S!LVER

Hey so this is my first post here. hello everyone.

Okay so i just got a toyota rav4 at a very good price. The car is in great shape so I figure I am going to keep it for a little while. One problem the sound system is aweful. perfect solution I get to finally do a proper installation.

okay so at this point i am not too worried about budget. My goals are the following.

1. Great sound quality
2. take up as little storage space as possible

As far as music goes i lissen to alot of hip hop, rock and techno. however I do not want a stereo that just bumps. I do not want a stereo that rattles everything as I drive down the road.


okay so about a week ago I started thinking about doing a install so I am still doing alot of research. From everyone here I would really appricate there opinion on how to do certain things and which components they think would be best.

Attached is an image of a wiring diagram. The set up in this diagram looks pretty simple and I would like to use it as a good starting point.

So lets start with head units:

i have been looking at units from pioneer and clarion so far I am not sure which units i like more. I really think I need to just get into a store that sells them and try them out. i like in toronto so if anyone can recommend a good place let me know.


Speakers:

The toyota rav4 has four stock door 6.5 speakers. What are peoples opinions on stock speaker wiring.


Okay so I can either go with 2-way coax or component speakers. i like the simplicity of coax but am wondering if I should just go with component for the sound quality.

I have been reading about the boston acustics speakers and from everything I have read they look like great stuff. Other companies which I would also like to look into are polk and orion. Again please feel free to voice opinions especially if you have used this stuff.

Subs:

Okay so I have been thinking of going two ways with subs. Either an already created system which I can slide under the seats like the boss bass1500 or utilize the rear cubby compartments and install either one or two shallow subs. I have only been looking into the pioneer 10 in shallows.


Amp:

Alot will depend on which speakers and subs I get but i have been looking at getting the boston acustic GTA 4 channel for the front. For the sub I am not sure yet.

Compasitor:

Do I need one?

Battery?

Do I need to start thinking about replacing the battery grounding cables and altinator cables

So I think that is it for now. My plan is to take pictures as i go and i will post them

Cheers

Lord Huggington

iTrader: (1)

Seperates have better imaging.

I auditioned Hertz 6.5" and Morel 6.5" speakers, both are absolutely incredible.

Stock speaker wiring is fine for components and go as big as possible on the subs.

Get a good deck, something like an Alpine or Eclipse. Clarion & Pioneer HU's I see broken the most.

You don't need a capacitor unless your electrical is . You might as well do the "big 3".

If you're going up-to or past 1500-2000W than get a deep cycle battery, it depends if everything else can keep up.

Do you want ported or sealed? 2 12" (normal depth) subs would rock in 2 sealed fiberglassed enclosures on the sides and wouldn't take up useable space.

Checkout Diamond audio HEX shallows in 10" & 12":

Diamond Audio Technologies - HEX Shallow Subwoofers

avidedtr

iTrader: (11)

So lets start with head units:

i have been looking at units from pioneer and clarion so far I am not sure which units i like more. I really think I need to just get into a store that sells them and try them out. i like in toronto so if anyone can recommend a good place let me know.

Look at Kenwood eXecelon x794 or x994(bluetooth built in) has more features then a base model kia.

Speakers:

The toyota rav4 has four stock door 6.5 speakers. What are peoples opinions on stock speaker wiring.

Okay so I can either go with 2-way coax or component speakers. i like the simplicity of coax but am wondering if I should just go with component for the sound quality.

I have been reading about the boston acustics speakers and from everything I have read they look like great stuff. Other companies which I would also like to look into are polk and orion. Again please feel free to voice opinions especially if you have used this stuff.

Most speakers made these days all have their good and bad qualities. Trust you ears and your wallet. Go listen to as many speakers as possible. Selective Sounds has a great selection. I suggest hybrid Audio's Imagine line or the clarus line. www.hybridaudio.com. The imagine line is both a coax and a component in one. For $219 you can't beat the price and their quality and customer support is like no other.

Subs:

Okay so I have been thinking of going two ways with subs. Either an already created system which I can slide under the seats like the boss bass1500 or utilize the rear cubby compartments and install either one or two shallow subs. I have only been looking into the pioneer 10 in shallows.

I would do one 10 or one 12 in a ported box tuned properly.


Amp:

Alot will depend on which speakers and subs I get but i have been looking at getting the boston acustic GTA 4 channel for the front. For the sub I am not sure yet.

Choose the right amp that suits your budget. if you want it to last don't cheapen.

Compasitor:

Do I need one?

NO

Battery?

YES - You can try optima's or Motomaster Eliminator or Kinetik/Shuriken/Odessey

Do I need to start thinking about replacing the battery grounding cables and altinator cables

YES - this is called the big three. I am a firm believer of running both + and - runs from the main battery to truck or where ever the amp are going to be.

