I will definately purchase an entire system for my S but right now, I really cant afford all of it. My question is, what is the order to buy a system? Headunit first, then amps/sub, then speakers? Also, what are your thoughts on the Alpine 7893? How much of an improvement does it give over the stock headunit? The retail price on the website is $380. Do local audio stores sell it for cheaper than that? Thanks for the help.

Brian

 

nobody knows the answers to these questions? or everyone is just too lazy to help someone out?

 

speakers, amp, then headunit (unless you can get a powerful enough headunit to power the speakers).

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by MeTh222
[B]nobody knows the answers to these questions?

 

Adding Lucid's rears brought it up to *OK* (I did go with the cheapest set and I was only looking for *fill*). Next I will likely add a power amp and I'm hoping the Lucid harness will allow that without buying a different one. The stock fronts seem fine to me but distort at top down, high-speed volume. A decent amp should rectify that. After that, I plan on a sub (Lucid's looks very sweet) if I'm still not satisfied. Then I'll probably move onto a simple OEM Head Unit replacement that plays mp3s also. I absolutely love the left-hand controls so any HU I upgrade to will have to function with those controls without alot of fuss.

 

I added Kenwood rear 3 ways from Lucid and got almost 100% better sound. It was worth it, but not yet minimally acceptable.

I then added Infinity 605cs components in the doors and the sound was about 50% better. I could tell they wanted more power. I then added a small 2 channel amp, Blaupunkt 2100, (inside the spare tire so I wouldn't lose any room), and I now have a great sounding system. It has all the volume I need without distorting.

The rears run off just the hu. I run about a plus 1 or 2 on the front, (amplified), Infinitys. The rears really are just fill and unlike before when they were the only upgrade and made things twice as nice, they now pale in comparison to the great sounding fronts. (They are only 2-35rms speakers and I don't believe would handle much amplification.) They are getting maybe 12-15rms now from the stock hu.

The Blaupunkt 2100 gives me 100 rms x 2, is very small and as a T class amp is supposed to not overheat. So far no problems. The Infinitys sound great.

I like the fact I was able to keep the stock hu and dash controls and get a fine sounding system. In all fairness, the only thing I may not be happy with now is the rear Kenwoods. I need to keep them turned way down so I don't notice distortion. It is funny how much better they sounded when first added but how they now don't measure up. LOL ............Hmmmmmm.......I wonder if I replaced the hu with an alpine 60 x 4 amp if they would sound a whole lot better?

It's always something isn't it? But isn't that some of the fun?

 

jet if you change over to a 4 channel it will help, set the rear channels at High not through and they won't distort. Bass blockers are an option too.

I run my ken 3-ways at 60 Rms good clean singnal from ftermarket deck and amp. But i set the amp to high pass and can run them much louder and cleaner. sub and door speakers pick up the bass. Since you're stepping up in systems you need to do such things. You're most likely to blow a speaker by pulling too much power from a weak amp (head unit at high volume) than a more powerfulamp.

 

Lucid (or others),

Thanks for the suggestions.

I like the 100 rms x 2 to my doors. Should I consider a second less powerful amp for the rears? (I am keeping my 2 channel Blaupunkt...I just bought it.)

What is a bass blocker? Can that be installed inline easily and also solve the problem?

Or, if I just replaced the hu with an Alpine that is 60 x 4 that puts out at least 28rms wouldn't that clean up the rears too? (I would still run the fronts through the Blaupunkt 2100.) This is how I envisioned my final setup. Wouldn't this be also a way to solve the problem with the rears while leaving the fronts alone?

One last question. I did not replace the door speaker wires when I put in the Infinitys and the 100 rms amp. They sound great but should I now replace the door wiring, and why?



Thanks.

 

you can see my components in my sig. i went with lucid's rears first and the difference was very significant. i then upgraded my head unit and door speakers and have been very happy with the sound. i don't feel the need for a sub.

all upgrades together were about $1,000.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Jetpuke
[B]Lucid (or others),

Thanks for the suggestions.

I like the 100 rms x 2