMHO unless you're really concerned about box size and are trying to save as much space as possible. A good custom ported box will treat you much better in both areas.
Define fine. If you have the money to Dynamat, do it. It will make the sound actually "sound" better, reduce rattles, etc. It's worth it, but I suggest Cascade instead of Dynamat...cheaper...not smelly...and easier to work with. I would do as much as possible in the trunk (sides, bottom, top, lid)
clean cl-s:
Not true at all man. The two work for totally different things. A battery is a large source of slow to discharge power, while a cap is a small source of quick to discharge power. A standard battery (aka not the kind I plan on using, Hawker XP series) won't do crap for your sound system. Why? It depends on the speed of chemical reactions, and thus can't discharge and absorb large quantities of power. Nor can it produce power, so if you have a system that needs voltage buffering it won't do much, nor will it help if you are just running a high power system. A cap also won't help with the high power drain situation, but WILL help in that it will buffer the voltage wave out. The sub amps will draw power in spikes determined by the bass beat...not a constant drain. A cap will absorb power on the dips and release on the peaks much quicker than anything else in your car (nothing beats the breakdown of an electric field!) and thus steady the voltage so you don't have "flashing" (dimming) headlights, amp cut outs, etc as a result of a voltage drop. Of course, you can also just feed the whole system more power with a new alternator...though it's a more expensive alternative to caps and one not necessary if you don't have an overall power shortage.
Austin519
Satin Slayer:
I agree with Nicky Pass on everything here...but will post my own reply too...
If you want SQ I wouldn't go with RF subs. Hopefully some dealer didn't push this all on you saying it was good. I love RF, I run their amps, but their speakers, subs included, totally SUCK in the SQ area. I mean suck hardcore. Do NOT get them. You are looking at boomy bass with no SQ.
Also, if a dealer pushed all this on you, I bet I can snag you better prices than you'll find most other places. You can get JL Audio relatively cheap from a guy I know well and deal with quite a bit.
Asking if 1 cap is sufficient isn't enough info...since caps come in ranges of .5F to 50F. I'd say 1 1.5F cap would be fine however...
Your equipment should fit fine in the deck.
A prefab box...if it's not made for your subs, is not likely to sound as good as a custom one. Different subs have different box volumes that they require, and just any standard sub box is not a good way to go. Nor is sealed a good way to go for SQ or SPL IMHO unless you're really concerned about box size and are trying to save as much space as possible. A good custom ported box will treat you much better in both areas.
Define fine. If you have the money to Dynamat, do it. It will make the sound actually "sound" better, reduce rattles, etc. It's worth it, but I suggest Cascade instead of Dynamat...cheaper...not smelly...and easier to work with. I would do as much as possible in the trunk (sides, bottom, top, lid)
clean cl-s:
Not true at all man. The two work for totally different things. A battery is a large source of slow to discharge power, while a cap is a small source of quick to discharge power. A standard battery (aka not the kind I plan on using, Hawker XP series) won't do crap for your sound system. Why? It depends on the speed of chemical reactions, and thus can't discharge and absorb large quantities of power. Nor can it produce power, so if you have a system that needs voltage buffering it won't do much, nor will it help if you are just running a high power system. A cap also won't help with the high power drain situation, but WILL help in that it will buffer the voltage wave out. The sub amps will draw power in spikes determined by the bass beat...not a constant drain. A cap will absorb power on the dips and release on the peaks much quicker than anything else in your car (nothing beats the breakdown of an electric field!) and thus steady the voltage so you don't have "flashing" (dimming) headlights, amp cut outs, etc as a result of a voltage drop. Of course, you can also just feed the whole system more power with a new alternator...though it's a more expensive alternative to caps and one not necessary if you don't have an overall power shortage.
