First off, I'm a newb to car audio. Pretend you are answering a dummy, cause you are....

I have a 97, and I am looking at the possibility of putting in a JL audio stealth box (found a local one used for a good price) to add some much needed bass to the stock Bose system. From the reading I have been doing on this forum, it seems like that is a good choice??? I listen to mostly 80's metal / rock (think Metallica's "Ride the Lightning" album and you are on the right track ), with some classic rock thrown in. I want QUALITY of bass over quantity, but I DO want to be able to tell the difference once the sub is installed.

If I do this, would the consensus be that either a JL Audio 250/1 or 500/1 amp would work well with my setup? (I have found some local deals on excellent condition used equipment via Craigslist that fall within my budget). Would the 250 be too wimpy, or the 500 complete overkill????

Do you think that this setup also offers good future expandability in case I decide to redo my speakers and head unit a year or two down the road?

Also, what is the cleanest way to mount the amp in the back of my car? I will be having roll bars put in at some point, so I don't think a fancy floor rack behind the seats is going to work. I've seen some pics of amps mounted against the rear wall of the hatch area...is that a good way to go?



Mike

 

Either amplifier should work just fine. The actual difference between the power output would be a 'whopping' 3dB. It would be nice to have the dynamic range of the larger amplifier, but unless you are really hitting it hard I doubt you will notice it. If the difference is less than $100 and you can afford it, get the bigger amp.

As for the JL sub... JL makes really nice equipment so you won't be disappointed. You might find a sub that can perform as well for less money, but if you can get the used one for a good price, then I'd say go for it.

As for expanding on it later: Absolutely.

I have my amplifier mounted on the 'back wall' of my car where the targa top hold down pins come out. I used a piece of 1/2 MDF and bolted it to the car, then screwed the amp to the board. (I gained access to the other side by removing my tail lights.)

If you are keeping the stock head unit, remember to tap the sub signal from the back of the radio, not the rear speakers. (Rear speakers have the bass signals removed.)

Hope this helps.

Mark

 

Most of JLs 10" subs will work well with a 250. IMO unless you're driving a W6,W7, or multiple subs there's no reason for a JL500.

I decided to run a JL 12w6v2 with a JL500/1 hearing reviews that it was a perfectly matched combination.

 

Two 10"s rock the house!!!

 

in my opinion i would go with the 500 watt amp as you can always turn the bass down also i recommend running 4 gauge wire with a fuse when you run the amp i bought 500 feet of red and black 4 gauge and can hook you up with the wire at a great price since i have so much left over

 

and i have my amp mounted on the back well i find this to be very clean and easy to hide the wires just remember audio 101 dont run the power wire on same side as rca jacks i ran my rca jacks right up the middle

 

Thank you all for the quick replies!

I heard back on the JL Audio 500/1 amp I had emailed about earlier today. Would $250 be a good price for an excellent condition used unit?

Thanks again,

Mike

 

Thanks...will keep that in mind once I get ready to install.

 

Sweet!

That would fall under the "future upgrade" category. I'm stretching the mod budget already....

 

jl audio 500/1 $250 is ok $215 would be right i woudl think but if its 250 ask him if it comes with the bass **** so you can control the bass

 

Driver's seat bass control is an awesome feature. All Music has different responses, the remote makes it a million times easier. I have mine installed in the ash try area.

 

While I'm asking questions...

When it comes time to upgrading the other speakers in the car and buying a multi channel amp to run them, should I stick with the same brand (JL Audio) for all my stuff????? If so, any recommendations for specific speaker/amp models that will work well in a C5?

 

There are plenty of factors that will come into play. Price is the biggest one. On a budget you can use some Infinity components and subs with profile amps. Your whole system can be done for under $600.

Now if you have a larger budget then get some better equipment.

Are you keeping the stock radio? If so, you'll need an Adapter for the new amps.

Here are a few pics of my system, which I am very happy with.

I also purchased all my wiring needs from KnuKonceptz. I was very happy with the quality, price and customer service.
http://www.knukonceptz.com/

Good luck.

 

Same here. They've got good stuff.

 

I started out with a 250/1 on my 10w6 and it was ok, then went to the 500/1 on it, and it was a huge improvement. I have a 500/1 in my truck as well on a probox 10 and it kicks azz!

 

That's a question of aesthetics. If you don't mind having amps that don't look the same, it's not a problem.

JL makes good stuff, but there are amps out there that are just as good (or better) for less coin.

If you are considering a future upgrade, you might want to ditch the 500/1 idea and just go with a 4-channel amp today. You can bridge the 'rear' channels into a sub channel and just leave the 'front' disconnected until you upgrade the front speakers. I'm not sure how big that JL amp is, so you might run into space issues later when trying to install a second amp. So a little planning now will save you the headache later.

Mark

 

Cool....well, the consensus seems to be for the 500/1, so I'm going to go with that one.

How good are JL Audio's other speakers....I checked their website and it looks like they have several different lines of component speakers. I have a high-end home audio / theater setup, so I am used to thinking that all speakers in a system should sonically match...am I wrong to assume that all speakers in a car setup should be the same brand so they match as well?

 

Good thought....I'll have to break out the tape measure before I start permanently placing stuff....

 

Well... kinda.

Just because the speakers are made by the same company doesn't mean that they are 'sonically matched.' They would need to be the same driver. Same size, shape, materials, etc...

It's one thing to have your mains, center, and surround channels using the same exact drivers... but in a car it's a non-issue.

You are (probably) only going to listen to 2-channel stuff, right? (Music in stereo.) Unless you plan on running DTS/Dolby with a 5.1 system in your car, I wouldn't think twice about mixing/matching speakers.

As for what to buy: I run the Pioneer 720PRS's and love them. Very nice sounding speakers, and can be bought for less than $300. Spkrboy is designing a custom set of component speakers for The Komoman's C6 using raw drivers and custom crossovers. I'm sure they sound fantastic.

I'll tell you what I tell everyone: Grab some CD's and head down to your local car audio stores. Take some time to listen to various speakers and setups. Decide what sounds good TO YOU. Then go from there.

Mark

 

I have the sneaking suspicion that the Audio section of the forum is going to end up getting me in as much trouble as the C5 Parts for Sale section....

How many channels of amplification am I going to end up needing when I replace the stock speakers? I know right now there are two speakers in the doors and two in the hatchback area...do the back 2 get replaced if I go with a component system in the front? I know the front would be replaced with two tweeters and two woofers, but the back speakers I have no clue about....