EliteCM.net

Well, I think I had a thread like this going on over at the old G7A, but it's gone.  So, what I'm looking for is some suggestions for the path I want to take.  Here's what I'm shooting for:

-Media player & navigation touchscreen unit in the lower cubby area (need navi!)
-Upgrade tweeters (if even possible in stock location, or maybe in sail panel or door panel)
-Upgrade 6.5" speakers in doors
-Upgrade 6x9" speakers in rear deck
-Small and lightweight amp placed in a non-intrusive location
-Wiring, battery parts, and all the other necessary odds and ends
-No subs

I'm working with a budget of around $2k max, and I listen to mostly hip-hop.  Since I never tend to really crank music and I kind of hate excessive bass, I have no desire for a sub.  I also need to retain as much trunk space as necessary because I travel with DJ equipment on a few occasions.  Any input is appreciated.

Great budget for what you're looking to do. I believe we all know who needs to assist you with this.

Who me?


I think Tim will agree. Alpine head unit, and 4 channel amp. 6.5 inch components front, and rear(alpine, or Focal).

I can help you with this set up Dave.  If you want me to give you a list of what I would do in my car, if I had your guidelines, here is what I would do:

Alpine IVA-W203/P1 $1200 MSRP
-multimedia head unit/ navigation
Alpine MRP-F300 $230 MSRP
-4x50 watt amplifier
Alpine SPX-17PRO $650 MSRP
-6.5" component speakers
or
Alpine SPX-17REF $400 MSRP
-6.5" component speakers
Alpine SPR-13C $180 MSRP
-5.25" coaxial speakers
or
Alpine SPS-500 $100 MSRP
-5.25" coaxial speakers

Thanks for the suggestions Tim.  However, those Alpine 6.5"s are way out of my budget.  Plus, what about suggestions for the rear 6x9's, and what's people's take on Pioneer headunits?

I only fuck with Pioneer headunits. Other people will be all about Alpine, but you can't beat the new F series AVICs having built in navi. I think with most Alpine units you need a totally seperate blackbird GPS to connect to it.
I'm not a big fan of alpine speakers either...I've got the Type X sub and I think it sounds like ASS.

I used to have a few Pioneer Premier PRS series amps when I still was using my stock radio. They are pretty small, around 12"x8" and put out up to 600 watt rms. Another option is the Alpine PDX amps which are pretty small.

I really like the new MB Quart speakers. They're cheaper than they used to be but I'm very happy with the quality of the MB Quarts in my car. You can get a set of 6.5" components and 6x9" components for a little under $200 each on ebay.

Pioneer makes pretty good stuff, but my preference is for Alpine gear.  At the same time, I was just trying to throw out some ideas.  Round speakers actually sound better than oval speakers, which is why I recommended the 5.25"s.  I would honestly suggest that regardless of what you decide to go with, figure out what your total budget for speakers will be.  Spend 80% of that budget on front speakers and 20% on rear speakers.  Trust me on this one, your front speakers are the MOST important component of your entire stereo.  If the Type X's are our of your budget, then try to break it down a little more on what you want to spend on each separate component like this:
Head Unit
Speakers
Amps
Wiring/Terminals/Etc.

I would also make room in your budget for some sound deadening material of some sort.  That will reduce noise in your car, improving the efficiency of your audio system.  After you've determined your budget for speakers, go out and listen to what is in your price range and choose whatever sounds the best to you.  I would go with a 6.5" component in the front, and a 5.25" coaxial or 6"x9" coaxial in the rear.

Steve - Thanks for all that input.  I also like the fact that headunits like yours have the navi built in... I'm not a fan of buying multiple pieces to get what I'm looking for.

Tim - Thanks for your input as well.  So you're saying that a round speaker (5.25" in size) in the rear would be better than a 6x9 overall?  I'll also try to see what I can do about the 80/20 price range split that you're mentioning.  So what about the tweeters... would those be useless or are there ways to replace those too?

The tweeters would be replaced.

