The Glade 4.0

I want to get a system. I'm driving a Honda Civic LX 2004 coupe.


My friend says a friend of his can get me a deal on a setup similar to the one he uses. I'm gonna have a listen to his system on Friday and if I like it, here's the deal.


Quantum Audio amp / sub, (not sure on the model yet but they rate it as 1500 watt). 12" subwoofer with enclosure.

$450 + $100 for installation...Is Quantum brand stuff any good at this price point?


The installation of the amp/sub would only cost $75 if I had an aftermarket deck, since the crossover costs $25.

I'm thinking about upgrading my CD player, in that case. I'd like something that can play mp3 cds and mp3-dvds, and one that reads out information about the songs, with high pass filters and parametric EQs, and an ipod jack, etc.


Then maybe in the future I might look into upgrading the speakers, but I want to hold off on that for finance reasons.

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Ron Paul 2012

Keep shopping. $450 for a single sub/amp is too much. Car enthusiasts often run forums and trade/sell parts all the time, often in perfect condition. I'd try to find something like this first.

Post spoilered since it requires registration:

OK just found out the Amp is a Quantum 1500 D.

The sub is a 12" Quantum "speed series", by db drive.

I read somewhere that Quantum is like, entry level cheap stuff, but that it's reliable and can sound pretty good. Then I see amps like the mmats baby d like my brother has, going for $600 for the amp...the new price was $1400!

I just don't wanna buy a huge piece of junk lol, but I'm not really sure what to look for in an amp/sub....any specific brands to look at?

I kinda wanna keep it all around $800 for amp / sub / new cd player and installation.



But anyways I'm gonna have a listen to a CD I made this afternoon on a very similar system, in a Mazda 3.

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Ron Paul 2012

For amps and subs i've always been happy with Pioneer, rockford fosgate is good but can be pricy, polk audio is good, I have a pair of 12" infinity subs and an Infinity amp driving them which sounds great, the amp is only 657 or some odd number like that right around that, and while it doesn't sound like a lot Infinity's subs at least at the time had a very high sensitivity, I think mine were something like 94db @ 1watt, most of the other brands were in the 83-89db @ watt range, every 3db is about twice as loud and I belive it translates linear for the power feed to the amp as well, so for example for one of those one that's at 83db @ 1watt needs 256 watts for 110db, where as the inifinity's with a 94db @ 1watt only need around 20-21 watts.

Took a listen to that guys system...and there were no highs, no mids and WAY too much boomy bass. I didn't like the sound at all, all my songs I burned sounded like crap!



So now I'm thinking I want to buy new front and back speakers for my civic, and also a new cd player (one with mp3 capabilities, high/low pass filters, parametric EQ and an ipod jack) in addition to a subwoofer and amp for the sub.

OK I picked out some stuff from crutchfield.

Sub Amp: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500MRPM500 ... l?tp=27743

Subwoofer: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_1081262W/I ... l?tp=27741

Receiver: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_130P4100UB ... l?tp=27783

4 channel amp: http://signature.crutchfield.com/s_099E ... A4200.html

Front Speakers: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_107DB651S/ ... l?tp=27777



How does that look? Everything go well together?



Not sure on what I want for rear speakers yet..any suggestions? Maybe I can leave the stock ones in for the rears? Also still need an enclosure for the subwoofer...but maybe I'll get an enclosure at the place I'm gonna have install this stuff for me.

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Ron Paul 2012

That looks pretty good, just one thing to keep in mind is the amp is rated higher than what the sub can handle, so you definitly don't want to play it at 100% volume or you could risk blowing out the speaker.

As for the rear, I would replace them, factory speakers are junk, even if the car comes with a "premium stereo system", even a named brand one the speakers are crappy speakers with wizzer cones on it. For what to get I would get either another size speaker from that polk audio line or even more prefereable if you the exact same speakers as if you get two completly different speakers they won't have the same sound patterns and it won't sound quite as good.

