goMO

2002 TL-S w/Navi.

Replaced HU with older Kenwood Excelon deck. Bypassed Bose EQ. Will be installing Polk DB650 comps in the doors and Polk 5.25's in the back doors. have Kenwood Excelon 4-channel amp for that. So I think I set for speakers.

Will the factory sub keep up with that? My tastes are rock and blues; not much rap/hip-hop.

Assuming the factory sub won't cut it, can I just replace the sub in that enclosure or should I do a 10" or something like that in the trunk?

thx!

D.Greenwood13

I would do a decent 10"

goMO

Do you guys like the JL subs? How 'bout the Polk Momos?

mattastick

JL's are overpriced if you ask me. They're quality subs, but you can get the same quality for less than half the cash. As for the Momo's, anything with a Polk name on it is going to be solid. I have a set of the MMC6500 comps, and they're great. I don't have any experience with the subs, but I would assume the same quality.

I'd run either a single 8 or 10, ported and tuned nice and low (28-30hz if the sub will take it). Look into companies like Resonant Engineering, Acoustic Elegance, Revolution Designs, etc. These companies have subwoofers designed to be very musical on small amounts of power. The AE's are looking mighty good for my next build, and I've used RD in the past with great results.

goMO

thanks! how about sub amps? is a 300w 2 channel amp ok for my needs? Does a sub need a 1 channel amp or the 2 is ok? Like I said, I'm only playing Rock and Blues, so I'm not blowing things out.
thx!

mattastick

You should be fine with either one. Just make sure a 2 channel amp is bridgeable. I know Soundigital has a very very very small 400w amp out for $200 right now... That little thing is a monster, and could suit your needs depending on the coil combination of the sub you go with. Here's a link to a thread about it: http://www.caraudioclassifieds.org/f...ad.php?t=11311

goMO

Thanks Matt - are you really 19? You really seem to know your stuff!

goMO

just thinking out loud here... will a 4-channel amp power the two front speakers and the sub? and the back speakers be powered just from the HU?

mattastick

Yes I am 19, and yes that is possible. I know a guy doing it in his 350Z right now... You just need to make sure that your sub can give you (generally) a 4 ohm final load, and that the power output of the amp is similar to what your sub will like. He's running an MB Quart 4125 amp powering a set of Rainbow SLC265.2ng components in the front and an ID V.3 12" sub off the rear channels. Seems like it sounds pretty good. I haven't heard it in person (he lives in Tulsa, OK) but from the vids I've seen of it, I'd guess it sounds pretty good.

http://www.caraudioclassifieds.org/f...ead.php?t=3767 There's a build log. It's a very long and detailed one, so watch out...

eggyhustles

sealed si mag
sealed ssa dcon
sealed/ported id max

those 3 would sound fantastic for a small setup

mattastick

Eggy, check these out: http://aespeakers.com/ They are hand made here in the good ol' US of A (Wisconsin actually) and look to be some pretty sweet SQ drivers. I'm considering one for a 29.9 bassrace project...

goMO

I have the Kenwood Excelon 4 channel amp. So if I use two channels to power the front comps, and the other two to bridge to the sub, I should be ok (assuming the right sub).

The 5.25 polks in the back can just run off the HU. Cool..

Not sure that's what I'll do, but I wanted to know if it was an option.

thx!

eggyhustles

got a link to that amp? i would personally use 2 amps..

those look nice...

mattastick

http://www.woofersetc.com/p6719/KACX...-Amplifier.htm

I would guess that's the amp he's using, but I dunno... If so, it does 300w bridged so maybe a Sundown E8 would work ported and tuned low... That's probably what I'd do, or go active and use that amp for your front comps, and a separate sub amp.

Yeah, eggy, I'm thinking about getting one with the Lambda motor upgrade so it'll handle 1kw daily. Fun new box build, active front stage, and a new sub amp, and it should be quite a bit of fun...

eggyhustles

yeah a e8 would do good off 300

goMO

What do you think of the Polk subs and Rockford amp in this add? Its $100 for both.

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/ele/1225279047.html

eggyhustles

trash

mattastick

The only thing that's decent out of all that is the 1 Rockford amp, and I'd only give maybe $15-20 for it... In the world of car audio, you get what you pay for. Remember that, and keeps "deals" like that one out of your head...

goMO

bummer.

I don't understand why two Polk 10's and a Rockford Amp wouldn't be decent.

Why aren't the polks ok?

mattastick

I wouldn't buy gear like that from someone on Craigslist.... You don't know how that gear was treated, hence why I wouldn't give more than like $15 for that amp... You don't know if they absolutely cranked the gain on the amp, and it sent a clipped signal to the subs and started to ruin them...

goMO

yeah, but you gotta understand where I'm coming from. I have the factory sub and its worthless. For $100, this is a pretty big step up, no??

mattastick

http://www.caraudioclassifieds.org/f...586#post182586

Check out some of the stuff in that for sale thread. Steve's a good guy and builds some very solid subs. I ran an Alpha V.2 for awhile, and it was awesome.

Dbsborg

goMo, did you lose function of the nav system?? That's what Crutchfield says will happen if I replace my Bose head unit in my '00 TL. I understand voice will be gone for sure, I don't care about that.

goMO

no, the nav works fine. I did lose the voice, but like you, i don't really care about that..

fyi, the Kenwood Excelon amp I have is the KAC-X541.

Here's a link to some specs:
http://www.mobileonesales.com/product_p/kacx541.htm

I picked this up for $50.

Should I just use this for the fronts and sub, and leave the rear speakers to the HU?

mattastick

You could do that. Generally when people do something like that, they run a little bit higher powered amps, but with 240w to the sub, a Sundown E8 should do just fine in a small ported box tuned nice and low. That's what I'd do. Get the best components you can afford, and an E8, and go crazy. Oh, and make sure to post pics...

eggyhustles

damn that amp is weak as hell

mattastick

Yeah, he's going to need some efficient components. I'd go with Pioneers, either the REV's or the TSA's. Probably the REV's. I know a guy running a set of REV 6.5's with power from an Alpine 9886, and they keep up with his ~5500w substage pretty well, until you get up into the stupid loud region (~140+dbs).

goMO

I already have the Polk 6.5 components for the front.

I don't need you to hear me coming from ten blocks away! I just want good sound quality and decent volume.

I'll check out the Sundown 8 sub.

amuse_s2000

post some pics of your setup when you're done, im wanting to put a headunit in so bad, stock ones just doesnt play burnt cds well

goMO

ok, so I'm between a Sundown E8 and a JL 10. Would the JL be too much sub for my tastes and my amp?

mattastick

Which JL model? I can tell you that the Sundown will be much easier on your wallet, that's for sure...

goMO

W1v2

goMO

I know that's the lower powered JL, but that may be fine for my needs.

goMO

Matt - you have a PM.

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Take a look into the infinity basslink

eggyhustles

basslink can work too..

goMO

so for all of you who were riveted to this thread, here's where I ended up..

a Polk Momo 10" in a QLogic enclosure with minimal use. $79 shipped.

here's the link..

D.Greenwood13

No link?

goMO

hmmm. that's strange..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320388754873

D.Greenwood13

Doesnt seem like a bad deal, how does it sound in that Q Logic? What amp did u end up putting on it?