Car Audio Systems (1 Viewer)

[Chad_Louis]

Just curious what people on this board have for sound in their cars. I have actually spent the last few years heavily involved in SQ type car systems. You wouldn't believe how hard it can be to find truly audiophile grade components for a car . . . anyway, here is my system:

Head Unit: Sony 8850 Has 7 band EQ with 8 customizable presets, DSP, time alignment with seat position selector (HIGHLY valuable for getting imaging in a car), and a an anti skipping cache. This was a Mobile ES unit from a couple years ago before Sony bastardized the line . . . the new Mobile ES is junk . . .

Amplifier: Xtant 603x. This is a three channel amp that tests out at 90 watts x 2 up front, with 360 watts into 2 ohms for the sub channel. Has built in 24 dB/oct x-overs and a built in noise gate. Audiophile quality.

Processor: Xtant P500 A 5 band fully parametric (each band is 20hz-20khz, 1-10 Q, -+18 dB) EQ.

Subs: Two Oz Matrix 200L 4 ohm subs in parallel. Loaded in a 1.5 ft^3 box ported and tuned to 28 hz.

Anyway, its a very nice system IMO. I am thinking about adding some rear fill to get better ambience.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Just wondering, Chad, how you can call this an "audiophile system" if the only speakers are subs?

 

[Michael Cook]

I remember back in 1989 and 1990 when I first got into car audio. All I wanted was bass!! I was 18, so that might have something to do with it. Anyway, one of my systems consisted of 4 12" woofers and 2 tweeters and 2 midrange. I look back and laugh about that now.

 

[Justin Lane]

I have a pretty modest system in my truck (2001 Ford Ranger Edge) right now.

Phoenix gold 5x7 coaxials in the front running off a Precision Power Power Class (PC100 i think) amp.

For a sub I am using a 12" Kicker Solobaric running off a MTX amp giving out about 400 watts power. This is really overkill for my listening tastes right now, but was carried over from the install I did on my last car.

Rear fill is accomplished with just the factory speakers.

Head unit is the factory unit, because I could not justify getting rid of it. It is a 6 disc in dash player with RDS capability.

Overall I am very happy with my system. I would like to throw in some equalizaion for fine tuning, but I have been too busy of late to actually have the time to take apart my daily driver and do some extensive work.

I also have a mobile DTS/Circle surround decoder I will hook up if I ever go nuts and decide to do some mobile video, but this again requires time and probably some extensive interior modification that I can't get up the nerve to do yet on my truck until it is a little older.

J

 

[Ches Campbell]

Cool Thread.
I started out more in to car audio than home. I am really in to SQ so SPL isn't really important to me.
Head Unit: Alpine 7873 cd player.
AMp: Xtant 3300x. 60x2 for fronts and 360x1 for sub
Speakers: a/d/s (forgot model number and am too lazy to go look) 5.25 components. Did have Focal Polyglass 6.5"s but wouldn;'t fit in new car so I made them in to home speakers. The a/d/s's are in custom built fiberglass door pods made by me. Covered in matching vynil.
Sub: Image Dynamics IDQ 10DVC in custom made downfiring box.
All wiring from Lightning audio including Zero Noise interconnencts.
about 50 sq ft of Dynamat
All install done by myself.
I am very pleased and for the first time (i have been re doing and upgrading more and more for 3 year) content with my system.
I owuld love to compete one day. Right now I have been concentrating more on my HT so I will have to wait a few years and make a few changes to be able to be successful.
Justin,
SOunds like a nice system. I love the amp and subs, but what Components do you have? I am guessing you MUST have some since you have those extra two channels on the Xtant.
Later

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Here is my setup it's no show stopper but it's a clean
professional install that can be removed and reverted to
factory in a matter of minutes with no cut wires. The focus
is clarity with just enough bass to fill in. I am running
subs that most audio newbies would never even recognize.
My subs are nearly 10 year old Rockford Fosgate Series 1's
if anyone can remember back that far

This is installed in my daily driver (beater) 95 Dodge Stratus. My 2000 Corvette has a stock BLOSE system (which I
rarely even turn on) and my 68 Corvette has no system at all
but does make pretty music thanks to 450 horse power
P.S the subs in this image are the newer style.. I could not
find any pictures online of my old Series 1's to use when I
was making this schematic.

 

[Jeff_Krueger]

Posted this before in another similar thread but here we go again
Head unit: Eclipse 5341 (in dire need of replacing due to horrible skipping problem.
Front speakers: JL Audio XR 5.25CS
Powered by: Nakamichi PA1002
No rear fill
Sub: JL Audio 12W0 in ported box
Powered by: Rockford Fosgate punch 60x2 (1997 model)
Up comming upgrades the sub will be replaced by a 12W3 in a custom sealed fiberglass enclosure built by myself. The front components will be reinstalled in new fiberglass door pods that will also be built by me. Would like to get some kind of equalization, kind of like some of the pro-sound stuff out there but adapting to 12V might be too much of a pain. Everything installed by myself, I would love to compete also but most everything seems dominated by shop done installs.
The end result when it's done (which nothing ever is in car audio and HT ) will be a system with attention to SQ and functionality, the new fiberglass sub box I've been working on will take up virtually no usable space, because it will fit entirely behind the passenger side wheel well, the amps will be encased in a false floor leaving spare tire access unhindered.

