Stage 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 audio upgrade suggestions

[antarctica24]

Hi @antartica24,

Just wanted to come in and thank you for posting this. Almost a year ago I read this and put in a stage 2 for about $150 (no stage 1 - as I use Android and Rhapsody/Napster and some of that player stuff kind of went over my head).

However I'm very happy with the results. I know it can sound better but this is much better than I expected especially considering what I put into it time and money wise. Your post was key to making it happen.

Thanks again bro.

Sent from my LG-H918 using Tapatalk

You are very welcome.

 

[Brick]

Not an audiophile at all, but love when people post guides. So as a total noob, and someone who would rather get the opinion of the internet than research things he doesnt know, what are your recommendations for say... entry level/budget amp and sub? My assumption is that would be... approximately 250-300 bucks... just a guess.

thoughts?

edit:
i re-read (without skimming) and now i have more questions.

I guess it looks like this.

1)If i were to keep factor speakers and uhhhh head unit, what would recommendation for sub and amp be?
2) my personal next step after this would be replacing the factory speakers.... any thoughts regarding that?


cool post.. learned way more about audio than i've had before. Thanks [MENTION=929]antarctica24[/MENTION]

 

[Intuit]

The radio in my old car had sub-outs. I kept the Alpine MRP-M650 amp and recently noticed that it has speaker-level inputs - 2 channel.
http://vault.alpine-usa.com/products/documents/OM_MRP-M450.PDF

Should I run the rear speakers *through* the amp, which means cutting-up the factory wiring, or can I get away with just stripping a small section of speaker wire, wrapping and soldering on wire; running that tap *to* the amp ?
What are your thoughts?

I know this is not optimal configuration and will require an accessible gain adjust for the sub, as well as a signal processor. But those are later add-ons.
http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/...e-info-needed!?p=223461&viewfull=1#post223461
http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/threads/12937-Non-Nav-MyTouch-Sony-Radio
http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/threads/11170-Stereo-questions
http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/threads/11396-Since-ST-s-got-no-Sub-love-from-Ford
http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/...alling-the-Kicker-sub-from-the-regular-Fiesta
http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/threads/509-Another-Sub-Installation


Thanks.

 

[antarctica24]

Not an audiophile at all, but love when people post guides. So as a total noob, and someone who would rather get the opinion of the internet than research things he doesnt know, what are your recommendations for say... entry level/budget amp and sub? My assumption is that would be... approximately 250-300 bucks... just a guess.

thoughts?

edit:
i re-read (without skimming) and now i have more questions.

I guess it looks like this.

1)If i were to keep factor speakers and uhhhh head unit, what would recommendation for sub and amp be?
2) my personal next step after this would be replacing the factory speakers.... any thoughts regarding that?


cool post.. learned way more about audio than i've had before. Thanks [MENTION=929]antarctica24[/MENTION]

Well I have a few questions. First, do you have the means to build a subwoofer enclosure? If you don't that's ok, but trying to figure out where we can spend the $250-300.

Out on ebay, The first one that comes to mind is the CS-PK202 from JVC, this is a Sub Amp combo for 88.99. I would highly recommend the Audio Control Lc2i to get signal from the rear speakers to the amp you can find that on ebay all day for 70.00. If you want a box that sits under the panel above the spare tire, your not going to be able to buy any where pre-built. that but I might be willing to make you one. I'm in the middle of making my box, so I have everything out the car so it would not be a big deal but you would have to pay for the wood and shipping to you from Washington. I don't charge for labor for box building if you need help with it. Depending on how much bass you want, the other option might be to go with a powered subwoofer that normally would go under a seat, but put it in the back. That comes ready to go box and all. Answer my question and Ill see what I can come up with on Saturday. Also while your thinking about it, what are you looking for bass wise? Do you want to match what you have with the factory system, or do you want to pound with some front fill

 

[antarctica24]

Not an audiophile at all, but love when people post guides. So as a total noob, and someone who would rather get the opinion of the internet than research things he doesnt know, what are your recommendations for say... entry level/budget amp and sub? My assumption is that would be... approximately 250-300 bucks... just a guess.

thoughts?

edit:
i re-read (without skimming) and now i have more questions.