How so... can you explain what the options are a little further?

Sure man.  You are better off getting a set of component speakers (midwoofer/tweeter) to replace your stock ones.  You would just use the tweeter from the component speakers to take the place of your stock tweeter.  You can mount the new tweeters in the factory location for a stealth look, or you can consider other options for improved imaging.

^ Would the tweeter be part of the 6.5" in the door, or by component should I be thinking in terms of separate speakers (like I think you kickpods are... if I remember correctly)?

The other mounting options that Tim speaks of for better imaging are all over. The most common locations are the sail panels in the front doors (like tim), or flush mounted in the door panels (like me and NY Steve). Or the q-logic kick panels but it doesn't sound like you want to go that in depth. I must say if you decide to cut you door panels make sure you're going to be happy with your tweeter selection. I am happy with my Infinity tweeters but I'd like to put some MB Quart tweeters in the door panels since they aren't as deep and look a little nicer. This would require me getting brand new door panels to mount a new  set of tweeters. I also have a set of tweeters surface mounted in the rear deck but like Tim said your front speakers are your main concern so rear tweeters aren't really necessary.

One day I will get new door panels and mount new tweeters...plus my factory door panels have been accidentally burned by cigarettes too many times. I think i'd get the black door panels with leather to replace my gray.

Tim has/had the kick panels as well as tweeters on the sail's. I believe his front speakers consists of 2 set's of components.

Yes, component speakers are a separate woofer and tweeter with an external crossover.  For your car, I would suggest mounting the woofer in the door in the factory location, and mounting the tweeter in the dash, also in the factory location.  If you really want, you can mount the tweeter somewhere else, but the stealth look will suit your needs and fit your requirements.  I am going to be moving the tweeters in my car into the dash also.


You are correct Mike, but I have disconnected the tweeters in the kick panels.  Having two sets of tweeters in the physical locations that they are in will just blur the stereo image for reasons that aren't that important to explain in this thread.  It is pointless to have two sets of tweeters in your front stage and will only make things sound worse.  I still have them mounted in the kick panels for now, but will be removing them eventually.  Essentially, I am running a 3 way component set up with a 6.5" midbass crossed over with a bandpass filter on my audio processor (HPF set at 80 Hz with a 18 dB slope and a LPF set at 250 Hz with a 12 dB slope) and 5.25" midrange/tweeter combo with a HPF set at 250 Hz with a 12 dB slope going to the MBQ crossover with the tweeter attenuated at -6 dB and wired 180 degrees out of phase (because they are more than 6" apart).

Ok thanks for all the additional info.  Sucks about all the "accidental" cigarette burns Steve lol.

Tim, I comprehended most of you stuff, but you lost me once the parentheses started.

It's okay man.  Most people look at me like I'm an idiot when I start talking about my stereo and get into detail.  Even people that I work with.

I don't really mind the look or location of the tweeters in either the door panels or the sail panels, but out of curiosity, what company(s) makes direct-replacement tweeters for the stock dash location?  Aren't they a unique and difficult to replace size?

No aftermarket company makes direct replacement tweeters for the factory dash location.  They aren't that unique and difficult to modify for an aftermarket tweeter.  I did that in Arie's car.

What tweeters did Arie end up goin with?

The ones that came with his Alpine Type R components.  You really shouldn't buy tweeters separate from woofers.  I would suggest purchasing a component speaker set for your front speakers.

Makes sense.  In a way, the stock front speakers are components then huh?

In every way. I think it's a shame when people put 2 or 3 way coaxial speakers in the fronts...(though i did it too at one point, guilty as charged!) even the stock speakers are better than most coaxials lol

So, who here has any connections for new or used audio equipment?  Time to get serious about this build...

I've got some amps for sale!

You can get some good deals on amazon, thats where I bought most of my stuff

I used crutchfield, onlinecarstereo, and amazon when I bought my stuff. Onlinecarstereo.com has great prices, but sometimes it is hard to find what you want.

woofersetc.com, crutchfield, and ebay are where I get most of my audio equipment.  woofersetc.com generally has very good prices and very fair shipping rates.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.  Keep 'em coming.

