92 CIVIC HATCH BREEZE..help

[wisie]

Hey guys :) new around here and was just wanting to ask a few questions to other owners of the good ol' breeze!

Now, im hooked on sound a bit at the moment (yeah yeah don't start :P )
And anyway, i have a sony headunit and just 2 kenwood 6 inch speakers running off that.. Anyway because i didn't have a clue about putting the 6 inch speakers into the door i just put them in 2 box's in the boot..
Now my question is, would the speakers fit in the door fine? Because i wouldn't mind chucking a sub in..
(don't say put the speakers on a parcel shelf because there isn't one)
Now! heres my other question..
I hear chucking the amp underneath the front seat is a good idea, but anyway i was wondering if you guys could recomend me what size and what sub and amp would suit me best? I don't want to spend alot.. So just want to get a idea of what i'd have to spend..

Thanks guys if anyone can help.. very much appreciated!

[skoota]

How bout you just give the subbie a miss? I hate subbies in cars - too much hassle, pain in the arse to sit in the back and seriously just stupid. Just stick to getting 6x9's or something like that in the back and the biggest fronts that will fit cos let's face it - Civics are small and subbies, amps and all that is not necessary. Getting the amp would be ok but don't be a dick - let go of the subbie!!!

[wisie]

mm i dunno :s
i want to get one ..

[wynode]

Hows about you give us a price for your budget?

PS: This belongs in the Audio/Video section

[wisie]

anywhere up to 600? not much i know

[VTEChnique]

would have t dissagree with scoota..

EG hatchy is a speaker-box on wheels.. at least ONE 12" sub with 6x9's and some front splits.. 2-400W amp... and you will be shaking out all the bolts !!

[wynode]

Err.....sorry but there's not way you can get a pair of 6x9s to make nice clean bass like a good 10 or 12" sub.

Forget the 6x9s (put em on high pass) and run all the bass to your sub.

[vti-2]

Anyway because i didn't have a clue about putting the 6 inch speakers into the door i just put them in 2 box's in the boot..
Now my question is, would the speakers fit in the door fine?

They must sound pretty average in those boxes.

What you should do is mount the speakers into the door pods. 6-inchers should easily fit and would sound much better at the front than at the back of the car. For best imaging, always mount speakers at the front and try not to run rears. If you currently have co-ax speakers then i also suggest you upgrade to splits before going for the sub/amp option. Mount the splits in the doors, you might need to make custom brackets (not hard at all) and run them off an amp. You will be amazed at the SQ difference between co-ax's running off a HU and splits running off an amp!


I hear chucking the amp underneath the front seat is a good idea

Only if you have enough space and adequate ventilation. Amps get hot, and if it has a large heatsink it will dissipate a lot of heat. This means that the seat may get very hot (if it is a big amp) and if there's not enough ventilation the thing might catch on fire. Be careful if you plan on doing this.


but anyway i was wondering if you guys could recomend me what size and what sub and amp would suit me best? I don't want to spend alot.. So just want to get a idea of what i'd have to spend..

Can you work the budget a bit more?

A 12" sub/amp combo with splits at the front would sound awesome in your Civic. The EG shape is actually perfect for sound systems and if you setup the sub properly, you will get good bass loading.

For sub brands you can look at: Alpine, JL, MTX, Hertz...
Amp brands to check out: Jaycar (cheap!), Alpine, Coustic, Kicker...

I've kinda lost touch with prices lately but you should be able to get an ok 12" sub and amp for $600. Either an Alpine Type-R, Hertz HS300 or JLW0 running of a Coustic amp would be perfect.

It will also depends on your musical taste.

Oh, can you also give us more info on the speakers you have at the moment. Have you got any amps?

Hope that helps...
Vic.

[wisie]

thanks for your long post man :)

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=818&osCsid=6147f869a6 3a4db6a47a8d7b41c83463

That is what i have at the moment..

mm, My dad is a pro at woodwork, so i was maybe thinking of making it look tidy in the boot? Do you reckon i should waste the time and do that?

Is that possible to make it look tidy with wood? Or is it all perspex and all that kinda stuff ?

[vti-2]

Don't waste your time making another box for the co-ax's...

Mount them in the front doors!

[wisie]

mm, a bit techno as of late.. Anything with a bit of doof doof.. like wayne g - twisted..

Thats my tastes really to be played..

[Redteg]

Nice components, good installation, and you'll be set. I've been installing stereos for both myself and my mates for years, and I can't mention enough how important it is to have matched components of your stereo, and have them put in the car properly. Take your time (or write a big cheque) and you cant go wrong.

