merc 93

merc's RX-7 Audio Setup

Please let me know what you think about it and how you think it will sound?

Thanks!

ashokn225

looks good but why do you only want an 8" sub?....for optimum SQ...which is what it is i think you are looking for..go for a 10" in a sealed enclosure....everythin else sounds good...i dont know how good RF is...i use eclipse and it seems to be the best ive heard....but it looks like ur set otherwise

one reccomendation I have is that instead of wasting money on a hard drive for your car...buy an ipod and mold in the dock onto your center console....it looks amazing and saves you money too

your system will sound amazing man and it looks like you have put alot of thought and effort into choosing your parts....do the same when maintaining ur system and you will have one sweet *** system for a long time

peace

SpeedKing

iTrader: (4)

Actually, the smaller 8" sub (in a sealed enclosure) would provide tighter bass (SQ) than a 10" would. The 10" however, would be able go lower and provide more volume (SPL). And unless you're a "bass head", a 8" sub is just fine for enough low end fill.

I'm not a fan of Rockford Fosgate products, at least not anything they've put out in the past 5 years, but that deck is a rebadged Denon unit.

merc 93

Thanks for your comments and suggestions.

Speedking is correct. The RFX-8250 is a rebadged Denon DCT. They are amplless and have a analog and digital input. They also support the mini-din balanced ICs which my amp also uses. SoundDomain is closing them out for only $299.

I am using the Fosgate EQs since they are one of the few EQs(Zapco is the other)that uses the balanced mini-din cables and I wanted to keep the signal balanced all the way to the amp.

As for the sub, I temporarily put a 10 and an 8 inch in a sealed box in my hatch, and the 8 was plenty enough bass for my music tastes. I am going more for SQ than for SPL or thump.

As for the RioCar, it is a 60Gb model and I can fit about 200 albums on it in 256CBR MP3 format. I could not tell the difference on most albums between 256 and an uncompressed wav file. Also, I use the RioCar both in and out of the car... here's a pic of it being used in my house in its' home docking station. Rio Docking Station

Thanks again for all your comments and suggestions!

ashokn225

not to start a flame war because i dont particularily like arguing on the net as it is basically pointless but i have to say that you, Speedking, would be wrong

merc93, i completely understand that you are not looking for SPL or 'thump'...and that you are looking for straight sound quality....but being someone who has been involved in SQ competitions and with people who have been involved in this at the professional level....I reccommend you take this post into account when buying your products.....a 10" sub hits lower and better...and not nessicarily harder and louder for the extra 'thump' you were talking about....it can reach much lower frequencies than an 8 inch can and your sound will be much fuller with a single 10".....trust me on this...i personally reccomend an Adire Brahma 10" as this is what I have always seen to be the highest rated by judges at competitions......

imho, a 10" will be much better for SQ...it is at the brink of SQ and SPL and provides the best of both worlds.....move up to a 15" and you will hit lower frequencies but the bass will drown out your main sound....move down to an 8" and you will be lacking much of the bass that was meant to be heard.....do what you want...its a small change and your system, even without the 10 will sound amazing so have fun with it man

peace

merc 93

ashokn,

Actually, there are a few other factors at work here with regard to the sub I got. Namely, box size, available amp power, and cost. Originally, I was looking for a JL 10W6 which I thought offered a good middle road between SQ and cost and amp power needed. But... I couldn't find one. I considered the Brahma, but I only have 360w into 4 ohms to use. The amp is not stable bridged into 2 ohms. Also, the brahma costs ALOT more than I wanted to spend on the sub.

I ended up going with the JL 8W3v2 because I found it mislabeled on Ebay and I bought it for $50. It is a brand new in box sub. This model gives me much of the SQ of the W6 subs, with a smaller box and lower power(I'll be using 240W into 8 ohms) and at a much lower cost.

One other consideration is the very small size of the rear hatch on the RX7 and the interior of the car on the whole. This sub will sit 2 feet from my head and less than 3 feet from the rear of the hatch. It doesn't take alot of woofer travel to fill in the low end sufficiently... at least for my tastes.

Anyway... that's how I ended up with the JL 8W3v2.

Thanks again for your help and input!

merc 93

Sorry, duplicate post...

rynberg

Statement like that prove you don't really understand how audio works.....

With the small cabin of the FD, a well-designed 8" driver in a properly sized enclosure should have no problems having flat frequency response down into the 20Hz range. At least at the volume levels merc93 is looking for. Unless you are listening to pipe organ recordings or the fairly rare CD with synthesizer bass below 25 Hz, I don't think he's going to be missing out on anything.

Better to have an 8" in a properly sized enclosure than a 10" in too small of one.

ashokn225

first things first....just because i make a general statement like the one you decided to quote doesnt mean that i dont understand audio so dont go around making assumptions

at any rate..i didnt take into account the amp taht ur using and if u found the jl for that price than sure...its a good deal and worth it.....and space and enclosure wise...you could just put it in the trunk instead of the hatch but it doesnt matter...the 8" will sound fine and ur system is sick...

peace

spyfish007

I personally think most companies 8" subs stink. They are usually in lower series and have less engineering money. The power handling is usually less. I like JL but do not buy a W3v2 sub ... they slap and JL admitted as I am hearing of a upcoming W3v3 sub.

I don't want to comment on ANY of equipment because you have not stated what type of music you like or how you like music to sound. There are several threads in this forum where I have gone through the selection process with people to discuss there likes and dislikes. You're proposed setup might sound go to several different people, but you might hate it. Audio systems are subjective and you must find people who like what you like and take their recommendations. I'll help you out, but you need to supply more info.

merc 93

I like all music except for country, techno and rap. Most of our listening is stuff like Matchbox 20, Aerosmith, Sheryl Crow, Steely Dan, Rolling Stones, Train, Pink Floyd, etc... I also occasionally like to listen to classical music.

