I'm looking to put together a system for my 2000 SS. I don't need a show stopper or to be heard 3 blocks away I just want a good sounding system that can be cranked up at times without sounding like crap. I listen to all types of music so I don't want anything specific to one type of music. Also, if replacing the door and rear seat speakers and adding a sub is it really necessary to keep the rear 4" speakers. Here is a tenative system I picked out.

Pioneer DEH-P77DH headunit.
4 Pioneer TS-A1781R 6 3/4" 4 way speakers 2-50 watts RMS ( 240 watts peak power).
Pioneer GM-6200F Amp 60w x 4.
MTX Thunder 4500 10" woofer with class D 200 watt amp.

I can do this system for about 1350.00 from Crutchfield. What do you guys think. Money is an issue so I'm trying to stay under 1500.00.

 

If your are looking to spend under $1500 for a system:

Pioneer Premier DEH-P680MP ($213)
Humount bracket ($70)
Kicker 06ZX700.5 5 Channel Amplifier ($317)
Subthump Driver Side Stealthbox with eD 11kv2 10" Sub ($195)
Alpine SPR-17LS Componet Speakers ($144)
Wire/RCA Cables etc ($100)

That is $1039 before shipping from places like online car stereo and sub thump for those prices. This will be a nice system with will sound much better. I am just using the front speakers for mids/highs and it sound much better than using any rear speakers. The sub will drown them out anyway and spend the money on decent front speakers.

 

I would not use those speakers. You're spending over $200 on coaxial speakers. The whole "4 way" thing is a marketing joke.

I would start with just front speakers, and spend as much money on them as you can afford, even if it means skimping on other areas. Your front speakers have the biggest impact on your sound over anything else.

I'm running JBL Power Series 6.5" Components in my Buick Regal, and at $425 retail, they are a bit pricey, but honestly, they are the best speakers I've used that did not cost over $700. I built a competition system around these speakers, and using only the built in EQ on an Alpine head unit, took 1st place at a major IASCA show in South Carolina this year.

 

I am a sound quality guy like mike but here are some of my suggestions. Spend most of your money on your front soundstage. Im sure mike @ fbodyaudio would love to do a quote for a system for you as you are both in PA.

My suggestion
Memphis 6.5 mclass component set for fronts
memphis mini bell amp or an eclipse audio 5 channel.
Fi audio ssd 12" sub in custom enclosure
Alpine or eclipse head unit.

If your car is auto than put the components in kick panels and tweeters in a-pillars or in door.


Some other options are image dynamics chameleon components, alpine type x comps, diamond hex series comps, etc...

 

Thanks for the help, so are you guys saying that speaker wise I just need a good set of door speakers, no rear seat speakers or hatch speakers, and a good woofer. I was checking the subthumb site and was thinking about getting their loaded stealth box and was wonder whether I should go with the dual 4 ohm or dual 2 ohm woofer.

 

That is what we are saying. Go with front componet speakers only. As far as 2 ohm or 4 ohm, go with dual 4 ohm if you are using a single sub

 

mb quarts owns all in the componet sets

 

Cool, I was looking at the MB Quarts RUA216 components for the front, and the subthump 102A/11Ov2. Would the Kicker 06ZX700.5 5 Channel Amplifier work well with this set up ?

 

Yes, the MBQ Premiums (PCE 216) would work nicely, but you'll be looking at $550 -600 a set. The MBQ Q-lines (QSD 216) are TOP OF THE LINE and just AWESOME, but most likely out of your pricerange. If you can find a set for $700, ****** them up! I've only seen them offered at that price ONCE in the last 5 years. The reference and discus series are OK, but you'll really notice an audible difference if you upgrade. (PLUS, I already blew a set of voice coils on my old discus series comps while doing a drive-by SPL competition one year). Haven't had ANY issues w/my Premiums or Q-series since I've had them!

If you really search hard, you'll notice MANY competitors run successful setups w/those comps. NOT saying that they are the best, but a proven set.

x3.....front stage is MOST important, and if you are like me, you'll want to throw some power at them, so make sure your RMS ratings are above 80w on whatever comps you purchase. The MBQ's handle 150 -170w depending on which series you go with.

