Tobynine9

iTrader: (17)

Ok, I've ditched the idea of adding a powered sub tube on top of the stock Monsoon. The Monsoon has got to go.

So, I'm thinking new head unit (obviously), 5-channel Alpine amplifier, 4 new speakers in stock locations, and a sub box in the old cd changer's spot.

Now, the questions:

1. Where is the best place to mount a single aftermarket amplifier if I don't want to lose too much usable trunk space, especially not in my t-top storage, and I don't have the skill/patience to fabricate an elaborate mount?

2. Would it be worth it to use component systems in place just speakers? I'd have to drill the door panels and the rear seat side panels to mount the tweeters obviously. That would theoretically give me more opportunity to aim the highs to the best positions but would it really make that big of a difference to justify the price difference and labor/hassle factor?

3. The amp will be powering the 6.5/6.75 main speakers and the sub. Would it be worth it to run speaker wire from the head unit to power new 4" speakers in the rear sail panels or should I just leave those out of the new equation?

4. Where should I focus my sound deadening efforts? Since I'll have the interior torn pretty much completely apart for this I should put at least something down to help the new stuff sound that much better.

Thanks for any input y'all can provide. I'll keep everyone posted as things progress after I get started.

Snootch

iTrader: (3)

Yeah, that Monsoon amp is noting but an overpriced distortion box.

Sounds like your on the right track.

I hear you. I wanted the same things when I designed my system. I would mount the amp directly behind the seat on the parcel shelf. There really isn't any area large enough to mount a large amp like a 5-channel anywhere else, unless you do the rear-seat delete. The amp rack doesn't need to be too complicated, just something to mount the amp on, with a cover for the wires. Cover it with matching un-backed carpet available at your local auto upholstery shop, and use spray can glue (3M super 90) to adhere it to the wood. I drew a simple line drawing to illustrate:



Traditionally, components are usually of better quality, and can handle more power than coaxial speakers. The ideal sound for a good system is to replicate the sound of a concert. You want your front speakers, or "front stage" to be louder than your rear speakers so it sounds like the performers are in front of you, just as it is at a live performance. the rear speakers mostly are there for ambient support, or "rear fill". In a lot of competition sound systems, they don't even use rear fill. all the speakers are in the front of the listener. BUT, i'm sure you aren't into competition level systems, and don't need that kind of setup. You probably want something that looks/sounds good. Right? Getting back to my point, you probably want to use a good quality set of component speakers up front, and a set of nice coaxials in the back. The best area for the tweeters is firing across the windshield, mounted to the side of the a-pillar, as far forward as possible. This positioning helps the height of your soundstage, by keeping it from sounding like there are tweeters at either side, and low of the listener. Instead, this position gives the impression of sound coming from in front of you. The tweeters can be affixed using a 1"x1" square of double-sided foam tape, (after cleaning the surface), and the wires can be hidden in the seam between the dash and a-pillar.

Don't even use those speakers. I don't know why they even put them back there. Maybe so the marketing types could say that the system had 8 speakers instead of 6.

Yes, this is a perfect time to do some sound deadening. cover all exposed metal with sound deadening. be sure to cover the outer and inner skins of the doors, double coat the wheelwells, transmission tunnel, and firewall. For even better sound deadening, I would find some thick closed-cell foam rubber, and cover the sound deadening with that before installing the carpet. Also, tusk little pieces of foam rubber, single-sided foam tape, or rubber between interior pieces that may be squeaking together. It will take you a while after your system is installed to chase down all the squeaks/rattles.

Cool. Good luck!

Tobynine9

iTrader: (17)

The perfect time to do some sound deadening... I was considering doing something a little less intensive. If I wasn't going to coat the whole inside of the car and add 100+ pounds of weight where would I focus? Doors, obviously. Transmission tunnel? Wheel wells? B-Pillar? Get what I mean?

Snootch

iTrader: (3)

OH, Then, my areas of attack would be:
1- doors
2- wheel wells
3- firewall
4- transmission tunnel
5- b-pillar/wheel wells

Tobynine9

iTrader: (17)

Grassyass.

KEE AUDIO

iTrader: (65)

Sounds like you have the right idea. I run a similar set up with a Rockford Fosgate 600.5 and a 120.2. I ran the 600.5 by itself for some time powering Infinty 6012i in the doors and Infinity 6.5in mid bass in the sail panels. The sub was a RF HE2 in a drivers side stealth box. I have an extra stealth box if you need one. I went with a passenger side stealth box and cut out the spare so I now have two 10in RF HE2 subs. That's why I needed the 120.2 which I have bridged into the other sub. I just wanted to get a descent SPL level. SQ is still pretty good as well. I have both amps connected by a RF amp bridge that makes it look like one huge amp (these are older RF amps). It is mounted on the rear sill. By using stealth boxes you give up little or no cargo area and are able to use T-top area and still get lots of bass. Good luck with your project!!

Tobynine9

iTrader: (17)

What side is the spare stealth box you've got and who made it? Does it fit flush underneath the rear plastic panel?

KEE AUDIO

iTrader: (65)

Supposedly its a JL Audio but it has no markings to verify this. I know it is not an MTX because those actually say MTX in the plastic and I have one of those too. It is a driverside stealthbox and it is NOT a homemade one. It is molded plastic just like my MTX. Fits where the changer would go and it fits perfect. This one acutally fits better than my MTX Thunderform. It sounds great as well. I tested it with an Alpine Type-E svc sub and a RF HE2 dvc sub and both sounded amazing! Cool how you can get so much bass outa such a small enclosure. This was using the RF120.2 amp so there wasn't huge power going to it either. Email me and I can send some pics...ivkee@bellsouth.net

LS198Z28

iTrader: (5)

what i did to my car was take out the spare tire and mount my amp in there ill post pics if you want and then i put a stealth box so basically it looks like the box is factory.

Tobynine9

iTrader: (17)

yeah, some pics would be great. i don't really want to lose the spare but if i could find a way to put an amp in the fender area occupied by the stock amp...

rotwiler

iTrader: (1)

The spare tire is so small, if I had to use it, I would probably scrape with my LT headers. I just carry a small air pump and sometimes on long trips some fix a flat. My amp and cap are in the area where the tire was and saves weight without that tire.

I went cheap with my setup and kept the stock monsoon amp. I went with a Kenwood deck and have all the lower bass cutoff and only plays mid bass in the rear seat speakers and I set it with slighly less bass up front. I added Infinity 2ohm 62.7i speakers up front, they are coax speakers, but setup like seperates with seperate bass and tweeter inputs and rotate for better imaging and the tweeter is able to be turned to get 2db more highs. I kept the stock back seat speakers, but with all the lower bass cut out using the Kenwood, I don't get the crap sound like before and has good fill now. I wanted to save weight, so I coverd both plastic panels in the hatch area with sound deadening(eDead) and put Pioneer 4inch speakers in and made a pocket and covered the backside of the 4inch speakers to make the sound project out better, it worked and they sound great now. I put in a MTX 2150x old school amp(about 450 watts rms true power) into 4ohm mono, running 2 Memphis Audio 10 inch PR subs in a flip up Millhouse box so I still have full use of the t top area and can remove it in seconds for the track. I added some eDead in the T top well and the back where the tailights are. Even only using about 14 lbs of eDead, the bass is a lot better and sounds great. Combined with the Infinity speakers up front and cutting off all the low bass in the other speakers the stock Monsoon amp sounds really good and I can't hear the distortion like when totally stock. It is hard to tell someone how good it sounds, but in person it really sound great.