I guess it looks like this.

1)If i were to keep factor speakers and uhhhh head unit, what would recommendation for sub and amp be?
2) my personal next step after this would be replacing the factory speakers.... any thoughts regarding that?


cool post.. learned way more about audio than i've had before. Thanks [MENTION=929]antarctica24[/MENTION]

Go back first and read my first reply and answer those questions, then I can help you with the amp/sub setup.
As for replacing the factory speakers, there are so many options its dumb. While people will mock brands like Pioneer, Kenwood, Alpine, Hertz, Kicker, they are really more of a tier 2 brand. Tier 1 is like planet audio, boss, AP, ect. Tier 3 is like Audison Thesis, Focal, Morel, Tier 4 is like Seas, Scan-Speak, Peerless. There is a tier 5 but not worth mentioning due to cost.

The things you should use to decide which speakers are right for you in this order, your ability to hear, your budget, your musical taste.
Pretending your hearing is perfect, reading a tweeter speaker spec that says it plays well into the 25K to 30K range, does nothing for you. You cant hear that high anyway. A good tweeter plays between 2500-17K. Believe it or not the best tweeters don't play higher, they play lower. The farther down the hertz chain you can get the tweeter to play the less work the midrange has to do in the high frequencies. VERY VERY IMPORTANT.

Anyone that tells you to cross your tweeter over from 3500 and up has missed the boat. Once you get into that area and higher to like 4K and 5K you are missing about 60% of the information. yes the tweeter makes noise, and you can hear the noise, but all of the good stuff is between 1000-2700. There are people who will disagree with this assessment, but that's ok everyone is entitled to their opinion.

There are several types of tweeters, There are ceramic, Silk, Titanium, aluminum.

The harder your hearing, the more you will want a metal dome tweeter or ceramic tweeter. They will play brighter overall and be easier to hear.
If your hearing is ok, you can still go with a metal tweeter, (depending on musical taste), but the silk (in my opinion) is a better choice. This is no different than the argument between ford and chevy and Hershey and Nestle.
Metal tweeters are more harsh sounding and will cause ear fatigue quicker than the softer sounding silk. In the frequencies between 1K and 5K there really is no difference or than the over all sound. A silk tweeter will roll off quicker at the higher frequencies than the metal tweeter, but over 16K it might as well be magic dust. Anything between 16 and 20 is ambiance, and anything about 20 is just space dust unless your a dog. There are hundreds of thousands of scope readings to show this. Moving on.

For the woofer, in a 2 way setup, you have to accomplish 3 things. One, play midrange, 2 play midbass, 3 play some sub bass. In the 2 way setup you will want to play the midrange drivers in the door all the way down almost full range cutting off up top to meet the tweeter. WHY? There are 4 regions of sound in a sound system, super high(depending on venue) Highs, Mids, Midbass and Subbass and Subsonic for some. You want the midrange in the door to play down to bring the sub frequencies more up front so they don't sound like their coming from the rear. HOWEVER, you also need the speaker to accurately reproduce the midbass and midrange frequencies. This comes down to cone cone speed which is based on cone size and cone material. The bigger the speaker the lighter the material needs to be. That why if you get a 6.5" midrange, some sound muddly, like putting both of your hands over your mouth and talking, and some sound like you talk naturally. A slower midrange sounds like putting your hand over mouth and talking. JL audio is notorious for that. They make great midbass speakers, terrible midrange speakers. Where as a FOCAL might make a good midrange but terrible midrange/midbass driver. In a 2 way there are a lot of tradeoffs. For example using the exact same brands, If I was using a FOCAL setup, in a 4 way, with a dedicated midrange, 4" and dedicate midbass 6.5" they would perform better than using the 6.5" as a midrange/midbass. For the record not using Focal here for any other reason than example. I am not a Fan.

The brands that sit in the tier 2 region do some nice stuff and make some nice product for the money, I would start with the pioneer stuff. Their TS line, and the 6.75 midrange, VERY LIGHT CONE, except combo driver. If I was doing a 2 way system this is what I would use. Out of all of the stuff available and based on what I bought was expensive stuff. If you have some dislike for Pioneer, any of the other brands will work. I help a friend setup his Fiesta ST and he went with Kicker. I used an all pioneer TS line including subs in my GTO. It had the TS 6.75 and 4 TS shallow mount subs in the rear quarter panels.

