Max Power

I'm looking at keeping the Stock HU and using a line out converter, has that worked well for those of you using it? I have a Pioneer deck I could install but I need to buy a new face plate which will eat into my budget. I may change it out at a later time but I thought I'd try using the stock plus loc, never done that before.

Found an online store through a bizrate search.

http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/caraudio/ca...&m=&q=&start=51

What do you guys think of this site? Are the prices good? I'm looking around online to buy a set of 6.5 components. I have MB Quarts in my other car. I'm looking to spend around $200-$400 for speakers and add the Blaupunkt amp. Which I've seen online for $300. For that price which model of Focals/MBquart/Diamond Audio should I find? Which would you buy?

I think I'm going to go with this setup and then later on add rear speakers or a sub. The Blaupunkt is a 4 channel amp.

Blaupunkt amp fits under seat.

http://www.bizrate.com/marketplace/search/...er,ir--162.html

If you know of any better sites please post the link, or if you know of any audio shops that will beat those prices in the Northern VA area point me in that direction too.

Thank you.

BTW... I guess I need to pick up the Speaker brackets from Lucid? Is that what you guys did for your installls? I'm probably not going to do it my self, I'll let the audio shop do it so that the work is under warranty.

mgiang7

millionbuy.com has the blaupunkt PA4100 for about $300 (and the website might not be as dodgy).

i've bought from onlinecarstereo.com before, they're mostly grey market, so ask specifically if you get a warranty when you buy. their focal stuff is NOT warrantied, totally grey market.

i dunno if you'll be those prices locally. there is only 1-2 focal dealers in nova, one is in tysons corner, you can go there to listen to their soundboard. or if we ever hook up at a meet you can listen to my focals, but i don't have an S2K so it'll be a little different.

there is a diamond audio dealer in MD too. so get your butt to the stores and listen. the focals sound very different from the mb quarts.


i know partsexpress.com has a line out converter on sale right now, less then $5 i think.


send me a PM if you need help finding the shops local.

b0mbrman

There's plenty of online car audio stores with good prices.

Start with this place because they're a sponsor:


If you don't find everything you need there, PM me and I'll send you the long list of places with good prices that I've found...

lucid

Diamond Audio Hex series for the doors S600S.

Going for a small amp you won't get any smaller than the Blaupunkt.

A new deck would be ideal if possible. much easier to tune and adjust than working with stock.

One thing I have to stress is that if you add components and an amp you REALLY need to put a subwoofer in to balance it all out.

Max Power

Sub huh....

I was thinking about that but I didn't want to lose trunk space. I don't mind going that route if the sub takes the place of the trunk tool bin. I see that as wasted space any way and figure I can throw the tools in the spare tire well. I really wanted to keep as much space as possible.

Does the JL stealth take up any equal/less space? Using the Blaupunkt amp which sub solution would you recommend. I like the idea of the blaupunkt amp since it mounts under the seat in wasted space, 2 channels to the door and 2 mono to the sub.

I may just do the components first then sub later. At high speed I miss the bass, but when driving around town I'd be content with the bass that two 6.5 put out. I'm only worried about the distortion the bass may cause when at high volume, thus would consider the sub to handle low/mid bass.

Diamond audio S600s $329, any other speaker I should compare in that $300 price range?

Max Power

If I go with something like the Focals/Diamond Audio I guess I'll need the speaker brackets and XTC baffles, correct?

I plan on using dynamat but I'd like to have these mounted very well to get the most I can out of these speakers.

lucid

You can go with our 10" MDF offset @ $100. Mount your amp on top of the box - over your tools.

I'd say the S600S is the best buy.

Max Power

I have a DEH-P7000R, I had it on my old car, face fell apart so I replaced it. I kept everything and I can order a new face plate for $149 from Pioneer. I was thinking of using this head unit since it's just sitting there, I think it has 4.5V preouts.

Using that deck, the S600s (read some very good reviews), and the Blaupunkt amp (mount under seat).

Lucid, For the speakers, what will I need to buy from you to mount them? What about for the head unit? Dash controller? Thanks.

If I go with a sub, at a later point, I want it to replace the tool bin, but sit at the same height. Don't want to lose any space, that's my biggest gripe with the sub.

Anyone else using a similar setup?

S600 Very good reviews.
http://www.carreview.com/Speakers/Diamond,...73_1805crx.aspx

Max Power

My two concerns are;

1) Do I go with amp and line out converter?

2) 2 channel with components sound like enough bass at slow speeds, trouble when traveling faster.

I may go with 2 channel amp, Diamonds, and Line out Converter. That would the most costeffective install, but would I be happy with the sound quality?

lucid

If you're using a good aft. deck you should have RCAs and no need for a converter.

For the $ you can't get any better than the S600s esp. for this car. The cone material is a Kevlar honeycome, the silk dome tweeters, very smooth and balanced sounding. Only gripe w/these is yet another "6 1/2" speaker size." Its 6.25" vs the stock size (and sonys, kenwoods, polks ect.) of 6.125" vs. TRUE 6.5" Crossovers are on the larger size, placement near the amp or elsewhere may be a good idea rather than the door panel.

With only aprox ~ 62 RMS per channel to these (rear speakers too) you can't hear anything else. If you use the hardtop you can just install 100 rms to the s600s sans the rears + a sub. HOWEVER, the moment you drop the top or even switch to soft top imaging changes and you need the rears.

usual rule of thumb for sub power is x 1.5 total speaker power. I believe 2 to 2.5 x for a sealed trunk sub in this car. i.e. 200 rms x 2 to doors - 400 rms to trunk sub.

Any case an aft. head unit makes a world of difference for adjusting imaging.