Lord Huggington

iTrader: (1)

Quality sound, quality posts!!! LOL

S!LVER

Thanks for your input

Okay first

I have now been doing lots of reading all about Morel Hertz, Hybird Audio and Diamond audio. All of them look damn sexy. The Hybird audio components look really nice and those low profile subs from diamond look really mean too.

Okay so I have been doing a bit of reading about the big three and I am going to start off with that.

I am glad that I don't have to worry about compasitors bc now that is one less thing I need to learn about.

Head units: I would like to get one of those all in one kenwoods but money might make me choose something a little cheaper. Again I need to get to a good store and check them out. So far I have been to future shop, best buy, 2001 audio and canadian tire (I know I know). Pretty much everything at these stores looked like grabadge from kids poking at them and also seemed pretty poor quality.

Speakers: Im still interested in hearing peoples opinions on boston acustic components. Ohh yeah and I have decided to go with component speakers at least in the front. So again what are your guys thoughts on components in the front and coax in the rear.

I am going to go check out some of the speakers at selective sound soon. I would love to hear what some of those moral and focal speakers sound like.

From what i have read on the internet (so I am aware it might not be true). You should try and get the best mid range speakers you can afford.

Subs:

The more I think about it the more I like the idea of one good sub in the rear powered by a D mono sub. In the attachment I have included two pictures one is of what the rear trunk space looks like and the second is a pic of a guys set up who made is own fiber glass box to fit the space. I would like to do something similar due to the fact that you almost loose no space.

As far as the amps go, I still haven't done all the reading I can on this. So far I understand the concepts that there are a ton of real cheap amps out there and like all things you get what you pay for. I keep hearing about people having to tune there subs and so far I am unsure what they mean. What I am pretty sure about is that you want to match your rms out put of the amp with the rms input of your speakers also you want to match the ohm's. If I am incorrect here please let me know.

So final thing: do you guys think I need to start worry about putting deading materials into the door carts to reduc vibrations. or am I not dealing with a big enough system

Cheers all

Lord Huggington

iTrader: (1)

F-U shop, best buy, and canadian tire are car audio jokes. Many small shops are too. They know how to wire things, things you can do. For instance, I walked into one called Gold Star:

Can you build me a box? No.
You don't fiberglass like the place across the road? No.
How much for a Kicker 2500.1? $5000.
But it's on ebay for $425. Yeah but this is warrantied.
I need a ported box for an RE XXX 12 1500W. Never heard of it, must be garbage. Let me show you these dual low-wattage 10" Clarions in a pre-fab box that's on-sale for $600 instead.
When I put the sub on the counter the guy goes WHOA, it's the biggest subwoofer I've ever seen! Now get it off the counter before it breaks it.

The smallest woofer will make things rattle. It's sometimes all that's heard outside the car, it gets annoying. Deadening gives audible gains inside and lessens outside, what kind of neighbourhood do you live in? Definetly, atleast deaden the back area.

You'll fall in love with those 6.5's, they're crystal clear.

Any idea on how much bass you want?
- Barely audible, mixing well (low power/sealed 10)
- More pronounced for rap/techno, good lows (sealed 12's)
- Decent on the lows, gets loud (ported 12)
- Impressive/overkill (high power/ported 15)

SSA's Dcon 12" sells for $125/300W RMS/89dB/1W sensitivity, lots of great reviews.

If you're concearned about space, a ported 10" in 1.5 cubes (about 1.8 total) on 1-1.5k is a lot in an SUV. If you set it off to the side vertically than it wouldn't take up much space and you have a lot to spare. I heard 2 10's on 1000W in a Jimmy and it gave me a massage, it was crazy.

Tuning a sub either means changing the space in a sealed box, port tune with a ported box, or EQing with the amp/deck.

S!LVER

Im not sure which 6.5 your refering to.

Right now I am leaning towards a single sealed 12 I have been looking at a sound integrity bm mk3. it seems to have great reviews inst crazy expensive and only needs a .5 cubic foot box.

so for deading material do you have to buy the rolls or is there a spray application. I have also heard that stuffing the doors with fiber glass insulation will help. It should also help the car stay warmer in the winter. bonus.

As far as how much base do I want I don't really care too much about it being super loud. I am most interested in filling in the music making real house sound just mean and good sound quality.

Lord Huggington

iTrader: (1)

Morel (the $1400 sets) & Hertz 6.5's (blue cones with yellow or red inside, carbon fiber? coned, pokey thing in the middle).

There are rolls ($-per cubic foot) and spray, there's everything. SecondSkinAudio.com

Definetly either do a sealed 12 or a ported 10. Since most 12's roll off kind of high, you might get better lows with a ported 10 if it's tuned close to 30hz.

Use this to calculate tune for a sealed box
Sealed Subwoofer Speaker BOX DESIGN - Qtc Calculator

Ported 10
+3dB @ 30hz
-24dB @ 20hz

Sealed 12 tuned to 50hz, doesn't get +3dB @ tune
-24dB @ 30hz
-36dB @ 20hz.