New car sound options

[JollyJamma]

Hi all

So I'm installing sound in my car that should kick ass and I need some input.
So far the list is:
Kenwood BT500U (I currently have a JVC KDAR870 which has no DAC)
Targa 75 RMS 4 channel amp (I already have this from a previous install)
6.5" Panasonic speakers front and rear doors and on the parcel shelf
No sub
The car is a 1999 Corolla 160i GLE.

I'm looking to install a split system in the front and I'm not really keen on a sub as they take up too much space.
I'd like to get a set of DLS or Polk Audio or JBL or one of the high end brands and spend about R2 000.00 on the splits alone.
I'd like to get the DLS Reference RCS6.2

I'd fall in love with the DLS Ultimate UPi6 but I think they are going to be far too expensive.

I need retailer who knows his stuff and not just another car sound shop. I used Payntwagon before and he was great.
The focus would be on the front splits and the rear speakers would be upgraded in time with a pair of Kicker Coaxials for punch.

Can anyone assist?

 

[Toxxyc]

The new JBL GT series splits are excellent. Tweeters are built by Harman Kardon so the screeching pitch they used to have is gone.

Regarding advice - get a standalone flat sub and slide it under the seat. Splits aren't designed (and really not capable) of driving low frequencies, so you are going to lose out on that. Pioneer makes a nice one that's not too expensive at all.

And get a better amp. Amps reproduce sound, so if you have a "meh" amp, no matter how good your head unit or drivers are, sound's going to be "meh".

 

[JollyJamma]

The new JBL GT series splits are excellent. Tweeters are built by Harman Kardon so the screeching pitch they used to have is gone.

Regarding advice - get a standalone flat sub and slide it under the seat. Splits aren't designed (and really not capable) of driving low frequencies, so you are going to lose out on that. Pioneer makes a nice one that's not too expensive at all.

And get a better amp. Amps reproduce sound, so if you have a "meh" amp, no matter how good your head unit or drivers are, sound's going to be "meh".

Thanks. I'll check it out. I do want to upgrade the amp at some stage. I did get the amp from an SQ orientated guy who knew his stuff and the sound was good when I had my old car. I'm just using the old amp till I get afford a great amp.

Subs do add that lower range of frequencies and I do have one in Joberg, it's just a bitch to get it down.

 

[Ravin']

Subs do add that lower range of frequencies and I do have one in Joberg, it's just a bitch to get it down.

Maybe we can find someone driving down from JHB, I have a Targa XXX in JHB that I want here as well.

Regarding your questions though, have you taken a look at Autostyle? They can ship around SA, There's so many sound places up in JHB but not many here unfortunately.

 

[JollyJamma]

The new JBL GT series splits are excellent. Tweeters are built by Harman Kardon so the screeching pitch they used to have is gone.

Please specify which GT speakers you mean. GT7?

Thanks.

 

[Kamikaze]

Hey man. I have some mint secondhand polk speakers for sale if you're interested. They are an absolute treat on your ears

 

[Toxxyc]

Please specify which GT speakers you mean. GT7?

Thanks.

GT7 is very nice, yes. GTO is also not bad. But yeah, the Polk split system that Kamikaze is selling is, well, frigging awesome. Jump on it.

 

[JollyJamma]

So my amp is the TG-485 whic has an RMS rating of 85 watts and a max rating of 2000 watts (pointless numbers max figures really).

Need some sound deadning material and I'm keeping my front loader till I have some more cash.

It looks like I'm be taking the Polk Audio DXi6501 from [MENTION=13423]Kamikaze[/MENTION], should be killer.

 

[Ravin']

It looks like I'm be taking the Polk Audio DXi6501 from [MENTION=13423]Kamikaze[/MENTION], should be killer.

Ahh so you're the competition I heard about Thought it was, enjoy them bud

 

[HolyCowImAnoOb]

Check out this thread

http://carbonite.co.za/showthread.php?t=77116&p=957422#post957422

 

[Kamikaze]

That amp will be perfect for the Polk components. I powered them with a 75wx4 amp and they purred along all the way.

You know what would go well with a set of Polk comps? A set of Polk 6x9's
[MENTION=34466]Ravin'[/MENTION], haha yes, Mr JollyJ is the interested party

 

[Ravin']

That amp will be perfect for the Polk components. I powered them with a 75wx4 amp and they purred along all the way.

