Need Advice - New Car

[Bun-Bun 10+ year member]

Hello all, this is my first post here. I used to be on another car audio forum but it has kinda disapeared.

First I will explain what I used to have (still kinda do have)

'88 Beretta

Alpine CDA-9887 HU

Alpine SPS-10C2 (4" coaxials) Front Stage

Memphis M-Class 6x9's Rear Stage

PG 5.0:4 bridged 2 channle on the 6x9's (150wrms x 2)

4 10" Memphis PR subs in 5.12 CF enclosure (I had no trunk!!!)

Memphis 1000D powering the subs

Now I still have all the audio components but... the beretta started to really piss me off and I discovered that I could afford a new car over the christmas break...

So home I came with a 07 Grand Marquis LS Ultimate... none of my speakers fit, dont have time or money to run wires to hook up the amps, sub box doesnt fit... bleh... stock HU has a 6 CD changer built in and it jammed up within 30 minutes of owning the car... so got that replaced on warranty.

While I was waiting for the new one to come I was playing with the idea of getting a dash kit for my Alpine HU and/or getting some semi cheap 5x7's all around. Can get some Alpine's Type S for cheap or another dealer will take my subs in on trade it for some Memphis PR 5x7's and some cash. Either way I will be out ~$240. But now that I got the new stock HU I am not sure if either situation is worth it... (since I am goign to want some good 6.5"ers and amp them later on anyway)

Let me explain my reasoning. If I replace the HU I lose the stock amp in the car and the sub but gain a higher quality media source and more inputs (can use my ipod again) but with stock speakers (minus sub) not sure I would notice much improvement. Second scenario just replace the speakers and again with stock HU and amp not sure how much I would gain... put in my HU and some speakers and I would lose the stock sub but gain descent overall sound quality. But the stock setup is already pretty decent except for the sub which distorts if I turn it up at all with songs that have any kind of low bass.

So what should I do?

1. Put my Alpine HU in?

2. Buy semi-cheap 5x7's? (Alpine for cheap or trade subs in for better)

3. 1 & 2

4. wait until I have enough cash and money to run all new wire and install a Alpine 150x4 amp and get good 6.5" Components? I have my eye on the Diamond Audio Hexx ones. Either way this one will happen... just should I do 1-3 first or wait?

No matter what I am keeping the Memphis 1000D. Love that amp. If I buy cheap 5x7's then I will put them in my GF's truck later with the PG amp on them.

Not sure on my subs... shoudl I keep them or trade them in? don't think i want to put them in the marquis... leaning more towards 2 12's or 1 15. Was gonna go with 2 12" RE SX subs but local dealer has switched RE out for DD... Are Digital Designs subs any good?

Thanks for any advice...

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[Bun-Bun 10+ year member]

No one has any advice?

 

[Bun-Bun 10+ year member]

Well I think I have decided that putting the HU in will maek the stock setup sound like crap and the stock setup will not benefit from aftermarket speakers...

So I am going to put in my HU and buy one pair of Memphis PR 5x7's for the front and live with that till I can get the time and money to run all new wire and amp some 6.5's...

BUT... one thing im still not sure on.

Would some Alpine type S be better on deck power then Memphis PR's?

 

[Thedeadly1 10+ year member]

putting a new headunit in will make the stock speakers sound better if it has a higher rms rating and its a decent peice.

 

[Thedeadly1 10+ year member]

save your money and get a 2 channel amp for the fronts, get some cheap 6.5 components (i hate to say it, but pg rsd's) and junk the rear fill. Or just send it off headunit power.

 

[Bun-Bun 10+ year member]

putting a new headunit in will make the stock speakers sound better if it has a higher rms rating and its a decent peice.

