ICE - Improvements

[fUbAr]

Gday all.

At the moment i have the following in my car:


Alpine CDA-9853R Head Unit
Alpine SPS-130A Front Speakers
Alpine SPS-690A Rear 6x9s
The sound is good, however i would like it to be better. I am interested in a good, deep bass but more important are nice clear vocals.

How can i improve my system without spending a fortune?

Thanks, Dan.

 

[MrStabby]

If you want to improve vocals then I would suggest getting a set of Rainbow SL230 Deluxe comps. Will set you back around £120, but the quality of these speakers is just amazing, better to amp em too.

Fromwhat Ive learnt one of the best set ups is to have decent front comps running off one amp, no rears (depends on personal prefernece really) and decent sub running off a monoblock.

 

[Dink]

Quote: Originally posted by MrStabby on 08 September 2005
If you want to improve vocals then I would suggest getting a set of Rainbow SL230 Deluxe comps. Will set you back around £120, but the quality of these speakers is just amazing, better to amp em too.

Fromwhat Ive learnt one of the best set ups is to have decent front comps running off one amp, no rears (depends on personal prefernece really) and decent sub running off a monoblock.


well i think i nice class AB sounds alot better than most class Ds

get a small amp for the fronts to start fund it by selling the 6x9s

 

[fUbAr]

Dink.. if i do that i wont have any speakers in the rear?

also, is wiring in an amp easy? whats involved?

 

[Spammy]

Depends how much you have to spend but

My set up, which is a very common set up is:

Front comps

Head unit powering nothing

Amp powering the front components

Sub (Non active)

Amp powering the sub



I personally didnt want 2 amps so have a 4 channel, 2 for the comps and 2 bridged for the sub.

 

[Spammy]

Most people dont like the sound of rear fill (speakers), and personally i agree with them, having been in my car with just front comps and the sub it is a very nice set up.

Wiring an amp up isnt too tricky, run the power cable from the battery through the gromet in the passenger footwell, then it tucks under the plastic bit along the door sill type bit. Into the boot, then the speaker wires can go to the front the same way. RCA is sent from the head unit to the amp in the back to send the signals!

 

[fUbAr]

I wouldnt want 2 amps either... so im looking at a set of comps, a sub, and a 4channel amp?

Whats the jargon mean - monoblock, Active?

 

[Spammy]

monoblock - Amp with 1 channel

Active - Sub/Speaker with built in amp

 

[Spammy]

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=959&cadid=d3fe81348913f2537d13b84dc434e6behttp://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=959&cadid=d3fe81348913f2537d13b84dc434e6be

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=3854&cadid=d3fe81348913f2537d13b84dc434e6behttp://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=3854&cadid=d3fe81348913f2537d13b84dc434e6be

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=3886&cadid=d3fe81348913f2537d13b84dc434e6behttp://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=3886&cadid=d3fe81348913f2537d13b84dc434e6be

£420 for the above?

Youd need a box for the sub £20 or so, wiring can cost up to £50.

So its not a cheap package, even at the low end!

 

[fUbAr]

ah, thanks

just seems a bit wierd not having speakers in the rear... this will mean all the "music" will come from the front, with the bass from the rear?

 

[Spammy]

Mind you the above in comparison with other stuff seems pretty good value, im running that sub with 140wrms and its pretty damn good. The above would be good for Sound Quality rather than massive bass.

 

[Spammy]

Yep, i thought exactly the same, but you cant tell where the bass is coming from, or the treble and mid! It all sounds very balanced. I havent heard it from the rear seats mind you, but how often do you not drive your car

 

[dkinsey666]

I have mutant X door speakers 13cm, 6*9 mutant X on the shelf and 10" JBL sub with a sub.

I have JVC head unit

This set up is brill, and works with all types of music from metal, punk and dance

 

[fUbAr]

140wrms? what does that mean?

also... how would the above tie into my head unit? Would they all be controlled from my head unit?

 

[Dink]

yeah i aint got any rear fill and really dont notice its not there

plus you dont go to a concert and face away from the band do you

yeah you could try "amping" up the fronts you got at the moment


[Edited by Dink on 9/8/2005 10:10:54 PM]http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=4030&cadid=d3fe81348913f2537d13b84dc434e6bealpine amp

 

[cli0 172]

IMO having rear fill makes a huge difference .... once u have had it u miss it when its not there !

I got a Vibe CBR 10" Active .... transforms the sound

 

[fUbAr]

Quote: Originally posted by cli0 172 on 08 September 2005


IMO having rear fill makes a huge difference .... once u have had it u miss it when its not there !

By "rear fill" do you mean rear speakers, not just a sub?

sorry if im sounding pathetic guys, ive never really been into ICE.

 

[Dink]

bass is non-directional so it doesnt matter where the sub is placed

rear fill just means you have speakers behind you that usually run at a lower volume so as not to screw up the sound stage

 

[fUbAr]

Will the system that Spammy and others are on about be ok then?

Sub in the back powered by a bridged amp... with comps in the front powered from the same amp?

I could use my current coax alpines in the rear "doors" for rear fill?

 

[Dink]

yeah you can run the rears off your head unit

buy a 4 channel amp run the fronts off channels 1&2

and bridge channels 3&4 to a sub

 

[Ali]

one word:

GENESIS

 

[Guilbert]

Quote: Originally posted by AJRMOTORSPORT on 09 September 2005


one word:

GENESIS





Now theres a man who knows what hes talking about lol

When i had my clio, i had two genesis amps. A profile 4, and a profile 1

I had it running DLS components up front, vibe 6x9s up back and a 12 inch sub in the boot.

It was crystal clear sound, and f**king loud! The whole system cost me about £1200 though, as genesis amps dont come cheap. i paid £300 a piece for mine.

 

[Bryan]

far better available now IMHO, i used to love genesis, but sadly their annual revisions are nothing drastic

id look elsewhere, Audison etc

 

[stig247]

well you cant go wrong with brands like genesis and dls but audison are a bit expensive

 

[fUbAr]

UPDATE

Ok ive been looking about, and i want a budget system that sounds good. I understand spending lots on the amp... so what do you lot think of this setup?

Alpine CDA-9853R
Infinity Ref5010cs comps
Infinity Ref1240w 12" sub
Alpine MRV-F345 Amp