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2559/3925001158_3c53a688f5_o.jpg)

Have to start somewhere.  

I hate you.

:Cough: Someone owes me a beer :Cough:

X100000000000000000000

ooooooooo very nice dave!

well thats a fucking awesome place to start.

:).  Now I need everything else.

Mike, I gotta text you tomorrow.

Sub, or not... hmm.

IMHO, don't. No offense, but to me, subs are just for showing off. That's the only reason my friend got subs pretty much, so he can blare his loud ass hip-hop music in the school parking lot.

/rant

Subs really do complete a system. I think mine would sound 100x better if I had a sub. I have replaced my speakers and head unit with pretty nice stuff, imo. I am not say go get two 15's, hell I would take a bazooka.

Incorrect.  Subs are not for "showing off".  Your friend is just young and stupid.  If you want a high end audio system that sounds good, you will need a subwoofer.  It is physically impossible for your interior speakers to reproduce the frequencies that a subwoofer would handle.  Just because you have a subwoofer, it doesn't mean that you have 2 15"s with 3000 watts.  I have listened to subwoofer systems that use 1 or 2 8" drivers, or even something as small as a 6.5" driver in a well built enclosure that sound amazing.

I have a subwoofer in my car, and I don't sit in school parking lots blaring music like your young friend.  I do however enjoy my music a LOT more with one.

Dave, you've gotten my recommendation on a subwoofer system.  I am confident that I know what you are looking for in an audio system and I can advise you on what to get to give you good sound while maintaining as much of your trunk space as possible.

Yes Tim, we've discussed this a few times.  To be honest, if I got a sub, I probably wouldn't go the custom enclosure route, but rather pick up something small yet removable, like a Bazooka tube or one of those self-contained Alpine subs.  But then again who knows, the more I research the more I lean in another direction, which is good and bad at the same time.

I'd recommend an actual subwoofer over one of those bass tubes.  I just don't think they are that good compared to a properly designed enclosure.  If I were in your shoes, I'd get an Alpine PDX-5 and a JL Audio 13TW-5.

I know Tim, but I gotta take it easy on the total wattage.  UR underdrive pulleys, remember?

C'mon man.  I'm not going to recommend you get something that would be bad for your car.  Don't forget that I have been running anywhere between 1000-3000 watts in my set up since I've had under drive pulleys on my car.  I have never had a problem with my stereo or the performance of my engine.  The reason why I suggested the PDX-5 is because it's small and will power interior speakers and a subwoofer in one amp.

True true.  The PDX-5 is a tempting addition to this build, don't get me wrong.  

So you also have (or had) the UR underdrive pulleys on your car, even with all of your ::cough:: mods?  Have you ever run into any issues with your belt or tensioner like I have?  Also, now that I have the Alpine iva-w505, will this thing draw power from the stock headunit or somewhere else?  I ask because my stock headunit likes to shut off and on all by itself at random, and if the Alpine's gonna be running off of the stock unit for power, I might be fucked.

It doesnt if you use the piggy back harness.

Yes, I have been running the UR underdrive pulleys on my crank and alternator.  My PS pulley has been replaced with a smaller Comptech pulley to make room for the snout and pulley on the M62.  I'm going to be pulling off the UR pulleys and replacing them with lightweight pulleys eventually.  I'm looking into an overdrive crank pulley actually.  Back on topic though.  I have run a 3000 watt system with the underdrive pulleys, upgraded my battery to the 34/78 Optima Red Top (when they were still good), upgraded my battery ground to a 1/0 gauge wire, and have a ground kit.  Those are the only electrical upgrades done, and my system and car ran fine.  

As far as your radio shutting off, that is probably an internal issue.  If you pull power from the wiring harness, which you will, it won't be a problem.  Let me know when you're ready for me to solder your wiring harness, because I know you're probably not going to do that yourself.

