koakine88
CarAudio.com Newbie
Aloha,
Second post, my first one was much more general as I was still all over the place planning my build. Help me pick out the best Audiofrog speakers for what I (think) I'm looking for.
Cliff notes: Active GB60, GB15 & GS60 coax (Rear fill), or skip rear fill and do something funky like Active GS690, GB25, and GB10 front stage.
I'm looking for help in making my system a more cost effective SQ build. I have a 2020 Tacoma TRD Pro (6mt) which thankfully does not come with the hard to upgrade JBL system. I do however refuse to replace my factory head unit so a DSP is required. I didn't really have a "set" budget, but didn't want to go overboard as I could see myself spending a lot of extra $ on things that I may barely even notice, which is why I'm asking for help. I don't listen to a lot of bass heavy music, nor need a ridiculous amount of bass, just want a full sound stage, with detail, and volume.
I'm set on my DSP/ Amp setup, as I am completely sold on the Audiocontrol D-6.1200, 6 channel combined DSP amp sending 125W rms power to each channel. I cannot seem to build a DSP/ Amp combo with this many channels for a full active set-up, with the power output, quality, and ease/ range of adjustability (via computer/ app) at a comparable cost. My other post when I mentioned this amp, a few people pointed me towards other options (most of them splitting the amp and DSP up), but I was not getting everything I wanted at the same price point, I was giving something I wanted up, while paying more.
I decided on a small box (made by a reputable company to fit) behind one of my rear seats with a single 10" JL Audio powered by a 500w mono amp. The DSP essentially has an extra channel set to control a sub beyond the 6 powered channels, which will work nicely in my plans.
My Tacoma has a factory 2.5" speaker mount (JBL system has a 2.5" coax there) where the stock tweeter is in the dashboard corners, a 6X9 speaker in the front doors, & 6.5 in the rears. I likely won't do any crazy custom work beyond just mounting tweeters flush to the sail panels (Which do tilt towards the front seats a little anyway), if I go with a 3-way setup. I do plan on using a lot of sound deadening and rattle management (wrapping wires etc) while I have panels off.
Which of the following, or combination of the following would you do with my goals? I want to minimize customization, while maximizing sound quality (and volume), and not going crazy with cost with diminishing returns in what my untrained ears could actually likely notice. My first listed "idea" below brought my shopping list up to $3,740 when you tally up the speakers, wiring, subwoofer, DSP/Amp, and everything else. I never planned on spending that much, but found myself getting carried away finding higher quality stuff that all played nicely together.
I was about to run a 2-way setup with the GB60 and GB15 (mounted in dash), and just install the GS 6.5 coaxial in the rear doors for rear fill. This total speaker cost is $1,400, and I have a feeling I can maybe make my $ go further. My concern with this set-up is that I may be wasting 2 of my channels on that rear fill and I'm beaming some very expensive tweeters right into my windshield. I could just delete the dash speakers and mount these in the sail panels, which is an option to improve the stage.
I just came up with an idea that to me makes perfect sense. What if I ignored the rear stage and focused on a 3-way that may in theory provide better sound if tuned right. Installing GS690's in the front doors will be from what I read a slight loss in clarity, yet a gain in volume and mid-bass. The $900 to $350 price tag difference from the GB60's can be made up with installing the GB25's in the dashboard location (perfect fit), and the GB10's in my sail panels. This speaker setup would be $300 savings, and in my uneducated car audio brain may actually sound better if I play with the DSP to make it all work. The sound quality loss going to the GS690, should be offset by adding the GB25's and downsizing the GB15 to the GB10. I would have great clarity in the higher frequencies while improving volume and some bass from my doors. I know the 10" JL Audio W3v3's are supposed to be rather good, but having a single 10 that far away in a small enclosure, adding a little more smooth mid-bass may be beneficial at the slight cost of mid-low frequency sound quality.
Am I making sense, and do you think I'm on the right track here? If you had my truck and were going to run Audiofrog speakers, how would you finish the build?
