Help me with car audio on a budget!
02-05-2013, 11:47 AM
#1
Help me with car audio on a budget!
I'm not looking for competition sound. Nor am I looking for thumping bass. If anyone has ever been in the 96-04 Mustangs with the Mach 460, that's the sound I'm looking for. Hardly asking too much, although I know it's a powered component setup. I'm in an 05 XLT Supercrew.
Currently, I have a Pioneer AVH-1400DVD receiver. I'm happy with that, so it'll be staying. I have Rockford Fosgate Prime R1682 in all 4 doors. Now, if you tell me to keep my current speakers, my budget will be about $150. If you tell me to get a new set, my budget is around $250.
What is my best bet? Adding a small powered subwoofer? Running my door speakers to an amp? Going to a non-powered component setup? Any help here would be appreciated. I don't really know what I'm doing here.
Specs for the headunit -
RMS Power Output - 14 watts
Peak Power Output - 50 Watts
RMS Power Bandwidth - 20-20Khz
Preamp Outputs - 6 channel
Subwoofer preamp output
Specs for speakers -
Currently, I have a Pioneer AVH-1400DVD receiver. I'm happy with that, so it'll be staying. I have Rockford Fosgate Prime R1682 in all 4 doors. Now, if you tell me to keep my current speakers, my budget will be about $150. If you tell me to get a new set, my budget is around $250.
What is my best bet? Adding a small powered subwoofer? Running my door speakers to an amp? Going to a non-powered component setup? Any help here would be appreciated. I don't really know what I'm doing here.
Specs for the headunit -
RMS Power Output - 14 watts
Peak Power Output - 50 Watts
RMS Power Bandwidth - 20-20Khz
Preamp Outputs - 6 channel
Subwoofer preamp output
Specs for speakers -
- 6-by-8-inch full-range speaker with 100 watts maximum power handling (50 watts RMS)
- Mica-injected polypropylene cone with foam surround
- 1/2-inch mylar balanced dome tweeter
- 18 AWG stamped steel frame
- 57Hz - 20kHz frequency response with 88dB sensitivity
02-05-2013, 01:51 PM
#2
Senior Member
Adding an amp for your door speakers will make the most improvement to the overall sound of the system. It will be far clearer than the Mach 460 system (which is absolutely mediocre at BEST, at least in the 2 that I had).
of the 13 vehicles I have owned, I've had an aftermarket system in all but 3 of them (and one of them I just bought and already plan to upgrade). Of those 10, all but one had a subwoofer or 2. The one that didnt, my 06 F150 single cab, I had Infinity Reference components in the front doors, and Infinity Reference coax in the rear "doors", with an amp. It was one of the best sounding systems I have ever had. It was crisp, clear, loud, plenty of bass, and never showed any signs of distortion. I eventually added a sub just because I wanted one, but it was plenty without it.
Just do your research on the amp, and the end result should be great (assuming the speakers are quality, I've never used RF speakers).
of the 13 vehicles I have owned, I've had an aftermarket system in all but 3 of them (and one of them I just bought and already plan to upgrade). Of those 10, all but one had a subwoofer or 2. The one that didnt, my 06 F150 single cab, I had Infinity Reference components in the front doors, and Infinity Reference coax in the rear "doors", with an amp. It was one of the best sounding systems I have ever had. It was crisp, clear, loud, plenty of bass, and never showed any signs of distortion. I eventually added a sub just because I wanted one, but it was plenty without it.
Just do your research on the amp, and the end result should be great (assuming the speakers are quality, I've never used RF speakers).
02-06-2013, 10:11 AM
#3
Adding an amp for your door speakers will make the most improvement to the overall sound of the system. It will be far clearer than the Mach 460 system (which is absolutely mediocre at BEST, at least in the 2 that I had).
of the 13 vehicles I have owned, I've had an aftermarket system in all but 3 of them (and one of them I just bought and already plan to upgrade). Of those 10, all but one had a subwoofer or 2. The one that didnt, my 06 F150 single cab, I had Infinity Reference components in the front doors, and Infinity Reference coax in the rear "doors", with an amp. It was one of the best sounding systems I have ever had. It was crisp, clear, loud, plenty of bass, and never showed any signs of distortion. I eventually added a sub just because I wanted one, but it was plenty without it.
Just do your research on the amp, and the end result should be great (assuming the speakers are quality, I've never used RF speakers).
of the 13 vehicles I have owned, I've had an aftermarket system in all but 3 of them (and one of them I just bought and already plan to upgrade). Of those 10, all but one had a subwoofer or 2. The one that didnt, my 06 F150 single cab, I had Infinity Reference components in the front doors, and Infinity Reference coax in the rear "doors", with an amp. It was one of the best sounding systems I have ever had. It was crisp, clear, loud, plenty of bass, and never showed any signs of distortion. I eventually added a sub just because I wanted one, but it was plenty without it.
Just do your research on the amp, and the end result should be great (assuming the speakers are quality, I've never used RF speakers).
Last edited by Synyster06Gates; 02-06-2013 at 10:13 AM.
02-06-2013, 01:13 PM
#4
Senior Member
As of right now, you are severely under powering the speakers. That being the case, they will not produce anywhere near the sound they are capable of. If you want the best sound (clarity, depth of sound, bass as far as they are capable), you need to power them with something other than the stereo.
