You cant compare two system like that, especially when one no longer exists to reference, and only discuss brands being used. If his system really did 'murder' yours, it wasn't from the brands being used, it was from the install. If yours gets murdered, or actually murders his, its from the install. You both appear to have/had solid equipment, and imo its obvious that the biggest room for improvement (or failure) was in the install.
Your dad's install had some things going for it, and some potential problems, if Im going to judge only by the very brief description about it that you gave us here. First, small vehicle (S-10). Its tough to fit a 3-way in an S-10 and get everything right. They are small, not a lot of leg room. And, we dont know how your dad's front stage was mounted. Did he use the stock dash locations, firing up at the windshield, for his tweeters? If so, not a good sign. Did he use kick panels? Was his 3-way run active, with the 6x9's running as dedicated midbass? Or were the 6x9's another fullrange driver? The center console, assuming it was built well, it still lends itself to the concern over motor noise.
He ran the 2 6.5 coaxials in door pods as far to the front as he could get them (2 in each door) Tweeters just facing out same way as speaker. the 6x9s, I'd have to ask again to be sure but I believe he ran them full range but did let them go down lower than the 6.5s in his doors. They were in some 6x9 enclosures behind/ under his seat. (its really hard to explain because I only saw the system like once and I was too young to know or care about of any of this. so I'm going from what he remembers.) He never was one to really use the term "front stage" he always talked about more of a surround sound effect. But that the music did sound like it was coming from in front of him. I just dont see those 6x9s being very useful behind the seat. But maybe theres something I dont know.
Id also have some similar questions about your install. I dont know the vehicle, I dont know how your power/xover network is set up, and I dont know how you've mounted the speakers in your front stage. I will say this though, you posses good enough equipment that if your install was done well, and his done not as well, you should have no problem competing against the sonic performance of his setup.
Mine is in a 2010 Scion tC. My install is kind of incapacitated ATM but heres how its setup:
The front comps on the front channel of the amp running from 250hz and up Midrange in kickpanel and Tweeter mounted in dash facing upward at an angle toward listener. (probably gonna move em soon though)
The rear comps (I removed the tweeter and just use the mid and xover) is also on the front channel of the amp until I can find a small 2 channel to run them off of. or some other alternative.
The SSMB6 midbasses are in my doors. Bridged off my Boston Amp on the rear channels getting about 100rms each playing from 250hz down to about 50 (63 on some songs) They are deadened up pretty good. Seal is....meh....but I'm thinking about moving the midbasses to my kicks and moving the midrange to my doors with tweeter up on pillar facing windshield.
Convince dad to put his money where his mouth is, and build a new system that will 'murder' yours. Invite him to join ca.com too if you want. There's still some of us oldschool guys around that will be able to relate to his memory of what car audio use to be.
He has since put together a system on his golf cart that seems very nostalgic of his older ones. It consists of 2 sets of Boston SR65s. One pair is in those little holders upfront and the other pair cut into the battery part below the seat facing out towards the pedals. He has an 8inch L7 in the rear storage compartment facing up towards the listener. All run off of an Alpine PDX 5. For a golf cart, the thing sounds **** good! and alot of the locals are going crazy since he hasnt built a system in so long. He will even make little jokes at me sometimes about how my mids and highs dont wanna see his. But I just wouldnt feel right doing that. All of his stuff is basically playing into open air compared to mine in a car. I've been trying to get him to run a system in his current car or truck but he's not budging.
Cheers.
