Car Audio

[Nedlinin]

(Third time typing this out... Computer managed to crash the first time and the second time, I went to scroll down to hit submit and I clicked the back button on my mouse and lost it all >< - Forgive me if I leave out something lol)

 

OK! Ive been doing some research on audio equipment for my car.. Im looking to add a sub and amp to it! I have most everything figured out, but I have a few questions before I go and spend money on it all!

 

Firstly, I have a 2000 Sebring Convertible -- Ive had a few people tell me that because its a droptop, theres more in between the trunk where the sub will be and the backseat. Because of this, the sound will be muffled some so, to get the same sound, Id need a more powerful sub. Now, maybe its just me.. but, I dont see how the droptop on it drops so far down as to get inbetween the trunk and backseat so much as to cause this.. but, I could just be ignorant ><

 

Secondly, I have chosen to go with an Alpine Type-R sub - Ive heard good things about them(anyone confirm/deny these?) - I will end up with a 10 or 12inch 500wattRMS Type-R, probably in a QLogic box -- I have yet to choose an amp for it though.. Ive been looking at some Rockford Fosgate amps, but I was curious as to peoples recommendations on amps to drive this sub

 

Also, the rest of my system is stock for my car(2000 Sebring as said above) - I havent been able to find out the specs for the stock system in my car online.. perhaps someone happens to know where I can find these specs/knows them offhand and can tell me? The deck is also a stock deck, so Im not quite sure how nicely itll play with a new sub and amp added in..

 

I can tell you that the sound system in it isnt a terrible one - All the stock speakers are Inifinity - I have found out that the stock speakers use an amp under the drivers seat - If I stick the new amp and sub in there, will they play nicely or will it be a ton of problems Ill be ready to kill myself over?

 

Lastly, considering I have no experience in wiring car audio equipment, I plan on buying everything online and taking it to a place in town to get it all installed - What would you all expect to have to pay to get the sub and amp installed?

 

I think thats about all the questions I have for the time being.. if I think of more, Ill update this post

 

Thanks for the help!

[dshiznit1]

I would highly recommend an Alpine type-r. I have a 1222D myself and love it. Its powered by a hifonics amp which I would also highly recommend.

 

In terms of installing, if you can build a computer you can install car audio components. Now this is coming from someone who owns an old corolla which is pretty easily taken apart. Your 2000 Sebring might bring you more trouble.

 

Personally after you get some responses from around here I'd check out caraudioforum.com or caraudio.com and ask around there as well.

[spectrascope]

you will need a Line output converter to hook up the amp to the stock stereo. Rockford Fosgate is a great amp but less as dshiznit1 one said hifonics is a great amp too I have a Brutus dx2000 from them driving two infinity kappa perfect 12's. Anyway you want to avoid not providing enough power to your amp so you will probably need to upgrade your stock battery with something the likes of an optima yellow top, as distortion caused by low power and signal fade will destroy a sub just as fast if not faster than providing it with to much power. As far as enclosures go off the shelf is okay but for the best results you may want build the enclosure yourself.

I suggest this amp Hifonics titan 750, based on thinking that you will be getting the dual 4 ohm voice coil config woofer and run the coils in series @ 2 ohms. Also even if it is the dual 2 ohm version and you you run it @ 1 ohm in series the little bit of extra power won't hurt.

Edited October 10, 2007 by spectrascope

[sYstEmATiC]

i have 2 12in 1222D type r's in a ported box powered by a kenwood 1700wt class D mono amps (dont like the amps) in my caddy. good choice of sub, that hifonics titan 750 is a good amp, i hooked one of those up for a friend and it sounded pretty clean.

[Nedlinin]

Thanks for all the info guys! Appreciate the feedback - glad to hear the sub is a good choice -- Building my own enclosure is a little out of the question as I have NO wood working experience as well as nothing tool-wise that I could use to build it

 

 

you will need a Line output converter to hook up the amp to the stock stereo.

 

The system is supposed to have an amp already installed by the factory - will this not already be installed on the system or will they have used an amp that doesnt require it/has it built in? 0o (Sorry if it seems like a dumb question lol.. Im learning!)

 

Also, will a stock battery not be able to push enough power out for a single 500(ish)watt amp?

 

Also, sYstEmATiC brought up ported boxes - Ive been told that for my application(rock/metal music) a sealed box normally offers a better sound - This true or should I be looking for a ported box for the woofer instead?