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Jeff,
If you want a Pro Sound Processor/Equalizer I would advise
you to look into the Pioneer DE-Q. The DE-Q is a full
DIN Processor/Parametric Passive EQ network that has a remote
mount "brain" connected to the full DIN faceplate (detachable)
via a din cable.
I installed a system in my friends Firebird Formula ragtop
and we installed the display for the DE-Q in the windsheild
headder pillar (made a new headder pannel out of fiberglass
and recovered it) and then we installed the brain unit in the
back of the car.
The DE-Q comes with an acoustic michrophone that you can use
to do an EZ acoustical setting of the car's cabin acoustics
or you can forgo the mic and tweak it on your own. In addition
to being an EQ the DE-Q also has numerous DSP Processing options.
A very worth while product IMHO

 

[Jeff_Krueger]

While that Pioneer unit is nice I was thinking of something like this with a port in the glove box for programming and the remote selector unit for pulling up different EQ curves.(I've never had any experience with the rane unit but it seemed pretty interesting none the less.) However I bet it would be a bit out of my price range. I have been considering some of the Audio Control Eq's also. Right now though the absolute next thing I must get for the car system is a new headunit and that alone will be an agonizing decision itself. I love the idea of having one of the Alpine monitor units but too damn pricey.
It's ever so much fun trying to balance upgrades between car and HT I still don't have a Sub for my HT:frowning: but will be building a Tempest based one soon hopefully.

 

[ryan davis]

Right now I have:
head unit-clarion 9675z
front stage-illusion audio 8" midbass in the kicks, ch-1 horns under the dash.
subs-illusion audio nd-12" (2)
powering everything-precision power pcx 4125
equalizers- 3 image dynamics idq-31 (two for left to right imaging, one for rta scores)
Streetwires used throughout.
For sound deadning, i used about 4 70sq ft rolls of b-quiets brown bread, and about 3 gallons of there bq-2 liquid sound deadener. Needless to say, my car is DEAD!
One hell of a system that i put together for under $2000. I installed everything myself, with the help of a couple buddies when needed of course. I compete in local shows when they come around here, which isnt often. Im planning on upgrading my amp to brax or arc audio, maybe getting an IDMAX when the 15" model comes out. Thats about all

 

[Jeff_Krueger]

Ryan how have you done in your local Comps? I have yet to make it out to any around here even just to check out some of the systems, there are not too many that come around here. How do you like those Illusion Audio mid's? I could use a little more midbass upfront my self but hopefully when I redo the doors I can resolve that issue somewhat.

 

[Rob Kulp]

Install in progress.....
Eclipse 5341 Head Unit
Eclipse 2101 EQ
Rockford Fosgate 800.4
Rockford Fosgate bd1000
Front Doors:
MB Quart PSC-216 6.5" components
Rear Doors for Midbass:
JBC 6.5" woofer
MB Quart 12" PWD-304 Subwoofer will be down firing mounted in the center console of my 2002 Chevy Avalanche.
Pictures here:
Link Removed
Rob Kulp

 

[ryan davis]

Jeff, i do pretty well in my local comps, usually come home with first place for sq and second or third for spl. No realy competition around here. The illusions are great for midbass, plus have a very shallow mounting depth. I have them crossed over at 55hz and they keep up with my subs very well. The only problem is the motor structure is on the outside so you have to worry about dust and other things getting in there. If your going to be putting them in the doors, you better get yourself a heck of a lot of deadening material

 

[Mike Burke]

Installed in my Crappy 1999 Mercury Cougar (worst car I have ever owned!!) is:
Kenwood Excelon KDC-7015 (I think that's the model)
A/D/S P640 amp
Boston Acoustic 6.4 Pro Series mains (stock rears off the headunits power)
JL Audio 10 Powerwedge
Monster Cable Interconnects and Speaker wire.
My car's layout actually was conducive for a nice stereo system. The doors have these little pockets where I mounted my tweeters and I get great imaging. That A/D/S amps is well worth the $$$!! I used a 10in sub for I wasn't looking to be heard before seen coming down the street. A close family friend is a Berklee College of Music grad and he felt I did a great job in producing an accurate reproduction of sound.
What's funny is my buddy who helped me install it had a nicer setup then mine and when he sold that car he bought the same exact equipment as me except the 8000 series Excelon unit. Now the downside..I am getting rid of my car soon and I have to de-install the whole thing! UGHH!!!
Mike

 

[George Martin]

Well,

there seem to be some pretty nice systems listed above

so I'll just list mine too.

Eclipse 5302 head unit

Audio Control EQX II

Audio Control ESP-2

PPI PC200 (2ea) 2x100 watts

Eclipse 8712.8 subs (2)

Eclipse 8062 seperates (made by VIFA)

optima 1000cca blue top battery

160 amp hot alternator

 

[Chad_Louis]

damn. How did I overlook my front set!! They are Focal Utopia (also called JM Labs in the home audio) 165W Utopias. 6.5" drivers with titanium tweets. So anyway, now that I have finished the story . . .

As for the guy who has the Illusions: those are some of my favorite peices. I installed an ND-12 sub in my sisters car. Only thing I have heard that sounds better and more detailed than the OZ subs I have.

 

[Donald Shrum]

I am running a decent sounding system.
Clarion 9255 cd head unit
Phoenix Gold 450ZX and 500ZX
Phoenix Gold 30 band EQ
Focal utopia 4" and 1" tweet
Image Dynamics 6" mid bass
Focal 38VX 15" sub
www.tmrmzine.com

 

[Leon Shing]

Sony Cdx-c90 h/u
2 Arc Audio 4150's
1 Arc Audio 2500
1 Idmax 12"
Rainbow pro silk tweeters
Focal Audiom 6.5" midrange
Focal Utopia 8" midbass in kicks
PPI 3 way active xover
Link Removed