building first system (1 Viewer)

[BradleyS.]

I just got my first truck today and i'm going to start redoing the stereo system here pretty soon. I bought a 2001 chevy z-71 with an extended cab and without on-star. I need some recomendations on some good speakers, subs, how to make boxes, and wether or not I need to exchange the reciever. I'm not going to be listening at really loud music, I just want a good sounding system with some good bass.

 

[David.G]

first upgrade should be the headunit. Makes all the difference on the speakers. I'd recommend a mid level Eclipse HU. Great SQ and features. Next i'd add an amp and sub, ED K series is a good sub and great price...sells for 75$ on their site. JBL 600.1 would run it well(300@4ohms). How many subs are you looking for? I'd suggest two 8" if you want SQ and not too much SPL. 10" if you want little bit more SPL. CDT audio Classical series components will sound great in the cabin. I'd suggest the CL-5 series. You can build an enclosure in a couple different places if you're good with your tools. Either extend the center console into the rear middle seat or see if under the seats you can put a sub under there. Doesn't take too much to make a truck have a decent setup.

 

[BradleyS.]

I was thinking either a 10 or a 12 on the subs.I was wondering if it is possible to put a sub behind the seat? Do you recommend the infinity kappa series speakers?Thanks!

 

[Greg_R]

Bradley,
For not-so-loud music, a carefully selected 10 or 12 would work fine. Yes, you can put a sub behind the seats (this is the typical location on pickups and there are many pre-built boxes that fit this area). The Kappas are nice, but I think you can get a better bang/buck by investigating less mainstream brands. For example, compare Adire and CDT to the Kappas or JL offerings...

 

[BradleyS.]

Can anyone instruct me on how to build a box to go behind my rear seat, or some places to buy them. what other subs would you recommend?

 

[David.G]

ok, to answer subs, there are no better deals the K series...get the 12" and a JBL 600.1 runs you combined 250$. People always mount there subs behind the seats and i haven't figured out why since the subs got to move air. If i were you i'd mount it under the seat. Measure the subs top mount depth...then take the rear seat out and measure it floor to seat. How high does it sit off the floor? I'm hoping 1.5" because then you could make a fiberglass box with a MDF bracing ring for the sub. Also if you wanted you can do what i did in my car and made an enclosure to extend my centerconsole so in the rear seats there is no middle leg room, its take by a JL 6W0. O yes, Infinity Kappa are alright but since you guygs are on this forum you all know what good sound is. Infinity Perfects were good for me until i hear my ED. MSAMAG stated that ED subs show how to play low frequencies well. period.

 

[Kevin G.]

"Can anyone instruct me on how to build a box to go behind my rear seat, or some places to buy them. what other subs would you recommend? "
David is right, under the seat is best in the new Silverado. The seat is fastened to the back panel in the chevy by hooks, so the seat can flip up for additional storage. I don't think you'll get anything behind.

 

[BradleyS.]

Well I think I decided to go with the infinity kappa 63.5i 3-way speakers for the fronts and the 52.5 for the rears. Site says they fit, but I would like a second opinion just to be safe. I can't seem to find anything about the ED subs, can you give me a site?

 

[David.G]

www.edesignaudio.com

 

[David.G]

ok,sorry that was a short post for just the website....i hadn't been able to post links until 15 posts or something like that. They're website may be down since they are redoing it. I think their alternate website is www.audiohole.com I called them today to ask about the O series but i was talking and their subs take even less RMS than they rate it at. The K series runs 75$ and you could run it with 150-200RMS pretty well. You could always buy the DVC version K series and run it with a small 200RMS @ 2ohm amp. Those amps run pretty cheap on ebay. I'd get a Hifonics or DEI amp. If you haven't bought the speakers yet may i suggest getting just one pair of 3 way components. I think that would sound better than any coaxial. Really most car audio people say coaxials suck. I don't like them because they can't play as loud or as clear as components and components lend to a better soundstage. A truck, even extended cab, still is a small area. You could mount the tweet high on the dash so it bounces off the windshield. The larger midwoofer could go in the stock door location, and the smaller midrange woofer can go in the rear. If you get good enough components the tweets bouncing off the windshield will create a very neutral sound for the cabin so its not a harsh front left and right. May i suggest you look at the CDT Classic series components. They are very nice sounding, and the tweet is a mix of warm and hard tweets.

 

[Greg_R]

Huh? A rear placement will move just as much air as an under-the-seat implementation. Of course, under the seat is more out of the way (but usually more install work).

 

[David.G]

I'm mixed about the rear placement compared to the under the seat. Most of the enclosures i see faced towards a seat in a car are ported. In a truck though its not. I can't see how having a seat right in front of the sub will help it out if its a sealed box. Me personally, if you know how to do fiberglass is make an enclosure for under the seat. If you fiberglass it you can make it to any shape. WHat you do is tinfoil off a large area. Make sure the foil is on tight to whatever surface so that fiberglass comforms to the exact shape needed. If i were doing it i'd do 5out of my 6 sides of my enclosure, the top, left, right, bottom and back. After you lay down one or two layers of fiberglass let it sit overnight. Remember to open your windows cause that stuff stinks. Next day take the mold out of the car and add some more layers. I would suggest adding one layer of fleece and then one layer of speaker carpet. The carpet takes a lot of resin but is very strong and takes less layers than fiberlass matting. Since you did 5 sides, the last side should be the side where the sub is mounted. You can go two routes here. Either one make sure the opening has very level sides and mount a 1/2" MDF on it for the sub to mount into. You'd need to go back and fiberglass the sides down, use caulking to seal any leaks, and then fiberglass the insides of it. I'd put little screws too on the hardened fiberglass the overlays on the MDF. Or the second choice is to just fiberglass another side. This way leads to a more custom look since you can alter the shape and give it a different look rather than a straight board. If you fiberglass the side the sub mounts to i'd say only speaker carpet. I'd do the first layer across the opening and let it dry. Then cut out the opening for your sub. To ensure the sub has a good mounting, i'd cut a spacer for the sub out of 1/4 MDF. Or at least put MDF blocks where you know the sub will screw into. Then after you have the sub opening make i'd go in and put some resin on the inside of the opening and put some more carpet on before the resin hardens. After that dries i'd stick one more layer of fleece on the entire insde to make sure its all sealed. With the layering of the inside you may lose a little area, .15 I you want a pic tutorial of to atleast start it i could give you one when i get on my home PC. in thie tutorial the guy is doing it for his trunk and doesn't use carpet but its the same idea and will give you a start on it.

 

[BradleyS.]

Thanks for the info on the sub box. I would definitely like some pictures if possible. I cant see how you could put a sub behind my seat because there is no room at all, and I would have to totally remove the rear seat to install it. How do you place the sub box? Is it under the middle rear seat and where does the sub face?

 

[David.G]

http://web.njit.edu/~cas1383/proj/main/

thats good basic page to show how to do things on a simple level. Really if you understand the stuff on there and are confident in your own skills with tools and don't mind practicing ( doing it once or twice) than go for it. Some trucks I've seen them mount the subs with the cone facing into the bottom of the seat....
http://www.cdtaudio.com[/url]
take a look at their truck install and look at there subs and mounting. You could do it that way. Many trucks have the form built from the wall and have the thing in a thin box where the backside panel's insides are indented to allow the sub to sit without contact on the wall. I'd say do fiberglass since its thinner and can be just as strong. Or do 1/4" MDF and 1 layer of fiberglass on the inside of the box.