Hey guys -

Helping a buddy put back together an FD - basically taking a wrecked car and a roller and making one nice car. It's going to be a BIG job, we will be going through EVERYTHING on the car.

So, I used to be into car stereo back in the '90s, but now I just am happy with something that sounds decent, isn't super heavy and dumb, but you can turn up a bit.

Here's what I'm trying to sort out -

HEADUNIT - decent single DIN head unit that can do Bluetooth streaming from an Iphone. Don't care about CD's.

SPEAKERS - Front separates, possibly, and rear coaxials. Roller has factory rear speaker brackets and is a non-Bose car.

AMP - I have seen there are some VERY small amps nowadays that can give some more umph without taking a lot of room or weighing a ton. Not sure on that. Would like some more gusto than just the headunit amp.

SUBWOOFER - Not wanting a giant dumb heavy box or anything, but if there is an option for a sub that's clean, not super heavy, and makes a difference, I'd like to see it.

Thanks!
Dale

 

Dale,

I have the Kenwood KDC-X998, bluetooth, apple and andriod support, 2 usb ports you can use for a small thumbdrive and put mp3's, wma's what ever and use for music instead of cd's. as far as speakers i went all jl audio. c650's componets up front and c5-750x for the rear. I also made my own sub box for my 12in sub 12W3v3-2 could easily use a 10in sub. For the amp i went with a polk PA D5000.5. Attached it to the back of my sub box. Used the deck to control all freq's. 80hz and below to the sub. 80hz and up to the other sets of speakers. Along with the built-in eq. Whole system sounds great, clear and loud when i want it to.

Carl

 

Thanks! I dig that head unit, that's looking like a good way to go. Not sure on the big amp and big sub. How much amp is enough to do the job? Also, looking for other space-saving/weight saving options on sub and/or amp.

Thanks,
Dale

 

the amp isn't that big I use it to power all the speakers inc the sub. . Like i said you could go with the 10in sub. That'll make the box smaller. "The 10W3v3-2 is best used with amplifier power in the 150W - 500W range and is optimized to operate in a compact 0.625 cu. ft. (17.7 l) sealed enclosure" 10W3v3-2 - Car Audio - Subwoofer Drivers - W3v3 - JL Audio they also have a 8in sub which would prob be a even smaller box.

 

Oh to run most of the 6.5in speakers up front you'll need an adaptor. I bought a pair of these. PVC Speaker Adapters - CNC Machined - In Stock or Custom Made

 

Dale.
Look at the Lanzar amp..4 channel..like 3000watts..
It is stupid cheap..like under 200 bucks.
It may be highly exaggerated in power rating but I got the Lanzar 6000watt 4-channel version in my FC and it will make you deaf!
I just got the 6 channel 4000 Watt unit with the bluetooth feature built in for another setup.
I haven't got it fully installed but I think it will be just as good as the first setup.

 

Those amps are great if you want to make your trunk rattle.
But, they are all gain and no clarity. Cheap crap. You'd do better with a small and legit amp.
I'm disturbed you honestly suggested them.

 

You may want to consider power packs for amps which are tiny but yet will be more than enough in an FD, e.g. this one



If you want lighter/smaller woofers, you can try powered compact woofers, e.g. this one

 

Cool, I dig that compact sub. Would have to find a decent place on the FD for it!

Funny to think I had a Camry WAAAY back in the day and I had a CD Changer under the passenger seat. You can't fit ANYTHING under the seat on an FD!

There are a number of other small amps on the market, Pioneer has a really small 2-channel as well.

Keep up the recommendations!

Dale

 

Seems like separates are the best for the front speakers, but are coaxial speakers the best for the rear or a speaker with no tweeter?

Dale

 

I don't run SUBS though.Honestly I don't need them either.
That Lanzar powers 4 (6x9) Cadence CVLS-69's in the rear..with Focal PS165V30 in the doors and CVT 42's in the dash..
To say that it is not clear..well you haven't heard it so I will take your critique as unfounded.
The amp is about 3 inches thick..12x18 maybe.Sitting in the spare tire well.
Ya,it's cheap..but it does it's job..
You want clarity?..get an EQ and sound processor and shell out big freakin dollar for add- ons..extra weight..extra gadgets anyone?..

I look at it as affordable.I could have spent more but really this thing does it's job.

My car doesn't have a trunk..it's a Coupe.

By the way,when you CRAAANNNK Pink Floyd..it sounds like someone actually shoved you inside a big freakin' cash register!!..(money..it's a gas..grab that cash with both Hands and make a stash..)

 

+1 for the KTP445U, I used it with my Nexus 7 in-dash build, the amp was more than enough. Zip tied it under the passenger glove box.

 

I couldn't agree more on a power pack.

If it were my build given your criteria, I would do:

Headunit: Either the Kenwood above or the Pioneer MVH-X560BT(No CD player)
Front speakers: A 6.5 component set where you spend ~$75-$150 from one of the "known" brands if you don't have the ability to go somewhere and hear them. Below this range speakers tend to sound "tinny" due to poor build materials, and above that range it's hard to tell the benefit from the better "quality" due to the fact it's in a noisy car.
Rear Speakers: Same, a decent set in the bracket above
Interior Amp: Any one of the decent power pack amps like Alpine KTP-445U, Clarion XC1410, Mosconi Pico 2, etc. Resist the urge to go with the $30 Chinese ones that are all over eBay.
Sub Amp: Like the power packs, the footprint of sub amps have gone down as well. The RX-7 is a small car and you are in the same air compartment as the subwoofer so you don't need a ton of power to get good bass response, 3-500 watts will be PLENTY. Check out the Rockford Fosgate PBR300X2 or PBR500X1.
Subwoofer: I'd go with an 6.5" or 8" sub.(Again it's a small car) There are plenty of woofers out there that pack a good punch, and need a sealed enclosure barely the size of a shoebox.(A touch bigger if you want it ported) I currently have two Massive Audio SUMMO84s in my 300zx, have had Sundown SA8 before(beasts) but there are plenty other ones like the Alpine SWR-8, Kicker Comp8 or L7 that are all decent. Just make sure you select a good amp that puts out close to the same RMS power requirements of the sub.



