SQ/ SPL system

I know there are more than enough threads on this but just bear with me....ive done my research ( more or less ) and im looking for a system with a perfect balance of SQ and SPL and heres what ive come up with ...lemme know if anything on this list is not up to par or if there is something as good or better for less, or if theres anything else i would need to complete the setup:

HU: Eclipse CD8053

Front Components: Focal Polykevlar 6.5" 165K2

Amps:

1) Zapco competition C2K-6.0X 2 channel 600W Amp

2) Zapco Reference REF1000M 1ch 1500W amp

Subwoofer:  Adire Audio Brahma 10" subwoofer

thanks alot guys,

Ashok

I would eliminate the Cd8053 unless you plan on buying the BLA adaptor with it. Save your money and buy the CD8454 instead. The extra dollars saved can go towards sound deadening or install. Install is what is going to make this system stand out from the rest. For a SQ / SQL system I would use two subs rather than one as two subs will generally play louder due to the increase of surface area. Two subs can still handle the same amount of power as one larger driver. Two subs as well tend to smooth out the peaks and dips in the bass response, thus for me anyhow it makes the bass response easier to listen to, I do not have to work my amp and sub anywhere near as hard.

For speakers, no amount of research on the net will tell you how they sound and perform in your vehicle. My recommendation is to go out and listen to good speaker brands like Focal, Diamond, MB Quart,  AVI and others and buy what your ears like the sound of. FOr the subs I'll throw in my usual dig for the Eclipse Aluminum or Titanium subs in the proper sealed box. Some vehicles work well some types of equipment, others do not. IE a convertable has a way different way of reproducing sound as compared to an SUV. The type of vehicle is also a consideration here. What kind of vehicle is this for?

its for a mitsu evo 8

also, with 2 subs, do u reccomend 2 10" subs? or move down to 8"?....i dont want overkill in the subs as i listen to mostly  alternative rock and occasionally rap...also...changing it to 2 subs will mean i need to change the amp to an extremely more expensive amp...the 2ch Zapco 2200W ( which is what I will need for 2 Brahmas or titaniums) is $1600  in itself....lol....but if u think that it really makes that big a difference, then I will take it into consideration

also, about the HU, i picked the 8053 only because of the 16V outputs as compared to the 8V output of the 8443, and ive heard both and there is quite a difference but I sound deadening and proper install is more important, so ur right about that

haemphyst...thanks for the info man and for the compliments on my decisions

velocity motors and forbidden....i was asking if I should have 2 subs at all....as in is it that much better than one?....not if i should have 2 12's or 2 10's.....no offense velocity because im thankful for the post...just clearing things up

and i guess ive decided to go for the 8443 instead now

Having 2 subs will help for your SPL score as well the amp your going to use will function better with 2 subs wired in parallel. Those amps are very nice ( looking at getting the big C2K9.0X amp for our competition vehicle ). It will also depend on your installation and how much room your allowing yourself for the system. Personally though I still would try to make 2 subs fit into the car.

SWEET. but wat does SPL stand for

and SQ?

forbidden - the sub amp was the reference series 1100.1  - its on the website

velocity motors- i am not looking for spl...im leaning more towards sq than spl...and i never thought about actually competing ( im only 18 and this is for my personal car) haha but now that u mention it i guess i could compete in sql or something with the setup

bangbang- spl = sound pressure level and sq= sound quality

That's what I thought but your original post was a little off on the model number. It's best to be sure. Your amp is stable to 2 ohm mono and it is a beauty. I would use two single voice coil Eclipse aluminum subs, model# SW8122.4 or SW8102.4, a pair of 12" or a pair of 10". They both work amazing in small sealed boxes of as small as .5 cu.ft but start to shine when they reach 1.0 cu.ft. I personally like a 1.25 cu.ft sealed enclosure for each sub. These subs are capable of a good amount of SPL, care must be taken with the construction of the box, if you can double up on the front surface of the box, the baffle board, as these subs can easily rip out of 3/4" mdf due to their weight, the motion of the vehicle and the pressures that are generated inside of the box. Make real sure that box is mounted down real solid, a box that can vibrate or move will bleed off energy that should be coming at you in the form of sound.

