First and foremost, I'm an ordinary noob seeking for an improved stereo. Nothing fancy that would set off other car alarms or blow my ear drums off...so, I bought the following:

1. Headunit: Alpine 9855 http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/Pr...ProductID=14966
2. Speakers: JL Audio TR600-CXi (pair) http://www.sextons.co.uk/car_audio_catalog...18233&cat=79977
3. Subwoofer: ONE 8" MB Quart Reference RWE204 (4ohms) http://www.bluelagoonusa.com/mbqu84odvcsu.html
4. Alpine S630 CD Changer: http://www.crutchfield.com/S-98N5164jPTW/c...sp?i=500CHMS630
5. Amp: _____________
6. Miscellaneous: Making a box for the sub to fit in the tool-well, mounting location for the amp, and wires.

Now...for the amp, I was thinking about either a 2 channel amp or a 4 channel amp. MB Quart 2400 (2 CH 400watt) or MB Quart 4200 (4CH 200watt). Which one would best suit me?

My thoughts on the 2 channel amp is that I can use one channel for the 8" sub and split the other channel to use for both speakers. I know that it'll split the power, but shouldn't it be enough to keep things loud enough and crisp?

My thoughts on the 4 channel amp is that I can use two channels for the speakers and use two other channels to power up the 8" sub.

About making boxes, I had my last car "custom" done at CustomSound here in town and the job looks rather easy for big $. After seeing what was done, it seems like if I know what size (WHL) and what type of wood to use, I can do the box myself. Again, nothing fancy...just a box to hold the sub with carpets and maybe a plexi for improved appearance.

I've seen people mounting their amps vertically in the trunk on the spare well wall. I searched a litte and it looks like I need to buy an amp bracket or holder?

I'm almost done yet not quite. Please help me finish my audio!! I'm sick of crappy stock system...Thanks for reading the long, boring post (if you read it )

 

wrong changer danny. you can use that one but your better off getting an ai net changer otherwise you need an adapter to use the m bus.

 

Ill get back to this thread in the morning, but why are you ordering mediocre speakers, from england, for a LOT of money??

Ditch the speakers, the sub, and well go from there.

 

i had the speakers from my previous car. I already bought everything i listed including the subs. the only thing i didn't buy yet is the amp, box, wires.

i posted those links for spec references...they are not the sources of which where i purchased the products from.

ryan, what does that m bus thing do?

 

alpine made 2 different types of changers up until recently . there was the ai-net which is what your 9855 is and a lot of the integrated items are(ipod adapter, amp links, etc) and the m-bus which was the changer logic for the lower priced models.

there is an adapter that lets you use an ainet changet with an mbus radio or vice versa, i cant remember which way it was. someone chime in and refresh my memory

 

ok...so my HU (9855) is ai-net and the cd changer isn't therefore i need an adapter for the changer to work at all with the HU. right?

So without that adapter, the cd changer won't work at all?

also, what kind of amp would you suggest? if you had to choose between a 2 channel or a 4 channel?

 

if you plan on running a single amp and powering all speakers then you're going to need a 4 channel. the 2 channel wouldnt work very well.