New Head unit/audio upgrade help

[vnsmanual]

Im currnetly looking at updating all my audio shit in my car.

The planned system is:

Dual 12inch subs in box facing through rear seat, I want to build the box to fit snug on the vn commodore bump in the boot. Thinking some decent subs second hand of ebay would be a good and cheap option? what should i be looking for? Ohm and power wise.

To run these subs i was thinking a decent monoblock amp, possibly also off ebay?

For the front i was thinking some splits in Vs door pods, what do you reccomend and what size? 6 inch, 6.5?

For these i was thinking a smaller normal amp? block at the autobahn said i could just run the splits off the head unit and achieve the same clarity and loudness? is this true.

and lastly the headunit i have in mind is this:

Clarion Australia | CZ209A

I like this basically because its reasonably cheap $195.00, and is a quality brand name. It has the rear usb which will stop having any messy cables out the front for the ipod. My main question with the headunit is will it have enough rca outputs for the subs and the splits, ect?

Will this system be fairly decent or is there somthing else i should include/do?

Last Question im currently doing a vq statesman dash conversion into my VN, when i removed the vn dash i took out the 4 inch dash speakers, and lets just say im surpised the sound i was getting out of them because they look trashed, the cones are so brittle. Should i also include a decent set of 4 inch speakers in the dash in my audio upgrade?

oh and my currnet system:
Shit headunit
7x10 kenwoods dual in the parcel shelf (do nothing at all)
and the old 4 inchers in dash.


Thanks so much

[acarmody]

OK for the subs and the mono amp, you have to work these out together. The ohms and the power rating of the sub have to be matched to the power rating at the ohm rating of the amp. So if you choose an amp that makes 1000wrms at 2-ohms then you will need a SVC (single voice coil) 2-ohm sub, or a DVC (dual voice coil) 4-ohm sub. Or in your case if you want 2 subs then you want two SVC 4-ohm subs, or two DVC 2-ohm subs. I would personally recommend a single high quality sub or dual subs. With a nicely custom built box it will go hard. Also most people find its better to face the subs towards the boot of the car.

I'm not to sure about VN doors but most any car that fits 6" speakers will fit 6.5" speakers without any hassle.
Now the splits is where most of your sound comes from so don't go cheap on these. A nice set makes all the difference in the world, so get the best pair you can afford.

What door speakers you get will dictate what amp you will need to drive them to thier max potential. You get splits that are rated to 60wrms then you will ideally need a 60wrms (or higher) x 2 amp.

As for the Autobarn salesperson statement, that person if dead in the head, do not listen to them again, ever. A standard H/U puts out about 15wrms, how do you think that will go against a 100wrms amp?

Yep that H/U has two sets of RCAs, one for door speakers and one set for the subs, so perfect.

Nah leave the 4" speakers out, just have the 6" splits.

Also if you post up your budget we can help you sort some gear out.

[HCVP]

Quote..I like this basically because its reasonably cheap $195.00, and is a quality brand name. It has the rear usb which will stop having any messy cables out the front for the ipod. My main question with the headunit is will it have enough rca outputs for the subs and the splits, ect?....Quote

from what i see, it has a pre out for a 4 channel amp, or possible two 2 channel amps, however one is a non fader.

You want something (preferably anyway) is one with a front pre out,and a dedicated sub pre out. Dedicated sub out's are good because you can adjust the level of the sub seperately, and also the amount of bass it receives when your running a HPF, and it won't interfere with the settings of your front speakers..

Personally i've never been a fan of Clarion units, some of their high end units are very nice, but when your on a budget, they just don't seem to offer the same bang your bucks that other brands can. I've mostly used Pioneer head unit's when on a tight budget, i've found them to be the cheapest, as far as value for money goes. I've played around with Sony's, but found one had an awkward face plate surround, which stuck out further than it needed to, and some of the control's were a bit fiddly,with some small button's being hard to find without taking your eyes off the road.
Alpine were nice, with easy to use controls and a nice display unit, but typically overpriced..anyways that's just my input..

Oh, and go back to Autobahn and kick that guy in the nuts!!

[vnsmanual]

ok so im a little confused now, This clarion unit wont be anygood as i wont be able to adjust bass with out adjusting the splits at the same time?

and is there any other headunits in other brands which have rear usb but a seperate sub pre out, in the same price range, under $250.

ill post up my budget for the other stuff asap thanks for the help

[acarmody]

Hmmm having a quick look before sleep.

