opinions requested

Hey all, I just got a new 2005 scion TC and am putting a new system in it. Was wondering what you all thought of the components below and if anyone here has has any suggestions for a custom sub enclosure for the trunk.

Components I currently have:

• HU: Clarion DXZ945MP (https://www.clarion.com/usa/product/index.php?mod=details&category=proaudio&product=DXZ945MP)
• Fronts: Mb Quart PCE 216 separates (https://www.mbquart.com/2003/en_US/products/prod_detail.asp?isArchive=&cat=auto&series=premium%20series&strt=1&model=PCE+216)
• Amplifier for Fronts: Autotek SX2200R (125W RMS X2 at 4 ohms)
• Sound Deadening: Dynamat entire surface of doors, hood, and floor in the front portion of the passenger compartment

I'm looking for suggesitons for a good SQ sub and custom installation suggestions. Not looking to get too loud. I'm looking for something that sounds good, not that can be heard down the street, so please suggest subs/amps with this in mind. I was thinking maybe a single jl audio 10w3 or a single MB quart 12" discuss or premium series sub. I'm going to install the above items now and do the sub/2nd amp later (I'll prewire for a second amp when wiring the 1st). Thinking of maybe a 250-300WRMS amp to run the sub. Oh, and I will dynamat the trunk when I install the sub as well.  

Thanks!

Looks like a good start.  As a 216 owner, I might make one suggestion.  You might want to look into putting the 216s into kick panels.  Their off axis response in the door locations isn't what I'd consider great.  The mids sound nice at low axis angles, but get nasel and dry off-axis.  3-ways w/ midbass drivers in the doors is probably what I'll do when I get the time. 

If I had to buy the sub over I'd probably get one with XBL^2 technology from https://www.adireaudio.com/ 

Also check out Image Dynamics.  I've been extremely happy with the very small box size the IDQ driver requires, the reasonable power requirement, and the quality sound.

Are you currently a patent attorney, or a patent attorney in training?  2L here.

Thanks for the reply and the hint about the 216's. I think for now I'm gonna put em stock locations and then get some custom kicks put in later. Right now I'm a bit short on dough and time, given that I work full time and go to school at night. I've been looking very hard at the adire stuff too. Was going to buy their components based on their rep over at caraudio.com, but when I talked with a couple of local installers (tweeter, circuit city, some local shops) no one had ever heard of them, and I loved the MB quarts when I heard em, so I figured I'd go with a name I knew. I'll definitely check out the Adire subs though.

Regaridng your other question: I'm not a patent attorney, but I am currently a patent examiner at the US Patent and Trademark Office and a 2L law student at George Mason University. Will be leaving the PTO soon though to join a firm as a full time student associate/law clerk. Are you looking to get into the field?

Yeah, don't get me wrong.  I've been extremely happy with how good the 216's sound overall.  The ability to use such a high quality set in a coax configuration is awesome and makes for a quick install.  I just get picky and neurotic when it comes to speakers.  It usually takes me a year of owning a pair to totally enjoy it. 

On the other topic:  I am looking into going into the field.  I actually lived very close to the PTO in Crystal City for a couple years.  This summer I'll be clerking at an IP firm in the midwest.  Glad to see you on the forum.  I'm finding that car audio is an excellent way to decompress. :-)

Good sound quality w/ decent power handling....Eclipse, that w3 is good, MB quart makes good components (not sure bout their subs), I love my infinity.  The kappa pushes 300ish rms with some awsome sound quality.  Can't think of a time that mine's ever distorted (but then again I'm only running 150 watts to it).  Eclipse, JL, and Infinity are my choices.  Infinity if you have a smaller budget.  JL or Eclipse of your pocket's a little deeper.

kfr01] wrote:

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Yeah, don't get me wrong.  I've been extremely happy with how good the 216's sound overall.  The ability to use such a high quality set in a coax configuration is awesome and makes for a quick install.  I just get picky and neurotic when it comes to speakers.  It usually takes me a year of owning a pair to totally enjoy it.

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-I hear you man. Sound quality is such a user specific thing that its hard for somebody to say "this sounds good" and have it mean the same thing to everyone. I'm not a newbie to high end audio, but I am pretty new to high end car audio. I'm sure that these quarts will blow me away, seeing as how I've never had aftermarket speakers for the high end in any car I've owned. Most of my knowledge about audio comes from tinkering (and spending way too much money) on home theatre stuff (hence the enormous inventment in sound deadening I am making), and also from growing up not being allowed to listen to anything oither then classical music (my brother was a child prodigy on the piano). I'm the same way with home audio stuff as you are about car audio. I'm frustrated with stuff for about a year while I tinker with it, then I'm happy. :)

kfr01] wrote:

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On the other topic:  I am looking into going into the field.  I actually lived very close to the PTO in Crystal City for a couple years.  This summer I'll be clerking at an IP firm in the midwest.  Glad to see you on the forum.  I'm finding that car audio is an excellent way to decompress. :-)

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Cool man. I work in the Alexandria office now (PTO recently moved out of those horrid buildings in CC). Let me know if you have any questions related to the field. I've been an examiner for a little over three years now, so while I'm no expert, I'm certainly not wet behind the ears in this field either. It would be a crazy coincidence if you ended up working at a firm where I know some attorneys....

forbidden wrote:

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You haven't spent enough time in this industry yet........ at least on my side of the fence.

