Writing from Starbucks... I hate the Starbucks mentality, but the Gold Card almost makes it worth it... Recommended. What does that have to do with this thread? Nothing.
I thought I couldn't get a three way in MY doors, as well. I drive an '01 Civic. Did you by chance see what I had to do!?!? It can be done, and if you think that it's too much trouble to get a three-way in the (relatively) HUGE doors of a Navi, I hope you won't be disappointed in a "SQ" two-way; I think you should try to find a way. It can be done, but certainly NOT with off-the shelf systems. An 8" mid-bass, matched to a tweeter? That far apart? Ewww... Can you say "suck-out"? If you can't right now, you sure will be able to! Most (but not all...) of the really high scoring systems in the comps are three-way systems for a reason.
First of all, I never said they all had to fit in the stock location...
![changing to sq set up -- posted image.](https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/smileys/smiley2.gif)
Yes, that'd be nice, but we DO live in the real world, with all of the physical space limitations inherent in solid forms, don't we? With a 3 or 4 inch mid, closely coupled to a nice, thin trim-ring tweeter, you'll be much happier with all blending you will be able to achieve... (And it'll be a smaller pod, to boot) I can think of no really good tweeter (OK, MAYBE the ScanSpeak Revelator - mmmmm Revelator... <drool> ) that'll get low enough to match to an eight, which, at it's low-pass frequency, WILL be already beaming even at Revelator high-pass capabilities... Also, at those frequencies, the power handling of the tweeter will be sorely compromised. If you already have the tweeters fabbed into mirror pods, all you have to worry about (and AFAIAC, this still isn't REALLY optimal - still too far apart) you then only have to fiddle in a mid-range! Your work is already half done!
Back to your reply opening - I was just saying four 10's might be overkill in a true SQ system. (I know... "overkill" from haemphyst?) Surface area is a good thing, yes, but are you really willing to give up that kind of volume? Wouldn't it be more impressive to use a single driver, and just rattle the fillings from your teeth with it? If you choose a really nice, high-efficiency (OK, respectable efficiency), high-power, long- throw, high-linearity woofer ala TCSounds/AudioPulse, I think you can be very happy with the results you will receive, in a well designed enclosure. Judges like originality, as well, and exotic enclosures CAN be worth points in shows. I'd never seen ANYWHERE a stuffed, iso-loaded TL... So that's what I wanted! Something never before seen... I love mine, and it IS impressive. REALLY good output, with subterranean extension... <dave smiles...> I get flat to the low 20's. My F3 is (IIRC) 19Hz! From one 10"! Output monster? Not hardly, but PLENTY loud enough for me!
That's all I have right now, but I think you should read my install thread, as well as
this thread... Steven did a fantastic job with this one... He's a two-way guy; I still think three-way is the way, but I agree pretty much completely with that thread. He mentions the additional complexity of building a three-way system, but for me? It was EVER so worth it.
It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."