Bit more than $250 but has everything: Ryda Car Audio - Pioneer DEH-P4150UB Car CD IPOD USB Tuner($298.85)

This ones USB is on the front: Ryda Car Audio - Kenwood KDC-MP5043U Car CD & USB Tuner($208.85)

Ditto, front USB: Ryda Car Audio - Clarion CZ309A Car CD MP3 USB Ipod Player($239.95)

Again, front USB, but a good H/U: Pioneer - DEH3100UB MP3/CD TUNER WITH USB | Car Sound, Car CD Tuner : JB HI-FI

Front USB, but cheap: Ryda Car Audio - Sony CDX-GT480U USB CD MP3 Tuner($184.85)

Looks like a lot of the cheaper H/U have front USB.

Keep in mind though these are a few I found on 2 websites. Walk into stores and tell the store people what you want. A H/U is maybe the one time where stores like WOW, JB, Strathfield, etc can come in handy. Also always bargain.

[vnsmanual]

Hey just an update i have brought a Clarion head unit. The one i was looking at but the highest model. on the Clarion website its RRP is $499. i Picked it up for $275 new, on ebay off a melbourne audio joint so now i have 6 pre outs, with adjustable sub volume. also blue tooth calling and stuff

Clarion CZ509A Bluetooth/Cd/USB/MP3/WMA/AAC copy - eBay Players, Audio, Video, Car Parts, Accessories, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 06-Dec-09 20:03:25 AEDST)

so now thats out of the way its time to work out subs, splits and amps to suit.
Now plan is, subs secondhand, dual in box probably, off ebay, $200ish?

then get new splits and decent ones, what should i be looking for and how much? 100-250?

and amps im thinking secondhand ebay?

The rest will be brought in the next two weeks as im working a fair bit now schools over.
Ill post some pics up of my vq dash conversion, and dying the lower dash and console black. also has anyone ever mounted a gps in the dash? like below where the cd player goes? in the tray?

[Joe Bellissimo]

Well mate I would be suggesting $375 as thats the cheapest you will get some handmade Italian speakers which you wont need to be upgrading any time soon. Those would be these: Shopping Secure - Car Audio Specialists - Audio Development AD6

But that said, working with your budget a couple of suggestions include:

Shopping Secure - Car Audio Specialists - SPL Dynamics SD-6.2
Shopping Secure - Car Audio Specialists - FLI INTEGRATOR COMP 6

If your going to stick with a budget its either keep it small or go all out. Some good splits with a smaller pricetag like I have just linked you to would be good as they wont hurt the back pocket too much, saving that money for the future when you decide to go all out.

Ebay has some bargains on used gear but keep in mind that they are "used" so always be cautious.

[vnsmanual]

Hey just curious are these splits any good? ALPINE SPS-600C 6.5" 2-WAY FRONT SPEAKERS TYPE-S 240W - eBay Speakers, Audio, Video, Car Parts, Accessories, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 26-Dec-09 14:36:07 AEDST)

i like the ad 6 but ur website says $435.00, bit outta my orice range.

[vnsmanual]

out of the two other splits you mentioned which would u recomend?

are they better than the alpines?

[acarmody]

The Shopping Secure - Car Audio Specialists - SPL Dynamics SD-6.2 would be the best IMO out of those two. External crossover and tweeter. Also SPL Dynamics are a well known brand that make quality products.

[vnsmanual]

ok say i brought the 'SPL Dynamics SD-6.2' what sort of amp would i need? 2 channel, with more than 80 watt rms x2?

also im thinking maybe i leave the 7x10 kenwoods in the parcel tray and connect them to the same amp as the splits. is this a good idea?

what size amp would i need for this.

[HCVP]

Firstly, before you buy anything, i'd think about selling your 7x10's. When you buy and install your subs, you'll be wanting to run your full range speakers, i.e, your front splits, on a HPF (high pass filter) so cutting the low frequencies, will mean your 7x10's will be of no use, unless your really set on retaining some type of rear fill speaker. That will give you a bit of extra cash to throw towards a better set of fronts, or anything you might need that could be of more use. When your on a tight budget, any form of rear fill speaker, shouldn't even be on the cards.

The SPL dynamics would be a good starting point, for a first time install. As far as an amp for them, any 2 channel is going to do the job. Matching the rated RMS input of the speakers, to the amp, is the first thing you'll need to look at. Then there is what's reffered to as "head room" basically extra power, without going to a lot of detail, having a bit of extra power, will allow your amplifier to run the speakers more effeciently.

