Help with new system 1997 Buick Rivi - ways to save money?

[ldrempel80]

I just got a 1997 Buick Riviera for great price. I don't really want to put in more stereo than I paid for the car though.

I want a double din with backup camera, so thats a must.
HU = Alpine ILX-W650 = $349
CAM = Backup Camera = $150

Rest of quote from local shop:
Amp = Phoenix Gold MX800.5 = $449
SUB = Phoenix Gold SX 112d4 = $199
BOX = 2.5 12' vented = $99
F SPK = Hertz Dieci DSK130.3 5.25 Component set =$159
R SPK = Hertz Dieci DCX690.3 = $139
Install Parts = $339
Install Labor = $125

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[THATpurpleKUSH 5,000+ posts]

If you want to save money learn to do the install yourself.

 

[MattinMO]

BOX = 2.5 12' vented = $99 ---- that's gotta be a pre-fab...

 

[fithwheel]

Diy....
Old car you can afford to learn how to install. A lot of good how to videos these days.
There's some pretty good subs for less that perform very well however the enclosure will make or break how it'll perform. Take the money you save on labor a put it towards a well built enclosure that built specifically for your sub or diy that too.You'll be a lot happier. Ported enclosures get their bad rap from cheap prefabs.
I think I paid around 80 $ for a back up cam. Keep shopping there are a lot of choices.
There are pretty good drivers at parts express. I paid around 35 a driver for some dayton 6 inch refrenence mids. Around 11 dollars a tweeter for small soft dome peerless tweets. You'll want to get a hu you can run active with if you do something like that though. They do have pre made crossovers pretty cheap but would sound best active..
Active capable hu component set up front forget refill a decent 12 and a 5 channel amp and call it a day. What I'd do if I was going for a good sounding cheap stereo in an old beater

 

[ldrempel80]

I agree with the DIY as best money saving approach. I haven't heard Phoenix or Hertz stuff yet, but local shop is recommending them as some of the best at the price range. Curious what other speakers perform as well.

So just drop the rear speakers?

Appreciate the advice so far!

 

[fithwheel]

Yeah drop rears. It's the easiest way to run an active system. I have rear fill in my little truck and all it does is pull the sound stage to the rear. I keep them turned down to where you can't hear them.
There's a lot of options as far as brands. Depends on what you're looking to get out of it i suppose. Loud sq a little of both. Components a pretty subjective subs too for that matter.
Just stay away from the junk. Hertz isn't bad at all. I have a set of their high energy tweeters sitting around they're a little bright for my taste but maybe not yours. just saying there's options a shop will sell whatever they carry make the most money on ya know.

 

[ldrempel80]

Alpine ILX-650W has an active crossover built in, so for components most every set I see comes with a passive crossover.

Do those work together? Ive been doing research, but I'm just not quite putting it all together.

With an active crossover head unit and an amplifier with a crossover, would I need the passive crossovers with a component set?

If I am building it with active crossover, do mids and tweeters still run on the front channel?

Or make tweeters my front and mids my rear?

What type of amp would be best to power tweets and mids?

 

[2RZ-FE 10+ year member]

For active you toss the passives and run the tweeters and mids to the amp. Channel 1 and 2 can be tweeters left/right and 3 and 4 can be mids left/right. Turn high pass off on the amp as the deck will do the work. You set the deck to network mode.

Passives are needed when using the deck in standard mode and only using two channels of an amp. The passives have preset frequency ranges/slopes and keep lows from going to the tweeters. Set amp high pass to 80hz or so because passives don’t have frequency cutoffs in them.

As for what to set the active crossovers to on the deck that depends on the speakers and your preference. I will let someone else give their 2 cents on that.

 

[ldrempel80]

For active you toss the passives and run the tweeters and mids to the amp. Channel 1 and 2 can be tweeters left/right and 3 and 4 can be mids left/right. Turn high pass off on the amp as the deck will do the work. You set the deck to network mode.

Passives are needed when using the deck in standard mode and only using two channels of an amp. The passives have preset frequency ranges/slopes and keep lows from going to the tweeters. Set amp high pass to 80hz or so because passives don’t have frequency cutoffs in them.

As for what to set the active crossovers to on the deck that depends on the speakers and your preference. I will let someone else give their 2 cents on that.

That is perfect clarity.

So then adjust the channel gain down cause the tweeters cant handle the same power as mids right?

 

[2RZ-FE 10+ year member]

That is perfect clarity.

So then adjust the channel gain down cause the tweeters cant handle the same power as mids right?

Yep.

I will be doing this soon just need to run more wire. I believe I can still run my one set of RCA‘s just set my switch from input A to both A and B inputs on my Pioneer 8604.
My Morel Maximo 6 tweeters are too bright with the passives they don’t have tweeter level adjustments either.

 

[fithwheel]

Alpine ILX-650W has an active crossover built in, so for components most every set I see comes with a passive crossover.

Do those work together? Ive been doing research, but I'm just not quite putting it all together.

With an active crossover head unit and an amplifier with a crossover, would I need the passive crossovers with a component set?

If I am building it with active crossover, do mids and tweeters still run on the front channel?

Or make tweeters my front and mids my rear?

What type of amp would be best to power tweets and mids?

According to the specs on crutchfields site the alpine only has high and low pass filters. You need one that includes a bandpass filter to run full active. I'm not familiar with any alpine touch screen double dins that have a 3way crossover which would include a bandpass filter. They seem to have gotten away from including a 3 way crossover in their newer units. Even on their single din radios.

 

[ldrempel80]

So I have gone over my build again and focusing on front stage and sub.

The Alpine ILX-W650 is my head unit for sure, the Android Car Play feature and price point seals the deal.

I will run a passive network, sacrificing the SQ and customization for just ease of use and non-competition needs.

What 5.25 components and amp setups recommended? Will be mounted in the lower door panel, so will be off axis and using factory passive crossovers.

Max is $200 a set and $200 on the amp.