I am curious what everyone thinks about running 2 pairs of component speakers on one amp vs 4 separate mids and 4 separate tweeter on separate amps, with a Digital Sound Processor.

Would you really be able to tell the difference?

 

No one? I am thinking one of the CDT audio 6.7" component sets at 150W each vs Audio Control DSP with 100W mids and 50W tweets.

 

You ever figure this out? I saw your other thread about the HK speakers. I was hoping to find out more. The camaro I just bought needs a headunit and amp(gone) for sure. Was hoping to see what people do other than the Kee/factory amp stuff.

 

Not yet. I assume separates with a DSP will have better sound quality, but I don't know if it will be noticeable.

 

From what I have learned to understand recently a DSP is superior in every way and you will definitely be able to tell the difference. Do you really need a rear stage? Check out some of the audio groups on Facebook and you’ll get some answers quick. Everyone will tell you to run one. I’ve decided not to at the moment because I just want to be done with my project and enjoy it (I have gone way over budget and it’s taking way too long).

I am running active through either the head unit or amp crossovers while utilizing the EQ as well. I haven’t decided which crossovers to use yet, might possibly even run both but I’ve also seen a scenario called stacking that I’m a little concerned with. On my set up each speaker has its own individual bridged channel with RMS and ohms matching perfectly to one another. I might have described what I’m doing in another one of your posts but can’t remember.

Alpine iLX 507

JL XD700/5: Channel 1&2/3&4 mids at 200w each to Hertz SPL show 6.5s. Channel 5 at 300w to JL 10W1 in stealth box.

Alpine KTP-445U: 1&2/3&4 highs at 90w each to SEAS 27 1” soft domes from Madison sound (which fit the TA pod perfectly). At their advice they are protected by CalrityCap PUR 8.2 poly caps which they set me up with as well.

When you go active (DSP or not) it opens the door to go a la carte and pick what you want based on specs while not paying for crossovers in a kit as well. I’ve yet to install all of this however I’m really looking forward to the results. Everything all over the car is still in process but it’s coming along slowly and I’m hoping to have it running soon. If you’d like to hear it we can meet up sometime.

 

That is pretty much what I thought. I will probably stick with DSP and separates for the TA.

I don't like front staging. I feel like it takes your forward focus away from driving.

I am going with 6.75 mids and 1" tweeters in the doors stock location, 6.75" subs in the sails, 5.25 mids and 1" tweeters in the hatch stock location, and a 10" sub in a stealth box.

AudioControl 10 channel DSP, and likely Rockford Fosgate fan cooled amps.
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Should sound nice, I thought about following the factory layout but keeping things lightweight is important to me.

 

A DSP will greatly improve your potential for a good sounding system, however they can negatively affect the quality of sound if not properly tuned and set up. What will you be using for a head unit? With factory car audio, sadly the speaker system and their placements are generally an afterthought. Within the confines of the cab, I think the setup you have described will definitely be loud.

Personally, I would recommend saving some money with all of the separates and focus on a good quality set of components for the doors. Unless you look towards the trunk of the car frequently while driving, I would think that the mid and tweeter would be kind of a waste. More speakers is not always a good thing, whether there is a factory designated location for them or not. The money you will spend on what you have listed would get you an incredible sounding set of components, and once you get into the higher tier of speakers they will either have crossovers that will be capable or you can purchase many sets without crossovers if you are dead set on running active. To most (probably 95% or higher), there would not be a discernible difference between the two when properly tuned.

A single amp can power your entire system, again quality over quantity. With the design of the car, the hatch area lends itself extremely well to the lower frequencies of a dedicated subwoofer which at this point would render the mid-sub in the pillar practically useless. With that said, my opinionated recommendation would be a good component set in the doors, a coaxial for rear fill either in the pillars or hatch area, and a subwoofer in the trunk. I'm all for the capabilities of a DSP over just running a head unit output to the amp(s). I just hate seeing an unneeded amount of midgrade equipment (too many amps, too many drivers) that could be easily outshined with half as much.

 

I am going back and forth between Kenwood and Pioneer Multimedia head units.

I was thinking that the 6.7 woofers in the sails would be specifically for higher bass frequencies, maybe 80hz to 200hz, and the sub would handle 80hz and lower

 

To me, the Kenwood units are a little more user friendly when it comes to the menu selection and settings accessibility. A good door midbass can easily play into those frequencies. I generally cross a decent mid between 50-70 Hz, some down to 40. Crossovers are not a precise stopping point, as the roll off from that frequency will vary depending on the slope. Most of the newer head units will have adjustability (as well as the DSP) for how steep or precise you want the response cut off (6 dB, 12 dB, 18 dB, etc.). An 80 Hz filter is the beginning of the cut off for frequency, so with door speakers cut at 80 high pass and the sub low pass at the same, there will be a general area of roughly 40 Hz to 150 or so that will be played strongly by both drivers to a diminishing effect on each corresponding side of the initial point. You can use a much steeper slope, based on the capabilities of the processing equipment (head unit or DSP) and it will also depend on what the speakers are capable of. Where the inabilities begin to show are more in the midrange frequencies. A midbass can play low, and a tweeter can play high, but neither are great in the midrange areas. Your sub and midbass will handle anything up to 1000-1500 Hz together, so the gap then comes in between that and where the tweeter is most capable, which will be 3000-4000 or higher. Most passive component crossovers will run somewhere around 2500-3500 Hz high and low pass, so the deficiencies of your setup I think will be more in this area than in the 80-200 range.

If you can find a shop that has some better quality drivers that you can demo, I think it will definitely be worth the time. Morel Virtus are a great sounding, fairly priced set that I highly recommend hearing if possible. Even in a 4" component, these can have stronger midbass output than a majority of the more widespread brands I have used in a 6.5/6.75. I'm assuming you had a Monsoon system, and much like Bose, JBL, Harman Kardon, Bang & Olufsen, Mark Levinson, and others, I rip that garbage out first chance I get. I'm in it for the music, and have yet to be truly impressed by any of the OEM manufacturer's offerings in this regard. The reason being is that they are trying to emulate what an amplified system can be, but they do it by exaggerating the midbass and midrange frequencies and the layouts of their systems mirror that. There were midbass drivers in the sails because they didn't have a subwoofer (6" is not a subwoofer, even an 8" is generally a midbass driver to me), once you have a real subwoofer they are irrelevant.

However, everything is subjective to what "good" sounds like to the individual. My opinion may be polar opposite of what you are going for soundwise. Anybody trying to sell you something specific will have a biased opinion based on their financial gain for the most part, I just want you to be able to experience the music while beating on that 434.