Need advice on a front stage

[MonkeyBone 10+ year member]

I'm buying components for my first REAL car stereo install and keeping it local ;-)

I already bought an Alpine CDA-9815 HU (from Slammed), a Kicker zx1500.1 (from Sundownz) and a pair of 12" Hypnotic (TeamSouthrnBass) subs and hopefully Orangecounty will sell me his two Sundown 100.2 amps ;-)

So I think I'm off to a good start. The HU is capable of an active front stage and I wanted advice on what 6.5" components to put up front. I was leaning toward Focal or Rainbow but am open to new suggestions. I'm looking in the $300-400price range.

It's going in a 2002 Mustang GT. My taste in music is all over the place and SQ is most important not SPL.

Can anyone help my ugly ass out with some suggestions? THANKS!

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[dewey79 10+ year member]

I know a lot of people bash infinity Perfects, but I would suggest those. They will fill your whole car up with sound and give you good seperation on your music. They are amazing and loud. I would not suggest putting anything else on the amp with them and would suggest running them on an amp that has around 200 watts rms so that you will get the most out of them. If less, it may take longer to break them in and they will not be as loud. The clarity in these speakers are unreal even at loud volumes. They may sound flat at first but they spring to life with a vengance giving you depth in music and clarity that is unreal. They are very easy on the on the ears because they have such a smooth response, but they can get loud enough to give you all the sound your ears can take.

 

[Macklessdaddy 10+ year member]

Ignore the above poster.

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

jump into active then. Do some research on DIYMA and pick some drivers within budget...

 

[dewey79 10+ year member]

Ignore the above poster.

Can't ignore the competitions these speakers have won.

P.S. I love your avatar!

 

[MonkeyBone 10+ year member]

I know a lot of people bash infinity Perfects, but I would suggest those. They will fill your whole car up with sound and give you good seperation on your music. They are amazing and loud. I would not suggest putting anything else on the amp with them and would suggest running them on an amp that has around 200 watts rms so that you will get the most out of them. If less, it may take longer to break them in and they will not be as loud. The clarity in these speakers are unreal even at loud volumes. They may sound flat at first but they spring to life with a vengance giving you depth in music and clarity that is unreal. They are very easy on the on the ears because they have such a smooth response, but they can get loud enough to give you all the sound your ears can take.

It's actually funny you say that because I'm replacing my Infinity components with this new build so I defiantly want a better sound than what I've got now. I like Infinity, but I think stuff like Focal would be better.

 

[Macklessdaddy 10+ year member]

Can't ignore the competitions these speakers have won.
P.S. I love your avatar!

Ican't say they are the worst ever but after hearing other speakers,they are not even in the same universe,and I'm speaking from experience as I used to have some.

 

[dewey79 10+ year member]

Whatever sounds good to you, it was just my suggestion. I have had the reference components, and the kappa 60.9, only the perfects left me completely satisfied. They have a much more full and and defined sound than the latter two, plus they are more crispy, louder, and smoother than the kappa 60.9.

 

[DEdwards 10+ year member]

I am kinda biased but I would look into Hybrid Audio Technologies Clarus line for passives and the Legatia line if you go active. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[atsaubrey 10+ year member]

Anything in the Image Dynamics line, the CTX for a budget are really good, the XS (top dogs) are phenominal.

 

[MonkeyBone 10+ year member]

Wow, thanks for all the tips guys it gives me lots of stuff to research.

I think I am getting those two SAX-100.2 Sundown amps here shortly and wanted to use those for the front stage. One for the mids and one for the tweeters //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[James Bang 5,000+ posts]

Wow, thanks for all the tips guys it gives me lots of stuff to research.
I think I am getting those two SAX-100.2 Sundown amps here shortly and wanted to use those for the front stage. One for the mids and one for the tweeters //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

I'd suggest one amp bridged for each mid and run the tweets off the headunit. Tweeters are sensitive enough to get loud off of HU wattage.

That way you can just use the balance on the HU to balance the L & R tweets for a center image, and use the gains to balance the mids.

 

[MSW Danny 10+ year member]

Morel Dotech ovation or Hertz MLK's would be nice

 

[Bass911 10+ year member]

Please don't get the Perfets. I still have mine collecting dust. One tweeter is blown. I couldn't even get rid of them on Craigslist. You need to be your own judge and listen before buying. I've sat in a few SQ comp cars and was not impressed with any of them. Just cause a speaker wins a Sq contest doesn't mean it's guaranteed to satisfy your ears.

 

[MonkeyBone 10+ year member]

I'd suggest one amp bridged for each mid and run the tweets off the headunit. Tweeters are sensitive enough to get loud off of HU wattage.
That way you can just use the balance on the HU to balance the L & R tweets for a center image, and use the gains to balance the mids.

Headunits have power? Are you serious? I don't think I've ever installed a car stereo and used the HU power before. I'm going to be pushing 1500wrms to my subs with the zx1500.1 and 800wrms with the two Sundowns. I can't even power the laptop I'm writing this on with 20wrms of power which my HU provides.