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You mean the Intellectual Property Industry or the Car Audio industry? I take it from your response you are a patent attorney (the "on my side of the fence" phrase tipped me off). Either way you are probably correct, though I'm not a classic newbie in either industry. I've been an examiner for 3 years, so I know what I'm doing (contrary to many examiners, I write more then one paragraph office actions and exaplain my position on things fairly clearly). As for the attorney side of things though, I'm completely new to things. It will be interesting to see things from the other side in a  couple months. I'm just looking forward to doing something other then examining.

boxmaker85 wrote:

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Good sound quality w/ decent power handling....Eclipse, that w3 is good, MB quart makes good components (not sure bout their subs), I love my infinity.  The kappa pushes 300ish rms with some awsome sound quality.  Can't think of a time that mine's ever distorted (but then again I'm only running 150 watts to it).  Eclipse, JL, and Infinity are my choices.  Infinity if you have a smaller budget.  JL or Eclipse of your pocket's a little deeper.

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Yeah, If I can afford it I'm definitely going to go with either the JL 10W3 or the Adire Koda 10 or Brahma 10. They are comparable in specs and in reputation. I'll probably underpower them though because I'm trying to avoid getting a new alternator for my 2 week old car LOL. Trying to keep the whole system under 500 watts RMS combined (I know my post above doesn;t reflect that power requirement).

SO.... anyone out there seen a TC, more less own one and put a custom single sub enclosure in the back?

Sorry for the confusion, I was responding to kfr401 and his comment ...."I'm finding that car audio is an excellent way to decompress" Ask him this again in 15 years....

forbidden wrote:

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Sorry for the confusion, I was responding to kfr401 and his comment ...."I'm finding that car audio is an excellent way to decompress" Ask him this again in 15 years....

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I doubt I'll get too sick of it.  Home and car audio are just hobbies for me, not a career.  Forbidden, I can see how you'd get sick of actually being involved with the industry, especially after owning a couple stores.  You must still find some joy in it ... otherwise I doubt you'd be hanging out here.  :-)

Yup, there are definitely the good days, like today. BC is not British Columbia, it's Bring Cash..woohoo...

nu_patentlaw wrote:

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Sound Deadening: Dynamat entire surface of doors, hood, and floor in the front portion of the passenger compartment

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I also wanted to comment on this.  It is an excellent idea, especially for the doors.  You'll probably want to double up.  Also, I don't know what the stock speaker bracket is like in your Scion, but my install greatly benefitted from making a 3/4" MDF bracket for my 216's.  I also bought some deflex pads to put behind the speakers to kill standing waves. 

On the topic of damping material, it will serve you well to buy a roller and a cheap heat gun from the start.  I have found https://www.raamaudio.com/ to be the best value in damping material.  It is slightly more expensive than regular dynamat but MUCH MUCH easier to work with and a better damping product.  (Important for someone as busy as you, I'm sure). 

Let us know what sub you decide on.  Cheers.

kfr01] wrote:

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I don't know what the stock speaker bracket is like in your Scion, but my install greatly benefitted from making a 3/4" MDF bracket for my 216's. 

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-The Scion TC has some funky speaker openings, They're 6.3" (yep, 6.3, not 6.5) in the front and 5.2" in the rear. I've read in a bunch fo places though that they have good depth though so I was plannign on making a 1" MDF spacer to get the quarts to fit. Thanks for the heads up though. glad to know someone else was thinking the same thing.

-As for the dampening mateiral, I got a wicked good deal on the dynamt from a buddy of mine who works for a local audio store. Got the stuff at cost. As for the roller and heatgun, I have those things from an install on a previous car, so I'm good to go there.

-I will let you all know what I decide sub and enclosure wise. I'll probably go with either the JL 12w3, the koda 10/brahma 12, or the image dynamics. I'm thinking of breaking down and having the local tweeter make a custom fiberglass enclosure for a single 10 or 12 that molds into the left side of my trunk. Trying to minimize the amount of space taken up by the sub. I'll post pics/link to pics either here or in another thread when I have it installed. Might be a bit though, dough and time are short right now.

kfr01] wrote:

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lso check out Image Dynamics.  I've been extremely happy with the very small box size the IDQ driver requires, the reasonable power requirement, and the quality sound.

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uthinkuknoaudio wrote:

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I'd go with the Image Dynamics IDMAX

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I'd like to third the motion on Image Dynamics. I wouldn't go with a MAX in your case, though. An IDQ would do quite nicely. With the Q's, the 10" is rated at 250 watts RMS, and the 12" at 350 watts, whereas the MAX's are both rated at 1000 watts RMS. It wouldn't do them justice to run then at 300 watts or less. The enclosure size is another plus. The 10" will be happy in anything down to .3 cu.ft. (although you probably wouldn't be happy with the sound in that small of a space) or up to .7. I run mine in .6 cu.ft., and it sounds great.  Here is their site: www.imagedynamicsusa.com

Also, good choice on the Quarts. I used to have some QSD216's (or QSC or something like that) untill someone made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Now, with the DSC's, It still sounds really good, but it's probably because the Q's weren't properly powered at the time, and the D's are. I'll be getting rid of those soon, though, after I get some listening time to some other brands that I've heard good things about.  I think you said you have the P's? You should be very happy with those.

Sorry so long, haven't been on a good ramble in a while, lol.