Nice. Though no spare is still kind of an issue. I know there's always AAA, etc.

Hell, I never liked that my Z06 didn't have a spare (just a can of FaF and a pump...)

 

OK, I have a SAX-100.4 on the way Picked up a 3 month old, mint, w/ original box, documents for $305 to my door. Figured that was probably about as good as it was going to get pricewise for an almost new one.

Happy with this vs. some of my other options I discussed. Now I know a major component in my system is high quality.

 

Awesome!

 

Hope you like it! I really like mine.

 

I'm pretty happy about it. I also understand with a proof of purchase, the next owner has the full warranty balance (of 2 years I believe).

I need to really start thinking about mounting - the amp is the one thing I have no idea about. I think I'd like it to be out/open in the trunk for cooling.

I've seen some solutions that mount it again the rear wall of trunk using an insert for that area. Then I started thinking that maybe the center well is the best place for a sub/amp, keeping the corners open for storage. The few tools and jack could be stored above the spare (which you'd need to get to for a tire change anyway).

 

I thought seriously about a vertical mount on the driver's side, but I didn't want to see it and I didn't want to figure out where to mount it. I have mine in the tool well. I still haven't mounted it; I'll post pictures when I get around to it. My laptop's motherboard is shot--shorts out less than 5 minutes after startup--and I'm taking a computer-intensive grad class, so replacing the computer has first priority ATM.

I plan to build an MDF sandwich with about a 3" spacer in the middle to give the amp some room. I'll use two cardboard templates and try to do a good job with the jigsaw. (I think making straight cuts will be easier than the speaker spacers.) I'll probably try to make the left and right ends have cutouts that are about hand-sized, which I hope also allows for some airflow. If not I can vent it. But cutting and carpeting MDF is stupid easy.

 

I'm also thinking about adding the Imprint unit (for my IDA-X100, it appears to be the PXA-H100). I understand it's a permanent module that extends the tuning capabilities.

Then you can use the tuning kit as well (which is actually cheap).

 

Got my big box o' cables today Thing weighs like 10 lbs and these aren't even all that huge. Really great looking construction, looks like everything I'll need.

I'm pretty much down to DLS v. CDT v. Hertz for my components. There's a pretty solid deal on a set of CDT HD-62CF I found, which are a grade up from the CLs I was shopping.

I had thought about starting to wire it up, but I'm in the middle of a few things and need the car on Friday/Sat/Sun, so I figured it's probably a bad idea to start pulling it apart...

... but you never know.

 

OK, so now I've got this beautiful Sundown 100.4D sitting here and my box of cables. I've GOT to start getting some speakers on the move.

I keep reading reviews of the CDTs that say the packaged T25 tweeter is harsh, so people are swapping it out and the xover. That's too much work for me.

Still getting excellent reviews of the Hertz HSK, though the ones I keep seeing cheap (~$200) are the older model.

The DLS keep coming up high on lists, even though they're not well known. Sonix can deliver them for $200 (the R6A or RS6, can't figure out the difference, the latter is $30 more).

The ID CTX65CS are currently on sale at Woofers for $179 (from $300). Heard really good things about this set too, especially the xover (which is adjustable). They're soft dome tweets like the DLS. Not that it matter that much, but I'm also considering an ID sub.


Speaking of: the IDQ V3 10" seems pretty outstanding (~$159). Keep in mind I'll be driving it with 2 channels from the 100.4, because I've seen some recommendations for 10", SQ type subs, but that are spec'ed at like 600w RMS or more, so I'm thinking they need/want more power than I'll have.

Also really keen on the SSA DCON 10", which is now on sale for a pretty outstanding price ($115 I believe). Great things being said about it.

Chatted up B2K2 again about the corner box with a 10", sound like under 1.0cu, sealed, and the two subs above apparently do well in a "smaller" sealed setup. Fi came up a few times, but the boards have a little too many posts about QC issues. Some other "SQ subs" I've read about, but they start getting into the $300+ range.

[edit] I'm also seeing some good deals on RD Audio Sonances (in 10").

One question about the mids: would it be preferable to mount them with the grills exposed vs. behind the door panel? I know most people just put them behind the OEM speaker perforation (assuming to avoid hacking up the door panel), but that's not a big thing if it would be a decent improvement[?]


Thanks!

 

On the mids, I left them behind the stock grills just to keep things looking nice. I would guess it sounds a little bit better out, but I don't have any experience there. The tweeters are probably much more sensitive there because the higher frequencies reflect more and our ears are more directionally sensitive to them as well.

I would say go for it with Imprint. Since it's always reported to be better than the Auto-EQ on my deck, I would bet it will be one of the best investments you make in sound quality. Also, after equalization, I'm not sure if your preference for any one brand of speaker will necessarily be the same... it seems reasonable to assume that different parameters would dominate what sounds the best on an equalized setup vs an uncontrolled one.

And I drive my speakers with the 100.4, no sub, no crossovers. It sounds great, given the obvious lack of a subwoofer. I find myself filtering music a lot by the recording quality now, sometimes even more than by the genre, and cheap electric beats sound 10x poorer than a decently recorded one from a real drum set or other instrument because I can now hear all the harmonics (or lack thereof). I really like it I still haven't finished up the install or even put things back together all the way though--I'll have to get on that, but I have a class that's just sucking up all my spare time. My ground noise is annoying, the door panels aren't bolted together.... ugh I need to get it fixed, but it's still, even with the car torn apart, it's a dramatic improvement.