Wow you don't trust me... That's not nice.

Apparently, he doesn't trust me either.

^ All good info Tim.  And it's not that I don't trust you guys, it's just that I forget what you told me already, so I ask again.  I have bad memory... blame it on work.  And solder????  I might've lucked out because the guy who I bought the Alpine from already tweaked some of the wires on the unit so it might be more pnp.

OT:  I thought you couldn't have underdrive pulleys with the "engine mod" that you have?  And what the hell company makes non-underdrive lightweight pulleys for our cars?

As long as the belt fit's correctly any pulley's should work with his "engine mod", and unless the previous owner had the alpine unit installed in a newer model honda there is going to be a bit of soldering to be done.

Mike is correct, if it didn't come out of a Honda, you will need to re-solder the harness with the correct Honda plug.  As far as the pulleys go, Ralco makes OEM sized lightweight pulleys.  You can run whatever pulleys you want with my application, but I'm trying to run stock size or overdrive pulleys because it's better.

So I assume that the Honda "audio attachment" comes with the harness I'll need?

It does not actually. If you don't want power to your factory head unit I have a wiring harness you can use. It's slightly used but, will serve your purposes. The audio attachment kit is made to install a Cassette player or MP3 player to your factory head units. It just do happens that the bezel and hardware it comes with can accommodate a double din head unit. Being a factory piece it offers a better fitment than the aftermarket stuff that is available.

???

Don't worry. Tech speak regarding his headlight fluid reservoir which cools the transmission oil in the CV joints.

Oh I thought it cooled the brakes.
Good luck with the audio build!

Just spend the $10 for the wiring harness for both head units.  I'd also recommend getting a PAC TR-7 bypass module.

Take this advice I learned the hard way by having to install twice because I didn't use the harness to power both. Also the PAC TR-7 might be the best suggestion ever!

...and I thought my reputation and credentials would be enough for people to not want to second guess my advice.

Now now Tim.

Can you point me in the direction of this wiring harness on Majestic's web site since I need to buy other stuff from them anyway within the next few days.  And why do I need this other harness exactly?  I thought I was good to go with all the friggen wires that came with this Alpine I bought, but if I need other stuff, let me know now so I can do one order.

Oh, and I lucked out with the PAC TR-7 because it was included in the sale deal, which I assume allows for a lot of "override features" in regards to video?  I also got an iPOD a/v cable, backup camera, a PAC Swi-Jack (for steering wheel audio controls, which I don't have on my LX model but maybe that can be another custom job), and a PAC Tato (worthless since it's basically a module that allows the Alpine to work with factory Toyotas that have JBL amps).  Yeeaahhh boy.

I don't think the harness is a Honda part. If your talking about the harness to power both head units, it's not. I have one of those laying around that I would give you if we are talkig about the same thing.

Hmm... should I add a capacitor to this mix?

^  Not sure.  Guess I need Tim or Mike to elaborate more on this harness.  I don't even know if I'd care much to even power the oem headunit after I install the Alpine considering the backlight on the display is out and the headunit shuts off and on at random.  It makes my commute to work that much more fun.

The harness is not  a Honda part at all. It's basically a plug and play harness so that you don't have to cut into any of the factory wiring. I got mine from amazon. com.

http://www.amazon.com/Scosche-HA09B-200 ... 40&sr=8-11 (http://www.amazon.com/Scosche-HA09B-2003-Up-Relocation-Harness/dp/B0007WF4S4/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1254089540&sr=8-11)

I don't think so.  I've merged both of your threads together, because there's no need to have multiple threads on one topic.

Im pretty sure thats what I have. I bought one off of ebay, the one in my car now, because I didn't realize that the crutchfield lower cubby kit came with one. I am about to upload pics, so someone can confirm its the right one. What you do is you solder the aftermarket harness with this, ending with three plugs. One goes into the back of the new h/u another goes into the OEM h/u and the other connects to the car wiring harness. It's yours if you want it. I have no need for it.