You know what would go well with a set of Polk comps? A set of Polk 6x9's
[MENTION=34466]Ravin'[/MENTION], haha yes, Mr JollyJ is the interested party

I'm extremely interested in one of those amps as well

 

[Toxxyc]

That amp will be perfect for the Polk components. I powered them with a 75wx4 amp and they purred along all the way.

You know what would go well with a set of Polk comps? A set of Polk 6x9's
[MENTION=34466]Ravin'[/MENTION], haha yes, Mr JollyJ is the interested party

No please hell man, I will help your sale along very nicely when it comes to the splits, but 6x9's? Sies man, sies!

 

[Ravin']

No please hell man, I will help your sale along very nicely when it comes to the splits, but 6x9's? Sies man, sies!

What's wrong with 6x9's? I have killer 6x9's

 

[Toxxyc]

What's wrong with 6x9's? I have killer 6x9's

Their sound reproduction sucks because the cone doesn't move uniformly across it's surface. One part is further from the magnet than the other, meaning the 9" part moves faster than the 6" part to keep up with the frequencies.

It's like saying you have a Ferrari (the brand is excellent), but it's the one with the spinners, neon lights and one of those big-ass daisies on the antenna.

 

[Ravin']

Their sound reproduction sucks because the cone doesn't move uniformly across it's surface. One part is further from the magnet than the other, meaning the 9" part moves faster than the 6" part to keep up with the frequencies.

It's like saying you have a Ferrari (the brand is excellent), but it's the one with the spinners, neon lights and one of those big-ass daisies on the antenna.

Ahh I see, I hear your logic, I have heard that all round mids with a sub is better

 

[Kamikaze]

Their sound reproduction sucks because the cone doesn't move uniformly across it's surface. One part is further from the magnet than the other, meaning the 9" part moves faster than the 6" part to keep up with the frequencies.

It's like saying you have a Ferrari (the brand is excellent), but it's the one with the spinners, neon lights and one of those big-ass daisies on the antenna.

But I like the daisies on the antennas!

Jokes aside, I agree with you. Though in my experience, because of the road noise you won't ever really get to hear the pure sound of any speaker.

 

[Kay150]

That polk split system would be a really great choice. I would get these myself but I dont think they would fit on my mini

 

[Toxxyc]

Though in my experience, because of the road noise you won't ever really get to hear the pure sound of any speaker.

Incorrecto! Advances in modern technological wizardry has put car audio systems right up there with the really good stuff. And it's really no wizardry either - proper placing of your speakers to place the soundstage at the correct place, proper sound isolation where needed, good enclosure design and pairing decent sources with good amps and nice drivers, finalizing it with good cables all works to create some really, really great systems. I've heard cars that sound better than 90% of the home entertainment systems I've heard.

 

[Boss187]

I remember the good reviews the TG485 got on SNS forum. That together with the Sony CDX-700D and DLS C6A seemed like the ulitimate entry setup.

I'd speak to Shafick as he is a DLS reseller. My next setup will be DLS reference with bit Ten, and nothing less

 

[JollyJamma]

I remember the good reviews the TG485 got on SNS forum. That together with the Sony CDX-700D and DLS C6A seemed like the ulitimate entry setup.

I'd speak to Shafick as he is a DLS reseller. My next setup will be DLS reference with bit Ten, and nothing less

I made the mistake of buying a poor head unit (which I still have) and I will replace with the BT500U but it's not a lot of work to get my Corolla sounding great.
The big thing is the amp, the speakers and the install. Once that's done, a new head unit is easy peasy to install.

I will put sound deadening material on my front doors as they are not made out of dense metal. I want to get my Targa sub down because it wasn't too loud but added that third dimension that's missing from a split system install.
I don't want to kill my battery but it should be OK. I also don't want 6X9s. They aren't SQ.
I may power the rear speakers with the amp but they make no difference to the front sound stage as I don't have an EQ sound controller as a feature of my Head Unit.

If I had any suggestions to anyone, speak to an SQ guy before you buy a setup and then start building up a rig. Start with the amp because that'll be expensive but robust. End with the speakers.

 

[JollyJamma]

Speakers acquired. Now all I need is the amp and everything installed. Nothing major

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