The Memphis M3 subs are also a nice bridge between SQ and SP, and still relatively affordable comparably speaking. If too pricey, you can drop down to the M1 line. Throw a 500w M class Mono amp and 12 or 10" for around $700 w/ enclosure. If you go w/Memphis I suggest you stay w/the M class series. Heck, a friend of mine was running a set of Memphis coaxials, and those were some nice sounding comps too. A bit too bright for me, and not enough mid-bass like the MBQ's, but very detailed and clean.

JBL is overpriced........

NOW THAT IS SURE TO GET A REACTION
(Inside joke)

 

OH NO HE DIDN'T !!

Seriously, I have my Firehawk competition vehicle which has a totally modified interior and no compromises taken for SQ, which will re-debut in Ultimate class next season. Using top of the line JBL amps, the flagship JBL subs, and uber-highend JBL pro-sound drivers.

But I also built a system in my Buick Regal, which is my daily driver, using all mid level JBL gear, and total equipment costs came in around 2 grand with head unit. Using factory speaker locations, and minimum tuning in my head unit, it sounded amazing considering it's cost and complexity. I was very surprised, as were my fellow competitors.

 

May I recommend elemental designs. www.edesignaudio.com
Their subs require a small box, which would be perfect for the sub-thump box recommended earlier. Their component sets have been compared to Focal and lower end Rainbow. Their amps are rated at 12.5v which is less than just about every other manufacturers ratings at 14.4v.

From them I came up with:
10" 11Kv.2 Sub
eDi 6500 components (their top of the line)
nine.4 amp 4x65 watts (RMS)
nine.2 amp 1x400 watts (RMS)

Total cost for this is $692.75 shipped to you.
Everything has a 3 year warranty.

You can choose whatever headunit you want.

 

You my friend are wrong.

MB quart does very well in a budget sq system, but unless you just totally forgot about boston acoustics, rainbow audio, dls, focal, morel, diamond, image dynamics and hertz just to name a few, than mb quarts would be best. I would have to say that for an ultimate budget comp set get a set of diamond hex series, used a lot in the sq circuit. Memphis mclass is a cheaper component set but I believe that tuned and installed right they are just as clean as mbquart.

Overall best in sq components would be a toss up between hertz mlk3 comps or morel elate 3 ways imo.

 

[QUOTE=Firehawk526]Yes, the MBQ Premiums (PCE 216) would work nicely, but you'll be looking at $550 -600 a set. The MBQ Q-lines (QSD 216) are TOP OF THE LINE and just AWESOME, but most likely out of your pricerange. If you can find a set for $700, ****** them up! I've only seen them offered at that price ONCE in the last 5 years. The reference and discus series are OK, but you'll really notice an audible difference if you upgrade. (PLUS, I already blew a set of voice coils on my old discus series comps while doing a drive-by SPL competition one year). Haven't had ANY issues w/my Premiums or Q-series since I've had them!

If you really search hard, you'll notice MANY competitors run successful setups w/those comps. NOT saying that they are the best, but a proven set.

x3.....front stage is MOST important, and if you are like me, you'll want to throw some power at them, so make sure your RMS ratings are above 80w on whatever comps you purchase. The MBQ's handle 150 -170w depending on which series you go with.

The Memphis M3 subs are also a nice bridge between SQ and SP, and still relatively affordable comparably speaking. If too pricey, you can drop down to the M1 line. Throw a 500w M class Mono amp and 12 or 10" for around $700 w/ enclosure. If you go w/Memphis I suggest you stay w/the M class series. Heck, a friend of mine was running a set of Memphis coaxials, and those were some nice sounding comps too. A bit too bright for me, and not enough mid-bass like the MBQ's, but very detailed and clean.

Time for the rebuttle
The best comps i have ever heard for under a grand would be diamond d9 comps. The memphis comps as i use them in my competition vehicle were a little bright but easy to fix with some tuning and speaker aiming. It's really the tweeters that are bright.
The subs i would look into if i were you would be fi audio. Most specifically a single fi audio q 15 sub. Put it in a simple custom ported box tuned to 31-36hz. You will need a bit of power though, you could always run a diamond audio d3 sub.

I have seen many a mb quart qsd set go for 700 ish in ny. IM just saying that you could probably get a set of diamond d9 comps for the same price as the qsd's. IMO the d9s are much nicer sounding and provide excellent base response while maintining crystal clear quality through an amazing tweeter. The crossovers are state of the art as well.

 

Any help with the amp question here?