Massive SUMMO84


Sundown SA8(Probably overkill for what you're looking for but fun to look at none the less )

 

And don't skimp on your wires either, you DEFINITELY get what you pay for.

Sad to say each manufacturer claimed 4 gauge wire!

 

Great info, thanks! I hear you on the amp wiring, there's a LOT of cheap crap out there.

Crazy how small that Rockford Fosgate amp is, things have come a long way.

For tweeter placement, on my car I have them on the little trim triangles at the inside front corner of the window. Seems like a logical place for them. You guys concur?

Looking forward to getting moving on this project, I think it wil make me a bit jealous and want to re-do my car .

Also looking at doing some sound deadening in the doors, I know there's the roof seal stuff at Lowe's/H-D that many audio guys use because it's less expensive than the name brand (Dynamat) stuff. Any input on where the sound deadening will make the most bang for the buck/pound?

Dale

 

Also, looking at something like these MB Quarts for the front -


Dale

 

MB Quarts are widely regarded as very nice. Mounting depth can be an issue in FD's so check your references.

The FD is a small car, and a dab of nice audio will do. On the other side of the coin, a noisy rx7 is the worst possible place to try and enjoy studio quality audio. The law of diminishing returns is in play here. Furthermore the staging in FDs is pretty awful, and hacking up your door panels to mount tweeters in a less-awful location may offend.

 

Yeah man, I remember being able to stuff a 2ch Rockford Amp under a truck seat and think "This amp is super small!" LOL. Now I'm installing amps on motorcycles and ATVs that have more power.

Components speakers are designed to have the tweeter be no more than 12" somewhere around the perimeter of the speaker. If that's not an option the next best thing would be in those sail panels you mentioned, or on the door panel itself.

My EG Civic had manual mirrors and windows so the door panel was the next best place.





As far as sound deadening is concerned, it's real easy to go overkill, like this.
Every sound deadening manufacturer is going to say you need to fill every nook and cranny.


In my experience, you can approach it one of two ways:

1. Line big flat panels to keep them from vibrating, causing excess noise.


2. Isolating the plane that the speaker is mounted to to better direct sound into the cabin. aka removing that cheap-o plastic moisture barrier that's on the door and use sound deadening instead.



It all depends on your goals/wants. I had 8" kicker subs I used as midbass in the doors of my NB Miata because I was not going to be running a sub so it was more important to keep large panels from vibrating rather than sound isolation.(Due to the power I was running)


For your application and the power levels you will have, I would say remove the moisture barrier and make sure all the "holes" in the door are covered and that will make a decent difference in keeping unwanted sound out. There's nothing wrong with doing both, but you specified best bang for the buck/pound

 

Peel and seal

Shop Peel & Seal Instant Waterproof Repairs 6-in x 25-ft Aluminum Roll Flashing at Lowes.com

This is what it looks like on a door. It's not as thick as dynamat but for the cost difference it is effective. Also check eBay, there is "no name" stuff on there that I've heard is half way decent as well.

 

I couldn't agree more. 99% of the cars on the road are too noisy to warrant/enjoy high dollar speakers in them!

 

Just saw this, that's one of the least-bad(best-ish) places you can put tweeters.
Really cynical about car audio all of the sudden for some reason...I need a vaca

 

Yep, that Peel and Seal is what I was thinking of - saw a Youtube video on the topic. Will definitely be checking that out.

FYI, they also have Peel and Seal in a 3' wide by long roll for $99. I guess if you need a lot of it that's a way to go, but that junk is HEAVY.

On building a sub box, are there premade or ideas for making a box that isn't 50 pounds of MDF?

This thread is great, thanks for the input so far! When the time comes, I will definitely be documenting the setup.

Dale

 

I've built boxes with 1/4" MDF before and it's still solid. If you go with a 6.5" - 10"/250-500 watt subwoofer, 1/4" will be able to handle the task. Pre-made boxes from Atrend, Sound Ordinance, etc., for example typically use 1/2" or 3/4" since they have to try and cater to all subs on the market.

It all comes down to how much sealed/ported airspace the sub you choose needs. Like I mentioned before, most 8" subs require a sealed enclosure the size of a shoebox, and you can get away with making it from a sheet of pre-cut 2'x4' MDF vs buying a huge sheet and having a ton leftover.

Medium Density Fiberboard (Common: 1/4 in. x 2 ft. x 4 ft.; Actual: 0.216 in. x 23.75 in. x 47.75 in.)-1508104 - The Home Depot

 

Speaker wires are the biggest rip off in the market.

 

Dale,

looking through older threads for audio placement ideas. Did you ever document what you did with this project? How did the tweeter mounting go on the Front sail panels? Pretty small work area but solid placement.

Thanks!

milly