b_real45

Hey guys, sounds crazy, but I'm already planning a sound system for a car I dont have yet. I kinda like to know things ahead of time... can ya blame me?!

Here's the system I'm currently looking to build... please give me some feedback letting me know if these products are good for the money.

Head Unit
Kenwood KDC-MP819 CD Receiver w/ MP3 .... $230
-or-
Pioneer DEH-P740MP CD Receiver w/ MP3 .... $250

Front Speakers
Infinity Kappa 572.5CF 5x7" 2-way .... $85 (pair)

Rear Speakers
Infinity Kappa 62.5l 6.5" 2-way .... $85 (pair)
-or-
Infinity Kappa 63.5l 6.5" 3-way .... $115 (pair)

Subwoofer
Infinity Kappa Perfect 12.1 12" 4ohm Sub .... $160
-or-
Kicker 02S12L5 Solo-Baric L5 12" Dual 4ohm .... $145

Speaker Amp
Rockford Fosgate Punch 500X 62.5watts x4 (@ 4ohm) .... $200
-or-
HiFonics Zeus Z4400 55watts x4 (@ 4ohm) .... $230

Subwoofer Amp
Rockford Fosgate Punch 300S 300watts x1 (@ 4ohm) .... $150
-or-
HiFonics Zeus Z4000 400watts x1 (@ 4ohm) .... $190


Ok... any advice would be appreciated. This system is not out to set any records... I only want it to sound really nice inside... I could care less if people can or cannot hear it outside. Plus, money IS of importance... so I can't buy the best of the best. I mainly listen to breakbeats, r&b, rap, house, funk, etc. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks!

1st MP3 in NH

Headunits, niether, I like Alpine

Speakers, Stick with the 2 ways, 3 ways that will be lower then you and behind you seat is useless, although I tend to find TRIAXLES un usefull.

Sub, Kicker is loud but no SQ, Stick to the Infinity unless you do the kicker comp VRS in a ported box.

Amps, NO RF, I have several buddies at BB they prefer SONY to RF these days! I have no experience with HiFonics but I have alway been intriqued by them. You may want to try Phoenix Gold. (atleast 3 people will reccomend JBL)

Sounds like you have a good system going there.

b_real45

1stMp3

Thanks for the suggestion on the amps. I've done more reading and to save money, I think I might go with Power Acoustik now. Ya, I like Alpine HU's, but I can't afford a nice Alpine unit.


Blue

Whats up.. you're the reason why I've been thinking about going to PA amps.. you claim they work great and I noticed they're pretty low cost. Which series do you suggest? And yes, I did assume I need to buy cables, etc. I plan on spending around $75 on a wiring kit... the one I'm looking at is: Phoenix Gold Tantrum TSX4402 which is for multi amps, comes with 4 gauge power wire, 8 gauge power wire, etc. Then probably another $25 for decent RCAs. Any other suggestions?

Dave Cameron

Headunits- this is mostly a issue of features- buy as much head unit as your budget will allow in terms of RCA outputs and tone controls.

Front Speakers- Focus your speaker dollars here, this is where the "sound platform" or "soundstage" is. If you can, use components, they will provide a better crossover, better drivers, and better sound. When done right the front soundstage will be at dash height and range from about the outeredge of the door rearview mirrors across the dash with distinct left right and center.

Rear Speakers- In a good soundstage they at best will be doing two things, a small rearfill duty, and perhaps some mid bass enhancement. If there was somewhere to save a few bucks, this would be my choice. Currently I use no rearfill in the SQ car at all.
Be careful using 6x9 for mid bass, they can be blown easier than not. The use of bass blockers tuned to a range, or better seperate rear tone controls will help.

Sub- I usually defer to the other guys here as subs just don't shake up my world (pun intended!). Look for high efficiency subs, they will get you the most sound for the amp dollar. Watch closely for the distortion rate compared to frequency. Most subs have the most god awful distortion rates in the world associated with them, so try for the lowest frequency with the lowest distortion you can find. That is the SQ in me coming out. Also realize that not hitting 20 Hertz is NOT the end of the world, it cost more money than it is worth for most folks to get to or below that magic number.

Amps- The highest channel seperation, with the the highest Signal to Noise. You might want to consider a five channel for your set up, many will do much of what you are desiring.
I Like the Hifonics amps, although it has been a while since I have played much with them. I still have an old Pluto on my bench for testing purposes, it was built like a rock, and delivers stable true power down to 2 ohms.