[Waco]

Also, sYstEmATiC brought up ported boxes - Ive been told that for my application(rock/metal music) a sealed box normally offers a better sound - This true or should I be looking for a ported box for the woofer instead?

That's a misnomer.

 

Ported doesn't mean it's "sloppier" bass, only that it can be if not designed well.

 

For a Type-R you'd be wasting it if you didn't port it. Go with a fairly low tune if you are worried about it being peaky (by low I mean the low 30-35 Hz range). 2.5 cubic feet + 30 Hz tune + 500 or so watts = you smiling.

[spectrascope]

Waco kid beat beat me to the punch on the box. Any way as far as the line out put converter unless the factory amp has an extra rca output which it probably doesn't you will need the line level converter. On the battery the 500 watt amp is 500 rms that is around a 1000 watts peak this takes approx. 1400 watts to run at full capacity if the amp is at 60% efficiency. This means you will be using at least an extra 20 amps of power probably more. The reason this is important is that your cars electrical system was designed with the factory equipment in mind and it will not be able to handle the extra load with out some help. You can also look at this way the stock system even with the amp is probably no more than 200watts max, you are adding the equivalent of 7 more of your stock stereo's and speakers at full blast to the system thus the need for the better battery.

Edited October 10, 2007 by spectrascope

[Waco]

On the battery the 500 watt amp is 500 rms that is around a 1000 watts peak this takes approx. 1400 watts to run at full capacity if the amp is at 60% efficiency. This means you will be using at least an extra 20 amps of power probably more. The reason this is important is that your cars electrical system was designed with the factory equipment in mind and it will not be able to handle the extra load with out some help. You can also look at this way the stock system even with the amp is probably no more than 200watts max, you are adding the equivalent of 7 more of your stock stereo's and speakers at full blast to the system thus the need for the better battery.

Not really.

 

The alternator is more than enough to power a 500 watt class D amp (which are ~80% efficient) without any trouble. The battery doesn't come into play unless he's drawing more than the alternator can provide, which isn't likely unless he drives around playing sine waves all day long and his car has an extremely tiny alternator (which it doesn't, Sebrings have ~100 amp alternators IIRC). At most his amp would be pulling 45 amps of current. Any car could easily absorb that extra draw without any trouble.

 

For comparison, I have roughly 1300 RMS watts (450 for subs, the rest for my front stage) running off of the stock 105 amp alternator with a stock battery. I did upgrade all of the wiring from the battery/alternator/engine block to 2 gauge, but that's it. You don't ever need a larger battery unless you want to play the stereo with the car off for long periods of time in which case it's almost always a better idea to get a second battery with an isolator so you don't end up killing your starting battery.

[suchuwato]

Ported doesn't mean it's "sloppier" bass, only that it can be if not designed well.

 

 

"The ported enclosure system is characterised by lower distortion and higher power handling in the system's operating range, and lower cutoff frequency than a sealed enclosure system using the same driver. Distortion rapidly increases below the cutoff frequency however as the driver becomes unloaded, and the transient response of a ported enclosure system is usually inferior to that of a sealed enclosure system using the same driver. However, the lower cutoff frequency and better power handling within the system's passband often makes ported systems the alignment of choice for many speaker builders."

[Andrewr05]

How about a dual isobarik 4th order bandpass setup?

Edited October 10, 2007 by Andrewr05

[Waco]

How about a dual isobarik 4th order bandpass setup?

Dual isobaric isn't 4th order.

 

Bandpass boxes are incredibly hard to design well, I'd stay away from them since most installers don't even know how to design them.

[Nedlinin]

Wow - Thanks for all the replies everyone! Just a few more questions I promise

 

That's a misnomer.

 

Ported doesn't mean it's "sloppier" bass, only that it can be if not designed well.

 

For a Type-R you'd be wasting it if you didn't port it. Go with a fairly low tune if you are worried about it being peaky (by low I mean the low 30-35 Hz range). 2.5 cubic feet + 30 Hz tune + 500 or so watts = you smiling.

 

As I said earlier, I have no woodworking skills so I cant build my own.. can anyone recommend a good pre-built ported box for the TypeR to go into?

 

Also, about the battery issue - I normally pick up my girlfriend from school once or twice a week which means sitting in the parking lot listening to music for...20 minutes(ish) - I wouldnt really consider this an "extended period of time" but Im a nub -- Id assume that the battery could handle this? Or should I just buy a new battery to be safe?