Just keep it simple. My stereo isn't at all top of the line, but it does what is expected of it extremely well. Many people are suprised when they realise just how few components I have.

I'd go into details but I don't trust the net too much.

[wisie]

hmm nice point,

yeah.. Im not going to install subs and stop there.. Bass isn't something i want alot of.. I'd rather touch on getting sound out of my system..

:/

[Fhrx]

Remember the sub has a roll to play besides banging away to be heard three blocks away.

To say you don't want bass is like saying you only want to listen to half your music. The aural spectrum (that we hear) is about 25-16000hz. There is no 6x9 that is going to sound clean and precise playing 25hz.

Put simply, get yourself a small sub just to 'fill' out the bottom end. :)

[Redteg]

Ye exactly, I have my front splits, and my sub. Normal driving I have the fade set almost all the way to the front. The sub is there to add to the splits, and to do what they cannot/should not. You may say I feel greater depth with the sub on. Classical music is the shiznitz like that.

Whenever anyone doubts my stereo, I put the fade in the centre, as most silly people rate stereos in terms of doof doof, of which I have plenty in reserve. Its just hard to drive with that kind of distraction.

Example of SQ: I went and bought my niece a little bookshelf stereo last night. I heard many which were just 2 speaker jobbies, and they reproduced sound ok, but muddled up when you put too much bass into them. Then I heard this TDK one with a separate sub. Even though the bass wasn't "hectic", the sub allowed the other two speakers to get on with their job without having to reach low excursion as well.

Specialisation of tasks is the key.

My fave stereo of all time was installed into an Excel. Nice deck, splits, amp, and an 8" sub. Sounded great.

My teg has a Sony DVC 12" in a custom designed box (I got the DVC as I was anticipating getting a 2nd), run off a Jaycar 2x150W amp, and I have to say, its a tad too excessive for me. If anything I want to downgrade the bass, focusing on SQ.

At least in overdoing it, I have been able to tone it down by adjusting.

I'd suggest a sub over the 6x9's, you'll be happier and it can even be cheaper in the long run in terms of sound quality.

In terms of priorities, I'd go:

1) Front stage (you have it, just in the back)
2) Head unit (you already have one)
3) Sub/or rear fill (whichever you prefer)

Some people prefer sound coming from behind them, and thats fine. As for me, I rarely walk backwards... and I kept getting funny looks when I sat backwards at the cinema, looking into the darkness...

I'm just blabbing now, back to work.

[Weq]

In my EG VTi Sedan ive got:
- 6.5" splits in the doors - easy fit witha mdf spacer - AMPED
- old poineer cd h/u with 1 pre-out
- 4x100w reasponse AMP
- 12" venom sub in 69L box in the boot - AMPED
- 4GA power/12-16gu speaker cable used.

The system is perfect for what i wanted, and only spent a bit over what u want to do. Grab a reaspone AMP (easily best bang for buck) to power ur system, a cheap 12" sub for fill and a nice set (atleast $200) of 6.5" splits in the doors. U'll be set!

[fusion_VTi]

yeah go the sub man especially if its a hatch!. I dont know about mounting your amps under your seats maybe if you got a 2 channel it'll fit cuz i know mine wouldnt fit but mine are 4 channel fusions. also you gotta get enough air flow to em so they dont overheat and perform worse. id recommend a 4 channel amp which gives u room 2 grow with your stereo. i got 2x12" fusion and 6" splits all round and i recently pushed out 149.3 dB! phat as!

[LUD02C]

Hey Man, hows it going?

Ok, as for your questions!

You can put your speakers in the door, when installing them make sure your window is down, because if you put them in and your windows upwhen you try and put your window down they might hit...

Honda's usually come with 4" inch speakers, but you can fit 6" cos i have Boston FS-60's in my front :D

With your sub, make sure the box is correct and that your sub is an enclosed sub not free to air...
Most people buy $250 Pioneer/Alpine subs and don't realise they are free to air so they put them in a box!

Also, the dimension's on the box packet are usually the best..
Try and go to an installer and ask them what they think!

AS for the amp under the seat?
I was going to put mine there but my installer told me otherwise!
This is a common area for people to put amplifiers but the problem is heat and make sure if you put your amp there that the exhaust is not on the drivers side either! (underneath)
If the exhaust is there your amp will cut out all the time because it is hot...

As for buying an amp/sub for $600
Well there is an Alpine 4 channel that goes for $220 (i think) they are pretty good for what you pay :D
And sub, maybe a Pioneer or Kicker Impluse!

I would recommend you to go JL but you wouldn't have enough money to get the box made...

