audio upgrade suggestions/help

[mustank]

I have never installed car audio, but want to give it a try. I have the base setup from factory and plan on getting the head unit work over from oemradio.

My question is if the following speaker choices will work and what other equipment I need to pair with them.

Front Speaker/tweeters:
JL Audio C3-650
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_136C3650/JL-Audio-C3-650.html?tp=105

Rear deck:
JL Audio C2-650x
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_136C2650X/JL-Audio-C2-650X.html?tp=105

Bass:
JL Audio CS110TG-TW3 in sealed power wedge

Amp/EQ/?:
This is where I hit a road block. I don't know what would pair best with the choices I have made. Do I just need an amp? How many channels? etc.

I want to do it all myself to get the experience.

I appreciate any help or suggestions for different components. I am looking to spend between 1500 and 2000, not including the oemradio setup.

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[KevinG]

The problem with the base radio is the lack of tuning. Hold out until Schosche released their radio trim plate with an included harness (to hook up an aftermarket radio) and has AC controls built in as well. The aftermarket radio will give you a slew of tuning and connection capabilities...

 

[vnzbd]

It sounds like we are going down similar paths. With the JL speakers you have chosen you will definitely need an amplifier. The C3's will falter with the factory power. I would be looking at a 5 channel amp like the JL XD700/5 or equivalent. You can also look at a 6 channel that is bridgeable for the sub channel or a 4 channel and a separate mono for the sub...

OEM is selling a harness that offers RCA output connectivity. You will also need his programming to convert your head unit from speaker level to line level. OEM will be offering a plug in module soon for that or you could send your unit to him.

This should give you a great sounding system for now and if you crave more bells and whistles then you can go aftermarket with the Schosche when it becomes available.

 

[wildcatgoal]

5 channel amplifier - power front midbass in door with one pair of channels, power midrange and tweeter with the other pair of channels. Power rear speakers off of stock radio. Use 5th channel for subwoofer. Easy.

 

[mustank]

thanks for all the help guys. I do appreciate it. I guess I need to look at cabling, fuses, dynamat, and such. Do I need a capacitor for this setup? Also, what is the device that delays the amp turning at startup/turns it off when the car is off so it doesn't drain battery?

 

[wildcatgoal]

Caps they sell these days are garbage. Back in the height of car audio, caps weighted as much as a gold brick. Now they're this big tube of uselessness. Don't waste your money. A proper ground and proper COPPER!!!!!!! wiring is what you need.

 

[vnzbd]

If OEM does convert your factory head unit to line level(believing is the base unit) you will not be able to power the rears off of the head unit. It is my understanding that you wont have both line level and speaker level. Wish I was wrong!

And of course as stated above, do not skimp on the cabling.

 

[Mootang]

You went with a similar setup I did. The speakers and amp I went with are:

Front Speaker + Tweeters:
JL Audio ZR-650CSi
http://www.jlaudio.com/zr650-csi-car-audio-speakers-zr-speaker-systems-91122

Rear Speakers + Tweeters:
JL Audio C5-650x
http://www.jlaudio.com/c5-650x-car-audio-speakers-c5-coaxial-systems-99105

Subwoofer:
JL Audio Stealthbox
http://www.jlaudio.com/car-audio-stealthbox-ford-mustang-coupe-15-up

Amp:
JL Audio HD 900/5
http://www.jlaudio.com/hd900-5-car-audio-hd-amplifiers-98223

I upgraded my base GT from OEM Radio and added all the options including Apple Car Play and Android Auto. The amp I chose was perfect since it will process 4 channels into it and output 5 channels. So the 4 RCAs from the factory headunit will go into the amp and I will get 5 channels (2 fronts, 2 rears, and 1 for the subwoofer) output. This eliminates the need to find a line out for the subwoofer.

As for the remote, I ran the wire and spliced into a green/purple wire in the passenger foot side wall connectors. It ended up being a perfect on and off accessory wire (I guess?). I did get a capacitor, but like others had said, its not needed as they are really all crap now.

Note that I am still new to the audio thing and did an amateur job, but in the end, it was sounding great and the bass is slapping hard

 

[mustank]

If I do the OEMradio mod, would a DSP before the amp help?

 

[mumbles]

If I do the OEMradio mod, would a DSP before the amp help?

Yes. I believe that OEMradios mod removes all factory processing, so a dsp would be beneficial in setting frequency levels, time alignment, etc...

 

[ddeveryday]

Am I the only who's extremely satisfied with the car's default radio?

 

[vnzbd]

Not thrilled myself. But I am not a bells and whistles guy either. Give me a clean but stout sound with decent balance and some push on the low end. Not going to compete or need to show my system of but the install will be clean with the sound music meant to be heard in the interior. That is how my current ride is set up with similar components and my bass head friends love riding in my car, go figure...

Again I am old school, love spinning those cd,s!

 

[Relak]

Am I the only who's extremely satisfied with the car's default radio?

Depends on which factory radio you have. I have the 9 speaker system and I feel like I had better sound in my first ever car which was a stock 1989 VW Jetta haha

 

[xraystyle]

Am I the only who's extremely satisfied with the car's default radio?

I'm sure there are plenty of people who think it's fine. You're just not going to find them on a car enthusiast website in the car audio subforum. ;)

I think a lot of it really depends on whether or not you've had a 'good' car stereo before, or if you have some other experience with audio so that you know specifically what you're listening for.

Myself, I'm a musician who's recorded and mixed records in professional recording studios. When you do something like this you spend quite literally days picking apart every single sound you hear in a piece of recorded music.

I also used to have a bangin' aftermarket stereo in my old Ford Ranger.

Personally, what bugs me about the factory stereo (9 speaker shaker in my case), is the complete lack of clarity in the mid to upper range. When listening to rock music there's really a lot of muddiness and lack of distinction between rhythm guitars, backup vocals, tom and snare hits, upper bass notes, and cymbals. None of these sounds are really distinct, they don't stand apart from one another.

It's also really evident when listening to electronic music that has a number of different synths playing in that same mid-high register. You can hear the overall sound, sorta, but it's just a blended tone that lacks fullness and separation.

Additionally, there's just a total lack of bass. A 6" woofer simply cannot reproduce the lower tones of a dedicated 10" or 12" subwoofer with a quality amp. Making bass requires a big speaker and a LOT of power in a proper enclosure. Laws of physics and all that.

When you run a good audio source into a high-quality amp, then out to some nice speakers, you can hear a significant difference even at low volumes. A common misconception is that amps are only for making your car loud. Yes, but a quality amp with a good amount of power sends a much cleaner signal to your speakers, and has the power to move a quality speaker cone much more precisely. This gives you an overall much more faithful reproduction of the original recorded sound.

The end result is that every recorded instrument is audible individually, which makes the overall sound much fuller, more rich and spatially separated, producing a far more vivid soundstage. The whole ends up being significantly greater than the sum of its parts.

Then, once a good subwoofer is added and the low end is filled in, this is when you really FEEL the music in addition to hearing it. And I don't mean just turning it up until the car buzzes, shakes and farts its way down the road. Again, even at lower volumes a quality subwoofer makes a significant difference in the overall listening experience.

 

[mustank]

So my plan is to run the upgraded unit from OEMradio to the DSP. I will have the DSP near the head unit and run RCAs to the amp in the trunk(somewhere). Then out to the speakers/sub.

I am not an audiophile and I am not looking to show/compete. I just want better sound. I also want the experience of doing an audio install since I have never done it.

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