Car audio setup *SoundMaster2.0*

[Cyrix_2k]

I'm SoundMaster2.0's neighbor and I'm posting what we're thinking about using for his car audio setup. Suggestions and comments are most welcome.



The source will either be a computer under the seat or a PPC. If the computer is used, I will most likely use a PC Chips motherboard with a 1.33ghz Athlon T-Bird or so. It will be equipped with wi-fi so the songs can be updated from his desktop computer in his house. I will use a 4x20 character LCD to display song titles where the headunit would normally go. Underneith or below the LCD, a slot load CD-drive will be installed so playback of audio CD's will still be possible. An AIW remote control + hardwired controls will also be used to control winamp :) The digital line out will run to the recievor (below).

Next up is the recievor. This will be a home unit connected to a power inverter and will power the 4x6's, 6x9's, midranges and tweeters. The line out for the sub will be connected to (a) seperate amp(s).

The subwoofer amp is going to be atleast one 1000w-ish amp. This amp (or amps) will need to power 2 15" greater than 800w subs and 4 12" subs plus some bass shakers (tactile transducers). Yeah, he loves BASS. The 15's will probably tuned to 15hz or so and the 12's will probably range from 35hz to 60hz.

All this equipment will obviously draw a lot of power, so we plan on adding an extra alternator + battery and a BIG capacitor for the amp and power inverter to draw from on large bass hits.

This will all be going in a (hopefully) 1986 IROC-Z Camaro. (Clif... It's $900 because the headgasket's blown (cheap fix) and a cylindar wall is cracked (New motor fix). It runs right now and is a V8. I recommend buying a 350 V8 from the paper...It should drop right in. They come up for $400 every so often. YOU SHOULD BUY THE CAR!!!)

So, what-da-ya think?

[Korndog]

sounds like u want something loud.
for the subwoofers, go with 2 15" memphis HPO, they are rated at 300w rms, but they are grossly underated, you might have heard about the memphis mojo thats been breaking records in SPL competitions with low power, this is its younger brother. i was able to feed these things 600w free air. it has already distroyed one of my boxes. I've went though kicker, jl, mtx, and polk, none have been this violent and so cheap. you won't need the bass shakers. you'll need a hell of a lot of bracing so the box doesn't implode. For the amp go to outpost.com, look for the hifonics brutus 1500bx. You will NOT find a cheaper amp retail 250 bucks for 1500w.

don't get a cap, they are pretty much useless when load is that high, get a bigger alternator and/or a dry cell battery (optima yellow or red top)

Lastly, matting, you'll need a hell of a lot of it.
lemme know if u have any questions on the bass part. i'm obsessed with car audio.

here are some of videos of my memphis (only being powered by 250w) and only 12"
http://www.realmofexcursion.com/videos/MemphisCarAudio/powerreference12.1.wmv
http://www.realmofexcursion.com/videos/Various/memphispr12.1.wmv

[Lotec25]

KornDog video's are not working for me at all Just a heads up

Lotec25

[Korndog]

KornDog video's are not working for me at all Just a heads up

Lotec25
if ur using firefox, you might have to right click and save. i hate wmv formats... but i'm stuck with it.

[Cyrix_2k]

thanks for the advice korndog. I'll tell my neighbor tomorrow. The video's work fine for me (the second one is awesome :)) That's exactly what he wants to do.

[Mr. Chambers]

One word of caution, it is VERY difficult to mix different subs, and different sub sizes in the same install, and come out with good results because of cancellation.

Does your friend have a set budget for the subs+amp?

[Korndog]

One word of caution, it is VERY difficult to mix different subs, and different sub sizes in the same install, and come out with good results because of cancellation.

Does your friend have a set budget for the subs+amp?

yup, he's very very right, i couldn't believe it until i tried it myself. stick to one brand and model

[Korndog]

btw, if ur into spl, you could go for a memphis mojo. it gets to the point were u can't stay in the car anymore. with a good 4cuft box and enough cabin room a lot of people get over 150db

[helrazr1586]

I personally think that it would be easiest for you to just get a music keg system and use that over a computer mainly because they are built for the bumps of the road and can handle the amount of sound waves you will throw at it as for the subs I think that you are best off going with just 3 4ohm rockford hx2 12's wired to 2.67 ohms all running off of a 2000 watt amp with a 3 farad cap. That will give you more bass than you can stand and since the hx2's have been discontinued you can pick them up cheap off of ebay. You can go with power or punch series the power just handles more but either way they both take way over what they are rated for. Anyhow that will sound really good and if you have the space port it and tune it to around 17 hz that should give you enough beyond your point of hearing to give the music a real-life sound, but not too far to strain any of your subs too much.

[Cyrix_2k]

OK, I guess we'll scarp the 4 12's then, but the dual memphis 15's stay :D Personally, I'd prefer to go with sealed box as they seem to respond more evenly. The computer should be fine with all the vibration... It's going to be suspended using bungee cords/ foam.

[Mr. Chambers]

Ported are always louder, but that isn't to say you can't get high SPL's from sealed either. Are you dead set on the Memphis's? They're great drivers, but the PR's are what I would consider budget drivers. What is your *exact* budget?

