morkys

Ok, I have an 01 CE Corolla and I have had the stock CD radio deck replaced with a Pioneer CDRW 5100UB head unit. It has 3 sets of 4 volt pre-outs and is able to work with i-pods and USB flash drives, and can also be upgraded to do blue-tooth and HD radio. It's not perfect, but it's good and workable.

I also bought 4 Infinity Kappa 6.5" coax speakers, but I am re-thinking those. The front speakers are so low in the doors and even with the tweeter pointed up, the sound feels lost down there. I'm looking to replace these coax speakers, and also possibly get woofers/subwoofers etc and of course, amps. I need to figure things out in this car. I am looking at figuring out what to do, and then going at it one step at a time. I'm not looking for a standing wave noise making machine. I want the best good quality sound I can afford to put together, and it doesn't need to be crazy loud, but I am hoping to get some decent, tight low bass. Power amps will be used simply to obtain clean, un-distorted sound at reasonable volumes, and not cause everybody within 10 feet to good deaf or feel there clothes blowing in the subwoofer vibrations. I know, it's all subjective, but for example, I can't afford endless watts anyways, I will probably use between 75 and 150 watts RMS per channel, and no more than 200 to 300 watts rms for a subwoofer. For examples, maybe an Alpine PDX.5 or some combintation of the PDX.4.100 or 4.150 etc. Not cheap, but small, efficient and clean.

Front. Speaker and install options.

1) Can I use the doors to mount 6.5" mid-woofers that have low bass reponse, using the doors as an enclosure to get reasonabley deep bass given at least 100-150 watt rms per mid-woofer? Mount the tweeter close by but pointing up? Mount it and a separate 4"-5-1/4" midrange on a kick panel? I'd prefer keeping it simple with a two-way install.

2) Woofers/subwoofers. I would like to try and use the rear deck as a mounting surface for a pair of 6.5" "free-air" mid-woofers and perhaps add an additional separately powered "free-air" subwoofer later, perhaps 6.5", 8", 9" or 10" in size, whatever fits. Do I need to use non-free-air subwoofers and build an sealed enclosure that fits up below the rear deck to get the best sound?

I was thinking of first getting a 4 channel amp like an alpine pdx-4.100 or 4.150 to see how I can improve the sound of the speakers I have now. My main obstacles are that the speakers I have now likely cannot produce the bass I want, and also, the front tweeter, although aimed upward, is still not giving me enough upper midrange and treble, without my moving my legs and head around. I don't like the low and almost what seems like downward facing angle of the front door panel speaker mounting location.

So if you have a 2001 Corolla and you've done some custom audio install to your car, by all means, please drop in here and let me know your thoughts.

thanks,

morkys

Ok, I realize my post is complicated. I scare people off with too much information and too much to read. I'll simplify things with just the main questions here:

1) If I dampen and seal my front doors as best I can, and use at least 100-150 watts rms, can I get good bass from 6.5" mid-bass drivers? I'm looking at using M6 - CDT Audio 6.5" 300 Watt (150 wrms each) Mid-Bass/Sub-Bass Drivers in the front doors, and/or back deck.

If I then install woofers and/or subwoofers on the back deck, will they interfere and create too many peaks/nulls in the car?

2) Has anybody installed 6.5" midrange/woofers in the door and installed a component tweeter somewhat close by aiming up? Instead of installing coax or up by the windoor/door pillar which is sometimes too far away to blend well.

3) What subwoofer setup's can I do with the back deck? 6.5" mid-woofers like the CDT's mentioned above? 6.5" mid-woofer's and a 6.5", 8", 9" or 10" subwoofer? (again whatever fits on the back deck.) Best to build an enclosure into the trunk even with woofers dropped into/mounted on the back deck? I always thought the trunk makes a good sized enclosure, but I guess it has to be sealed and the woofers need to be free air.

Help me starting with the front speakers. I will try my best to grab a nice 100 x 4 RMS Alpine PDX amp minimum and go from there. Midrange up front would be either the midwoofers, or other midrange speakers separately. Tweeters and crossover's, I may go with all CDT stuff.

MR2NR

iTrader: (66)

Add me to msn, I am at home today doing drywalling...shudder... but will be available later on. I will get you sorted out and pointed in the right direction.