Finally to your sub/s. I highly reccomened buying a single sub, rather than a dual setup. If you spend more on a single sub, obviously your going to get a better quality product. It's better to buy a single better sub, and then add a second sub of the same, at a later date. Quality always out performs quantity. A box designed to go over the hump, is going to cost you money, money you don't need to spend. Also facing them towards the cabin, is the worse thing you can do. Forget about all these cool kids with their centre seat folded down so you can see the subs. Rear facing will always yeild the best results..

Oh, and i know your looking at used gear, so maybe when your ready, post back in your thread with your budget, and what your after, and i'm sure someone (even i'll do it) would be willing to jump on Ebay and have a look what's available, and make some reccomendations to you, if your not quite sure on what to buy, or not familiar with certain products.

[vnsmanual]

Ok this is the idea i have come up with. Im thinking i sell the 7x10's and my old headunit. I buy the spl's and an amp to suit (would one about 100rms 2 channel be right?).

Then i get some sort of subs, single or dual and an amp, and ill face towards rear then in the future....

I move the spl's to the back, either doors or parcel shelf and then buy another amp and better splits for the front? would that be a good idea?

So for now would anybody like to do a bit of looking on ebay at some decent subs in a box, maybe a couple of examples of single subs, and a couple of dual?

also if i go single should i get one 15 inch? whats the differnce from 15 to 12?

[HCVP]

Your ideas are all over the place haha
If you plan on updrading from the SPL's, then simply don't buy them. Dont buy something just to do the job in the mean time, your only wasting money. You need to decide what you want, with the 12, or 15. It basically comes down to what type of music you listen to. Typically , the larger the sub, the lower frequencies it will play. Also it's excusion is usually slower (the rate at which the cone moves in an out) A larger sub would be more suited to rap, RnB, basically any type of music where there is a lot of emphasis on a bass beat. If you listen to Tehcno, or heavy metal, something with a much faster beat, then you'll want to go for smaller sub, 10-12" which would be more responsive.. Thats the gerneral run down of it anyway, there's a lot of other things that will have an affect such as the quality of the sub itself, and the type, and volume of the enclosure you put it in.

[vnsmanual]

Yeah sorry its just that im all ove rthe joint with ideas.

The SPL's will be fine for a while, im going to get them. no matter what i get im gonna want to upgrade in the future.

Sub wise ill go 12, i listen to Rap and techno. So could anyone please find some 12inch subs on ebay that would be appropriate. some examples of single and dual.

thanks

[HCVP]

I had a quick look through Ebay, there wasn't that much there, usually there's a lot more. Also, you haven't given your location.

These would be good for the money, provided the seller is being honest. ALPINE 1000 WATT SUBWOOFER - Never Been Used... - eBay Subwoofers, Audio, Video, Car Parts, Accessories, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 01-Jan-10 16:53:06 AEDST)

These are 10's however if the bidding doesent go to high, then they could be a worthwie purchase, again purchasing used gear, is always a risk, and is best if you can actually inspect the gear first. 2 Jl audio 10" w3v2 subwoofers - eBay Subwoofers, Audio, Video, Car Parts, Accessories, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 02-Jan-10 22:09:01 AEDST)

[vnsmanual]

Thanks for that! im located in gippsland victoria. But i can travel to melbourne to pick stuff up. If you could check again every now and then it would be great. That 12 looks alright, so its 1000 watts, but what would its rms be?

[HCVP]

Thanks for that! im located in gippsland victoria. But i can travel to melbourne to pick stuff up. If you could check again every now and then it would be great. That 12 looks alright, so its 1000 watts, but what would its rms be?

300 RMS
Their quite old now, and have been replaced by several models of the Type S (i beleive would be it's equivealant) But if they've never been used, then i'd definately fork out $200 for a pair of them..

[vnsmanual]

would these amps be alright to run the spl splits which are 80rms x2?
Clarion V-NET 2100 2x200W Amplifier - eBay Amplifiers, Audio, Video, Car Parts, Accessories, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 10-Jan-10 15:06:28 AEDST)

Clarion 2 Channel Amp - eBay Amplifiers, Audio, Video, Car Parts, Accessories, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 12-Jan-10 12:04:32 AEDST)

Clarion V-Net 4x50w Bridgeable V-NET450 - eBay Amplifiers, Audio, Video, Car Parts, Accessories, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 11-Jan-10 18:35:33 AEDST)

Clarion V-NET 450 4x100W Amplifier - eBay Amplifiers, Audio, Video, Car Parts, Accessories, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 10-Jan-10 15:03:19 AEDST)