[Cyrix_2k]

Ported are always louder, but that isn't to say you can't get high SPL's from sealed either. Are you dead set on the Memphis's? They're great drivers, but the PR's are what I would consider budget drivers. What is you *exact* budget?
Depends on the car, but probably $2000 for EVERYTHING (Not including the car itself).

[Korndog]

Ported are always louder, but that isn't to say you can't get high SPL's from sealed either. Are you dead set on the Memphis's? They're great drivers, but the PR's are what I would consider budget drivers. What is you *exact* budget?
yea, they are the lower budget speakers, you can get the HPO off ebay for about 100shipped or a single mojo for ~200 shipped. i was able to give HPO 600w free air at 20hz, it loved it. a friend of mine gave his mojo 1500w 20hz free air and it didn't even get warm :D try that with a mainstream sub and watch it blow at its rms rating. This subs were meant to be abused and with an effiency of 97db, they can be pretty loud as well. the only bad thing about these subs is their cone durability, put something in front of it and it will commit suicide. the cone has a great has a great stiffness:weight ratio though, just make sure u put a grill o keep stuff out of ur trunk.

[neo_18]

if u looking for LOUD 15'z you may want to look at the Earthquake Magmas.

Earthquake Magmas (http://www.earthquakesound.com/magma.htm)

and for amps. you cant go wrong with a earthquke PowerHouse.

Earthquake PowerHouse Amps (http://www.earthquakesound.com/powerhouse_amplifiers.htm)

Neo

[Cyrix_2k]

if u looking for LOUD 15'z you may want to look at the Earthquake Magmas.

Earthquake Magmas (http://www.earthquakesound.com/magma.htm)

and for amps. you cant go wrong with a earthquke PowerHouse.

Earthquake PowerHouse Amps (http://www.earthquakesound.com/powerhouse_amplifiers.htm)

Neo
Thanks :) What I really like about their site is that they have enclosure designs aswell :D

[Soundmaster2.0]

This is not going to really have a budget...it wont be an all at once thing. I will have to pay for the components as I get the money.

[Buhammot]

Nifty guys... I am gonna put my little sub up here for all to see when i get it recorded...

[Korndog]

This is not going to really have a budget...it wont be an all at once thing. I will have to pay for the components as I get the money.
do u guys plan on competing? are u going to upgrade ur alternator, add new batteries, ect? how much room do you have? planning on taking out the backseats? the key to every loud system is the box. build it big, tune it right, and brace the hell out of it.

[Soundmaster2.0]

I'm not going to compete I just like really loud music. I will probably add a second alternator and maybe a few more batteries for the system. I don't know how much room because I haven't bought the car yet. I prolly wont take out the back seats...I will be needing them. :rolleyes:

[Xtreme Barton]

truly a sad concept ... this whole thread matter of fact ,,


lol

[Korndog]

I'm not going to compete I just like really loud music. I will probably add a second alternator and maybe a few more batteries for the system. I don't know how much room because I haven't bought the car yet. I prolly wont take out the back seats...I will be needing them. :rolleyes:

its usually better to get one or two very good subs then multiple subs. The whole idea is efficiency as well as getting a good buy. buy multiple subs means you won't be able to spend as much for each one, where as one or two subs you'll be able to get a more expensive/better quality sub, possibly more efficient and for sure better quality. for example, you could get the digital designs 9515 or 9517 off ebay for about 400 bucks, it holds a lot of records for the loudest single woofers, besides being loud its accurate, very linear, and sounds suprisingly good (besides the sound of ur car falling apart). its power handling exceeds 2000w (you could have fun plugging it into the wall socket). 4 $100 subs, no matter what brand, could not match up to in loudness or quality, thats for sure. Besides that, you would be able to put it in a larger box so it can be more efficient.
here are some subwoofers to consider..
DD3515
DD9515
Memphis Mojo or HPO
Elemental Designs (piston cones are really nice)
Atomic
Adire Brahma
RE XXX or MT(very scary)
earthquakes (like previously mentioned)
Magnums
older Orion HCCA subs
MMats Juggernaut

[Xtreme Barton]

BA BOOOM !! (http://www.adireaudio.com/TextPages/BrahmaSubsPageFrameText.htm)


check them bad boys out..

[Korndog]

BA BOOOM !! (http://www.adireaudio.com/TextPages/BrahmaSubsPageFrameText.htm)


check them bad boys out..

great subs if u can dish out 400 bucks
has some scary excursion

[Xtreme Barton]

oh but the pund like crazy .. guy over at sound domain put four 15's in .. man talk about loud.. and of course gonna get huge excursion with them .. they are awesome subs.. and in my opinion the price is great for what you get ..

[Korndog]

oh but the pund like crazy .. guy over at sound domain put four 15's in .. man talk about loud.. and of course gonna get huge excursion with them .. they are awesome subs.. and in my opinion the price is great for what you get ..

have u heard one in real life? it hurts. They are SQ subwoofers, just backed up with a lot of SPL. there are other subs that can get louder though like the memphis mojo, but it won't sound as good, but still much cleaner then your average hi-end mainstream subwoofer.

[Soundmaster2.0]

Korndog are your videos divx encoded?

[Korndog]

Korndog are your videos divx encoded?

i don't think so, when i submitted it to realmofexcursion.com they changed the format to wmv, my guess is if u have the latest version of windows media player, it should work.

[Soundmaster2.0]

Oh...well im on a school computer so they probably don't have the latest version.