Deck/Amp/Sub $2000CDN, for $1300!

steefnap

Member
I need some feedback from all the audiophiles in here! I'm wanting to get an Alpine deck (7894 I believe, plays MP3's), Sub (new model JL W3 I think?) and Amp (MTX, regular price $700 or so) and get it all installed in my Pro5. I have a good hookup at A&B Sound in town here and I glanced at the retail price on all this gear, and it came to around $2000 for the whole setup. He is saving me a huge amount on the install, sub box, and all the hardware.

My question is... what sort of things do I need to be aware of before I drop this amount of cash for a little (lot?!?!) more "bump in my trunk"! I've heard good things about the new JL's, and he is giving me a smoking deal on the amp, as well as the deck.
 
Make sure the box is secured to the floor or it will fly all over the place. Are you amping the front speakers aswell or just the sub. The deals maybe becuase the model year is ending. The 7894s replacement should be in stores in a month or 2.

A 12W7 with a 33 watt rms amp is more then enough to make you want to start dynamatting and searching for rattles. So be ready to do that.

It would help if we had the exact model numbers for the amp and sub.

I assume thay are running all the wires and building the box?
 
who is your contact @ A&B Sound? i always get my Stuff from a guy named Jeff V., he works @ the A&B in the NE
 
Make sure you get a box that is fit to the dimensions specified by the sub manufacturer. If you can spare the cash, get it custom built for better results. It'll run you about $100-$150 CDN for a custom and maybe $60-100 for pre-built. It's not much to upgrade, just have to find someone willing to build it for you.

Your amp is probably MTX's 6500D. That will out put 500 W RMS. It's a good amp. I'm running the older model of that, the MTX 500D which has the exact same specs except its older. I bought it second hand and it runs well. Doesn't get too hot.

Your sub is probably a 10/12" W3v2 which runs at 300 W RMS. Your amp will definitely run your sub fine. However, I'd suggest you ensure that you're getting a dual 2 ohm. This will run you at 4 ohms right now. Your amp will push 500W RMS at 4 ohms and so you should be covered. As well, if you decide to add another sub into the mix, that will drop your impedence to 2 ohms and your amp should put out somewhere between 775 and 1000 W RMS. Once again, you'll be safe.

If for some reason you can't buy a dual 2 ohm and you have to settle for a dual 4 ohm. You'll be running at 2 ohms right now. And later on when you want to upgrade to 2 subs, you'll either have to push your amp to 1 ohm (I don't suggest this). This will then void your warrantee and you run the risk of blowing it. I don't believe MTX's 6500D is 1 ohm stable. It may be, but once again it'll void your warrantee. DVC 2 ohms are kind of hard to come across in retail stores sometimes.

You should be able to get away with 8 gauge wiring. When I set everything up, I bought an 8 gauge wiring kit. I'm running 500 W RMS to my subs so you'll definitely be fine. Maybe if you intend to upgrade, get a 4 gauge installed now because the components in a 8 gauge kit and a 4 gauge kit are different. Get it right now rather than later?

Some people have said that it's cheaper to purchase parts from the kit seperately. I haven't confirmed it but I suspect that will probably be right. Do some research.

I don't know what your deck goes for retail, I don't even know much about that deck. Sorry, can't give any feed back on it. Just ensure that it's detachable and make sure you take it everywhere you go. I bought one with a motorized flip. I take it with me even though it "hides".

Have you checked the second hand market? I bought my deck from retail since I got it near cost price from a friend. The speakers were also bought from retail from that same person. However, when I invested in my low-end, I got it all second hand. Everything was pretty much below cost at that point with the sacrifice of not having brand new stuff. Lot's of people try to get rid of their stuff even if it's less than 6 months old. Maybe check it out?

Otherwise, good choices on your selections. Sounds like a good start to a "bumpin" system.
 
Okay, here's the scoop.

pr5owner - At the same A&B in the N.E, I deal mostly with Scott G. (in computers). He introduced me to Rob in the Car Audio section. Because of several reasons, I'm always WELL taken care of when I go there, ergo the drop in price. Bao is doing the install on Wednesday.

Everyone else: Here's the exact stuff I'm getting...

Alpine 7892 deck
( http://ecominet2.alpine-usa.com/pls...7892&p_category=10&p_subcategory=20&p_main=10 )

JL 10W3V2D4 10" Dual 4ohm 250W Subwoofer
( http://www.jlaudio.com/subwoofers/10w3v2.html )

MTX Thunder 8302 425W 2ch Amplifier
( http://www.mtx.com/caraudio/archive/thunder8302.cfm )


1st MP3 in NH: I believe he is using the amp to power all the speakers, not just the sub. Unless I get a second sub or perhaps way better speakers, I would probably get a new amp to handle the stock speakers. What would be the best way to secure the amp box in the back? I'm not so sure I want to give up my spare tire, those things can be lifesavers. The only thing I can think of is to have it right below the light in the cargo area, but I'm not sure if I'm willing to pay huge dollars to get custom fibreglassing enclosures put in the back there. What do you think about something as simple as using those cargo hooks in the back to somehow tie the sub box down?
 
I just realized that I messed up the numbers on the first post.
OOOPS!

You need the 10W3v2D2, the D4 is the wrong sub for that amp. It can only be wired to either, only get 1/2 the amps power or to kill the amp.
GET THE D2!

Since you are not using a door speaker amp, you should think about getting the alpine 7893 instead since it has the V-drive internal amplifier. It is $350 retail.

Here are the USD retail prices of everything.

