Help me pick drivers for a 3 way front stage

[ABXX49 20]

Hi everyone. I'm getting ready to start my build on my 1993 Thunderbird. I've become tired of big subs and big SPL, so I'm shooting for more of a sound quality focus. This will be my first stab at active, but I have decided to go 3-way with it. Go big or go home. I do have quite a bit of experience installing and I do consider myself generally knowledgeable. Now on to what we're working with.

The vehicle is a 1993 Ford Thunderbird Supercoupe. All processing will be done up front with a Pioneer Premier 880. The midrange and tweeter will be powered by a Sundown Audio SAX50.4. The midbass will receive it's power from a Sundown Audio SAX100.2. I tend to listen to a little bit of everything. Mainly, however, I like to listen to rock from the 70's and 80's and I'm starting to listen to some of the newer rock. On a rare occasion I'll listen to a little hip-hop, techno, and jazz. My main goal for this system is for it to sound really good, I could care less about SPL numbers.

I'm pretty much open for suggestions on mounting, but I have my own idea right now. I plan to do some fiber glassing in this install (my first attempt at this also). I'll make sure I have it down pat before I jump in my car though. My thoughts are a midbass in a custom door pod in each door with the tweeters and midranges glassed into the kick panels. Here are a couple pictures of my doors.

I did some rough measurements and I figure I can easily put a 6.5" midbass in. I am able to fit an 8" in there with a door pod and some fiber glass. I have no deadening yet, but that will be added before the install. I also plan on using modeling clay for some mass loading in the pods. I'm just going to do the doors for now, and I will isolate other rattles as they are noticed. I'm not sure on the size of the midrange, as I would need someone with experience to give me a better idea of what size would be best.

So all I really need out of this thread right now is what speakers would make a nice combination and thoughts on the mounting areas. I would like to keep the budget under $300 for all the speakers. That budget is flexible though, just an aiming point.

Ryan

[///M5 2,833]

Ryan, I didn't think to ask earlier. How much room do you have in your kicks? Is there space for a large format tweeter and a 4" driver?

[ABXX49 20]

I will be fiber glassing it, so I'm quite open for space. However, on my drivers side that might be a bit much. I might be able to squeeze that in there, but I think it would be safer to choose one or the other. If it comes down to it though, I know I could work something out. How big would the mounting diameter be on the tweeter, roughly?

[ABXX49 20]

I can't believe I forgot this part too. I have a 10" SSA Icon that will be going in a sealed box in the trunk. This won't be going in for a while, but I do have plans to put it in by the end of the summer.

[///M5 2,833]

Considering your goals, it wasn't really necessary to discuss the sub so I didn't ask. A 10" Icon will be fine to keep up with things and blend really nicely.

As for the cutout diameter and such, this is a good example and perhaps option if it fits:

http://www.madisound.com/catalog/product_i...products_id=567

Let's nail down the space requirements and I'll put a few options together.

*For the crossover, I am leaning towards using the 880 sub out to the Icon, mid bandpass for the midbass, and HP for the midrange and tweet using the amplifier to bandpass the midrange and HP the tweet.*

[ABXX49 20]

Well the sub will not be going in any time soon. I bought it with other plans in mind, but don't feel as if I should sell it right now. Just for future reference I may be putting one in. However, I would feel better building the front stage with no sub in mind for now.

As for the space. I will go out first thing tomorrow morning and get a real good idea on what exact space I have. I'll take some picture with a tape measure to give you an idea. This is my first real stab at it, so I may have more room than I think, or less.

I did look around at some of the Sea's midrange drivers to give myself and idea of an outer mounting flange size. By the looks of things I should be able to do a 4" midrange and a large format (within reason) tweeter. But, like I said, I will give a more definite answer tomorrow morning.

[ABXX49 20]

Well, every battery I had in my house was dead, so there are no pictures. I did go out and measure though. I can fit a 4" midrange and a large format tweeter. However, my dash on my drivers side is a bit low and might interfere with the 'top' speaker on the kick. Any input on this?

