Electrical upgrade for stereo

[AUexplorer06]

I'm not neccessarily saying it can't be done, but unless you know what your doing 2 tweeters are going to sound like crap. Also if you look at just about any SQ competition vehicle, they only use 1 tweeter. Now in SPL it doesn't really matter what your front stage sounds like. And as far as clarion, the only HU of theirs I would reccomend is the 9255, I had a 955 and took it back after a week, it sounded like ****.

 

[expo5.0]

this guy is definitely going for spl/sql type install with the subs he has etc.- similar to my own experience/set-up.

I'm not sure what you didn't like about the clarion stuff you've used, but i've always been very happy.

I recently did an install in a 2001.5 S4 with the best diamond audio sub, butler amps, and the dls ultimate components. He had an older kenwood hu (top of the line from maybe 4 yrs ago), but swapped in that eclipse 8445 (which lasted about 3 days before he decided he hated it), went back to the kenwood. finally, after that and listneing back to back to my audi's system (the clarion set-up as describe above, the 755.6 amp, gti comps up front, and power 6.5 coaxials rear, and two gto 10s in the spare tire location, with a custom center channel) he is now saving up to move to a clarion set-up with the 5.1 processor. My car simply sounds WAY better despite having "lesser" amps and speakers.

 

[AUexplorer06]

The Clarion's SQ just wasn't as good as my old Eclipse or even the pioneer 780. But I have heard a 9255 and it does sound amazing, I don't know why the 955 didn't, for the price it should. Now I have never messed with their 5.1 proccessors or anything. As for the Eclipse 8445, I'm not that much of a fan of it, but the 8455, what I used to have has excellent SQ, but also the new Kenwood excelon 889 and 890(i beleive thats the model numbers) sound pretty good too.

 

[DOZIER]

Well. I do have some tweeters already installed in the front of the truck. Here is a picture.

I don't know if it would sound bad or not with the two sets of tweeters. I think Expo and I agreed that when I order the x.. 6.5's I will mail a set to his address so that when he builds my kick panels he can put the tweets in there also. I don't know if it will sound bad or not. I guess you guys can post opinions or whatever. If you don't think it will sound good then you can just make the kicks with just the 6.5 and I will replace the tweeter in my doors with the RE Tweets. As for the Clarion, Expo you said there is no radio connection or something? Why is that? And my connection for RE Audio stuff is Lee Sumner at LB's Car Audio in I think Tifton, Georgia or something like that. You can try to email him but he really does not respond to them that much. You have to call him. LBSTREET@BELLSOUTH.NET OR CALL AT 229-387-8797. Open from 9 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon. I don't really know if he likes dealing with mail orders and stuff like what I am doing. For all I know he might just be doing it because I am in the Marine Corps and I am in Okinawa right now. But don't tell him that I gave you this info. Tell him you looked it up. Or Expo if you want to, when I find out a price on this stuff I can buy yours for you and we can work everything out online with money. Lee thinks as of right now I am buying three sets of x.. 6.5's so if you want one then you can get one and I will only order two. Let me know what you want to do. I can arrange a group buy through him. Considering I already bought two x.. 12's and one US Amp AX3000DE. I still have to buy more through him, I can arrange group buys.

 

[DOZIER]

Could I also use the Clarion VRX765VD 7" dvd/cd player then use the dvh940 and the dvc920? Would the vrx765vd and the dvh940 both fit together nicely in my dash? Or would there be that slight fabrication to the dash trim? I guess you could run the dvc 920 under a seat or dash or inside the glove box?

 

[expo5.0]

if you use one of the source units- like that one, you don't need the dvc920. Also, if you use one of the source units you will have a radio tuner.

the thing i'm doing in my audi was just a way to save a few bucks and still get the same sound.

I won't be ready to order my stuff in time to have that make sense- it looks like my explorer's stereo probably won't be needed until at least january or so (finish date on the rest of the stuff that is in the works). Hope i can put up with only driving/listening to the a6 for that long, and not succumb to my desire to trade it in on something more fun- i've been telling myself i'll wait until next spring.

With the tweeter location you already have (which isn't the greatest at all btw)- adding a tweeter in the kicks isn't going to be "right". You could add a tweeter right next to that one there. I wish you hadn't cut your door panel for that one...

 

[DOZIER]

Well, I could put another tweeter right above the side mirror controls.

 

[expo5.0]

you would want them as close together as possible, and facing the same direction.

 

[ajr2000]

Wow, don't talk. Your proposed tweeter placement...sucks. It would sound terrible. LCPL's idea would sound *better,* but still not great if you are running 2 tweeters. I would just move the tweeter above the mirror controls.

 

[AUexplorer06]

Wow, don't talk. Your proposed tweeter placement...sucks. It would sound terrible. LCPL's idea would sound *better,* but still not great if you are running 2 tweeters. I would just move the tweeter above the mirror controls.

um if he had a tweeter where it is now and one above the side mirror controls facing towards him would sound like complete ass. IMO no where on that door is going to sound good. Go for some properly aimed kicks or get it up on the a-pillar or something.

 

[expo5.0]

which proposed placement sucks?

if you mean the kicks and the top of the dash- as i've been running for a few years (although, not any longer since i'm now going to be running horns). It works- both physics wise and in how it actually sounded. I've got quite a bit of experience with decent sound quality as well as more than a few trophies and awards won due to that installation.

i would definitely recommend not havign them in the doors- but now he has a hole there. Unless he wants to buy new door panels we are going to be limited in what we can/should recommend.

 

[ajr2000]

you would want them as close together as possible, and facing the same direction.

That's what I'm talkin about.

 

[DOZIER]

Well its not going to be possible to have the tweeters in the same spot and firing in the same direction. There is limited space obviously. I guess I could look into purchasing some new door panels and start over with the new ones and put the tweeters on the A pillar or dash. Pics please for exact placement.

 

[expo5.0]

if i were to just start from scratch- i would do one set in a kickpanel location.

it isn't SO bad to have them where you have them... I think you just stick with things as is- and run the other set of tweeters wherever is most convenient.

It would be a pain just to run two sets of mids and one tweet (would need seperate amps or custom crossovers), and i know you really want a lot of mid/treble up front. It isn't like improperly placed tweeters are going to kill you (or your sound) all that badly.

 

[DOZIER]

OK. So do you want me to just put the second set of tweeters in the door above the side mirror control or do you want me to put them in the kick panels? If not in the kick panels then you can get started on them as soon as I get the specs on the components right? Also I decided to go with one HC2000 Capacitor from Kinetik rather than two HC800's. Is that also cool?

 

[davesexplorer]

Why dont you just get everything hooked up, and instead of mounting the tweets then listening, first take some double sided tape and test where the tweets sound the best.... then do the cutting

 

[expo5.0]

only issue with that- is he might want the kicks made to flush mount the tweets (although a hole saw could mostly fix that anyways)

 

[DOZIER]

Well I figured that if the kicks were made without the tweeters in them already then it will be hard to have to cut them and maker them fit. Fiberglass kicks will be contoured and rounded with one speaker in them. The only way for the tweeters to fit is if Expo makes them with a flat spot for just in case I wanted to put them in there, whereas if I decided not to then I would be stuck with a kick panel with a flat spot in it for no reason.

 

[DOZIER]

I say I will probably just put them above the mirror controls. Expo can make the kicks with just the component 6.5's in them and no tweeter. It should be ok.

 

[DOZIER]

Are the RE comps 6.5's that bad? Or should I stick to the x.. 6.5's when they come out?