Ok, so I finally sold my Tacoma last night, so now I have some cash to spend on speakers for my TSX. Im looking to replace every speaker. Any suggestions out there? I'd like to keep it under $500 if possible.

 

Alpine, Polk, Infinity brands have all been mentioned in previous threads. Searchie no workie?

 

Yea, I knew that was coming. I did do a search after I posted of course:shakehd:. I guess the polks or alpines should work.

Thanks me for helping me

 

Try doing a search on "Polk", "Alpine", and "Infinity" and see what you come up with. I did a lot of peeping on those threads a few months ago and had decided to upgrade using Alpine. SPS-690A for the rear deck and SPS-170A for the doors. I haven't upgraded yet (other priorities) but those were my choices.

 

I appricate it jlukja, thanks!

 

I just put the alpines in the rear deck and rear doors. Dont really notice any difference. Bass is a bit more defined, but not much at all. Im really disappointed with the rear doors. The highs aren't crisp, the lows aren't low. Is it the amp?
I really have to make the 6x9s full range.
I guess Ill do the fronts before I make the 6x9s full.

 

In the searches I did, it seems to be a mix bag of big difference or no diff at all. Im not too conserned with deep bass. I just want better mids and highs. I would think there would be SOME difference when going away from the stocks.

If I get an amp, should I get a 4 way to power the door speakers, or a 2 channel and just power the 6x9's?

 

$500 makes it hard to do everything...

but...

Maybe cut the baby in half, so to speak.

Get a 4-channel amp, upgrade the by-nines and the fronts, and leave the rear doors for another day.

I can't ever hear the rears anyway...

I'm about to put Alpine mids and tweets in the fronts and MB Quart 6x9 woofers-only in the back, with an Alpine 4-channel amp. Just paid my quarterly IRS tax bill, hope to get the system in in a month or so.

 

Yea, I hear that. I just called Al & Ed's here in T-mec. The guy told me I could do all 6 speakers (Eclipises, cant go wrong with that) and dynamat all doors for $500. Didnt ask about the amp, I'll just ask them when I get down there later this week.

 

That's the one by the Winchester exit, right? Be careful... each Al and Ed's is independently owned, and some of them have been changing hands lately... lotta staff turnover.

If they haven't added an amp to this car before, be careful. You might want to drive a ways to find someone who knows their way around this sort of install (Vista? Corona? SJC?)

 

Yes it is. Thanks for the heads up. How do you know this if you live in OR?

 

Bwaaa-ha-ha-ha-ha... I see all!

I used to live in Elsinore for a bit and then for years in SD North County, I have relatives in the Murrieta/Elsinore area, and a friend who lives off of Winchester. When I am in SoCal I stay at his house and stop at the Del Taco on Winchester for breakfast in the morning. I also tend to stop in stereo stores whenever I have time, just to check things out. The Vista Al and Ed's was in the middle of an ownership change about a month ago. Unfortunately, you don't have a lot of choices in your chain-store-infested town.

Everyone in your town drives at insane speeds in the AM... I was there at 6:30 on a dark winter morning with fog, and everyone was doing 65 - past the school! Jeezus!

 

hahaha. Nice...Most people drive fast here because most of them have hour commutes. Im one of the lucky ones that has an office out here, so my commute is about 10 min . But I still haul ass anyway.

I wish Mobileworks was still around. I used to go to them all the time when I lived in SD. Always had great service. I guess I could probably do this myself, but I just HATE taking the doors apart. Plus, I've never put in dynamat before so I dont know what to expect when installing that stuff.

So is there anyone you would suggest here? I though Al & Ed's would be like a Mobileworks since thats what they specialize in. You would think they would hire some compitent installers.

 

Hee hee... Mobilworks was the offspring of Mad Jacks, where I got my start back in the Reagan era. It's a resurrection weekend here on 91X.

I actually have a equest for recommendations in to a friend of mine up there - I'll let you know what comes back.

Anyway, I have a recommendation on Dynamat: use something else. Dynamat is asphalt-based, and you live in a very warm area. On hot days your car will smell like a road-patching crew every time you get in. I did Dynamat in my Trooper, and it worked great, but the smell was horrible in hot weather in Escondido - and you got hot weather there too.

Cascade Audio makes a product called Vibra-Bloc that is vinyl-based. It sticks better than Dynamat, according to the graphs and my personal experience works better on a per-pound basis (you have to use less, and the sheets are thinner). Here's a link:
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshow...=268-204&DID=7

It's easy to apply - you just need a heat gun. Hold it in one hand and get it really hot, and then it conforms to the shape beautifully. Get it hot when you put it on clean metal and it does NOT come off afterwards.

