Building a budget SQ system

[veedubtek 10+ year member]

In a 2006 Jetta TDI. If you are familiar with these cars, you'll know the front door speaker selection and placement is kinda ******.

Regardless, budget is ~$1000. Not firm on that, but the better off I do this, the better chance I have of also getting an upgraded turbo. Audio comes first though, already doing other performance mods.

Already have a HU, so that's not a factor in price. (Kenwood DNX771HD. I'm a pioneer HU guy normally as I love their bluetooth, but I scored a great deal on this so figured I'd give it a go)

I believe I'm getting the Focal 165AS3's for the front doors:

Focal 165AS3 Access Series 6-3/4" 3-way component speaker system at Crutchfield.com

I have a small 10" sealed enclosure I'm going to use for now until my buddy glasses me up a custom box. I need a sub that works well with little space. Leaning towards this, but not set on it by any means:

Dayton Audio RSS265HO-4 10" Reference HO Subwoofer 4 Ohm

Not sure of a 5 channel amp that could handle all this, so planning on 2 amps. May add rear fill later, so I'd like the first amp to be able to handle all 4 doors if necessary (so at least 80rms x 4 @ 4ohms). No clue on amps yet.

Suggestions? Black friday deals? Any input appreciated. Thanks in advance and happy thanksgiving!

Click to read more...

 

[veedubtek 10+ year member]

Right now, I'm thinking of a

http://www.amazon.com/P1000-1-Precision-Power-Monoblock-Amplifier/dp/B005KW10ES/ref=pd_sim_e_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1KFVXBTY6FT60ZYXA3M0 for the sub (extreme overkill)

and

http://www.amazon.com/Precision-Power-P900-4-4-Channel-Amplifier/dp/B005KVEPVO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417142627&sr=8-1&keywords=ppi+phantom+900.4 for front stage and possibly rear fill if needed.

Thoughts? Kinda nostalgic for me....I used to run PPI art series amps and flat piston drivers back in the 90's. Didn't even know they were still around and until I started searching.

 

[gunz4me2 10+ year member]

While they do make a decent product for their price point, the only thing the new Precision Power products have in common with the old stuff is the name! I just wanted to toss that little warning out there.

EDIT: Their component speakers are also decent for the price, but I have no experience with their subwoofers.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

Focus on processing first. And PPI is not the same ppi.

 

[veedubtek 10+ year member]

Can you elaborate about the processing? Not sure what all this HU is capable of, certainly nowhere near the 80RS in my Thing, but I figured it would do good enough with a decent amp or 2.

I run 5 channel amps in both my Audi and my Thing and love the simplicity, but I really want this system to shine a bit. This is gonna be my traveling car (6 hour drives to watch hockey games), and I've never had one of those systems that really shine if you know what I mean.

 

[veedubtek 10+ year member]

Keep in mind also - I know for optimum SQ I need to build/relocate my entire front stage. I'm not going that far. Stock location, maybe aimed a bit better, sound deadening, and decent hardware.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

Processing will give you 31 bands of EQ, time alignment, slopes, crossover... Active capability is wonderful.

 

[veedubtek 10+ year member]

Which piece of hardware would you recommend for this?

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

They are not cheap but essential if you really want a SQ setup. The JBL ms8 is the cheaper one but it does everything automatically, most love what it does. If you want full control the Alpine h800 will allow you do build your curve on the software and it makes it. The road EQ is also nice. Helix, Arc, and the audison bit one is great.

 

[veedubtek 10+ year member]

LOL. Looks like what I want and what I'm gonna get are 2 different things then. Can't budget that. Too many other plans for the car. If necessary, I'll throw an 80RS in this one too, I do love the HU. Just figured I'd give this kenwood a whirl since I got her so cheap.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

The 80 is good for a 2 way plus sub. That would be better than a 3 way passive.

 

[veedubtek 10+ year member]

Problem is, 2 way I'd have to run a 4" set. The 6 1/2" opening is at the very bottom/rear of the door in a terrible location. I dunno, could probably make it work, but thats kinda why I wanted to stay passive with this and just get "good". Keep it simple. Maybe i'm expecting too much out of the what I'm trying to work with.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

The problem with passive is you can't control the levels individually, you can't align it without moving everything, the set crossover points have to match your seperation and placement.

 

[veedubtek 10+ year member]

Ok. Say I buy the MS-8. I buy the sub. I buy a 5 channel amp and keep the factory front/rear speakers. You think this will sound better? The more I read about this thing, the more I like it...but of course I don't believe everything I read either...