 

[Brick]

Well I have a few questions. First, do you have the means to build a subwoofer enclosure? If you don't that's ok, but trying to figure out where we can spend the $250-300.

Out on ebay, The first one that comes to mind is the CS-PK202 from JVC, this is a Sub Amp combo for 88.99. I would highly recommend the Audio Control Lc2i to get signal from the rear speakers to the amp you can find that on ebay all day for 70.00. If you want a box that sits under the panel above the spare tire, your not going to be able to buy any where pre-built. that but I might be willing to make you one. I'm in the middle of making my box, so I have everything out the car so it would not be a big deal but you would have to pay for the wood and shipping to you from Washington. I don't charge for labor for box building if you need help with it. Depending on how much bass you want, the other option might be to go with a powered subwoofer that normally would go under a seat, but put it in the back. That comes ready to go box and all. Answer my question and Ill see what I can come up with on Saturday. Also while your thinking about it, what are you looking for bass wise? Do you want to match what you have with the factory system, or do you want to pound with some front fill

First off, thanks for the replies. After I asked my questions, I found more posts by you and others and it was really... eye opening.

I have the means to build a sub encloser, and have done so before with the strange wedge space available in a c5 corvette. That was about 8 years ago. With that said, I dont want to lose any more hatch space, so at a absolute maximum, either below the panel, or under the seat are the only suitable solutions. If anything, i'm curious what your dimensions will be for your box.

What I am looking for.... clarity, more range from my audio system than baseline. I don't necessarily need to rattle my windows off or anything, but a subwoofer would be appreciated for the lower frequency sound. If the type of music matters, I really enjoy reggae. ..... so maybe the answer is clarity more important than vibrate my rear view mirror bump bump bump.

Basically, going from a car with aftermarket headunit, amp, sub and aftermarket speakers (most of this was prior to me buying the car) and then going to the fiesta st....... kinda sucks.

 

[antarctica24]

First off, thanks for the replies. After I asked my questions, I found more posts by you and others and it was really... eye opening.

I have the means to build a sub encloser, and have done so before with the strange wedge space available in a c5 corvette. That was about 8 years ago. With that said, I dont want to lose any more hatch space, so at a absolute maximum, either below the panel, or under the seat are the only suitable solutions. If anything, i'm curious what your dimensions will be for your box.

What I am looking for.... clarity, more range from my audio system than baseline. I don't necessarily need to rattle my windows off or anything, but a subwoofer would be appreciated for the lower frequency sound. If the type of music matters, I really enjoy reggae. ..... so maybe the answer is clarity more important than vibrate my rear view mirror bump bump bump.

Basically, going from a car with aftermarket headunit, amp, sub and aftermarket speakers (most of this was prior to me buying the car) and then going to the fiesta st....... kinda sucks.

There are many options. I know all about that space in the Vette

Cerwin Vega has a powered 10" which is what you want. Part number on eBay is VPAS10 you tap into the rear speaker wires feed them into this and it should fit right under that panel. The cerwin Vega is not the only option but you really should be using a 10" and not an 8". You can go the other route buy the sub build the box get the amp but if you go that route I would get an audio control l 2i to feed the speakers into and then that would allow you more control over the input on the amp. If you go that route their are so many amp options for good money.

If you have more questions don't hesitate to ask.

 

[neeqness]

Go back first and read my first reply and answer those questions, then I can help you with the amp/sub setup.
As for replacing the factory speakers, there are so many options its dumb. While people will mock brands like Pioneer, Kenwood, Alpine, Hertz, Kicker, they are really more of a tier 2 brand. Tier 1 is like planet audio, boss, AP, ect. Tier 3 is like Audison Thesis, Focal, Morel, Tier 4 is like Seas, Scan-Speak, Peerless. There is a tier 5 but not worth mentioning due to cost.

