Alpine System

[jdubau55]

Originally Posted by bigsky2

Definitely a short term solution to running all comps off one amplifier.

Personally I would suggest a dedicated four channel amp for the main speakers, and a mono amp(s) for the subwoofer(s).

Agreed...however I am looking into a 5 channel so my fronts\rears can be amplified. I had my speakers amp'd in my old Neon and its hard to go back to speakers being ran off the head unit power alone....

[sqcomp]

Razr,

Another idea we might clue our fellow Yaris owners in on is electronic time alignment SHOULD be a last resort...or perhaps I should say after proper placement of speakers is performed.

Read the signature...Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance!

Knowing your components how they perform best, how they should be set up is THE best start you can get.

In my situation, I'm working with both ends of the sound Q spectrum. I have Scott Buwalda's cell#, you'll recognize the name from IASCA SQ competition, and am currently working with his Legatias in a three way active setup off a Denon DCT Z1 and a McIntosh MCC406m. I have had Scott consult on the Legatia L3 midrage enclosures already, we're actually making the kick for the L3 an aperiodic enclosure with some Scan-Speak Variovents.

On the other hand the Yaris will be sporting the opposite end of the spectrum of GOOD quality componentry to prove that setup and install is THE key to good sound, not the specific brand of components themselves.

We're going to be experimenting with a $1000-$1500 system (including installation) versus a possibly $10,000 system (NOT including all the custom install factors). I've already done a load of glass work with the expensive system and am looking at little to no glass work on the Yaris. We'll see how they perform against each other in 2008.

My long winded point is, keep asking questions, find out what your system should be capable of doing before jumping into the deep end.

If you don't ask and just slap it in, be ready for mediocre performance.

[jdubau55]

Well I am an ausio lover. However, I have never really dove this deep into getting good sound. It' usually just get some decent speakers and slap them into the stock locals. Yeah, it sounds great over stock, but it could sound 1000 times better I know. Granted I dont want to spend 1000's and speakers and custom enclosures nor the time into making custom kick pods. I want something that is going to sound good with a lil bit of effort but not too too much. I want something where the average person will get in and say wow this is awesome, but to a true SQ auido head it may sound terrible.

[Razr]

Originally Posted by sqcomp

Razr,
Another idea we might clue our fellow Yaris owners in on is electronic time alignment SHOULD be a last resort...

Absolutely - this goes for any kind of DSP, including EQ (ick!) and TA of course.

Getting your physical setup right and avoiding the need for signal processing will *always* result in a better sounding system.

From my judging experience, I'd have to say that at competition levels 90% of the resulting SQ is install related, and 10% is a result of the actual equipment used.. Install is everything, do it right and you'll be nicely surprised to hear just how good your gear really is.

I really dig the idea of low-equipment cost systems - I've heard some astoundingly good systems which used nothing more than a typical basic system (source unit, amp, components and a sub).

Got some pics?

[ChinoCharles]

I really dig the idea of low-equipment cost systems - I've heard some astoundingly good systems which used nothing more than a typical basic system (source unit, amp, components and a sub).

If you guys haven't noticed, that is generally my theme to life... find a happy medium between cost and quality, and buy the shit out of it. My Yaris doesn't have top of the line everything, nor will it. I promise you you'll never see anything JDM on my car short of badges. I simply don't have the cash. However, it also isn't your typical rice rocket. If it was, I'd have those Ebay tails by now.

This thread is proving quite informative... keep it coming!

[elsteverino889]

Charles...one thing i do know about is sound systems, Get Infinity kappa comonents speakers my friend has them in his impala they make my ears ring for a day and get th 5.25 three way inifinity kappas also...i have boston acoustic 3-way 6x9's in my car and they are beyond loud with the stock deck and no amp. My friend has a alpine amp powering his speakers which is good.

[ChinoCharles]

Originally Posted by elsteverino889

Charles...one thing i do know about is sound systems, Get Infinity kappa comonents speakers my friend has them in his impala they make my ears ring for a day and get th 5.25 three way inifinity kappas also...i have boston acoustic 3-way 6x9's in my car and they are beyond loud with the stock deck and no amp. My friend has a alpine amp powering his speakers which is good.

Infinity Kappas are one of the few speakers I have actually had a chance to hear, in a Best Buy of all places. I almost left with them! They're awesome! However, it doesn't change the fact that I'm an Alpine whore and I want to finally own my Alpine-laced ride. What better car than a Yar?

I stumbled upon some good news today... a friend of mine I used to go to high school with (he also happens to be a Murkur connoseiur... if you don't know, look them up!) now manages a car audio shop just up the road from me, and he insists he can get me a system at cost with no labor charge. God I love getting the hookup.