For the sub box, if you don't want boomy base be sure to go with a sealed box not a ported or bandpass box, both ported and bandpass boxes are louder but at least 2x the size, both however create that boomy sound, a sealed box will give you tighter acurate bass with less boominess.

Yeah, I do plan to go with a sealed box.

In fact, maybe I'll go with this instead. 2 x 12 in a sealed enclosure.

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_575R1L2X12 ... -2X12.html

What do ya think? Or should I stick with the single 12" infinity and get a sealed box for that?


And how do these look for rear speakers?

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500SPG69C2 ... -69C2.html


Seems like all that equipment is compatible with each other and balances out nicely.

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Ron Paul 2012

Well the frequency responce isn't that great on that Rockford fosgate box, it only goes down to 31Hz vs the 23Hz bottom end for the Infinity and less sensitivity, though having 2 subs may make up for most of that, though you could go with a pair of the single voice coil Inifinity's wired in parallel, it's a bit more than that Rockford fosgate, but not by a ton, $99.99 per speaker and $89.99 for the box.

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_1081260W/Infinity-1260w.html?showAll=N&tp=111

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_236BS212S/MTX-Bass-Slammer-BS212S.html?tp=554

And also probably want to get some polyester stuffing for the box if you do that since the optimal size for those speakers are 1.25 cubic ft and the box is 1 cubic ft, the stuff makes the sub act like it's in a larger box though. http://www.crutchfield.com/p_027808/Polyester-Fiber-Stuffing-1-pound-pack.html?tp=655

On the rear if you can swing the extra cost i'd go with the matching polk audio 6x9's for the fronts, or a 2nd pair of those same 6 1/2's from the front with an adaptor plate to match the speaker sound characteristics so it sounds better or drop down the fronts to the matching Alpine 6 1/2's to those 6x9's. The only potential thing to check is what the min top mount depth is for you're car as the polk audio's are only 2", the alpine's are 2 7/16".

Or another option is a matched set of infinity 6 1/2's up front and infinity 6x9's in the rear, and the infinity's def won't have an issure for mounting depth in the front as they have a 1 7/8" top mount depth, though $20 more than the polk fronts and alpine rears combo, but it would sound better and you will get more bang for your buck with their higher sensitivity's.

The enclosure generally is the most important part of the setup, but don't underestimate the importance of the acoustics of your car. If you have loose or rattling parts, or your car has has a harmonic response near the enclosures, you will still get "boominess".

The only way to find out is either map out the frequency response of your car at different points (with damping weight and location of the enclosure where it will be placed), or just trial and error with setups that look promising.

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"It's real, grew up in trife life, the times of white lines
The hype vice, murderous nighttimes and knife fights invite crimes" - Nasir Jones

This is one of those topics where I already know I have nothing worthwhile to say. I'm usually happy with the stock stereos in cars.

I'm truly happy my used car already had a decent stereo with a 6 cd changer. I'm so easy.

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The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself. B. Franklin

"A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone." -- Tyrion Lannister, A Game of Thrones

Lol! at times I wish I could be easy about car audio cause it would save me a lot of time and money, but it's my main spot for listening to music so I spend many hours of time between gutting the entire factory system, running all new wire, putting in all new components, dynamat, bondo work, pinpointing and elimiting rattles, not to mention over $3k on the gear for it.

My stock stereo in the Civic is actually pretty damn good, better than I would expect. I just want it to be louder, crisper/cleaner, more clear mids and highs and go way lower. It's definitely good and I'm happy with the way it sounds now but I wanna hear it and be blown away by the quality. hehe.


Sas those infinity's don't fit the civic. I put in my car make and model and it only lists items that fit, and when i clicked those it says "this item does not fit"

I picked the polk up front cause it looked like the best set of speakers for that price range, lots of great reviews for 'em...the alpines in the back cause they're more bassy which is good for a back speaker imo.

*shrug*

That sub box looks good though and I might just get 2 of the infinity 12" subs to fill it up.