The things you should use to decide which speakers are right for you in this order, your ability to hear, your budget, your musical taste.
Pretending your hearing is perfect, reading a tweeter speaker spec that says it plays well into the 25K to 30K range, does nothing for you. You cant hear that high anyway. A good tweeter plays between 2500-17K. Believe it or not the best tweeters don't play higher, they play lower. The farther down the hertz chain you can get the tweeter to play the less work the midrange has to do in the high frequencies. VERY VERY IMPORTANT.

Anyone that tells you to cross your tweeter over from 3500 and up has missed the boat. Once you get into that area and higher to like 4K and 5K you are missing about 60% of the information. yes the tweeter makes noise, and you can hear the noise, but all of the good stuff is between 1000-2700. There are people who will disagree with this assessment, but that's ok everyone is entitled to their opinion.

There are several types of tweeters, There are ceramic, Silk, Titanium, aluminum.

The harder your hearing, the more you will want a metal dome tweeter or ceramic tweeter. They will play brighter overall and be easier to hear.
If your hearing is ok, you can still go with a metal tweeter, (depending on musical taste), but the silk (in my opinion) is a better choice. This is no different than the argument between ford and chevy and Hershey and Nestle.
Metal tweeters are more harsh sounding and will cause ear fatigue quicker than the softer sounding silk. In the frequencies between 1K and 5K there really is no difference or than the over all sound. A silk tweeter will roll off quicker at the higher frequencies than the metal tweeter, but over 16K it might as well be magic dust. Anything between 16 and 20 is ambiance, and anything about 20 is just space dust unless your a dog. There are hundreds of thousands of scope readings to show this. Moving on.

For the woofer, in a 2 way setup, you have to accomplish 3 things. One, play midrange, 2 play midbass, 3 play some sub bass. In the 2 way setup you will want to play the midrange drivers in the door all the way down almost full range cutting off up top to meet the tweeter. WHY? There are 4 regions of sound in a sound system, super high(depending on venue) Highs, Mids, Midbass and Subbass and Subsonic for some. You want the midrange in the door to play down to bring the sub frequencies more up front so they don't sound like their coming from the rear. HOWEVER, you also need the speaker to accurately reproduce the midbass and midrange frequencies. This comes down to cone cone speed which is based on cone size and cone material. The bigger the speaker the lighter the material needs to be. That why if you get a 6.5" midrange, some sound muddly, like putting both of your hands over your mouth and talking, and some sound like you talk naturally. A slower midrange sounds like putting your hand over mouth and talking. JL audio is notorious for that. They make great midbass speakers, terrible midrange speakers. Where as a FOCAL might make a good midrange but terrible midrange/midbass driver. In a 2 way there are a lot of tradeoffs. For example using the exact same brands, If I was using a FOCAL setup, in a 4 way, with a dedicated midrange, 4" and dedicate midbass 6.5" they would perform better than using the 6.5" as a midrange/midbass. For the record not using Focal here for any other reason than example. I am not a Fan.

The brands that sit in the tier 2 region do some nice stuff and make some nice product for the money, I would start with the pioneer stuff. Their TS line, and the 6.75 midrange, VERY LIGHT CONE, except combo driver. If I was doing a 2 way system this is what I would use. Out of all of the stuff available and based on what I bought was expensive stuff. If you have some dislike for Pioneer, any of the other brands will work. I help a friend setup his Fiesta ST and he went with Kicker. I used an all pioneer TS line including subs in my GTO. It had the TS 6.75 and 4 TS shallow mount subs in the rear quarter panels.

Thanks this was very informative.

If you were to choose a powered underseat sub, what would you suggest?

Sent from my LG-H918 using Tapatalk

 

[antarctica24]

The radio in my old car had sub-outs. I kept the Alpine MRP-M650 amp and recently noticed that it has speaker-level inputs - 2 channel.
http://vault.alpine-usa.com/products/documents/OM_MRP-M450.PDF

Should I run the rear speakers *through* the amp, which means cutting-up the factory wiring, or can I get away with just stripping a small section of speaker wire, wrapping and soldering on wire; running that tap *to* the amp ?
What are your thoughts?