Overall, try and stay away from Japanese brands when coming to amps/speakers/subs!
The best brands are european and american!
Americans make the best subs (JL,Kicker etc..) and Amps i only use and recommend Audison (Italian)...

Speaker wise, again i say American it's just the quality they have!

Anymore questions please do post :D


Jason

[LUD02C]

Sorry i forgot!

Do not buy 6 by 9 speakers, you sit in the front and your ears face forward why would you want speakers behind you?

Only thing behind is your sub for bass and nice splits for your ears :D


Jason

[Redteg]

...and my belief has always been; 2 ears, 2 sets of main speakers.

don't complicate things

to show you that i've learnt my lesson:

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~akarayiannis/COM_SHELF1.JPG

I had 6x9's in this, but the treble from the back was bothering me so i disconnected the tweeters. I didn't want a sub, and I wanted the opportunity to build a cool shelf (show off to a competing installer), so I used the 6x9's as an all over compromise. In a hatch, you don't have a boot forming a box of sorts though, so 6x9's dont usually perform as well as in sedans.

Oh, and American gear is all good, to me it just sounds a little too brash. Very in your face; just like the people...

[LUD02C]

Red Teg?
Are you saying you would take Alpine/Pioneer over JL/Kicker Res?

[Redteg]

LUDO: I'd take whatever gives me the best bang for bucks. I have to say that I get my kicks from a good Integra-ted install (haha) and squeezing good sound out of 'crap'. Also, matching equipment which will work together.

I have to say, I wanna hear your stereo cause it sounds awesome!

If I had the money and desire to go nuts (these holidays?) with a stereo I'd have:

H/U: Nakamichi or Eclipse deck (I like the plain look of the Nakamichi's)
Front stage: Dynaudio or Focal, maybe Signat if they have anything decent out
Sub: Focal or JL ( i love JL subs; I also like the MTX gear)
Amplification: Audison or McIntosh

Right now I have:

H/U:Sony C6800X. Simple CD player, around 3 years old, I know its lacking in SQ. A bit of hiss on silent parts which shits me.
Front Stage: Simple Clarions with fantastic Pioneer crossovers (modded a tad) ;), need upgrading if I am to amplify, have them cause they're efficient.
Sub: A Sony DVC 12" (because its red like the car; also because many people bag out Sony) Box is sealed, calculated, and dacron filled. Can't remember volume.
Amplification: Response 2x100w, would work better through a SVC sub; I may perform the popular internal mods to it. Front stage isnt amped because 1) I dont need it 2) cant be bothered working on those pesky wiring grommets in the doors just yet.

First thing I'd change is deck, and then front stage and amp it.

Pioneer speakers seem to be efficient to me, but I have only ever bought one pair. I have not bought Pioneer, nor Alpine decks cause I don't like the way they sit when installed; they often stick out alot. I suppose that there is little difference between top of the range items in any brand. I like the US quality, and I like their subs, but splits were lacking something to me. May have been the crossovers, I hated my clarion crossovers too. Might have even been the music.

Don't forget, thats just what I heard, I may be deaf. Even now, my tweeters are hidden away so that i dont get all that treble.

I think that you should make your stereo sound the way you want it to sound. My front stage is focused on me, stuff the passengers; they didn't pay for it!

[LUD02C]

I'll give you a listen of my stereo anytime :D

Your set-up seem's fine EXCEPT the SONY gear!
I'm not a fan of the sony gear at all, i have heard alot of there stuff and people only buy it because it is cheap!

Remember what you pay for is what you get!

As for your Pioneer theory i was going to buy Pioneer then i meet an Installer and he should me the way of Boston's :D
To me Pioneer are the best speakers around in "stereo shops" and i use that word lightly as in Straithfield and Lifestyle!

My ultimate Stereo

H/U = Nakamichi CD-700

Split's = Boston Z6

Sub = JL Audio 12W3

Processor = Precision Power DEQ-230

Amplifiers = Audison LRx4.300 (bridge to splits) & Audison LRx1.400 (mono)

Thats working on nearly $10,000 :D

What and where did you get Response Amp's from?
How much are they?
Do you rate them?


Jason

[Redteg]

Your ultimate stereo sounds sweet, have you ever read up on Earl Zausmer's (spelling?) Beemer? Very nice car; he is what I'd call an audiophiliac.

I have a mate who has spent 10 grand on his stereo. Its lovely, but it would never return that value to me. Each to their own, I don't mind people using Audio King gear, as long as they are happy. Same as people spending the money if they have it. Thats why they work, to enjoy it.

