Lots of audio questions...

[spta97]

Hey all, I sold my Maxima just pulled out the system out of it consisting of:

- Kenwood Head Unit
- 4 x RF 6 1/2" component speakers with separate 1" tweeters
- JL Subwoofer Enclosure
- JL Audio 300w x 4 amp (for components)
- JL Audio 500w x 1 amp (for sub enclosure)

The install took several months working at night in my cramped garage, the removal took me and a buddy 5 hours yesterday leaving me with what seems to be miles of wire

Anyway, after searching it seems that I can use the 6 1/2" components on my Explorer but I have questions:

1) When building an MDF mounting braket for the door speakers, do you have to worry much about clearence for the door skin? In my Maxima I made the MDF brackets but the dimensions were very specific and I had to do some trial and error.

2) Is there a good place to mount the tweeters (front and back) without cutting? I had to spend about $100 to replace the parts I drilled on the Maxima install and I would like to avoid that on the Explorer when I sell it one day. I had thought about reverse mounting the tweeters and just drilling holes but that didn't work out so well on the Maxima so ultimately I ended up flush mounting them.

3) How does the Explorer alternator handle amps? The draw on these amps was pretty big but my Maxima had no problems (other than dimming the lights on occasion). I don't want to kill my alt like I have other cars in the past.

4) What brand of head unit mounting kit is the best? I ended up using Scocshe (sp?) on the Maxima, the crutchfield one was the wrong color.

Thanks!

 

[Cartman]

I will try to answer all of your questions;

1. if you use 1/2" MDF for the speaker adapter you should be fine, it's strong enough not to flex and will fit under the door skin, or you could order adapters and they would be predrilled and everything - about $10 for sounddomain.com

2. There really isn't a good place to mount the tweeters without drilling, you could get kickpanels if you want but they cost as much as replacing the door panel would.

3. The stock alt should be fine for what you're running, my system is over 900 watts and I have no problems at idle.

4. The scoshe install kit is as good as any, it will do the job.

Also make sure you bypass the stock amp, there is a good write-up on how to do it.

 

[spta97]

Thanks for the info. I'll price out what ever I'm drilling for the tweeters - in the Maxima it would have been the same money to leave them in but I love the way they sound.

I looked at the sticky for the different audio systems in the Explorers and it seemed that my amplifier (2000) was part of the radio and not separate (I think it said they stopped that after 1998 or something). I installed the radio this afternoon and it seems to work great. The factory speakers are much louder but still need replacing with others. Also, the Scoshe kit was a great fit and looks awesome in the dash - actually one of the best ones I've seen yet. My Kenwood does the "flip face" thing and when closed it really looks like it was installed from the factory.

I will probably install everything on my vacation the week after this one but I was bored today so I figure I'd replace that aweful head unit. The lack of MP3 playing was bad, but the constant skipping over bumps was unbearable. Also, the blue / white lighting of the Kenwood really makes a difference in the way the dash looks.

I would buy the speaker adapters, but most people said they are flimsy and suggested the MDF route.

 

[davesexplorer]

the typical speaker adaptors wont fit 6 halfs either....

at least if you get kickpanels, you could resell them later, BUT most kickpanels you buy are for 5 1/4"s.....

Good luck sounds like a nice sound system...

 

[kontai69]

The best intall kit in my experience is one made by American International, which I am currently using. It is the most solid, well made, best fitting kit I've used so far (made in USA!). It has a slot which can be mounted above or below the headunit. Also, the slot is molded to the frame of the kit, unlike other kits (i.e. Scosche) in which the slot is press fitted. I mounted the kit with the slot above the headunit to allow for optimal heat dissipation. I got the kit from Crutchfield for $26 delivered. And yes, I know I could have gotten it cheaper elsewhere! At least it shipped from VA in 2 days and I needed one fast. I had a Metra brand kit from Circuit City which has a snap in plastic panel instead of a slot. Simply put, this kit was a P.O.S. (poorly made, very flimsy, squeeked, and warped from the weight of the headunit). I also had a kit from Scosche which I got from Wal-Mart. This kit has a slot and was intermediate in terms of fit and solidity when compared to the other two kits I've used.

Also, you might want to do the "Big 3" upgrade to minimize any chance of headlight dimming...
http://forum.sounddomain.com/forum/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=007801

 

[MONMIX]

For the tweet location some one here put them in the little round vents on the dash.
Very cool idea.
I just hung mine down by the kick panel to the inside.