Should you continue on this path you for sure could be competing and I would think that you would do quite well. I would choose the 12's over 10's if I had the room, even though the 10's can play the same deep bass and overall tones that the 12's can, the 12's can play the notes will a little more authority if asked to do so. Box size is the same for the 10's and 12's and the price is not drastically different bewteen the two sizes. Go with what will fit the vehicle or your budget. I personally use two of the 10's in my 93 MR2, if I could have fit the 12's I definitely would have.

sorry if this is an extremely stupid question but, only being 18 and this being my first aftermarket car system I have to ask it,

if u suggest runnning two subs then dont i need 2 of the 1100.1's ......or can u hook up 2 subs to one of these amps?

thanks

id also like to mention that this is a kick ass forum...u guys are so fast in responding and posting....thanks for all the help so far guys

No question is stupid unless you asked it before and then didn't listen...so it's not stupid or even unusual.  You can wire subs together before they are hooked up to the amp.  A box with 2 or 4 subs in it are all connected together, and the connections they have determine the total impedence.  That total is referred to as a "load", and that load is connected to the amp.  Rockford has some good references to wiring here.

whoops....u already told me that that is the case

forbidden wrote:

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, if after the 3rd time you do not get it then we may want to cut you up into little pieces and burn and bury the ashes with Sony and Bose equipment.

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hahahahaha sony and bose ...hahahahaha 

a new  question just came to mind...is there a big difference between the comp and ref series of zapco amps? because there def is a big price diff and if i could, id rather get the ref series amp for my components instead of the one that i originally posted

ashokn225 wrote:

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thanks for the help and link man and i appreciate the acceptance....most forums flame the hell out of you if u ask one 'newbie ' question....its good to see that this is a forum of intelligent mature people

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Hey Take that back !!!

sandt38, thanks for the info, but unfortunately....ur last sentence meant nothing to me cause i dont know what that difference implies...sorry but please explain lol

thanks

It's kind of like this----on a straight line, start numbering from 1 to 20,000.

When you're done with that, .....ok right, but you get the picture of how long that line is going to be?  Now, these numbers are hertz, a name for a particular frequency.  When you plug something into an outlet at your house, you are plugging into current that is alternating at a frequency of 60 hertz.  And when you hear your neighbor's car coming from next block, the car with the boom system in it, you are hearing frequencies of about 25 to 40 Hz.  Opposed to those examples, the highest pitch you could possibly stand to hear is at a frequency of above 15,000 Hz.

Anything below 20 Hz, you can't hear, you just feel it like a rumble.  The human ear can hear 20 Hz up to 20,000 Hz (20 kHz).  A good human ear, I might add.  The subwoofer in your system is going to produce that tiny segment of that line from 20 Hz to about 80 Hz.  And all the rest of the music, the next 3 miles of line, is going to be reproduced by the components.

That is why, when you want really good-sounding music, you put the money into the component speakers.

damn....great post man and thanks for all the info

also, do u not think that the focal 165K2 and the zapco comp amp for these speakers are good enough?...and do u think taht two subs, even if i get focal utopias, will drown out the music?

yea i know u can adjust the volume lol...i just dont want the bass to hit too hard but i guess i can go with 2 subs....it looks cooler too in the evo with this setup:  https://www.jivemotorsports.com/enclosures.htm

anyways...i thought taht with all the help you guys have given me...IN ONE DAY!!!!!!! lol...i should give you my decided setup:

HU: Eclipse cd8443

component speakers: focal 165K2

subwoofers: 2 Eclipse 10" SVC subs- aluminums

amplifiers: Zapco 350.2 and Zapco 1100.1

thanks again guys and im sure ill be back for more questions later

I do agree that you need to concentrate more on the front stage.  But one thing I have learned from experience is that more expensive doesn't always mean better.  An example is my $650 a/d/s/ components are sitting in my closet as we speak, while a $350 component set is in my car right now.  My system has been like this for over a year now.  The a/d/s/ components sounded phenominal, with the exception of lacking in midbass and rolling off a little early in the high end.  The components I have now are renowned for their midbass, and gained back that little bit of top end.  Plus their sound is just as good.

As for the subs, unless you need a small enclosure, I suggest jumping up to the Brahma 12.  The performance difference for the small price difference is worth it.  I'm not saying the B10 is a slouch.  In a local competition, I was able to beat out guys with dual 12's or 15's.  It's just the price difference is very small, while the performance difference is noticable.  As for dual subs, two Brahma's are pretty expensive.  A single Brahma 12 get's loud enough for most people.  For the price, I don't know if the small jump in output would be worth it. 

And as for which sub, the one's mentioned so far are nice.  But I think you had the best choice from the beginning.  The Brahma's use our XBL^2 motor which has less distortion at any output level than the others.  This means they have the best SQ.

Steven Kephart

Adire Audio

yeah thats true guys.....the focals are about 400 and thats not too bad for a set of the best sounding speakers i have ever heard in my life ( I just heard them today and I am comparing them to my dads $4000 B&W home speakers which I feel arent as good as my $400 focals) so im happy with them

they were hooked into up into a Xtant amp so im sure the zapco will sound as good in not better ( the store did not retail in zapco)

dayyummmmm MY SYSTEM IS GONNA BE SO HOTTTTTTTTTTTTT

lol

thanks and later guys