Here are the pics:

(http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd296/wtcii/IMG_6460.jpg)
(http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd296/wtcii/IMG_6461.jpg)

Dave, get Bill's harness.  That is what you need.

Mike, thanks for the link, but it says that that wiring harness if for the EX V6, so I dunno if it will work in my car or if that doesn't matter.

I know for a fact that the Alpine I got has a harness soldered onto it, but it came out of a Toyota Tundra so I'm not sure if the harness is universal and will work for the Accord or if it's only specific to the Toyota.

Bill, if you really don't need the harness, than it couldn't hurt for me to grab it from you just to be safe.  Just let me know what you want for it, cuz I can paypal you for it, or at least cover shipping to my address, which I will pm to you right now.

Dave that is the one you need. The one on there is Toyota specific.

(http://audioseek.net/~hiryu/4chan/picard-expression.jpeg)

^  Don't worry Tim, you can touch all this stuff when you help me put it in lol.  Be patient with me haha.

I ordered the Honda audio attachment today as well.

That's not why I'm expressing disgust.

Dude, I was wondering when that pic was coming back out.

What'd I do?  I'm lost.  If it's because I'm asking so many noob-ish questions, remember, "no question is a dumb question".  

Acquired so far:

-Alpine headunit (with PAC-TR7, backup camera, iPOD/usb cable, & bluetooth mic)
-Honda audio attachment kit
-Necessary wiring harness (thanks Bill)

Currently on order:

-Alpine PDX-5 amp
-Alpine SPX-17PRO 6.5" components
-Alpine SPR-13C 5.25" coaxials

I'm gettin there...

Great list you have PM.

Replied.

The amp arrived today from woofersetc.com.  Thing is nice, but I can't seem to find the "birth sheet" with my specific amp's specs anywhere in the box.  

Speakers arrived today from onlinecarstereo.com.  Didn't realize the crossover boxes were gonna be so big.

Wiring and accessories on the way...

All the wiring and accessories arrived today.  Looks like this can begin.

Alpine headunit is all installed.  Thanks Tim.  More to come.

Don't forget about that power cable Dave!!  We got that in too.  We also have a better plan now.

Gettin there...

Yeah it is.  Hopefully the install will be complete by this time next week.

All done.  Just requires some tweaking.

And it also requires pics. Progress (if you have them) and final product. I'd love to see this setup.

Dave was always looking for something to do while I was working, and I did mention on one of the first days that he take my camera and snap off a bunch of pics.  He took one.  I'm going to try and take pics when I go down there to help adjust some settings.  It's really nothing to look at because it's a fairly stealth install.  You would never know he had a system at a glance.  We were able to retain 100% of his trunk space.  That will change though.

That sounds killer Tim. Can't wait to see pics.

Not true Tim, I took like 5 pics, not 1.  And I dunno how much justice any pics would do at this point as all of the speakers are hidden away in the stock locations.

As requested, here are some pics that I took of my new audio gear post-install.  Please be aware that I don't really have any pics of the speakers themselves, because although they all required a lot of custom work and brackets/adapters, they're all hidden away in the stock speaker locations.  Much thanks to Tim for all his hard work and long hours.

The PDX-5 amp's size for reference:

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2543/4175585879_382b57268c_o.jpg)

The under-hood goods:

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2528/4175585899_3dc07182ab_o.jpg)

The amp tucked away under the driver's seat:

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2676/4176346032_93effec64f_o.jpg)

The crossovers tucked away under the passenger's seat:

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2640/4176346046_01302f3789_o.jpg)

The headunit working its magic:

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2772/4175585923_6736947765_o.jpg)

Looks great, and that is the smallest amp I've ever seen.

Forgot to update this, but a few weeks ago, Tim helped to installed my single Alpine Type-R 12" sub in a sealed enclosure in the trunk.  The bass is subtle, yet noticeable, and rounds out the system nicely.

Took long enough. Just playin' man.