new to me car - system ideas

[chad y 1]

I just picked up a 86 oldsmobile cutlass. (should be delivered to my house on sunday may 18) I would like to use the amps I have laying around to save money- they are Phoenix gold Tantrum 250.2 and a Phoenix gold Tantrum 400.4 I listen to everything from rock to rap ,classical, country you name it I listen to it.

I was thinking of a 2 way active front stage plus infinite baffle sub stage.

I think going with a hu that is 2 way compatible would be my best bet ( suggestions ) under $200??

Ideas for the front speakers under $150 (from what I can see kickpanel limited - 8" max 4.5" depth midbass/midrange -tweeter?) run off 400.4 tantrum 50 x 4 @ 4 ohm 100 x 4 @ 2ohm

substage tantrum 250.2 300 x 1 @4ohm 2ohm stable bridged (my first thought was mach 5 mj18 inf baf) but I am open to any and all suggestions under $150 for sub

sound deading ordered

if I can not do it with in my budget just tell me to get some comps.....lol

Thanks Chad

[johnecon2001 82]

You don't really even need a head unit that can control a 2-way set active. You just need one that has a High Pass on it. From there, you can get the Audio Control 2XS to do the rest for you.

It's possible on your budget, but you just need to know when to make a few sacrifices. Obviously, it'd be better to have a head unit do it all, but this will get it done and leave you a bit more for your speakers.

[///M5 2,833]

H/u's. For $200 you will have to buy used. In that price range you can find: Alpine 9813, 9835, 9855 Eclipse 8053, 8443, 8454, 8455 Pioneer 880prs, 9800(IIRC please check as I may be a digit off).

The other option is as John says to use an offboard proc, but by the time you buy a $150 h/u and a $50 proc I'd rather see you just get a headunit.

$150 for drivers will be do-able. The question now comes down to listening preferences, mounting locations, and what processing you will have. If you go the route of the cheap h/u offboard crossover I'd personally recommend that you keep it simple and use a paper mid but there are hundreds of options for you.

I love the MJ18 IB for your sub duties, it will work sweet with exactly what you have

[chad y 1]

Thanks guys.

I have no problem buying used as I prefer most of the older stuuf anyways

I would prefer to use the HU just to keep it simple

when the car arrives I will be a measuring fool.

I really would like to use the mj18 as long as space permits, if not maybe the maw 15.

what would you guys recomend for front stage?

I listen to all types of music rock,classic rock,metal,rap,country and even some classical.

I know I would have room in the kicks but until the car shows up I am not sure about the doors

I am really looking forward to this build

thanks again

chad

[tezin87 0]

sorry man not trying to take over this thread but i just have one quick question relating to this. do the headunits you suggested (Alpine 9813, 9835, 9855 Eclipse 8053, 8443, 8454, 8455 Pioneer 880prs, 9800) all do active? i'm looking into doing a two way active front stage as well and needed to know which headunit to get, i currently have the alpine 9830.

[sqguy 0]

How will you do the IB, is that the car with the narrow rear deck?

[chad y 1]

sqguyib, yes it has a narrow rear deck. The car should be here today and I will be able to say for sure-- my original thought was to seal a

baffle to the back of the rear deck and remove the rear speakers. sorta like a wall behind the rear seat. Am I thinking correctly? I am open

to any and all suggestions. I have never done a IB before so any knowledge anyone can offer will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Chad

[sqguy 0]

In a common setup, I would make a plate that just fit two 10" with a couple extra inches on each end out of say 1". The plate fit right up to under the trunk seal in width. IIRC there was steel there and had to cut two square holes to have a center support. I'd cut a slot in the deck cover that wide leaving a couple ribs for a grill, and you can mount the plate/baffle right to the bottom of deck. It leaves a thin triangle on each end that I would cut a piece to put in and screw from under, then silicone or we used window tape on them it worked great to seal it. Recover the top panel and it worked great. Another guy built a box (manifold) for each sub and fired the sub into the deck mounted box, it sucked compared to the plate with same amp/subs plus hogged up the trunk. But, if you are going larger for more output then I don't think you can fit more than a 10 before you hit the trunk opening unless you put say 4 10s across. With 18" it will need to be vertical, maybe you can mount like my 12s.

I built a frame that holds baffle near rear of deck and down to seatback bottom. So it is 0" thick at bottom and about 8" deep at top, with a top piece that closes off my rear deck as mine fire into the seat cushion. But you could vent the whole rear deck that way instead. I didn't want to hose up the complex shaped rear deck cover (no time to junkyard another) and stayed stealth. It has plenty of output for my use and really the seat does not attenuate it much at all. I made 3 pie shaped supports to hold the baffle, I think mine is around close to 38" square. You get that big and the whole baffle will vibrate, now the whole back of the car does. I put weatherstrip on the baffle and screwed it to the frame to mount it loaded with 4 12s and 5ch amp in center. It is all 3/4 ply, frame part is glued and screwed, and deck side is all weatherstripped to car. I put deadening all around it/etc. You might have to make it deeper since it will fire out the deck, instead of my 0" at the bottom. I guess I would built a manifold/box about 6" deep? that fit to the rear deck on an open side. If you want to get custom you could vary the bottom side and make it a V shape pointing at floor or something like that, maybe less deep at bottom.