You have a great layout here- have you listened to the infinitys yet? Make sure you audition the speakers to assure you really do like the sound of them and can live with them...

Good Luck and Let us know what you decide on!!

1st MP3 in NH

Good Alpines start at $280 retail, CDA-7892. It has all the important stuff except MP3 that the others up tp $400 have. It doesn't have V-drive but vdrive is useless if your running all amps.

b_real45

That Alpine unit looks good.. the CDA-7893 looks nice too. Let me ask you guys something... these Alpines dont have good EQs if any... so I would eventually need to add one. Do the amps rcas go to the EQ then from the EQ to the receiver?

Dave Cameron

Yes, although other direction, from the RCA's of the Headunit to the Equalizer, then out of the Equalizer to the Amps.
Not a bad notion, as you could use the second DIN space in the dash for a full size Equalizer. It would make for a nice visual use of the space...
So you do have the idea-
Of your headunits listed, I like the Pioneer/Premier stuff just fine. Upper end Alpine is good stuff. I will refrain of the midline as it has been several years since I dealt with the level of Alpine product and I would not slander their latest products.

b_real45

Wow, great tips guys. Thanks for all the responses. I would go with the PA amps but for some gay reason, I want to have both my amps to be the same brand/series. So I think I might go with the Hi-Fonics and the KAPPA Perfect 12.1 in a tiny box. As for a HU, I'm still undecided... I want something that looks good visually, preferrably silver face with blue backlighting, 5v preamps, 3 preamp outputs, decent RMS power (cuz I wont be buying all of this at once.. need to have decent power till I get the amps.).. and all for around $240-. Thanks again guys for all this help!

walight01

get a panasonic from www.thezeb.com
it has what you want power, silver, 3 sets of rca outputcq-df602U

200 bucks

1st MP3 in NH

Aloines don't offer EQs in the $280 region of units becuase simply put the ones available are bullshit. Bass, treble and mid does not count as an EQW nor does a preset wave form, Kenwood , that walways saounds like ***. Alpine gives real features like time correction which is very effective not to metnion full crossover control, even slope. Even the $280 unit has time correction and bass and treble adjustment with frequency center and width. WHich basicly makes it a 2 setting parametric EQ. When you step to the higher modles you get a 5 band parametric true eq plus some just redicouls setiup features. Basicly to see them all hit alpines website and go to there I-personalize section. Register and you can enter your model number at it will take you trough the options.

Dave Cameron

I knew there was some reason to not slander their mid range....

shoelick

I have the Pioneer deh-mp740p head unit. It is a great head unit despite what most people think. Pioneer is one of the top electronic component manufacturers and their car audio products are some of the best. The sound quality is fantastic and the aside from the pre-set eq's, you are still able to adjust bass, mid's, and treble. There is also a High Pas Filter that allows you to keep sounds above a certain Mhz level to the stock speakers and keep it seperate from the sub among a bunch of sound tuning features that all work well. I could go on and on but over all I love the unit. The only quams I have are there is no mute button on the head unit just on the remote. Same as a pause button. To pause a CD you have to go through 3 annoying steps

If I waited a little longer however...I would have purchased the Alpine CDA-9807 that just came out 3 weeks after I bought the Pioneer. It has 23 watts RMS and 4 volt pre-amp outputs. I used to have Alpine products and they are exceptional. I would take a look at that unit. Mp3 etc. for $270usd.

HAPPY MOTORING

eggynatey

I love my Alpine cda 7987, but the owner's manual is as thick as a text-book and reads like one too! I still haven't figured it out completely. I'm gonna take 1st_MP3's advice right now...
Also, if you're going for Kappa, have you considered a Basslink as your a sub? It wont shake the neighborhood, but it's powered, fits well in the hatch(P5) and sounds killer! I got mine off ebay for $199us.

b_real45

Thanks again guys for these great replies. It seems like I should try to save a little more for a better HU.. probably an Alpine. I'm not going to worry too much about the EQs in the HUs because I will eventually install a DIN one.

Eggynatey - Ya, the basslink looks like a cost effective way to get a little bass in a car.. but I do tend to want to hear the lows (20-30Hz) and occasionally I'll want to turn it up.

walight01

the basslink is awesome. most bass starts around 50Hz, not 20-30Hz