Anyway, I would recommend looking at the sticky up at the top on pulling the doors to decide if you want to do the damping yourself. It's not that hard. I would also put some on the rear deck to help reduce any buzzing on bass notes.

 

Wow, didnt know that about dynamat. Thanks for telling me. It does get hot out here for a couple of months out of the year. I just moved out here in Jan. Its been really nice though, I though it would be really hot by now. Thanks June gloom

 

Hey, joe, where did you live before?

So for installation are you looking at amp, f door speaks, r deack speaks, and damping material?

 

I used to live in La Mesa for quite a number of years. Miss it down there. I took a job in Irvine about 4 years ago, moved up there, and transfered out here about 5 months ago. The only decent place you can afford a house these days. And I just found out that a house similar to ours just sold for about 80K more then what we bought if for 5 months ago. Crazy, I couldnt even afford to buy my own house anymore

I think I would rather just go with an all speaker change. Here is what im thinking:

Alpine 6 1/2" Components up front SPS171A (can the tweeters be replaced with the ones in this set?)
Alpine 6 1/2 Door speaker for the rear SPS170A
Alpine 6x9's in the deck SPS690A

Unless you think I should just forgo the rear doors and get the amp instead? Should I get a 4 channel and just power the fronts and rear deck?

 

Just so you know, I am biased, because:

A) That's what I am going to do (Front doors, rear deck, 4-CH amp). I am going to run MB Quart by-nine woofs and not have any highs in the back, because...

B) I hate rear mid-high speakers. Unless you have regular rear-seat passengers listening to the stereo, I think they're not worthmuch. Good stereo sound depends on the music coming from in front of us.

But the Quarts ain't cheap and are kinda hard to find, and I'm not even totally certain yet that they'll fit. Still planning it out.

Regardless, I do think that F doors, by-nines, and a 4-channel amp will sound better than replacing all 6 speaks, but with the factory amp. The factory amp only plays bass to the by-nines, BTW. Unfortunately, a four-channel amp will cost more installed than a pair of 6" rear-door speakers, so it's not an even cost trade-off.

But here's how to cut the baby in half. Do the F speaks and the by-nines. Leave the amp AND the rears alone. See what you think. If the sound breaks up at the volumes you want to listen at, you need the amp. If you find that the lack of rear speakers is more disconcerting, address that instead.

The amp install *should* not be that big a deal, but you would want someone who either has done it before or who is halfway bright and will listen to instructions and can read. Then send him to this board and he can get all the data he needs. Hell, I'll even talk him through it if need be.

 

there is no point on wasting money on 6x9's if you are gunna get a sub. I did lots of research on this and the only thing they will do is make the sound louder. However it will distort the sound in the front. I spoke to numerous stero installers and they all said the same thing. If you are gunna spend money on speakers spend it on the front components, not on the 6x9's.

 

I would mostly agree, abrams (I think I know what you meant, and I am no fan of by-nines), but from what joerockt has said he is not planning on getting a sub.

If you're referring to my system, the by-nines will serve as the woofers, with Alpine X-series mids/tweets. No enclosure, no big round woofs. It's the sweetie's car. Done this sort of upgrade many times in the past and while it won't sound like there's a 12" in the trunk, it will be a huge improvement in sound quality and low-end response, and probably in volume level capability - but maybe not.

Maybe after we have kids this car will become mine and I can drop something in back... we'll see.

 

Yea, im not that intrested in dropping subs. In my truck I used to have I had two powered 8" bazookas that had some pretty good output. I still have them, so I may use them someday, but I'd rather not give up the trunk space.

Ok, well I'll try just going with the F's and rear deck and see how that sounds. If I can pickup an amp (and the installer knows what he's doing), then bonus.

 

With $500 I would do a JL Sub and amp for sub and replace front doors/tweeters... This would be a huge improvement to start. I have done this in VWs I owned at it made a HUGE difference in sound. Just the sub/amp combo transforms the stock system. The rears upgraded don't add that much in my opinion. I plan to do to my TSX in the near future.

 

What size sub? I really dont listen to rap, mostly rock, so I want to be able to "hear" the bass rather then "feel" it. Like I said, the 8's that I had I was really happy with.

Ok, so now I have another option of just replacing the fronts, and a sub with an amp to it. Would I go 4ch and power the fronts as well? Or just go 2ch bridged to the sub. In both cases, what wattage?

