i can't take the stock stereo any more and i am planning on getting a complete upgrade on the stereo. i've read that upgrading the stock speakers and head unit make a tremendous difference but one thing i've noticed is the placement for the lower door speakers' sounds seems to get blocked by my leg. i'd like to get the s-pods but i've heard that they are really only for top down driving...that's not my concern...i just want to have a fuller sound. so my first question is do the s-pods really make the stereo sound that much better?

additionally i am confused with the amp market. they have various channel amps and i need some help understanding this.
ideally i'd like to get a 10" sub, new door speakers (all four) and the s-pods. what kind of amp should i buy to power all of these? should i run all of the speakers through the amp or use the head unit (obviously not the stock one) to power some of them or do i need to get a 6 channel amp to do this?

thanks for any advice.

 

I love my S-Pods. If you are planning an entire system (which it sounds like you are) they will make an excellent addition to help fill the sound.

I don't believe they are required, but they are very good.

Every speaker you install in your car needs to get it's sound from somewhere. If you want to have control over the level of each speaker you need to dedicate a channel to it's operation. (for the purpose of this discussion, think of component speakers as a single speaker) So for your front and rear speakers you would want a 4 channel amplifier.

You will need an additional channel for your sub.

The ideal setup would be two amplifiers, a 4-channel amp and a 1-channel mono amp.

They do make 5 channel amps, but they are not common, a little expensive, and do not offer the highest levels of output.

There are ways to "cheat" the "ideal" system design. For example, you can bridge two channels of an amp together. This makes them tied together so you can no longer adjust them independantly, but it can offer more power to a single device (like a sub.) So you could get a 4 channel amp, run the front speakers off of the two front channels (independantly) and then bridge the rear channels to drive the sub. Then you could run the s-pods off of the internal amp in the HU. This will save you money.

Personally, I think the internal amp on pretty much any HU is worthless. I do have a 5 channel amp, and if I had it to do over again, I would run two amps. (A 4channel and a mono amp.)

If you want to build in stages, I would install new fronts, a new HU and get a 4 channel amp to drive them. (You can bridge the front and rear channels together to get more power for your front speakers if you like.) That gives you the bones of a system that can grow. You can add a subwoofer next (bridged off of the rear channels from your 4 channel, but you would have to UNBRIDGE them from the front speakers if you installed that way initially.) If after all that you still need fill, you can add the s-pods off of the HU, and if you don't like it, buy a mono amp for the sub, and run the s-pods off of the 4 channel.

I hope that wasn't TOO confusing. GL

 

not confusing. thanks very much...this is exactly what i was looking for. i haven't seen any five channel amps...that seems to be the way to go for me though...either that or a four channel and run the pods off of the HU.

 

if you were to get coaxials, the placement would be a problem... however, if you get components -- separate mid-woofer and tweeters... the tweeters will be mounted closer to your ears in a direct line.. and the frequencies of the mid-woofer wont be too impacted by physical intrusions

i dont fancy going with rear speakers/spods .. selection of 5 channel amps are limited; the 5th channel is not powerful; or running 2 amps take more space... etc

id keep it simple by getting 1 pair of components, 1 subwoofer, and powering them all with a 4 channel amp, bridging the rear channels of the amp to run the subwoofer... simpler set up, cheaper, and sounds a little more accurate as far as soundstage

 

Get the S-pods put coaxials in them, buy a JL 500/5 amp, get the amp rack that replaces the spare, and get great speakers for the doors, and eventually a good head unit.

the car will rock... oh, and don't forget the JL stealth sub


Mitch

 

you can find S-Pods at: www.streetsmarttechnologies.net

 

I love my S-pods no regrets!

 

Can't wait to have mine installed next week!!!