I'm thinking about scrapping my entire Bose system with brand new components. The budget $1500-$2000 for a self install. This is what I'm thinking so far. Focal 6.5 polykevar 165kp $500 ( Utopias if they fit in the budget $700 ) or Diamond s600a $300 or maybe Infinity Perfect series 6.1 $275. Subthump box $200 with a IDQ12D2 sub $175. Head unit I'm thinking something simple, not sure what brand yet $300. Lastly an amp; which I have no clue what to buy. ** Any suggestions as to what you would put in your car with the budget above** Please list a ball park price of any items suggested. Thanks, Brian

 

From experience spend a bit more money on the Focal Polykevlar K2P power series. The mid is much better and will play lower and take more power. Be careful buying them online however as Focal is really strict about this and any serial numbers etc missing you are SOL.

If IPOD connections matter to you get yourself the new Alpine full speed ipod connection decks (start at about $160 and go up to about $500 depending on features). I just picked up an Eclipse 8053 (SQ deck) for under $350 new.

You can spend $5000 on a system and have it sound like shyt. So much of it depends on what you listen to and what sounds "good" to your ear. Some of the best SQ cars I have ever heard have some crazy crossover settings and not necessarily the best components .. but the installs and aiming are phenomenal. Much like anything there is wise money with good results and silly money with similar results .. after many trials and errors heh.

Tell us more about what you listen to and how loud you like it and we can help more

You also might want to look at this thread as well before you pull the trigger on your sub/enclosure choice. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...22&forum_id=20

Fej

 

Fej, I like moderate loudness, nothing that will make me puke or rattle my fillings out. I guess I'm getting old but SQ is more important than any loudness. What I listen to...........variety would best explain it. Linkin Park, to Kenny Chesney, to Metallica, to a little rap; then mix in some top 40. I really don't want to cater a system to one music genre. The Bose system just sounds so muddled when I try to turn it up alittle and if the song has any real bass in it then I really do feel like getting sick. AS far as buying online, do you recommend any sites with a good reputation for audio products?

 

if you're thinking about sq I say go with an eclipse h/u with 8v outputs. Personaly, I would only go with eclipse If i were to get an aftermarket head unit. forutnately I dont have that problem :-)

 

I don't have listening experience with my Eclipse yet but from the features and my research if you REALLY want sq then Eclipse seems to be the way to go, unless you want to spend about $1200 on the D9 Pioneer with the DX9 processor. Or $500+ on an old school 7909/7990 Alpine used. (scott is always right heh)

From what I have seen and heard people like the JL amp line as it is pretty flexible with ohm loads and volts that the amp sees. How many amps do you want to run? Are you going for a stealth install so that you do not really "see" anything? Do you want to build an amp rack for the rear deck area or in the trunk? Coupes have a nice option to mount amps on the back trunk wall which unless quite small (the amp) you can not do with the vert/frc style car. Do you plan on working with crossover points and phase and time alignment? Do you plan on working on aiming the speakers for a proper sound stage? Do you just want to get it mounted and have it sound nice with a couple of HP/LP filters on the amp and call it good?

So many levels of insanity you can take a car system to

Put it this way I will have about $1800 tied up in my system from my best accounts and will have a "stealth" style install underneath the passenger side non power seat in my z06. I have a Genesis Profile P5 amp that will run the entire system and will use the passive crossovers for the tweets and the deck/amps to handle all of my other crossover needs.

If you are going to stay only with a 2 way system I would try and "aim" your 6.5's up a bit into the cabin to help your soundstage. If you are concerned about imaging I would look in to putting your tweeters up in the A pillar area. For just a clean install the door pull area works well for most tweets and is generally not "blocked" much from you or your passenger.

Oh one more thing I would decide what amp you will run before you finalize your sub purchase. That way you can decide what ohm load to the amps is best suited to your particular application. IE the idq 12d2 gives you the option of running either a 1 ohm load (too low for many amps) or a 4 ohm load (good for bridged amps) OR 2 ohms to each amp channel but if your amp makes its power at 2 ohms mono your sub would not work well.

I gotta get my install going .. waiting for a few more bits from UPS

G'luck
Fej