The one thing I'm worried about is the amp and sub are both different ohm's, one of 'em is 2 ohms, and one of 'em is 4, not sure if that's a huge deal? I don't mind having just 1 sub instead of the 2 as I'm going for a balanced sound not just a bassy sound.

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Ron Paul 2012

Well on the rear speaker or any pain speaker for that matter more bassy iwon't matter because idealy you want to use a high pass cross over point matched to the low pass crossover point on your subs. Weird that it says they don't fit, they are the same size speakers as the polk audio's, and a smaller top mount depth so should fit any car the polk's do plus more, unless your car as a 3 point speaker mount instead of a 4 point.

Nope, since you'll be running two subs on a mono amp you actually don't want them to be the resitance of the amp, two single voice coil 4ohm speakers wired in parallel are a 2ohm load, that's the same configuration I have in my car, you just want to make sure they are the single voice coil ones not the dual you had originally linked, the dual voice coil is what you would want for 1 sub though because it has 2 4ohm voice coils which you wire in parallel to make the speaker 2ohm.

So the dual voice coil version wont work if I get 2 of them and a box for that amp?

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Ron Paul 2012

Correct, well mostly, it would work but with that dual voice coil one you would either wire each coil in parallel and each speaker in parallel which would be 1ohm, or each coil in series and each speaker in parallel which would give you 4ohms, 4ohms would work but you're losing power that way and that amp isn't 1ohm stable, the single coil version of that speaker is estentially the same speaker just with a single 4ohm coil which gives you the 2ohms you want with 2 speakers in parallel, plus the single coil is $10 cheaper

Thanks

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Ron Paul 2012

(sub amp)Alpine MRP-M500: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500MRPM500 ... -M500.html

(receiver) Pioneer DEH-P4100UB: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_130P4100UB ... 100UB.html

(4-channel amp) Eclipse EA4200: http://signature.crutchfield.com/s_099E ... A4200.html

(fronts) Polk Audio db651s: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_107DB651S/ ... b651s.html

(rears) Alpine SPG-69C2: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500SPG69C2 ... -69C2.html

(2x sub) Infinity 1260w: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_1081260W/I ... 1260w.html

(enclosure) MTX Bass Slammer BS212S: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_236BS212S/ ... S212S.html


...and the polyester stuffing.


How does that look?

Came out to $922.91....plus maybe $200ish for install..not bad i'd say...as long as everything is compatable.

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Ron Paul 2012

That looks good.

... wat

I'm rich, *****! haha, I always end up spending more than I originally planned. That was the plan, till I listened to that guy's system.

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Ron Paul 2012

And the more custom systems you do the more you spend / want to spend on the next system, I have $1200ish worth of stuff I want to add to my system still, lol!

haha nice, what do you have in your ride?

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Ron Paul 2012

I have a Pioneer DEH-P7700MP headunit, 2 pairs of Infinity Kappa KAPPA60.5CS 6 1/2" component speakers, 2 Infinity Perfect 12.1 12" subs, an Infinity Reference 611a 657 watt amp for the subs, a computer with a VIA MII10000 motherboard, 512mb of ram, an EVGA MX4000 video card, M1-ATX automotive PSU, 64GB G.Skill SSD, Panasonic slimline slotload CDRW/DVD ROM, GPS receiver and a 7" Xenarc 700TSV touchscreen monitor molded into the dash.


I want to get a 4 channel Infinity amp to power the main speakers cause they are still hooked up to the headunit, fortunatly Pioneer had pretty good amps built into their head units, a new atom 330 w/nvidia ion motherboard which will require new ram and probablly PSU and a 10.4" Xenarc touchscreen monitor, and also posibly a newer pioneer headunit that has built in bluetooth, assuming I don't just eliminate the headunit all together at some point which I may.


Here's a pic of the dash and the subs..

Haha, damn! Nice setup

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Ron Paul 2012

Thanks