My first "real" system

[KoolDrew 10+ year member]

Right now I have cheap Duals from best buy, so this is why I call this my first "real" system.

Originally I had no idea what I was looking for, just that I wanted good sound quality since its a daily driver and I wanted it LOUD. I ran across a few choices and like the AudioQ HDC3's, but I figured I'd go with the FI Q's instead as I've heard they get pretty loud while still sounding extremely good. Heard great things about FI as a company as well.

I am driving a 00 4-door sunfire so fitting a very large box isn't really going to happen. I have enough trunk space to fit a larger box to fit two 12's (maybe), but the problem is getting it into the trunk. So my options are either one 12" or two 10's. I have decided on going with two 10's and building a decently sized box for them, split up into two seperate chambers, one for each sub.. both within the recommended cubic footage. I'm only going to be picking up one 10" for now, but buying another one later down the road.

I think I will be powering each Fi Q 10" (with BP power option @ 2 Ohm) with a Crunch GP2500D as they seem like really nice amps for a decent price, and if I decide I need an amp for component speakers I'll pick up a GP4100 (since I'm going with a GP for the subs, figured I'd do the same for components), which I'm assuming should be plenty for the current Sony Xplodes component speakers I have and any upgrades in the future. What do you guys think?

As for a deck, I think I'm picking up a Pioneer AVIC-D3. Everything sound good for components? Looking for input from other people running FI Q's. Thanks in advance!

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[NeedDirections 10+ year member]

I would stay away from crunch and Sony xplodes...

Look into sundown amps and CDT or similar speakers.

 

[Beefy 10+ year member]

D3s an awesome deck..

My mother has a 2 door cavilier which is off the same platform as your sunfire and I was able to squeeze my 2 MTX 12s )which were ina hella big box) in the truck for shits and giggles. All you have to do is remove the bottom portion of the back seat, fold the seat back down and fanagle it in there //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[azbass 5,000+ posts]

I would stay away from crunch and Sony xplodes...
Look into sundown amps and CDT or similar speakers.

how come you dont have a sundown amp?

 

[NeedDirections 10+ year member]

Money.

 

[bryan_15 10+ year member]

Crunch amps are good. Mainly the GP line. Like I said on smd. I would have chosen the HDC3

 

[azbass 5,000+ posts]

Money.

they are over priced anyway

 

[Seattle206 10+ year member]

ya id own the gp line any day..good stuff

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Crunch amps are good.

Compared to what else is out there on the used market, eh.

I don't see any sound deadening in that list. A roll or two is pretty much mandatory...

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

edit: n/m I was thinking of the wrong amp //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

 

[IgnoreMe 5,000+ posts]

Money.

so you have no experience with the items you're recommending?

 

[KoolDrew 10+ year member]

I would stay away from crunch and Sony xplodes...
Look into sundown amps and CDT or similar speakers.

Any reason to stay away from the Crunch amps? I've been reading good things about them and they are decently priced, but somebody else on another forum said to lose the Crunch amp as well. I did take a look at Sundown Audio amps. Any suggestion on a a particular model? I just don't want to spend a ton of money, but ~$500 for an amp is reasonable I guess. I'd like to go cheaper, but I don't really want to sacrifice my system just because I wanted to go cheaper. Something that will definitely give the subs enough to work to their full potential.

Also, the more I read and the more I get suggestions from other people, I think I might go with two 10" BL's rather than the Q's. One thing that just caught my eye with the Q is the lower frequency response. I like loud, but I'm just afraid I'm not gonna like the sound quality. I want something really loud inside and outside the car with a lot of air pressure and "punching" but at the same with with good sound quality since im putting a DVD navigation system in and really like to enjoy my music. Then again, my idea of good sound quality could be completely different from somebody else's. Since this is my first real system, I probably have no idea what good sound quality sounds like, so I think I'll be happy with the BL. What do you guys think? You think 2 10" BL's is my best option? Would those two be better than 1 12"?

As for the component speakers, I already have the Sony Xplodes. I don't mind upgrading them later down the road, but for right now since my Duals **** so bad I'm concentrating on bass first, getting that together and then worrying about component speakers, since I definitely don't have the money right now to do it all at once.

My mother has a 2 door cavilier which is off the same platform as your sunfire and I was able to squeeze my 2 MTX 12s )which were ina hella big box) in the truck for shits and giggles. All you have to do is remove the bottom portion of the back seat, fold the seat back down and fanagle it in there

Mine is a four-door though and fitting the box through the small door opening or the trunk is going to be hard. I guess I could build the box in the trunk, but since it's my first real system I think I'd be better off not doing that. Which is why I figure I can either go with 1 12" or two 10's.

If I had a two door I don't think it would be a problem, but I don't.

I would have chosen the HDC3

That was an option, but how do you think it would compare to the BL both SPL and SQ wise?

Also, I definitely do plan on getting a pack of Dynamat, so that is covered. Sorry for not mentioning it.

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

I have a bnib sundown 1500d ill sell for 375 bucks shipped....

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

One thing that just caught my eye with the Q is the lower frequency response. I like loud, but I'm just afraid I'm not gonna like the sound quality. I want something really loud inside and outside the car with a lot of air pressure and "punching" but at the same with with good sound quality since im putting a DVD navigation system in and really like to enjoy my music.

If sound quality is at all a concern, going with the BL's would be a major step backwards...the Q's are a much flatter driver.

And numbers for frequency response don't really tell you a lot, that's heavily enclosure dependent.

I probably have no idea what good sound quality sounds like

My advice to you would be to find someone that you can sit down and listen to their setup, and see if you like it or not //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[KoolDrew 10+ year member]

My advice to you would be to find someone that you can sit down and listen to their setup, and see if you like it or not

The only good system around here is a friend of mine who has one 10" Alpine Type X. I like how that sounds. I think I might just get a Q then. I don't want to be disapointed with poor SQ, and the Q will definitely be MUCH louder than my Duals from best buy.

Any suggestions on amps and the rest of my setup though? Particularly whether I should go two 10's or one 12?