audio system

[negrodaumus]

i have several questions. also have no idea about this stuff, so anyways.
first; i have a 2004 mazda 3 im woundering if i will have to buy a new cdplayer to hook up an amp or will the stock cdplayer be fine?
also if i get a class d monoblock amp are all subs fair game or is there style i need to look for.

 

[bgibb68]

they make a inline box that with give you amp outputs but if ya want good sound....replace your head unit and door speakers anyways......and yes with a mono amp you are open to all subs....you just have to watch for the power requirments.....

say you have a 800 wattrms amp 4ohms and wire up 2 800wattsrms subs.....you're gonna burn out the amp.....
if you get lower powered subs and crank up the amp you'll blow the subs....

just get an amp and subs that compliment each other

 

[negrodaumus]

ok thanks, also i have no idea what amp and sub to get suggestions?

 

[bgibb68]

look around and get some ideas....all subs are different as are amps.
what kinda sound are you looking for: good clean or bass ass loud and clean?

i run 2 12" kenwoods on a sony amp 1000watt rms at 4 ohm but i have the speakers in parallel witch drop it to 2ohm and the amp can push more power.

I've replaced all the doorspeakers and the HU and found an awesome deal on an enclipse 4ch 400watt rms amp and have that hooked up to the doors...

after you decide on subs you move on to the box: ported or sealed.

ported has big bass hits and hits hard. sealed doesn't go quite as low freq as a ported can but tends to have better upper low freq. the size(cubic ft) of the box is dependant on the subs themselves usually you can get that info off the manufactures website, even crutchfield has it. and then you can build or buy your box. i built mine it's 3.5 ft3 ported but each sub chamber is sealed.

wiring: you can buy a wiring kit that has everything, easy way to go. just run one wire from the + on the bat, put your main fuse top of compartment i have an 80 amp fuse, down the engine compartment and you can either find a hole, but i made one. i drilled a hole below and to the left of the gas pedal and brough the wire through and ran it down the driver side of the car. the neg can be grounded anywhere in the back where you put the amp. if you might add a second amp, go a head and put a distribution block in the back so you can easily hook up the second.

HINT: when you run the audio cables, keep them away from the power lines. you can get line noise off them

 

[bgibb68]

look at crutchfield....they have some of the best selection and reviews right there....if you find anything there search it online, possible to find it cheaper

 

[builthatch]

OP, you can get an MTX re-q to make your factory signal pristine. it will also allow you to use amplifiers with low level inputs for better sound quality. oh, and it gives you a specific subwoofer output set for use with a sub amp. super easy to hookup, you just tap into your stock speaker wires to get the signal.

they have things called 'line out converters' that are basic version of the re-q, but they don't restore the signal like the re-q. your radio as far as i know offers a signal that has significantly reduced dynamics, in order to reduce distortion with the lame factory speakers.

if i were you...

i'd get the re-q (does your car have tweeters in the sail panels inside where the mirrors are? just curious) anyway, i'd get either a good set of 6.5" coaxial speakers like the alpine type r set or something like the alpine type r component set that has both the tweeters seperate from the woofers. These require more installation work though. the coaxials might be just fine for you.

then i'd get a nice 4 channel amp, use the front two channels for your front speakers, leave the rear speakers stock and powered by the stock head unit, and then bridge the rear two channels of the amp to power one 8" woofer in a nice, properly designed ported box. the boxes they sell premade will not work; you should spend the money to have someone either build you one based off of your woofer and a program, or possibly have someone walk you through designing the box with a program like winisd and you build the box yourself. depends on how adventurous you are.

so, 'big' parts list is-

mtx re-q
front speaker set
4 channel amp
8" sub in a ported box

small parts would be stuff like patch cables, wire, amp wiring accessories, etc.

the hardest part would be running the speaker wire from the amp to the speakers in the front doors, but it's not THAT difficult.

i have a very similar setup in my car. i've posted a few pics of where i installed my amp and re-q, etc. i didn't need the re-q because my bose signal is nice and flat, but i wanted it anyway because of it's flexibility. i also am running a big sub in a huge box, but it's a personal preference. i'd probably be happy with an 8" woofer, i just overdid it.

 

[strytnyne]

wish i could be bothered with car audio again, used to be so big into it sql ftw.. but love the perfomance of not having excess weight.

 

[builthatch]

wish i could be bothered with car audio again, used to be so big into it sql ftw.. but love the perfomance of not having excess weight.

hey a little 8 wont hurt that! if it matters that much, you can drive around on max a half of a tank.

 

[bgibb68]

i practically live in my car so i require good sound......big sound i like so i can drown out all the other idiots

 

[negrodaumus]

i have no tweeters and am broke so if its possible i would like to buy only an amp and a sub. thinking of going for a 12"

 

[bgibb68]

that is def a good start....all in all i have about 700 in my system....i built the box, did the whole install soo....you can get away with a lot for lil

 

[builthatch]

i have no tweeters and am broke so if its possible i would like to buy only an amp and a sub. thinking of going for a 12"

just don't overpower the output of those speakers by having too much bass!!

hmmm...

is your car a hatch or sedan?

 

[bgibb68]

and where do you live??

 

[bgibb68]

wish i could be bothered with car audio again, used to be so big into it sql ftw.. but love the perfomance of not having excess weight.

i can help ya out

 

[negrodaumus]

sedan and i live in canada so that wont really work

 

[bgibb68]

if you build your own box it's easy as hell....just need a table saw and trust me if you don't have one then someone you know does.....if you let me know about the subs....i can come up with the dimeninsions of the cuts and how to on the box

 

[strytnyne]

hey a little 8 wont hurt that! if it matters that much, you can drive around on max a half of a tank.

ahha ima just pick me up a set of DLS 5x7's down the line
http://www.mobilesq.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=27_50_53_62&products_id=86
installed it in my cousin's accord, sounded really really good even unamped.
but i miss the hell out of the type r components i had in the integra, paired with that elemental design nine.5 amp match made in heaven.
if it came down to it though this would be the 8" of choice for me
Image Dynamics ID8V.3
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=2643
with a Diamond Audio D5 300.2 amp
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=188
...budget sq ftl

edit: oh great u got me looking at the devil's goods again