Alot of the Sony gear is cheap, most mainstream brands have their cheap products. You do pay for quality though. I've been happy with all my Sony gear, I tried the Sony deck after having worked out the resistor values of the Sony Rotary Commander. In my Commodore I had buttons set up controlling the stereo which was pretty neat for the time. The teg will hopefully end up with a Cruise-Control steering wheel so i can try the same.

The deck will stay until I break the face or it dies, Its done well over these past 3 years, and has shat over many systems well over its value. It is a little simple, but i get confused with all the new technology. I have to say, a good deck changes your whole stereo.

I want a smaller sub so a JL will most probably take its place in a floor install.The Sony sub is punchy, but can get a bit boomy which I do not like. A smaller box may help since I have plenty of amp power.

I am a strong believer that average equipment installed well has the capability of sounding better than top notch equipment installed badly.

"Stereo shop" gear sounds good on the demo boards cause the speakers more or less have enclosures separating them from other speakers, and are more often than not powered appropriately. Some speakers, being a tad more efficient, sound louder. Don't forget guys that you listen to these speakers 'on axis', i.e. pointing right at you, instead of pointing at your knees or the back of your head as in car. In the shops they may also turn on a sub "to get them sounding good".

The Response amp does well. Good power, I havent used it to its full potential yet, right now each channel drives one voice coil of the sub. Internally it looks to be well made, and set up to last. I'd be interested to hear it used as a full range amp for a front stage. There are better amps for sure, but again, you pay for it.

Got it from jaycar, for a bit over 300 a couple of years ago, i think.

There's a guy on www.caraudioaustralia.com who has four of them running four subs, he's done well with them.

BACK ON TOPIC THOUGH get what you like, what you can afford, and justify.

[LUD02C]

I would also like to listen to your system :D
I don't like CaraudioAustralia...
Bunch of wankers in there, if you don't know something instead of teaching you they abuse you and laugh and shit..

[vti-2]

I don't like CaraudioAustralia...

I don't blame you.

Anyway guys, lets keep this on topic...

[poid]

:evil:

[bumthology]

Sound quality is all in the install !
more than 50% of distortion is from car rattles and road noise.. =P

American gear is not always the best... nakamichi is jap isnt it?
I know my alpine 7897 was designed in japan.

[poid]

The generalisations about which region a company is from are incredibly misinformed.

Simply because a company is based in the US, or a product is made in the US, doesnt suddenly mean it has a certain 'sound' to it. Nor is the quality necessarily any better.

These kinds of generalisations and mistruths are what shit me about car audio sometimes

[Redteg]

Please forgive the off-topic nature of this post; it may be deleted at will.

Poid; and this has always and will always be just my opinion, don't take it as gospel: I believe that products sold to a particular market are often made to suit that market. This may show itself in terms of advertising, pricing, quality, or whatever.

Cheap gear from any manufacturer will most likely always be similar, and top of the range gear from any manufacturer will most likely always be similar. Different brands, different models seem to me to have their own affinity to particular music and its reproduction. We can only be the judge of this for outrselves. Everything has its followers and supporters.

I go with what I hear, if I like it and I can afford it, then I buy it.
Alas I can't afford much.

Lets all hold hands and sing off tune.

[poid]

I go with what I hear, if I like it and I can afford it, then I buy it.


exactly right :)

though i still dont agree with stereotyping of particular components...after all, car audio is a world-wide market, and each brand is in the same market generally speaking. So in my experiences each set of speakers has different qualities to another regardless of who the manufacturer is, where they are based or where they are made.

If you go and listen to 'american' gear you may well find something nice, but who is to say that something 'japanese' may not be better for you. Doesnt have to be a whole product line, just one product that is in your price range :)

So the lesson is, use your ears guys, and take no notice of where something is from. Take note of the manufacturer simply because some produce utter garbage and should be avoided, but dont get into the trap of thinking "this is focal, it must sound better than those fusions" just based on reputation :P

[LUD02C]

With Sub's you can generalise!
How can i generalise?
Because i hear about 5 different subs a week!
Japanese Sub's are more electronic!
While American Sub's have more of a thud to them!

The reason i generalise with Sub's is because i hear alot of sub's so i can!
When you say that you can't generalise because they are all the same you may be right but my JL isn't the same as your xplode sub!
Made differently and produce 2 different sounds!

But hey, each to there own!

[fusion_VTi]

go for the full system i say! hatches are built for sound im running 2x12" fusion and amps and 6.5" splits all competion dB drag racing gear. and because its a hatch you dont get the number plate rattling like a screen door in a tornado. good luck with it