Here are the USD reatail prices:
7892 - $280
10W3(D4 or D2) - $199
MTX8302 - $350
Properly built sub box - $100
Amp wiring - $85
Ampi install - $55
Head unit install - $45
 
I'm going to suggest that you get a class D amplifier. MTX's 6500D will suit your needs perfectly. But, it will cost more. However, considering the prices you seem to have taken into consideration in your initial post, I think that should fit fine.

The headunit seems like a good choice. I'm liking the colour scheme of the 7893 HU however.

The subs will do fine with your current amp. But that's it for that amp, if you want to add more subs, prepare to purchase another amp. Ensure to get your hands on the D2, you're better off in the short and long run.
 
I just noticed that the amp is a discontinued model, the Thunder502 seems to be the closet current model. I am not realy sure of there rotation into stores though.

The 6500D is way over kill for a single 10W3.
 
1st MP3 in NH said:
I just noticed that the amp is a discontinued model, the Thunder502 seems to be the closet current model. I am not realy sure of there rotation into stores though.

The 6500D is way over kill for a single 10W3.

If he has any intention to increase the number of subs, he should invest in a good amp to begin with. Amp are not cheap to purchase and if he's got the cash now, he won't have to dish it out later. As well, the 6500D is a class D amp where as the 502 is (?) not.

However, I'm just looking up at the MTX site now and it seems their new stock is up. So that 6500D doesn't even exist anymore?

Looking at what they have now, I'd suggest either a
1) Road Thunder 251D
2) Thunder 251D

Those are your bare minimums and they require that you run a DVC 4 ohm so that your impedence drops to 2 ohms. Class D will run cleaner as it's meant to handle low-end applications and it's more efficient.
 
Hey, I think I dealt with the same guy as you steefnap...does he have glasses? I think he has a goatee too...mb not...oh well...as for the stuff, I got a good deal from whoever as well (cant remember name), I almost got that deck as well, but I opted for the Clarion as he gave me a really good deal, I think $300 including tax...mb a little less...as for my box, I got that for $100 at the Soundsaround sale thing they have each year along with my PG amp kit for $40, I also got my amp and sub for $100 a piece, install was about $100 for everything as I got a really good deal for the amp sub install from a guy I know at FS right by the AB. So in total for deck, amp, amp kit, sub, box, its around $750 installed....including my speakers, it rounds up the total to around $1000 CDN btw...
 
protege52nr - umm.. I dunno... Rob doesn't have a goatee or glasses. ~lol~ I'm not sure who you're talking about.

As for the choice of equipment, as it was explained to me the MTX would be able to handle a couple of those same subs if I decided to get a second one in the future. And it was a really good deal. And I could have opted for the Alpine 7894 (plays MP3's, plus better wattage/RMS per speaker), but it's already starting to strain the available resources I had available for this purchase to begin with. I think I'll be happy with the setup, honestly. I don't think that they would screw me around. And I'm not as well-versed in some of the nuances of high-end audio like most of you people are, but I'd wager that I wouldn't notice a huge difference anyways if I went with slightly different parts than what you all are suggesting. Not to say that your suggestions aren't valid -- or valued, because they are! That's why I posted in this forum, I enjoy getting feedback from those who have had experience with stuff I haven't! :)
 
The difference between the 7892 and 7893 or 7894 is very noticable.

The power on the amp you listed is

Power 12.5 VDC Input
2 Ohm Load 150 w x 2
4 Ohm Load 75 w x 2
Bridged 4 Ohm Load 300 w

Power 14.4 VDC
2 Ohm Load 212 w x 2
4 Ohm Load 120 w x 2
Bridged 4 Ohm Load 425 w

Even if you look at the 14.4 volt stats, which are kind of unrealistic since the car can't maintain 14.4 volts under load. The best you can do with the 10W3v2D4 is wire the voice coils to each amp channel seperately, which is highly unsuggested, and you will get 120 watts a channel but th esub may not last long since the coils are not desinged to be run by seperate power sources. This will yeild 240 watts rms, the 10W3 wants 300, but the difference is negligable. With this sub in the future the amp can be rewired to yeild a 425 watts rms load but that is alomst 200 watts shy of what 2 10w3s want to have for power.

Now if you were to use the correct sub, D2, you could wire it for a 4 ohm load and get the 425 watts out of the amp, which the sub can handle. However when you want to add another 10w3 you won't be able to wire it to get the 425 watts again.
 
Well, I just called the store and they don't have any V2D2's in at all. However they do have the Alpine 7894's, so perhaps I'll bite the bullet and spend the extra hundred and fifty bucks or so to get it.
 
Unless you want MP3s there is no reason to go above the 7893. All the same features minus MP3 and its onle $70 more.
 
You should check out ebay! I am buying my whole system (minus the sub box) on ebay for about 1/3 of the retail price. And believe it or not you can buy new in the box products on ebay. That is how I bought 1 of my subs. Came to me new in the original factory box never opened. You can save yourself a crap load of money on ebay and have a super tight stereo system. Just my $.02.

Example:

I got my 2 kenwood subs off of ebay. KFC-W3005

Got 1 for $20.50 & and the other for $29.00. (Not including shipping, then it is $29.50 & $42.00). Either way, these subs retail for $130.00 - $150.00 according to Kenwood's web site.
 
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My buddy had a similar view until he smoked his set of MB quart Q series components and then realized why its best to buy with a warrenty.
 
I bought all my low-end stuff (sub and d class amp) off second hand. I bought the amp on gray market (claim) and the sub never used but I got it at cost price.

I find it safer when I can meet em, cause then if there's any problems, I have all their contact information.
 

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