Second post, my first one was much more general as I was still all over the place planning my build. Help me pick out the best Audiofrog speakers for what I (think) I'm looking for.
Cliff notes: Active GB60, GB15 & GS60 coax (Rear fill), or skip rear fill and do something funky like Active GS690, GB25, and GB10 front stage.
I'm looking for help in making my system a more cost effective SQ build. I have a 2020 Tacoma TRD Pro (6mt) which thankfully does not come with the hard to upgrade JBL system. I do however refuse to replace my factory head unit so a DSP is required. I didn't really have a "set" budget, but didn't want to go overboard as I could see myself spending a lot of extra $ on things that I may barely even notice, which is why I'm asking for help. I don't listen to a lot of bass heavy music, nor need a ridiculous amount of bass, just want a full sound stage, with detail, and volume.
I'm set on my DSP/ Amp setup, as I am completely sold on the Audiocontrol D-6.1200, 6 channel combined DSP amp sending 125W rms power to each channel. I cannot seem to build a DSP/ Amp combo with this many channels for a full active set-up, with the power output, quality, and ease/ range of adjustability (via computer/ app) at a comparable cost. My other post when I mentioned this amp, a few people pointed me towards other options (most of them splitting the amp and DSP up), but I was not getting everything I wanted at the same price point, I was giving something I wanted up, while paying more.
I decided on a small box (made by a reputable company to fit) behind one of my rear seats with a single 10" JL Audio powered by a 500w mono amp. The DSP essentially has an extra channel set to control a sub beyond the 6 powered channels, which will work nicely in my plans.
My Tacoma has a factory 2.5" speaker mount (JBL system has a 2.5" coax there) where the stock tweeter is in the dashboard corners, a 6X9 speaker in the front doors, & 6.5 in the rears. I likely won't do any crazy custom work beyond just mounting tweeters flush to the sail panels (Which do tilt towards the front seats a little anyway), if I go with a 3-way setup. I do plan on using a lot of sound deadening and rattle management (wrapping wires etc) while I have panels off.
Which of the following, or combination of the following would you do with my goals? I want to minimize customization, while maximizing sound quality (and volume), and not going crazy with cost with diminishing returns in what my untrained ears could actually likely notice. My first listed "idea" below brought my shopping list up to $3,740 when you tally up the speakers, wiring, subwoofer, DSP/Amp, and everything else. I never planned on spending that much, but found myself getting carried away finding higher quality stuff that all played nicely together.
I was about to run a 2-way setup with the GB60 and GB15 (mounted in dash), and just install the GS 6.5 coaxial in the rear doors for rear fill. This total speaker cost is $1,400, and I have a feeling I can maybe make my $ go further. My concern with this set-up is that I may be wasting 2 of my channels on that rear fill and I'm beaming some very expensive tweeters right into my windshield. I could just delete the dash speakers and mount these in the sail panels, which is an option to improve the stage.
I just came up with an idea that to me makes perfect sense. What if I ignored the rear stage and focused on a 3-way that may in theory provide better sound if tuned right. Installing GS690's in the front doors will be from what I read a slight loss in clarity, yet a gain in volume and mid-bass. The $900 to $350 price tag difference from the GB60's can be made up with installing the GB25's in the dashboard location (perfect fit), and the GB10's in my sail panels. This speaker setup would be $300 savings, and in my uneducated car audio brain may actually sound better if I play with the DSP to make it all work. The sound quality loss going to the GS690, should be offset by adding the GB25's and downsizing the GB15 to the GB10. I would have great clarity in the higher frequencies while improving volume and some bass from my doors. I know the 10" JL Audio W3v3's are supposed to be rather good, but having a single 10 that far away in a small enclosure, adding a little more smooth mid-bass may be beneficial at the slight cost of mid-low frequency sound quality.
Am I making sense, and do you think I'm on the right track here? If you had my truck and were going to run Audiofrog speakers, how would you finish the build?
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