idiot 10+ year member
Senior VIP Member
I’ve spent a few months reading this board (and others), considering which parts would make a great system for my car. One of my priorities is to have a stealth install (minus the HU, which I intend to replace, and will obviously be quite evident). I drive a Toyota Matrix (a hatchback/wagon-type vehicle), and there is very little interior space that is not taken up by various compartments and the like, so I had a difficult time with the placement of the sub (since I don’t want to take up any usable space). I choose to put it under the passenger seat, and to put the amps beneath the driver’s seat. Because of diameter and enclosure volume, I’m restricted to an 8” sub. Similarly, I need the amplifiers to be relatively small, else two of them won’t fit under the driver’s seat (less than 13” in length and width, and around 2.5” in height). Oh, I’m mainly looking for a SQ system. I’m hoping that, since the sub will be right up front and only two feet away from me, an 8” in this location won’t be too quiet (as opposed to an 8” that is in the truck of the car with the seats up, for instance). Anyway, here’s what I’m currently looking at:
Head Unit: Undecided… I’ll wait until the new Pioneer/Alpine models are released
Sub: Image Dynamics ID8 V.3 (175-300W RMS, wired to 4 Ohms)
Amp: Profile CL600M (1 x 300W @ 4 Ohms)
Front Components: Image Dynamics CXS62 (150W RMS @ 2 Ohms)
Rear Midbass: Image Dynamics CX62 (150W RMS @ 2 Ohms)
Amp: Profile CL640 (4 x 110W @ 2 Ohms)
I never expected to get an entire system from the same company, but ID has some very attractive products. Their subs are very well regarded, and their speakers have the ability to run at 2 Ohms (which makes choosing a high-powered, good quality, and inexpensive amp much simpler). Still, this setup is hardly final, and I have a few questions.
1) I’m building a sealed enclosure for the sub, which will be about 0.33 cubic feet in volume. Will the ID8 perform well in it? The specs list volume range from 0.2 to 0.45, and I’m right near the middle. Should I aim for something larger? I’ve heard that too small an enclosure will lend only adequate results, in terms of SQ.
2) The reason I’ve chosen the front and rear speakers is a combination of several good things I’ve heard specifically about them (though not many things… I haven’t found a review in any of the usual places), the reputation of ID for excellent SQ, and the fact that they can run at 2 Ohms. I’ve not seen another speaker set that can run at that low an impendence. As a result, I would be able to spend less money on the amp, and more on the speakers.
3) When speaking of midbass (which I want to be fairly strong, since I’d only have a single 8” sub), some people have talked about building an enclosure for the drivers. I was planning on just putting them in the rear doors, stock location. Is this a bad thing to do? Also, I’m not set on the particular model listed above (actually, I’d rather have the IDQ6, but I can’t seem to find a pair separate from ID’s horn-loaded set).
As I said, this setup is hardly final. I’m pretty sure I want the sub and CL600M amp, though I’ll need to know this for sure before I cut the mounting hole in the enclosure (of course, I have to finish the other sides first //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif). But everything else listed above is very tentative, mostly because I’ve heard so few things about those particular speakers. The chosen front components, rear speakers, and four-channel amp would cost me about $500. If not this setup, what could I get in the $500-$600 range? I would need front components (6.5”), rear speakers (also 6.5”, with strong midbass), and an amplifier that could adequately power them (which needs to be less than 13” in length and width, and around 2.5” in height).
I would appreciate any assistance.
Head Unit: Undecided… I’ll wait until the new Pioneer/Alpine models are released
Sub: Image Dynamics ID8 V.3 (175-300W RMS, wired to 4 Ohms)
Amp: Profile CL600M (1 x 300W @ 4 Ohms)
Front Components: Image Dynamics CXS62 (150W RMS @ 2 Ohms)
Rear Midbass: Image Dynamics CX62 (150W RMS @ 2 Ohms)
Amp: Profile CL640 (4 x 110W @ 2 Ohms)
I never expected to get an entire system from the same company, but ID has some very attractive products. Their subs are very well regarded, and their speakers have the ability to run at 2 Ohms (which makes choosing a high-powered, good quality, and inexpensive amp much simpler). Still, this setup is hardly final, and I have a few questions.
1) I’m building a sealed enclosure for the sub, which will be about 0.33 cubic feet in volume. Will the ID8 perform well in it? The specs list volume range from 0.2 to 0.45, and I’m right near the middle. Should I aim for something larger? I’ve heard that too small an enclosure will lend only adequate results, in terms of SQ.
2) The reason I’ve chosen the front and rear speakers is a combination of several good things I’ve heard specifically about them (though not many things… I haven’t found a review in any of the usual places), the reputation of ID for excellent SQ, and the fact that they can run at 2 Ohms. I’ve not seen another speaker set that can run at that low an impendence. As a result, I would be able to spend less money on the amp, and more on the speakers.
3) When speaking of midbass (which I want to be fairly strong, since I’d only have a single 8” sub), some people have talked about building an enclosure for the drivers. I was planning on just putting them in the rear doors, stock location. Is this a bad thing to do? Also, I’m not set on the particular model listed above (actually, I’d rather have the IDQ6, but I can’t seem to find a pair separate from ID’s horn-loaded set).
As I said, this setup is hardly final. I’m pretty sure I want the sub and CL600M amp, though I’ll need to know this for sure before I cut the mounting hole in the enclosure (of course, I have to finish the other sides first //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif). But everything else listed above is very tentative, mostly because I’ve heard so few things about those particular speakers. The chosen front components, rear speakers, and four-channel amp would cost me about $500. If not this setup, what could I get in the $500-$600 range? I would need front components (6.5”), rear speakers (also 6.5”, with strong midbass), and an amplifier that could adequately power them (which needs to be less than 13” in length and width, and around 2.5” in height).
I would appreciate any assistance.