I know this is not optimal configuration and will require an accessible gain adjust for the sub, as well as a signal processor. But those are later add-ons.
http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/...e-info-needed!?p=223461&viewfull=1#post223461
http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/threads/12937-Non-Nav-MyTouch-Sony-Radio
http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/threads/11170-Stereo-questions
http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/threads/11396-Since-ST-s-got-no-Sub-love-from-Ford
http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/...alling-the-Kicker-sub-from-the-regular-Fiesta
http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/threads/509-Another-Sub-Installation


Thanks.

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you, Yes you can tap into the rear speaker wire to run you a lead to am amp to drive a sub. You will need an amp that accepts high level inputs and the amp will have a gain on it, Some amps even come with either a remote gain with a cable or It is an accessory you can purchase separately.

if you have any other questions, let me know

 

[Intuit]

Thanks for the response. It does accept input from higher powered head units. I aren't sure whether it would see the same input level when it's "sharing" power via tap, versus getting a direct-run for pass through; the reason for that question.

The factory speakers are surprisingly capable of reproducing subwoofer frequencies that are audible with higher volumes.

My prior vehicle's speakers, even after swapping them out, weren't even remotely capable of that.

18Hz-22kHz 2-channel Sound Test WMA Files are here:
The radio will be able to read the (WMA) files from a flash drive.
https://1drv.ms/t/s!AhsZJDCN8kMMiEyv_YbIcJGBNkV0
https://1drv.ms/f/s!AhsZJDCN8kMMiDf9kJnvNbn4YZeE

Using http://www.goldwave.com/ I was able to reinforce the lower frequencies to help offset for some of the speaker system (and our human) deficiencies. The software can process files in a batch mode, so that it can be left to run through your collection of files on it's own. Desktop quad-core Intel i5 and i7 CPUs will be able to chew through them in a reasonable amount of time. AMD CPUs will be at a disadvantage. Laptop CPUs are "crippled" by the engineers, due to the limited cooling capacities of most laptops. Losses can be reduced by choosing better save parameters on the compression, for example higher sampling, frequency and bit-rate; sacrificing space.

 

[antarctica24]

Thanks for the response. It does accept input from higher powered head units. I aren't sure whether it would see the same input level when it's "sharing" power via tap, versus getting a direct-run for pass through; the reason for that question.

The factory speakers are surprisingly capable of reproducing subwoofer frequencies that are audible with higher volumes.

My prior vehicle's speakers, even after swapping them out, weren't even remotely capable of that.

18Hz-22kHz 2-channel Sound Test WMA Files are here:
The radio will be able to read the (WMA) files from a flash drive.
https://1drv.ms/t/s!AhsZJDCN8kMMiEyv_YbIcJGBNkV0
https://1drv.ms/f/s!AhsZJDCN8kMMiDf9kJnvNbn4YZeE

Using http://www.goldwave.com/ I was able to reinforce the lower frequencies to help offset for some of the speaker system (and our human) deficiencies. The software can process files in a batch mode, so that it can be left to run through your collection of files on it's own. Desktop quad-core Intel i5 and i7 CPUs will be able to chew through them in a reasonable amount of time. AMD CPUs will be at a disadvantage. Laptop CPUs are "crippled" by the engineers, due to the limited cooling capacities of most laptops. Losses can be reduced by choosing better save parameters on the compression, for example higher sampling, frequency and bit-rate; sacrificing space.

A couple of things. As for the tap, the factory radio is not putting out but about 2 volts of signal so while it will be down you can turn the gain up on the sub. I dont like doing that for other reasons, but you can do that. It will work. As for the factory capable of reproducing subwoofer frequencies, that is somewhat true. What happens is a speaker has a main range that it performs at 0db. That is maximum volume. As the speaker starts to move out of that range, it starts to roll off in volume. The reason you use a sub for sub frequencies, is larger cone, moves more air, thus more subbass and as it is larger and slower, its sweetspot is in the subwoofer region. As for the replacement speakers not performing as well as the factory ones, I guess it is all relative. It depends on what the factory radio had in the first place. So if you have 8 or 10 ohm drivers, and replaced it with 4 ohm drivers, it would have over driven the amp, and was probably distorted. WMA files are Windows version of an MP3. What you want are WAV files. Those are the digital equivalent of the original analog recording for the most part.