Or, that is how I would start unless there is a more apparent way looking at the car. I would put the sub close as possible to the deck. You need to get close to the sq" of cone area in your hole in the deck I think. I was less with the 10s, but I think mounted so close to deck helped? I don't know but it worked. Think I left 1" of wood between them. It could get aperiodic at higher excursion I guess I really don't know what the 'rules' are for manifolds. Back then the subs were not as big of xmax as now and it worked just like 2 10s in a larger rear deck car. Must be the pass through hole was large enough not to affect output. Having seen many manifolds that had less output, I was very wary of that. Putting a sub in some vent or tunnel away from the deck hole never worked well, always better to have sub in deck or close as possible to it. The 10s worked well for music, even better with 2 pair but IB can only run about half power and you hit xmax. Unless the sub is rated for IB. More cone area is always better with IB.

Edited May 18, 2008 by sqguyib

[///M5 2,833]

Yes, the list was active h/u's.

As for speakers, without knowing your mounting restrictions it wouldn't be worth starting to shop.

[chad y 1]

well the cutlass was delivered. Here is some pics sorry some of them are dark I will get some better ones soon

86 olds cutlass

trunk

this is the way it showed up......needs to be cleaned and a few mechanical fixes but is very solid.

thanks Chad

[///M5 2,833]

Time to pull the door skin and see what is underneath

[sqguy 0]

Lol, there is metal under that door panel. As I recall they had 3.5" in the dash? Being in the rust state, I have seen few of those for many years. Monte SS, that was also a hot one back then and same body. I did so many of those cars back then most of them I could mark a circle in the right spot and just drill one hole and jigsaw the hole in the door, not take a thing apart lol! Fish the wire and screw the speaker in, done. Not like I got paid much back then anyway.

That interior looks pretty nice, will be a comfy ride for sure.

[johnecon2001 82]

Those seats are pretty damn pimp. Reminds me of a sofa.

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

I have seen some very wild front stages in that car body due to the room to work with. I am currently doing a low budget active 2 way set with the Mach5 MLI-65's and SEAS 27TFNC Neo textiles.

[ogahyellow 0]

Another HU idea...Clarion DXZ775USB is right around $200 new. It has 3-way + TA. Online Car Stereo has $169 refurbs. Here's the manual:http://www.clarion.com/us/en/support/product_manuals_2/index.html?pdf='../../../../../../MungoBlobs/938/650/DXZ775USB-ENG.pdf'

[chad y 1]

Just a little update I have the car mechanically fixed now but ran into some money problems so my plans are on hold for now.

Hopefully I can scrape up some funds soon.

I am however thinking of using a IXL 10 for the sub stage instead of a MJ 18. How do you guys think the IXL 10 would do

infiniate baffle off of 300watts?

[Adrian_D 520]

Can you fit a bigger sub ? Maybe an IXL12 ?

[chad y 1]

I may be able to fit a 12. Although I still haven't ruled out the 18. If I can figure out a way to seal the baffle to the rear deck and mount the 18 slanted. my only issue right now is that there is a torsion bar that is in the way on the deck. if that wasn't there sealing the rear deck off wouldn't be a problem. thats why I was considering the 10". I have 10 inches from the back of the seat to the torsion bar I could seal the baffle to the deck. or maybe I should just go with a nice sealed enclosure.

On a side note I also have a Eclipse XA1000 amp that I could use 320 x 1 @ 4ohm 480 x 1 @ 2ohms

[///M5 2,833]

With IB the bigger the cone and the more power handling the better. I really like the IXL idea, but think you should re-plan to see if you can fit a larger one than a 10.

[Adrian_D 520]

2 10's maybe ?

[chad y 1]

Lol 2 10s would be nice but that may be a little more than I can afford right now. I am going to take some measurements now and see where I stand

[chad y 1]

Ok so I believe infiniate baffle is out. The deck is only 10 inches deep and from trunk floor to deck is only 13 inches. So I think I will just do a nice sealed enclosure.

I have been seeing the Phoenix Gold RSD comps quite a bit as of late and they seem to be reasonably priced 90.00 shipped, what is your opinions running these active?

I also heard alot of good things about the RSD-C 10 and at 120.00 shipped pretty good bargin.

Opinions? comments

Phoenix gold rsd 6.5" ran active off a Phoenix gold tantrum 400.4

Phoenix gold rsd-c 10 sealed off a Phoenix gold tantrum 250.2

and I still am looking for a good head unit to run active.

[lithium 358]

i have a set of rsd 6.5s running passive off a kx250.2 and im very happy with them. ive read good things about ppl running them active aswell.

[///M5 2,833]

I wouldn't buy a pre-made comp set if I were going to run active, no way, no how. It completely defeats the purpose.

What's the budget?

[Adrian_D 520]

Ok so I believe infiniate baffle is out. The deck is only 10 inches deep and from trunk floor to deck is only 13 inches. So I think I will just do a nice sealed enclosure.

I have been seeing the Phoenix Gold RSD comps quite a bit as of late and they seem to be reasonably priced 90.00 shipped, what is your opinions running these active?

I also heard alot of good things about the RSD-C 10 and at 120.00 shipped pretty good bargin.

Opinions? comments

Phoenix gold rsd 6.5" ran active off a Phoenix gold tantrum 400.4

Phoenix gold rsd-c 10 sealed off a Phoenix gold tantrum 250.2

and I still am looking for a good head unit to run active.

How about a Mach5 MLI + Seas Neo ?

Also, I think I saw an Alpine 9815 for sale (ca.com or diyma.com, can't remember exactly). That will do what you need