Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Audio How to build a system?

Dave gave some good advice. If you have a money now, get a good multichannel amp (either 4 channel to be used as 2+1) or 5/6 channel. They aren't too much more than good 2 channel amps and you'll have fewer hooksups and one less amp to mount in your trunk.

Sealed subs are easy to make and will work excellent in a car, with the right volume (of air, not sound). Dave knows how to use the programs, but you can get one for free as well at http://www.linearteam.dk/ - WinISD. If a lot of the information is overload, then just let Dave play with it. He's helped me with my home stuff too.

Building your own box (for an experienced woodworker) should be easy and fun. Of the size you will want, just 6 sides with a round hole for the driver and a hole for the binding posts terminals. I used MDF for my home spubwoofers in ported boxes of 7.7 cubic feet and it's only $18 per 4'x8' sheet. Home Depot even rough cut the pieces for me. At a $3 terminal, some wire and black paint and I was set.

Cool.

I am gonna put the HU in soon. Once that is in I will try and form a game plan on what i am gonna do (amp first or speakers etc.). But I think I will start designing and building the box in the meantime. Need to think about trunk space and size.

Thanks

DO NOT USE ANYTHING EXCEPT MDF FOR AN ENCLOSURE. MDF is the best thing to make a box out of. 3/4 in. thick. Calculater the volume inside the enclosure and take into consideration the aorspace you LOOSE when you add the sub into the box. If you are only looking for a good bang but not rattling the fasteners out of the trunk, buy one 12"sub and match the impedence rating to a smaller amp. Believe me, ask anyone who has heard my car (cardoctor) it bangs. I have a JL audio 12-WO4 sub. its a 12" W0 series 4ohm woofer. It was mated to an MTX 275X amp. I took the MTX out and I am in the process of replacing it. Feel free to e-mail me any questions you might have, I will help as much as possible.
karter93@hotmail.com

SVT 98.5
I would recommend JL audio for subs. They seem to be the best going at the moment, amps, it really depends, I like crossfire, pioneer, MTX, just make sure its a decent name. Head units, I LOVE the new Pioneer stuff, but you are already getting a head unit.

MDF is only the most popular option because of two things...
1. It is cheap.
2. It is easy to work with.

I won't argue that it is a good material for sub enclosures and offers the best bang for the buck. Bu it is, most definitely, an inferior product for sub enclosures when compared to either marine grade plywood or baltic birch.

I think you need to structure your posts a little better. There is some useful information is all that bias. I do not claim to know it all nor have I done it all when I offer my advice. In fact, quite the opposite.

There are a lot of products that are good and there are a lot that are not so good, or at least not worth the asking price (like our factory replacement seakers at $3.25).

That's much better. JL audio makes some great comercial drivers. I think there are better options at the same prices like the Shiva/Tempest/Dayton DVC series. They can really move some air.

Thanks for the advice.

I think this is what I am gonna do.

HU - Got it.
Component Speakers up front
6*8 or so in rear
One 4 channel for front and rear speakers.
One 2 channel for sub.
2 12's or 10's sub.

In terms of brands..I am not sure what I will do. It is all about the mighty $.

I guess I would need to decide on watts for speakers before I get amps or vice versa.

I figure 50-100w for speakers.
100w for sub.

Is that too little? Again I am not interested in blowing window out in neighbors house.

Stick with DIY audio components if you are looking for the best value/dollar ratio. Nothing on the car audio market can compare in that respect.

100 watts would be enough depending on the subs being purchased. With 100 watts, you will want to look at higher sensitivity subs or enclosure designs. You may want to consider a ported or bandpass sub. Both, if designed properly will give you higher SPL than an equivalently designed sealed box. Ported/bandpass subs are somewhat tricky to design but if done right can sound very nice.

The only other issue with higher sensitivity subs is that they usually become more effecient by losing low end bass energy. They will probably fall off rapidly below 50 hz.

Have you designed sub enclosures?