I'm going to head in there soon and see what we can do. If the price is right, I'm springing. By all means though, keep BSing about audio. I'll probably refer him to this thread at some point.

Oh, and he just picked up what is almost my dream "economy" car... a second gen turbo DSM. He is missing the AWD part, but I'll try and forgive him.

[sqcomp]

You guys might like my answer to my friend's uber $$$ system. I had anticipated using the same 3 way set as we're using on his STi...but having those side curtain bags puts a damper on how I want to install those.

In the mean time I'm thinking of an all Harmon system, not because it is better in any way, shape or form but rather it would be an easy purchase, easy on the pocketbook and an "easy" install. I've got that integrated stereo that would be a huge pain to go aftermarket...the point of my stereo goals in the Yaris are to go against the top $$$ sytems without breaking $2K.

I'm thinking of dynamatting the front doors and the trunk. Using a pair of of 63.7i "three way" speakers off a 475a and two basslink enclosures. I have a couple of "secret weapons" that will go inline after the stock HU that will assist me in rivaling the SQ of my partner's Denon. SIGNAL SIGNAL and more SIGNAL. Unfortunately the infinity amplifiers will only take 6 Volts...still, that should help the noise floor.

We'll see what happens with a nicely adjusted pair of speakers and some deadening.

[Violin]

You may have answered this elsewhere, bigsky2, but I'm curious as to where you placed your front tweeters.

[Violin]

Thanks - I've pretty much made up my mind to move mine to there from the upper part of the arm rest, above the window switches.

[jdubau55]

I really like that location. From what I'm understanding it will give you the best results with going all out custom. The only thing I hate about that will be the wiring route. Having to go all the way back out the door and up into the A-pillar. Will the stock crossovers that come with say the Alpine type X still perform well with that big of a differnece in distance from woofer to tweeter. Should the crossover be mounted as close to the middle of the 2 as possible? Say like near the fuse box???

[Razr]

You'd normally hide the crossovers in the dash near the tweeters, so there's only one wire running through your door frame to the midbass driver. As for wiring length, assuming you're using good quality speaker cables the distance from the dash mounted crossover and the door mounted midbass won't be problem.

[jdubau55]

These????

and

these??

Good call? Bad call? I figure they are both Focal, both Access 1 series. Practically the same but not. So that means I will have a good speaker match front and rear??? Or am I dumb and ignorant?

[jdubau55]

I'm thinking about amping them too but I dont know about the $$

[jdubau55]

Due to the fact that this is my first new car. I will be doing it right and from what I hear comps in the rear is pointless. I think like you say I will want to run them amped. I may have to take the wiring kit I got back and get one for multiple amps just in case. A nice 75x4 would be nice.

[jdubau55]

Originally Posted by bigsky2

Components in the rear is entirely optional. The Focal 130CA1 are coaxials, not components. Only comps in my car are the fronts.

I usually suggest components for the front, and comparable coaxials for the rear. Spend a good portion on a two pairs of speakers, and save for an amp that will come at a later time.

Agreed. I like the Focal more than the Alpine X for that reason. The Focals are almost identical expect the front will be comps and the rear coax, but they will still be almost the exact same set. I dont think Alpine makes Type X coax' so I'd have Type X comps and Typr R coax's.

[jdubau55]

I guess I'll see how I feel once I install everything.

[Razr]

Originally Posted by bigsky2

RE: Amps
I'm not an expert, but my car audio buddy informs me that Japanese amps are usually weaker than USA amps.

As with most generalizations, this commonly heard one also falls over more often than not

The thing with amplifiers is that many manufacturers use dubious rating methods (can anyone say PMPO ) in order to boost their marketing performance.

The good news is that the Comsumer Electronics Association have created a common standard for rating car audio amplifiers, which allows you to compare apples with apples.

All respectable brands have now embraced this system, so the playing field is now levelled.. If the brand you're looking at doesn't have CEA-2006-A power and performance ratings, and the CEA logo, it's probably wiser to move onto another brand - the only logical reason they woudn't publish a CEA-2006-A rating is because they're too afraid to!

Even still, there's always going to be car audio salespeople that will try to convice that brand X has some magical property that makes it sound better, hit harder, provide more musicality etc etc. The only things that will make one decent amplifier sound different to another decent amplifier of equal power are signal processing (bass boost, eq, subsonic filters etc) or just plain poor setup.

The fact is that two non-faulty amplifiers with reasonable performance specs and the same power output will sound the same. In fact, Richard Clark of Autosound 2000 fame has $10,000 burning a hole in his pocket to prove this point!

Anyways, peace all! I know there's gotta be someone I've just upset

Rock on doods