 

[expo5.0]

i would put the front tweeters in your dash in the side defrost vents- i'll post a picture of mine so you know what i mean. those parts are very cheap to replace and the imaging is nice.

for the rear i'd put the tweeter right next to the 6.5 in the stock location, since the rear is really just for fill/keeping your rear passengers happy or what not and the imaging from putting them elsewhere will most likely hurt rather than help.

it would be best imo to put both sets of 6.5s up front, with onen set in the kickpanels and one set with the tweeter in that defrost vent and the midbass in the door.


edit- having trouble finding a good picture- i hope you can see them in these

 

[spta97]

i would put the front tweeters in your dash in the side defrost vents- i'll post a picture of mine so you know what i mean. those parts are very cheap to replace and the imaging is nice.

for the rear i'd put the tweeter right next to the 6.5 in the stock location, ....

I think I can see it from the pic. Is it pointing up toward the windshield or toward the driver? In either case, that is a great idea. I was actually thinking I might have enough room on the rear speaker location to mount it there and point it somewhat forward so I don't have to drill at all (for the rear tweeters).

My other idea for the front tweeters was to build a triangle and cover it with vinyl (the same color as my interrior) and wedge it between the windshield and the dash board but your idea sounds better.

Now my other question, where the hell am I gonna mount these two amps? I would like to stick with my JL Bandpass box but I think it is too high for the cargo cover to close (without a big lump anyway). If I end up making a custom box I could mount it to that but I want to be as stealth as possible. That's the funny thing about trucks - as big as they are they have no room for hiding stereo stuff.

Thanks for the pics and the assistance!

 

[spta97]

For the tweet location some one here put them in the little round vents on the dash.
Very cool idea.
I just hung mine down by the kick panel to the inside.

Got any pics of your tweets?

 

[spta97]

...
Good luck sounds like a nice sound system...

There are more expensive and louder systems out there, but mine was just perfect for me. The only other thing I would like is to get a JL Audio W7 box instead of the JL bandpass. My friend got the W7 box with a 10" woofer and it BLOWS AWAY my bandpass with two W0 12"s. The pricetag of $700 was kinda hefty though.

It's funny, when he was looking for a new sub we tried every box the store carried. When we played the W7 he was like "What do you think?" I said "I'm nauseous". He said "Me too, I feel like I'm gonna throw up - that's the one!"

The bass was so loud that I guess it threw our equilibrium off and made us queasy! That's one hell of a sub woofer

 

[expo5.0]

bah- the shop just didn't carry any of the better subs than the w7


my tweeters point up at the dash, after some time measuring distances in the truck with string i decided the imaging was much better than way. And since i have one set of tweets in the kickpanels and one set up there i really wanted the imaging right.

 

[spta97]

bah- the shop just didn't carry any of the better subs than the w7.....

Really!?!?!?!? What's better than a W7?

 

[davesexplorer]

to most ppl there are a lot of better subs.....

IMO, my subs kick the **** outta the dub7 in spl, as do many more....
expect to see the following sub names thrown around in response:
x.., MT, Brahma, dd 9500, 9900, etc....

 

[expo5.0]

mine may not kick the sh$$ out of them, but they certainly play as loud and with the same level of sound quality as well. the mtx 9515-4, note that there is no w7 15" so that gives me a bit of an extra advantage as well.

those others listed above definitely keep up or surpass the w7 as well

one more to add to the mix in my opinion is the jbl gti series- and they are much cheaper than the w7 to boot.

 

[spta97]

Of the other subs mentioned, do they have enclosures made with them or do you have to build / buy youself?

 

[davesexplorer]

I believe you can get the mtx subs in their own box, much like jl's style....
As for the others, buy it or build it.... you may have better results this way anyhow, or at the least you'll become a bit handier with woodworking

 

[spta97]

With all the computer aided technology around speaker box building I don't think I would be able to come close to the pre-made ones. But I have always wanted to try. I have just about every tool you would need but I think I need an excuse to get a router

 

[expo5.0]

one of us could defnitely help you to design a proper box, its really not that hard at all.

yes, the mtx 9500s can be purchased in a single or dual sub vented enclosure from mtx.

 

[spta97]

Thanks. However, since I've already got the bandpass box I'd like to see if that can sqeeze in the truck. I'm so torn now, I don't know if I want to put the whole system in my Explorer or wait until I get my other car (I'm looking into a BMW 330Ci in perhaps the winter or the spring. I love the X but the gas mileage is so bad I want to only leave it for bad weather / home depot trips and use the 330 as my daily driver. Although, a few months without a system would suck!