If you are happy with the way they sound now, then by all means, install a sub/amp instead. You asked for advice, and I gave it. Your mileage may vary.
My advice was, and still is, to add an amp to your door speakers first. Even IF you add a sub/amp in the future, you will still be much happier with the sound from the existing speakers if you put an amp on them.
Why would you need to constantly adjust your HPF? I assume this is the filter built into the head unit? If you are adjusting it to prevent distortion in the sound, I still say a properly spec'd amp will fix that. If you go the route of the sub/amp, you will be making the same adjustments.
If you are happy with the way they sound now, then by all means, install a sub/amp instead. You asked for advice, and I gave it. Your mileage may vary.
My advice was, and still is, to add an amp to your door speakers first. Even IF you add a sub/amp in the future, you will still be much happier with the sound from the existing speakers if you put an amp on them.
Why would you need to constantly adjust your HPF? I assume this is the filter built into the head unit? If you are adjusting it to prevent distortion in the sound, I still say a properly spec'd amp will fix that. If you go the route of the sub/amp, you will be making the same adjustments.
02-06-2013, 03:38 PM
#5
As of right now, you are severely under powering the speakers. That being the case, they will not produce anywhere near the sound they are capable of. If you want the best sound (clarity, depth of sound, bass as far as they are capable), you need to power them with something other than the stereo.
If you are happy with the way they sound now, then by all means, install a sub/amp instead. You asked for advice, and I gave it. Your mileage may vary.
My advice was, and still is, to add an amp to your door speakers first. Even IF you add a sub/amp in the future, you will still be much happier with the sound from the existing speakers if you put an amp on them.
Why would you need to constantly adjust your HPF? I assume this is the filter built into the head unit? If you are adjusting it to prevent distortion in the sound, I still say a properly spec'd amp will fix that. If you go the route of the sub/amp, you will be making the same adjustments.
If you are happy with the way they sound now, then by all means, install a sub/amp instead. You asked for advice, and I gave it. Your mileage may vary.
My advice was, and still is, to add an amp to your door speakers first. Even IF you add a sub/amp in the future, you will still be much happier with the sound from the existing speakers if you put an amp on them.
Why would you need to constantly adjust your HPF? I assume this is the filter built into the head unit? If you are adjusting it to prevent distortion in the sound, I still say a properly spec'd amp will fix that. If you go the route of the sub/amp, you will be making the same adjustments.
02-06-2013, 04:11 PM
#6
Senior Member
I would second that running your door speakers off a good 4-channel amp would make a huge improvement in sound quality. In my DD Focus I'm running an AVIC-D3 and Infinity Reference 6x8's in the front doors. I'm running an Alpine 4/3/2 channel amp as a 3-channel amp so I can run an 8" factory sub from the SVT focus and then the front door speakers. IIRC the amp is rated at 30w RMS (Peak numbers don't mean squat unless you're trying to impress your friends with big numbers) and it's got plenty of power.
I think that doing a good 4-channel is the place to start and if you shop around you should be able to get a good one at a reasonable price. If you get it in and decide you want a little more bass you'll still have an excellent starting point for the system.
I think that doing a good 4-channel is the place to start and if you shop around you should be able to get a good one at a reasonable price. If you get it in and decide you want a little more bass you'll still have an excellent starting point for the system.
02-06-2013, 06:33 PM
#7
Senior Member
You want to try to match the specs for your speakers. If the are 50w RMS, you want an amp that will put out that power. The speakers are 50W RMS at 4ohm, so you need 4 channel amp rated for 50W RMS per channel at 4ohm.
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500MRPF....html?tp=35782
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500MRPF....html?tp=35782
Trending Topics
02-06-2013, 06:58 PM
#8
I just did a system in my truck. Ive had alot of systems but never had an amp for my door speakers. Wanted to do this one right and went back and forth on getting an amp for the door spkrs. Long story short, very glad I did. Huuuge qaulity of sound/loudness increase.
02-07-2013, 01:54 PM
#10
Senior Member
The frequency response is rated as free-air response. The low and the high are where the speaker's response curve naturally falls off. You can still increase the bass below that by putting more power to the speaker but they can only handle so much.
When you put a speaker in an enclosure or door the actual frequency response is going to change. I'd venture to guess that in a typically door speaker your low end would fall off around 70-80Hz but there are too many variables to know for sure.
As for the amp selection, ideally you'd pick an amp with more power than the speakers can handle. If you're always running the amp near it's maximum power output you tend to get into distortion. If you're running it at 3/4 or less (just an example) you're going to be in a range where the amp still has plenty of power in reserve. The flip side to this is that's probably way more power than you actually need unless you're looking to blow the doors off the guy at the stoplight next to you.
When you put a speaker in an enclosure or door the actual frequency response is going to change. I'd venture to guess that in a typically door speaker your low end would fall off around 70-80Hz but there are too many variables to know for sure.
As for the amp selection, ideally you'd pick an amp with more power than the speakers can handle. If you're always running the amp near it's maximum power output you tend to get into distortion. If you're running it at 3/4 or less (just an example) you're going to be in a range where the amp still has plenty of power in reserve. The flip side to this is that's probably way more power than you actually need unless you're looking to blow the doors off the guy at the stoplight next to you.