you"ll be glad you did.
Which set-up would you go for?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 268
Likes: 0
From: Maumelle Arkansas
Which set-up would you go for?
Alright, both of the set-ups are the same price, I just can't decide which one to go with, although in 1 i get dynamatted doors and the other I don't. Here are the set-ups
Kenwood Excelon 790 Deck
Crossfire 302 Amp (sub)
Crossfire 345 Amp (speakers)
Focal K2 Power 100 KP components
Crossfire rear speakers
Crossfire CF310 Subwoofer
amp kits
installed
dynamat doors
($2500)
OR
Eclipse 8445 Deck
DIamond Audio D3600.1 (sub)
Diamond Audio D3400.4 (speakers)
Diamond Audio D661i components
Diamond Audio D351i rear speakers
Diamond Audio D610D4 Subwoofer
amp kits
installed
($2700)
what would you all go with? I"m thinking the diamond audio, but i'm trying to only spend around 2500, and I'm pretty sure I want the doors dynamatted, he said it'd be another 160 to dynamat the doors. Also the 2nd place i've done 3 stereos through them and i've been happy!
Kenwood Excelon 790 Deck
Crossfire 302 Amp (sub)
Crossfire 345 Amp (speakers)
Focal K2 Power 100 KP components
Crossfire rear speakers
Crossfire CF310 Subwoofer
amp kits
installed
dynamat doors
($2500)
OR
Eclipse 8445 Deck
DIamond Audio D3600.1 (sub)
Diamond Audio D3400.4 (speakers)
Diamond Audio D661i components
Diamond Audio D351i rear speakers
Diamond Audio D610D4 Subwoofer
amp kits
installed
($2700)
what would you all go with? I"m thinking the diamond audio, but i'm trying to only spend around 2500, and I'm pretty sure I want the doors dynamatted, he said it'd be another 160 to dynamat the doors. Also the 2nd place i've done 3 stereos through them and i've been happy!
Last edited by 1-BAD-VETTE; May 6, 2006 at 02:10 PM.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 685
Likes: 2
From: Decatur IL
You already know that your system will benefit from having the dynamat. Plus you won't have to tear the car back apart later to add it if you do it now. 
There will probably be several other people that will agree with what I will say. If you are cutting it close to your budget, I would leave out the rear speakers for now. Use the money spent on rear speakers towards the dynamat. If you really want those rear speakers, they should be pretty straight forward to add (or have added) later on.
I did some searching and had a hard time finding Crossfire stuff. I found the Crossfire website but not too many sites selling the stuff. I found a Diamond Audio selling site right away and added up the prices for everything in your second choice. It came out to be right around $1300 for everything minus labor. I can't compare to the first choice since I didn't find any pricing on the Crossfire stuff.
So...I would vote for the second choice between the two choices listed mainly because I could find more info on it more readily.
Hopefully others chime in soon.
There will probably be several other people that will agree with what I will say. If you are cutting it close to your budget, I would leave out the rear speakers for now. Use the money spent on rear speakers towards the dynamat. If you really want those rear speakers, they should be pretty straight forward to add (or have added) later on.
I did some searching and had a hard time finding Crossfire stuff. I found the Crossfire website but not too many sites selling the stuff. I found a Diamond Audio selling site right away and added up the prices for everything in your second choice. It came out to be right around $1300 for everything minus labor. I can't compare to the first choice since I didn't find any pricing on the Crossfire stuff.
So...I would vote for the second choice between the two choices listed mainly because I could find more info on it more readily.
Hopefully others chime in soon.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
From: College Station TX
Originally Posted by gitusum
i would do a lil bit of both. use the eclipse deck, focal speakers and dynomat from the 1st choice and all the other stuff from the 2nd choice
...but why are you using the 4 inch Focals? I would recommend using the K2P....they're 6.5 inch, Kevlar, phase plug, and titanium tweeter. Also, I would leave out the rears unless you wanted to put the 130 KP kit back there....don't want to muddle great sound up front with sub par in the rear.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 685
Likes: 2
From: Decatur IL
I agree with the above two posters, if you can mix and match, then forget just going with the second package. Use the Eclipse and Focals plus use the Diamond Audio amps and sub. I bet that would give you an even better system than either of the two packages listed.
But in the end, anything will be better than stock. So if you can't pick and choose between the packages, just go with whatever you feel gives the best value and run with it. I'm sure you'll like it.
PS: I would dynamat no matter what you do. It will only help.
But in the end, anything will be better than stock. So if you can't pick and choose between the packages, just go with whatever you feel gives the best value and run with it. I'm sure you'll like it.
PS: I would dynamat no matter what you do. It will only help.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,394
Likes: 0
From: Bay Area CA
Eclipse 8445 Deck
DIamond Audio D3600.1 (sub)
Diamond Audio D3400.4 (speakers)
Focal K2 Power 165 K2P components
Diamond Audio D610D4 Subwoofer
Box + dynamat + wiring
Lose the rear speakers and the need to power them, bridge the amp to the components to give them the power they need and you should be right around the same place as that $2600 spot. The Focal k2p's are spendy though.
Fej
DIamond Audio D3600.1 (sub)
Diamond Audio D3400.4 (speakers)
Focal K2 Power 165 K2P components
Diamond Audio D610D4 Subwoofer
Box + dynamat + wiring
Lose the rear speakers and the need to power them, bridge the amp to the components to give them the power they need and you should be right around the same place as that $2600 spot. The Focal k2p's are spendy though.
Fej
Last edited by fej; May 4, 2006 at 07:59 PM.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,394
Likes: 0
From: Bay Area CA
Well you COULD mix them, depends on if you are doing the install work or getting it done. I would be willing to bet that the Diamond place would work with you if you brought them a set of components that you "got as a birthday gift" 
Especially since you have had 3 systems done there in the past, your money is certainly good there, and they would not be very smart to turn a repeat customer away over a brand choice YOU are making.
By no means are the Diamonds bad, I just was not very impressed with the set that I had (top of the line 6.5's at the time) about 5 years ago now. I know that the D9's are quite good though but they are also about $1g for a 7"/tweet.
Fej
Especially since you have had 3 systems done there in the past, your money is certainly good there, and they would not be very smart to turn a repeat customer away over a brand choice YOU are making.By no means are the Diamonds bad, I just was not very impressed with the set that I had (top of the line 6.5's at the time) about 5 years ago now. I know that the D9's are quite good though but they are also about $1g for a 7"/tweet.
Fej
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 268
Likes: 0
From: Maumelle Arkansas
Alright, went to the audio shop today (Diamond Audio one) and I talked with him about the price of everything. I talked him down to $2500 installed and that was the best he could do. So now it's at $2500 instead of $2700. I think that's the route i'm going to go.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 268
Likes: 0
From: Maumelle Arkansas
I for sure will. even after they install it, i'm going to build an amp rack and whatnot for the amps, because they charge out the *** ($500 for an amp "box" for the amps to sit in)....I definately told them no thanks and I would build a cover and carpet it for less than $50 bucks.