As for how we like to listen: Relatively loud and accurate with no upper rolloff. In our home, serious listening is done at about 80db with peaks to around 95dB. I prefer metal or ribbon tweets in my speakers.

Is that the kind of info you needed?

SpeedKing

iTrader: (4)

ashokn225: You have the nerve to tell me I'm wrong, yet you make no argument to say why? Whatever!

FYI, I've been into car audio for many years and I won't be making ignorant statements like you. From what "rynberg" posted, sounds (no pun intended) like you got

spyfish007

I thought this conversation had a familar ring to it ....

Old Thread

Have you ever tuned an eq for audio purposes? I think you'll find that things are much different than home. I guess my point might be that 1/3 octave EQs in a RX-7 might be overkill. I think a 5 band parametric EQ could take care of some resonance of the car. I would still look at the Eclipse or Nakamichi head units. With the Eclipse unit you could get a hard drive system that acts like a CD changer.

You can still get 10W6 from JL Audio. They are now the AE version. That sub in a ported box tuned to 28 Hz @ 1.375 cubic feet will be increadable for sound quality. Try it firing into the hatch glass. If you don't like, then build your sealed box. (I think you would like .75 to .80 cubic feet for that box.) Also set the cut frequency of that sub lower ... like 65 Hz.

merc 93

Thanks again everyone for all your help and suggestions!!!

It is good to go back and read my thinking from a few months ago, and then see where I am now. Not too much has changed during all the demoing, pricing and researching I've done.

Many times. I usually use PC based SpectraPlus and either Rane PE17 or Symetrix 551E Parametric EQs. Probably so. Could be... but cost and connections again is a determining factor for me again. If I can get the Rockford 10 band parametric EQs with the balanced connections at a price much lower than a 5 band parametric EQ, I'd be a fool not to. I don't use all the potential settings on my parametric EQs in my primary home system either. I have my old Eclipse 5303r sitting under my desk right now... the Eclipse doesn't like the RX7 ride quality - CDs skipped. Also, no mini-din balanced connections. Have you seen the RFX-8250 units? Build quality is incredible, and if it truly is a Denon DCT clone, sound quality will be too. Also, what kind of Eclipse or Nak preamp HU can I get for the $300 I paid for the RF unit?

As for the hard drive music server, I simply love my RioCar and can't imagine being without one... in either my car or home docking station.

Would you also recommend lowering the cut for other subs at 65Hz? Will most 6.5" drivers be able to handle flatly going down to 65Hz? I have some concerns about my components filling the freq between 100Hz down to 65Hz. Is that concern unfounded?

spyfish007

Well it definately sounds like you have enough experience and intelligence to do right by some really nice EQs so why not go for it.

I would look at the Nak CD-400 or the Eclipse 8454 or 5444. The old unit you have on your desk is one of the e-skips models. That model will skip in a Camry! Eclipse had some problems and they have since fixed them. The pickup system had a voltage problem as I understand it.

It is a completely reasonable assessment that you can run the x-over point down to 65 Hz IF you have done all the things I talked about in the old thread. Sealing the door, lots of power, excellent x-over slope. Lowering the x-over point in the car tends to take some of the muddy bass notes out. Music in the 80 Hz region really seems to rattle a car and muddy up the music. By putting a large amount of that content in your door speakers close to you can feel it in front of you and it has nothing to rattle against.

merc 93

Look what I messed up on by not bidding high enough...Zapco EQ30s.

What audio system are you currently using in your FD?

spyfish007

Yeah you did miss out ... that is a nice setup. I am currently running crap in my RX-7. The stereo is a low priority for that car. However I have run 10+ different subwoofer combinations, 3 different sets of amps, 3 different CD players, and one set of highs. This includes equipment from McIntosh, Dynaudio, Pioneer Premier, Eclipse, JL audio, Boston Acoutics ..... My favorite deck was the Eclipse in-dash 6 disc changer. SUPER clean and easy to use. My highs of choice are the Boston proseries. The McIntosh amp was nice and clean, but the drop off in quality to my JL Audio "slash" series amp was barely noticable and when you consider the $$ difference -- woa! I also liked the x-over on the JL amp, so I would vote it the best of what I've had in that car. I've never had a sub that really made me smile in that car. However I think I am going to put my JL 12W6v2 in there and I think that will do it. I will use my Memphis Belle to power it and some Bostons. All of that equipment is currently in my Camry, which I plan to sell in the fall. Then a new car with new equipment....

merc 93

I have to admit, I haven't really listened to the Bostons even though my installer has recommended them? Do you like the Proseries better than the more expensive Boston Z6s? The coaxial type tweeter mount appeals to me sense of point source audio... and it makes the install easier too.

spyfish007

I have no personal seat time with the Z6s .... however a friend of mine gave me this review. The 2-way proseries lose hands down to the Z6s. The 3-ways proseries come up a draw with the Z6s. The midbass is superior with the 3 ways but the Z6 tweeter is much better than the already capable proseries tweeter. The amound of midbass between the 2-ways is better with the Z6s.

The Boston's are not too far a reach from MB Quartz on lister preference. Not a dramatic difference like going to a Dynaudio or a Polk.

merc 93

Thanks spyfish.

I'm gonna go and listen to some Z6s later today.

I wonder if 150wpc into 3 ohms is enough power for the Z6s?

spyfish007

That should be enough to get some really good midbass.