[///M5 2,833]

A picture would be worth a thousand words, I'd like to see the interference and what difference it would make going to a 3" and small format.

[ABXX49 20]

Tomorrow my roommate is going to let me use his camera to take a picture. I'll do the best I can with that.

[ABXX49 20]

Here are a few that I found without measurements.

I'll post those for now, you let me know what different angles you want and I can make it happen!

[///M5 2,833]

Mostly just looking for the angle that will confirm what sizes can be fit down in the kicks. A big tweet and a 4" isn't exactly a small front stage, but bang for the buck will win.

[ABXX49 20]

I'll crawl in the car with a camera and ruler (no tape measure at school) and try and get some better looks.

[///M5 2,833]

Two cutout circles of the right size are even better than a ruler Tape them up in the positions you can get them to fit best and snap a pic. It will help clear this up for you as well.

[ABXX49 20]

I'll do that Saturday. I don't have ANY tools at school, so I gotta wait till I go home. So in the mean time, could we discuss the midbass? Or would you rather have an idea on the midrange first?

[///M5 2,833]

It's all about the package...but with an 8" space it is hard to not choose the Peerless SLS as a budget choice that really puts out.

[ABXX49 20]

I was looking at that driver. My roommate actually has to go home tonight, so I will go with him and cut some rings out and get pictures tonight!

[ABXX49 20]

Well, sorry for the delay! Things have been pretty crazy the past few weeks. Today, however, I did manage to cut some paper rings and roughly tape them up. What I thought would be a problem, doesn't look to be much of one. Here are the images, so you can decided. The top ring is 4" in diameter and the bottom ring is 5" in diameter.

The first picture is with me sitting in the drivers seat.

The second image is from the passengers POV.

The last picture is from standing outside of the passenger door.

[ABXX49 20]

Also, I've sold the Icon to my buddy and decided to go sub less on this install. So now we can 100% focus on the important part of the stereo.

[kryptonitewhite 1]

glad to see you're going for SQ. I have 4 Adire Audio Extremis 6.4's with a Kicker KX850.4, 2 Adire Audio/CSS/Exodus Audio FR125S's with a KX350.4, and 2 Vifa XT25TG30 1" Ring Radiator Tweets off a KX200.2 waiting for me to get them installed. 50Hz-750Hz, 750Hz-3.5kHz, and tweets 3.5k on up all 24dB slopes... got rid of my Audio Control 6XS as I needed a second to go 3 way fully active with 2 bandpassed, decided to go rockford 360 or something later.

I'll be watchin this!

[ABXX49 20]

I'm hoping to do every bit of my processing with my PRS880. I want this to be as clean and clutter free as possible. Probably going to have someone weld me up a custom amp rack for my 2 Sundown amps and have that be my only thing in my trunk.

[ABXX49 20]

How do you know your crossover points without having anything installed? Is that just where you plan on starting at before you tweak and tune?

[///M5 2,833]

How do you know your crossover points without having anything installed? Is that just where you plan on starting at before you tweak and tune?

He doesn't and there are all sorts of things wrong with what he is proposing to do. I don't like the slopes, the frequencies, the lack of underlap, and they don't fit well with the driver choice. Somewhere along the line he has been misinformed by someone on how this works.

Can I assume the passenger side is even easier?

Also, if the 4" tweet is 1.5" thick will you still be able to aim it a bit or will you be stuck with a fixed aiming at that point? Sometimes less is more and we could pick a compact tweeter to maximize your aiming in particular since a midrange will be taking care of most of the audible frequency range but I much prefer full size tweets in particular when budget is involved.

[ABXX49 20]

The passenger side will be cake. I will be able to do the 1.5" tweet, I'll just have to flare out the kick a little bit. I have a dead pedal there that I will be taking out, and I always drive with my left foot back as seen in the picture.

[ABXX49 20]

Also, as I just sold my Icon, I'm willing to bump up the budget to $400.

[sound=vibration 34]

Also, as I just sold my Icon, I'm willing to bump up the budget to $400.

why not throw in a dcon.. it is geared mostly torward sq.. ?? just a thought