SQ install on 2012 Cruze

[6.5LDiesel 10+ year member]

I am doing a Sound quality install on a 2012 Chevy cruze with the stock 6 speaker sound system and factory radio.

Right now I have a 12w6V2 subwoofer in a 2 cubic ft box sealed with a 500/1 amplifier.

What I am trying to accomplish is a true sound quality install that will make my ears feel like they are in heaven. I will get rid of the W6 If i need to.

I do like bass but more of a tighter response as I listen to more of Heavy rock and maybe a little hip-hop and some country.

I have been looking into silver flute speakers, the JBL speakers, dayton and B2 speakers I am real torn between them as i id like to do a active setup. I dont know where to start as this is the THIRD time Ive upgraded the sound system and Id like to do it ONCE the CORRECT time this time. If you all could be kind enough to bare with me here I would greatly appreciate any advice you could share.

I do not have a set budget but I would like the most "bang for the buck" as i could get while retaining a real good SQ system

I will be sound deadening the front doors with sound deadener showdown (Trunk is done)

If some experts could help me out and recommend specific speakers/components, amps, subwoofers, EQ or processor (if any, this is the part im having most trouble on)

Thank you in advance, once again any and all help will be appreciated!

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[neo_styles 10+ year member]

@trumpet ; has a pair of JBL P660c comps that could do extremely well active. Otherwise, consider the Dayton RS180 mids and RS series silk dome tweets. They are large format tweets, so some fab might be required. If that's a concern, look at the Vifa ring radiators (must be installed on axis for best response). Another option would be getting something put together by PHD audio (Italian-made).

Keep the W6 but evaluate its enclosure. Sadly, the JL-spec box and the best box for it aren't really the same thing.

As for the amp, if you can swing about 600, you could get a Zuki Eleets Hybrid 5-channel and be set, probably permanently. People on DIYMA rave about it and it's a 5-channel which could mitigate needing electrical upgrades.

Finally, as for the processor, go with the MS-8 if you want something that auto-calibrates or an Arc PS8 if you really want to get down and dirty.

 

[trumpet 5,000+ posts]

This is a hotly debatable subject, but I think the JBL MS-8 is the best processor available now to get really good sound quality. It's debatable mainly because of people who think they can do a better job tuning manually than what the MS-8 does mostly automatically. This is not to say there aren't professionals who can get amazing results, better than I'm capable of by far, but MS-8 makes your choice of speakers not so critical. You don't need to worry so much about whether this component set has sharp sounding tweeters, or that component set has a bloated sounding midbass speaker but the tweeter is so nice, and so on. You pick out some good quality speakers if your factory speakers are hopeless, install the speakers in the factory locations, and let the MS-8 do its thing to smooth out the frequency response. Then you draw the curve you want on the 31-band graphic EQ(NO RTA NEEDED) and enjoy.

I've left out a bunch of obvious steps, but one other thing I want to stress is to do the best you can on sound deadening. If you can fit the CCF, MLV, and 3M Thinsulate Acoustic in your front doors I recommend you do all of it. If you have any stray noises coming about from your subwoofer then kill them dead, because it will kill the "bass on the dash" imaging that MS-8 does so easily.