 

Below can be had for your price range and sounds incredible compared to stock. I would start with this and you can upgrade door/fronts later if desired. This will give nice bass (solid tight - not boomy - good for all music) and decent mid-bass as well.

To keep cost down...
single 10" JL Audio 10W0 (http://www.jlaudio.com/subwoofers/10w0.html) with a KX150.2 which is 150w bridged mono for sub (http://www.kicker.com/ShowPage.cfm?f...ml&menu=KXAMPS) and a qlogic sub box not vented (http://www.qlogic.ws/2003/products/q...productID=7175).

Approx Price:
Sub = $100
Amp = $100
Box = $65
Total = $265 + install

I would use seperate amp for sub and bridge mono and match watts to what sub needs for best performance. This combo above does that. I wish JL Audio would make a stealth box for the TSX so it would take up less room in trunk, but this QLogic box isn't that big, be amazed how it sounds for its size. I have had 8" before, but 10" sounds much better except in my home where my sub is (2)8's" w/ 500w B.A.S.H amp...

 

Very good advice (and what I would have told you back in the day if you'd come into my store: )

I have that 10" woofer in the JL Stealthbox in my '99 CR-V. It's a vented enclosure, so it's a bit less tight-sounding than it would be in the Q-Logic sealed box. The woofer has been in there for over 4 years and is going strong. (Rest of the system is Nak CD-40, Alpine old-school 50x4 amp, MB Quart reference 6 coaxes with Comp xovers, Alpine XM on the Nak aux in, flush-mounted in the headliner).

If you put 8's in that trunk, you might have trouble hearing them - the "armor plating" inside the folding seat-backs can muffle small woofers. A sealed-box 10" would be a great choice for listening to non-rap popular music - versatile, tight bass, not boomy (with enough power, and that Kicker amp should fit the bill). Wish I could negotiate that box space from the honey for her car : )

The install on that system is not too hard because they can tap off the by-nine wires in the trunk with a $25 Line-Output Converter - it's a much easier install (less demanding) than replacing the factory amp. If you went with a 4-channel amp, and upgraded the fronts and added the sub, you would need to pull the old amp and use the outputs from the head to the factory amp, and the install would be more involved and more technically challenging - FYI.

Good luck!

 

My wife cousin has been doing car audio for 24+ years and he did this for me based on what I wanted to spend at the time. He has done custom systems years ago for me, now need "wife" sensitve systems that take little to no room up....

 

Great advice guys, thanks. Elduderino, any word on who you think might be a good installer around here? Plan on visiting your family/friend down here anytime soon?

Seriously, I would do this install myself, but I want it done really clean. I dont have enough confidence to be certian to do it myself. And with all the requirements with having an amp, I know I would screw something up.

 

Hmmm. I won't be down for a while. Probably not till late July. Too bad, I'd love to do it.

I have sent out some messages... I'll see who replies. One guy just started coaching his kids' Little League team and said he's got no time.

 

Well, im not in any serious rush to do the upgrade. Im more concerned with getting it done the right way then just getting it done (too many horror stories about going through chains). SO, if you are really serious and think you can plan some time, let me know and we can work something out. I do realize you will be down here to visit your family/friends, so if you think it may take up too much time to do, no sweat, I understand.

I'll pm you my email address and #

 

Here's another thought....

US Acoustics USB-4085: $170 (85x4, 240x2 bridged)
CDT CL-61's (front components): $150
IDQv3 10" (sub): ~$100

Total: $420

the IDQ requires a very small sealed box, which should work well for rock and trunk space concerns.

if you can muster the confidence to install it yourself, the would-be install money can go to better equipment.

 

i remember when i wanted to just keep my audio upgrades under 500. haha, was i kidding myself...

 

Huh, great reviews for both CDT and IDQ, even though I've never heard of them!

Yet another option to consider

Thanks....

 

i love my mb quart components

 

Well, as you can see here it IS possible to do when you dont need a head unit.

But again, im not lookin for "4 twelves in the back till the windshield cracks"

 

i didn't replace the head unit, it's still stock. and i only have two 12s. all i'm saying is beware of the money pit that changing your stereo system can be.

 

Yea, I hear that. Thanks for the heads up!

 

dam jigga.
That avatar almost got me busted at work.

 

and if you plan on replacing the stock amp, you'll need to get a line driver also. alteast i did anyways, without the line driver my amp was clipping. which doesn't sound good, trust me. the stock headunit sends out a very weak signal, which a line driver is able to remedy.

 

So its an amp for the amp? heh, nice...

 

When you say that the amp was clipping, was it clipping because you had the input gains set really high (to make up for low signal from the head unit)?