Austin519
08-23-2002, 11:48 AM
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When I would bump my system, before I replaced the battery, I would get SERIOUS dimming issues. To the point where my speedometer would actually drop. All of the lights would dim in the car. Now that I replaced the battery with the new one, I do get slight dimming when I bump hard, but nowhere near how it was before. The setup now is actually doable, before it wasnt.
spiro
spiro
Originally posted by Austin519
spiroh:
How exactly did the new battery help you?
Austin519
spiroh:
How exactly did the new battery help you?
Austin519
08-23-2002, 07:51 PM
#14
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Thanks for all the info, people. The system is already in the process of being installed...minus the video components...that will have to be a little bit later...don't want to take such a large hit in the wallet.
No dealer pushed this setup on me. I consulted a couple friends who are into car audio and they recommended this setup. I guess I should have consulted some other people since they're all bass-heads...lol. I will wait for the finished system and decide if the SQ is there. If not, then I will consider making changes.
No dealer pushed this setup on me. I consulted a couple friends who are into car audio and they recommended this setup. I guess I should have consulted some other people since they're all bass-heads...lol. I will wait for the finished system and decide if the SQ is there. If not, then I will consider making changes.
08-27-2002, 05:17 AM
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spiroh:
A nice 1F cap will totally eliminate your dimming. The reason you have less dimming issues now than before is that you ate away at your battery with voltage peaks and valleys. This will happen with this battery too, it will wear quicker and soon you will be experiencing the same issues.
Satin Slayer:
And the verdict?
Austin519
A nice 1F cap will totally eliminate your dimming. The reason you have less dimming issues now than before is that you ate away at your battery with voltage peaks and valleys. This will happen with this battery too, it will wear quicker and soon you will be experiencing the same issues.
Satin Slayer:
And the verdict?
Austin519
08-27-2002, 07:53 AM
#19
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OMG...it sounds sweeeeet
Just have to wait for the custom-made faceplate to cover the area around the deck. And, the install is a bit ghetto...but, I'll get my installer to fix it up. The box is a little crooked and off-center.
Once that's done, I'll post pics. Probably this weekend.
I tell ya, Sarah Brightman sounds sooooo good
Just have to wait for the custom-made faceplate to cover the area around the deck. And, the install is a bit ghetto...but, I'll get my installer to fix it up. The box is a little crooked and off-center.
Once that's done, I'll post pics. Probably this weekend.
I tell ya, Sarah Brightman sounds sooooo good
09-08-2002, 05:47 PM
#21
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Alrighty, my installer is in the process of downloading the pics from his digicam. Once he e-mails them to me, I will post them up.
I'm wondering...what is the difference between having just one cap and adding a second one? Would there be any benefit or would it just be a waste of money?
I'm wondering...what is the difference between having just one cap and adding a second one? Would there be any benefit or would it just be a waste of money?
09-08-2002, 06:58 PM
#22
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Also, I usually have the volume set between 2 and 10. Sometimes I go up to 13 to 15. Occasionally, I crank it to over 20. When I hit 22 or 23 on the volume, my subs cut out. I assume that it is due to the bd1000 amp overheating and shutting down. How can I correct this?
09-16-2002, 05:35 PM
#24
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A few pics to whet your appetite...
ghetto trunk install...definitely need to fix it up asap.
my professionally custom-made dash kit(cost me a small fortune to have it molded by a plastics guy)
back of dash kit
installing the dash kit
dash kit installed...only need to put the bowling ball trim back in place
more pics to come
ghetto trunk install...definitely need to fix it up asap.
my professionally custom-made dash kit(cost me a small fortune to have it molded by a plastics guy)
back of dash kit
installing the dash kit
dash kit installed...only need to put the bowling ball trim back in place
more pics to come
09-16-2002, 11:13 PM
#26
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Originally posted by Nicky Pass
Thats the deck I want.......HOW MUCH????
Thats the deck I want.......HOW MUCH????
My installer may be able to get it for significantly cheaper than $500 CAD plus taxes...since his overhead is minimal due to his working out of his garage. He purchases all his products from the same wholesaler that all the shops in Vancouver purchase from.
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