Car audio geek opinions wanted

[VehiGAZ]

Hey car audio heads,

I need to replace more-or-less the entire sound system in the new ride. I am going to start with the Alpine iDA-X001 headunit (radio + iPod/USB control, 45W x 4) to run front and back separates. Yes, I know I should put an amp in there, but there is no room for it without ditching my inflatable mini-spare and/or road emergency kit, which I am not prepared to do at this time. I figure if I decide to go that route later on, I can buy a 5-channel amp, have it installed and wired to the speakers later, then hook up the Focal 8" sub/enclosure from my VX and pop it into the 928 whenever I want.

I want reasonably-priced sound quality, not boom-boom-there-goes-the-rest-of-my-hearing SPL. (don't think Focal is the standard or anything!) I used to do pro sound engineering, and I have done a couple of low-to-mid range systems in previous cars, so I go for good sound quality but I have been away from the scene for a long time and have no idea who makes the junk and who makes the funk anymore. I am not looking to enter competitions with this system - I just want great sound quality at normal SPL levels. I am willing to spend $400 - $600 for the speakers.

The question is what speakers to get - there are two openings on the doors, one for a 4" - 5.25" mid and another for the separate tweeter. There there are 6.5" and tweeter openings in the rear behind the doors below the B pillar. I am assuming that I don't have much depth to work with for the doors. There is another rear speaker over the rear wheel humps, but I am going to leave them disconnected.

I listened to the Kicker KS series separates at a local shop (no sub, headunit power) and was pretty impressed with their sound quality (a +3 setting on the bass control filled them out nicely). They seemed the best choice there - the only other model was the Alpine Type R separates, but I did not care for them at all compared to the Kickers.

I went to another shop, and the guy there suggested Infinity's, but he didn't have any wired up to hear (he is supposed to by Friday), and I don't even know what line he will have (kappa, reference, etc.).

So... if you know anything about this speaker business, please tell me what you think about Kicker, Infinity, or suggest something else entirely that meets my cost and headunit-power limitations.

Thanks!!!

[k4tmc]

Well...I'm not a car audio geek, but can claim to be a 55 year old recovering high end audiophile (home systems).

Before you trash the stock speakers, try listening to them on the new head unit. I, and a few others on the forum, find them to be acceptable, especially when you do some extra sound treatment of the door and interior panels. If you do not have the stock speakers, then you'll have to follow others' advice.

I do most of my listening when actually driving down the road, with the exception of sitting in slow moving traffic or a parking lot while waiting for the wife to shop. So the road and wind noise within the VX masks most sound quality improvements you get from spending 100's to 1000's of dollars.

Regards,
Henry

[VehiGAZ]

Point definitely taken Henry! I have a Proton amp and ESS AMT-1's at home for proper listening pleasure. I will not achieve even that level of quality in any car without spending $5 - $10k on the components, power, and sound deadening.

But this install is not for the VX - it's for an 1989 Porsche 928 I recently bought. After 18 years, at least two of the stock speaker surrounds have disintegrated, and the current headunit is a 35Wx4 Alpine cassette deck. It all has to go.

I may have them dynamat the doors, and I will add the rest to the rear and floor on my own. And since starting this thread last night, I have gotten a little softer on not amping. I found a decent solution to storing the spare (a custom-made "bag" with Porsche crest which hooks in to the anchor points in the rear) which would free up my spare wheel well for an amp. Hmm...

Anyway, back to the speakers in question... are there significantly better speakers at the same price point or for a little more?

[biju]

Kicker and Infinity (Kappy Series) are always a solid bet. However, for a SQ packaged component set - I'd step it up a little for the same money...


Focal
MB Quart
Digital Designs
Diamond Audio
JL Audio
Boston Acoustics


...just to name a few. you can find component sets, 2-way and 3-way, in most of those manuf's above (+/- $200 of your max budget).

if you're upgrading more power later on (even slightly), don't skimp on the components/drivers. you'll be happy you didn't!

Good luck. keep us posted.

-biju.

[IndianaVX]

Gaz,
i am in the same boat with you when it comes to being out of the know for some years now.....BUT, back in the "day" i had an infinity referance system in my scirocco, and initially, didnt like them, due to them being under powered, (amps) but after i cured that, wow, really liked them. if you dont go that route, you can never go wrong with Boston Acus. quality speakers, a wide range of sizes, and they all produce clean sound, and can handle power, and even when they are not all amped up, they still sound good....just my .02
good luck, and congrads on the 928, my second favorite porsche to the 356's

[etlsport]

biju has a good list there.. i have rockford fosgate all the way around.. sounds incredible when its turned up pretty high.. but at normal volume for most people (i listen to my music really loud) the sq is pretty average (from an audiophiles standpoint.. i still get compliments on it often)

[VehiGAZ]

Thanks for the reco's guys! Sounds like it'll be worth my while to make the road-trip to the next Tweeter, Etc to listen to the JLs and Focals and whatever else they have there. (The two Tweeters near me closed a couple of months ago!)

I used to have MBQuarts and loved them, but you really have to dump power into them to hit their sweet spot. I never cared for that signature sound of BA's. I've never heard of Digital Designs or Diamond Audio, but will try to track them down as well.

I am leaning more and more toward amping though, but I have to check on a couple of options for storing the spare first.

I'm still listening in case anyone has anything else to suggest!

[Dino]

I was a high end audio installer in the 80's. What a fun time that was!!
Lots of tri-amped high power systems. I did some very nice work and learned a ton about sound. I now do sound engineering and sound reinforcement part time.

Anyway... here are two speaker companies you may heve never heard of, but trust me, they are the best in quality and sound.

Seas (http://www.seas.no/) (SEE-ahhs)

Peerless (http://www.speakercity.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=SC&Category_Code=P1)


Stock German speakers sound too dry to me. I think they were ATT speakers. Paper cones, rubber surrounds...

Have fun!!! 928s have nice acoustics!! ;)

[VehiGAZ]

Thanks Dino! I actually do remember Seas speakers but I don't remember from where. I vaguely remember someone using Seas home audio tweeters in a car audio application. Peerless are definitely new to me. Unfortunately, no one has them to listen to, and I am not buying anything blind.

[JHarris1385]

I love my set up.

Infinity kappa's in the panels and doors.
2 10' Bazooka subs in an enclusure in the back
Pioneer head unit and amps.

[Hotsauce]

If I was going to do a bi or triamped system again, I'd take a look at Scanspeak Revelators.

Audiocontrol DQT is probably the best crossover to run it.

All that aside, I'd put the first $500 or so into sound deadening no matter what you decide on components, because it really does make that much difference.

In the car, or home, the room is at least half the sound.

John C.

[IndianaVX]

this post got me curious about the boxes of stuff i got in the basement, so i dug it out, and totally forgot about half the stuff i had. found an old yamaha head unit, and eq, with the sub channels etc, but the speaker box i got into found some polk audio, (again, remember, i havent messed with car audio in years, so this was top notch stuff at one time)
back to the point,
i do remember these speakers sounding really sweet, and being good speakers.....dont know it polk is still making speakers, but they were a great affordable speaker, with really good full sound. again, cant remember your post, but know you said something about afforability, or something like that, ok, i guess im up to .04 ;)