 

[Intuit]

Wasn't my implication that it was in any way going to compete with a real/dedicated subwoofer. Just that it was actually capable of reproducing the frequencies at audible levels; not loud, which is what you get with a subwoofer; just audible. Anyone can put the Sound Test WMA files that I posted on flash drive to verify. Re prior radio, I had a high end Alpine radio with built-in signal processing. At those frequencies you could see the speakers move, but hear nothing. As you know, enclosures, if matched to the speaker, are just as important a factor. The factory system is surprisingly capable for what it is. They obviously did a good job with the speaker/encllosure and tuning setup. Unfortunately you have to make "special accommodations" like those I mentioned, to bring that potential out.

 

[antarctica24]

Wasn't my implication that it was in any way going to compete with a real/dedicated subwoofer. Just that it was actually capable of reproducing the frequencies at audible levels; not loud, which is what you get with a subwoofer; just audible. Anyone can put the Sound Test WMA files that I posted on flash drive to verify. Re prior radio, I had a high end Alpine radio with built-in signal processing. At those frequencies you could see the speakers move, but hear nothing. As you know, enclosures, if matched to the speaker, are just as important a factor. The factory system is surprisingly capable for what it is. They obviously did a good job with the speaker/encllosure and tuning setup. Unfortunately you have to make "special accommodations" like those I mentioned, to bring that potential out.

Good Point.

 

[bosoxgeneral]

I have skimmed through this thread a couple times and get overwhelmed with all the information. My question is, is there a way to have a good audio system in this car using stock head unit? My car does not have a 3.5mm jack so I can not use the DAC and most of my listening is done using streaming services through android auto. I would love to get some decent audio while keeping everything stock looking and functioning. I know that is limiting my options but I wanted to ask. Not trying to win competitions. Just want to enjoy my music. Thanks, brad.

 

[neeqness]

I have skimmed through this thread a couple times and get overwhelmed with all the information. My question is, is there a way to have a good audio system in this car using stock head unit? My car does not have a 3.5mm jack so I can not use the DAC and most of my listening is done using streaming services through android auto. I would love to get some decent audio while keeping everything stock looking and functioning. I know that is limiting my options but I wanted to ask. Not trying to win competitions. Just want to enjoy my music. Thanks, brad.

It depends on what you consider to be decent...

But you can do a stage 2 without doing a stage 1. That's what I did and it made a huge improvement on the sound. I actually didn't even use a 100 watt amp but a sub with a built in amp to fit under the seat because I needed much of the space in the car on a regular basis and won't have room to place a large sub cabinet in the back.

Secondly, I installed hipass filters on each of the full range speakers on the doors and adjusted the eq to reduce the bass to help fill out the sound with the sub primarily providing the bass.

These filters run about $10 - $20 each but really help bring out the highs and mids through the full ranges because they don't have to work so hard to bring out the lows anymore once they are installed and the eq is adjusted. You can play around with the eq afterwards to meet your preference and it doesn't require much money to do.

Everything remains stock otherwise and since the sub and hipass filters are not really visible and blend in with the overall sound - people tend to think that it is stock (until they hear it). It also doesn't affect the tune so you won't need to worry about that.

I have Ford fans in my family and they are all shocked when they hear my audio. Especially when I tell them what I did to it because they think I must have done a lot to get it to sound like this. My sound isn't heard by my neighbors because I didn't intend to share it with strangers, only those who are invited to accompany me within. If you wish to blast your music, you may need other options.


Sent from my LG-H918 using Tapatalk

 

[bosoxgeneral]

Thank you neeqness for the reply. I realize I made a mistake in my post when saying stock. I don't mind changing speakers and adding an amo somewhere tucked away. I just don't want to add a head unit or necessarily a huge sub as i also use a lot of the space in the car. I listen to a wide variety of music so I need to be able to hit all the ranges of the music. I will definitely start with what you mentioned.