It is a good HU, Alpine CDA-9887 //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif but its RMS power I doubt is higher then the stock amp... or at least that much higher. But the signal would be cleaner and better. The stock speakers I would have to cut the crossovers up to high or they will distort (or at least that is my theory because the stock amp is cutting them up pretty high esspecially at higher volumes)

save your money and get a 2 channel amp for the fronts, get some cheap 6.5 components (i hate to say it, but pg rsd's) and junk the rear fill. Or just send it off headunit power.

not an option. ATM I have no time or money to run cables. Other wise I would get some good compoents up front and bridge my PG 5.0:4 to them for 150wrms x 2 that I had running my 6x9's (can get diamond audio hexx's for $200 on ebay). And im not running componetns off deck power, I would feel dirty... lol

I am looking into Diamond Audio Hexx components for the future. Am also going to test some Hertz at a local dealer. I just need something now to get me better then stock... lol

Thinking the memphis-pr's would be better on deck power then the alpine's due to higher efficiency... but thats just a theory. Run them in the front, leave the back stock, put in my CDA-9887, and then save up for the complete system build this summer...

 

[Bun-Bun 10+ year member]

Ok I think I know what I am doing.

Going to install my Alpine HU and bypass the stock amp. I bought some 6x8" to 6.5" adapter plates so I can use some 6.5" coaxials. Gonna buy the M-Class memphis 6.5 coax's and put them up front. Remove the rear deck and cut the holes to 6x9 and install my M-Class 6x9's back there top mounted and put the rear deck back on. I know in my berretta that top mounted 6x9's pounded good (actually sounded better then some friends subs...).

Then in the coming months I will install a second battery in the trunk and run 1/0 cable from the front battery to the back (pos and neg) and that will set me up for easy wiring and good power when I install my amps. Then I will put deading in my doors and put egg foam behind the speaker locations or something similar. Then save up for amps and wait for time to run all new wire and replace the 6.5 coax's with some good components (thinking the hertz HSK-165 2 way's) and go from there.

Any thoughts?

 

[Bun-Bun 10+ year member]

OK so today I discovered by accident the amp in the car does not power the speakers... just the sub. So... I disconnected it an listened to the stereo without the sub...

Well... now that I can focus on the speakers... its sounds like ***. (OK its pretty fricking good for stock but...)

So Stock is coming out pronto. Alpine is going in... got 6.5" oversized Memphis PR's on the way and local shop gave me a killer deal on 2 pairs of PR 5x7's. So I may put one pair in the back or cut the holes a bit bigger for my M-Class 6x9's... actually I will probably use the 5x7's back there for now since im running just deck power. And then putting the 6.5's in the front doors.

In the end the 6.5's will be for sale and the 5x7's will be going in my GF's truck. Then fun will begin with my car //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif but thats not for at least 6 months now...

 

[andrewmoore13 10+ year member]

if you are getting adapters to make them 6.5, why not make a mdf baffle or something to make the speakers you currently own fit?

 

[Bun-Bun 10+ year member]

if you are getting adapters to make them 6.5, why not make a mdf baffle or something to make the speakers you currently own fit?

The front stage speakers I currently own are 4" Alpine Type S... so yeah...

Making the Memphis M-Class 6x9's fit in the doors would be too much work (esspecially since I plan to use them in the rears in the end anyway) and also would not take to deck power as well as some PR's would.

this is all temporary to hold me over till I have the money to run wires and put some amps in the trunk. Then I will be running 6.5 or 7" components in the front with my M-Class 6x9's in the rear.

And money spent on the 5x7's is not wasted as when I upgrade they will go into my GF's truck.

 

[Bun-Bun 10+ year member]

For anyone who cares... I finally installed my HU and speakers over this past weekend... yes 6 months later but its done lol.

What I ended up doing was putting in my CDA-9887 with the stock wireing harness and made some adapter plates and fitted some Memphis PR 6.5" OS speakers in the doors. Have the deck faded to just the memphis and don't have the stock sub hooked up.

WOW! Is all I have to say lol.

Next on my list is to beef up the power cables under the hood and run power cable underneath the car (power and ground) to the trunk for a second battery. From there i will start running speaker wire and RCA's and get ready for my new amps and then time to re-build my sub box... (or wait for the money to do 2 12" DD 2500's and a new box for those... not sure though.)