 

[neeqness]

Thank you neeqness for the reply. I realize I made a mistake in my post when saying stock. I don't mind changing speakers and adding an amo somewhere tucked away. I just don't want to add a head unit or necessarily a huge sub as i also use a lot of the space in the car. I listen to a wide variety of music so I need to be able to hit all the ranges of the music. I will definitely start with what you mentioned.

Cool, if you don't mind, let us know what you think about it once its done. Don't get me wrong as I'm sure it could sound better with new speakers, amp, etc. but I mostly stream my music through bluetooth. I recently got a new phone which has a DAC built in and occassionally I use it but since most of my music is lo-fi mp3 streams it doesn't sound as good as I'm sure it could and the bluetooth has much more functionality if I receive a phone call or want to fast forward.

If I get a dedicated mp3 player I may use it more but for now I'm quite satisfied with what I have so I doubt I'll do any further upgrades to the sound. I don't think the payoff will be worth it considering the lo-fi quality going in to most of the music for me go to any higher stages on this car. If the head unit could have been replaced easier, I'd likely change my tune but it is what it is and I'm satisfied with what I have. Sorry for the long post there, lol.

Sent from my LG-H918 using Tapatalk

 

[Stormy]

The brands that sit in the tier 2 region do some nice stuff and make some nice product for the money, I would start with the pioneer stuff. Their TS line, and the 6.75 midrange, VERY LIGHT CONE, except combo driver. If I was doing a 2 way system this is what I would use. Out of all of the stuff available and based on what I bought was expensive stuff. If you have some dislike for Pioneer, any of the other brands will work. I help a friend setup his Fiesta ST and he went with Kicker. I used an all pioneer TS line including subs in my GTO. It had the TS 6.75 and 4 TS shallow mount subs in the rear quarter panels.

Does your opinion still hold on the Pioneers, regarding 2 way systems? I know we've talked about my fondness for the Alpines at a recent listening session but you've piqued my interest in the TS with your comments about cone weight and flexibility in range. The Pioneer TS-A1606C components are definitely in my budget.

Also, on a tangent, I've been reading things on diymobileaudio and some people talk about using Madisound or other raw speakers rather than buying matched components with passive crossovers. if I go with a 5 channel amp and a TWK88 I could certainly explore this option and run the highs and mids on their own channels with dedicated tuning. Thoughts?

 

[antarctica24]

Does your opinion still hold on the Pioneers, regarding 2 way systems? I know we've talked about my fondness for the Alpines at a recent listening session but you've piqued my interest in the TS with your comments about cone weight and flexibility in range. The Pioneer TS-A1606C components are definitely in my budget.

Also, on a tangent, I've been reading things on diymobileaudio and some people talk about using Madisound or other raw speakers rather than buying matched components with passive crossovers. if I go with a 5 channel amp and a TWK88 I could certainly explore this option and run the highs and mids on their own channels with dedicated tuning. Thoughts?

i dont think you could go wrong with the alpine or pioneer. As for madisound, if you look at my competition thread, I bought my tweeters from Madisound. One of my friends in Kentucky bought his tweeters and midrange from madisound. The big differences between madisound and conventional is that most of the stuff at madisound is not built directly for use in the car. it is really for building your own home speakers. Another friend bought kicker to put in his fiesta st. It really just all depends on your threshold of pain in your wallet.

 

[Stormy]

i dont think you could go wrong with the alpine or pioneer. As for madisound, if you look at my competition thread, I bought my tweeters from Madisound. One of my friends in Kentucky bought his tweeters and midrange from madisound. The big differences between madisound and conventional is that most of the stuff at madisound is not built directly for use in the car. it is really for building your own home speakers. Another friend bought kicker to put in his fiesta st. It really just all depends on your threshold of pain in your wallet.

Indeed, there's a massive array of choices through Madisound The SEAS Prestige 27TFFNC/G tweeters seem to have good specs and reviews and are affordable. Those would enable me to cross over at around 3k (vs 6400 with the TS components) if I could find a decent mid to go with them. I could get the TS-A1606C's and just use the woofers, or try to find a raw 6.5. Any ideas? Feel free to be honest and tell me that I'm reaching too far and trying to be unrealistic for the small amount of money I'm looking to spend and to just shut up and throw my chump change at the Pioneer set an call it good.