Frontend System

[Hell-Razor 0]

I have been looking around for a front end system now that I have my sub almost ordered. I know I need tweeters and other types of speakers to get this done. What do you guys recommend? I know there's 6 speakers total inside the car.

My main questions are:

1) What brand and style of speakers

2) Is there a website I can look at for what size my speakers are? I have goggled around for a day with no luck...

3) I am (going to) use the SAX-50.4 amp. Would I want to use something different? This is just what was suggested to me.

4) Should I get a Component speaker? Or something different?

I would like this to be pretty simple and not drawn out. What are you guys using? Did you have to modify your car at all? (I do NOT want to modify any panels)

EDIT:

After doing some digging around I found that my doors (from and back) were 6 3/4 size speakers. Now reading reviews, looking around on websites I found Alpine SPS-600. Good reviews, but I don't know what I am looking for to be honest.

Edited July 29, 2009 by Hell-Razor

[KU40 173]

Moved to a more appropriate forum since it has nothing to do with Fi.

How much do you want to spend? What kind of car do you have?

[Hell-Razor 0]

Moved to a more appropriate forum since it has nothing to do with Fi.

How much do you want to spend? What kind of car do you have?

Sorry for posting in wrong forum and I knew I forgot to add something.

I have a 2002 VW Passat. I am going to toss in a 220 amp alternator and a good backup battery (should be enough to power everything). As for price range, I know the amp is 250 (give or take a little), so I wouldnt want to spend more than like 800 on the speakers, not including the amp.

[lithium 358]

so your budget is 800 for just the speakers? have you thought about going active with that amp or do you plan to bridge it to a set of components?

[Hell-Razor 0]

so your budget is 800 for just the speakers? have you thought about going active with that amp or do you plan to bridge it to a set of components?

What do you mean by "going active"? I thought I would just wire everything to that amp, I think its considered bridging. This is just what was recommended to me in another forum for my Fi BTL sub. I am looking for advice, do's, dont's, stay away froms, brand's, and more...

[KU40 173]

With that budget I'd definitely go active. The speakers you'll buy could only be 100-200 total, then you'd have the extra money for processing if your head unit doesn't already have crossovers on it. Or you could buy a new headunit that does with the extra money.

[Hell-Razor 0]

Well I would like to not have to spend all my money and put my savings into a better amp, more batteries, bigger woofer, better alternator. Right now I dont know anything about front end systems. What do you mean by "going active". Why would I go active over bridging? What would going active take?

I have to look at my head unit to see if it has a crossover. Id like to save money where possible (ie with the head unit) and get the best bang for my buck. As of right now I am getting a single FI BTL either 18" or 15", a SAZ-3500D or SAZ-2000D (depending on the sub), a Powerbastard Alternator with 220amps output (biggest I can find with my car), a SAX-50.4, 1 DC3100 battery with a good start up bat. It is going to be a killer build. I would like to get the alt and batteries put in first, then the front end put in with the head unit (either new or old), then the back end with the sub and the massive amp. It all depends on my budget and how things pan out in the next few weeks.

[KU40 173]

Active just means running active crossovers, i.e.- using crossovers on the head unit and/or amplifier, not passive crossovers that come in the little box with off the shelf component systems. You then wire one speaker to one channel on the amplifier. It may be less power than bridging, but you can often get drivers with higher sensitivities when you run active, plus it just sounds a lot better if set up properly. But since you don't know much about this stuff, I'd just say go with an off the shelf component system until you get more comfortable with it. Don't want you to get in over your head and be disappointed.

[Hell-Razor 0]

Alright. What shelf components should I look for?

[Hell-Razor 0]

shrug. I guess ill just look around more and hope reviews don't fail me.

[KU40 173]

I haven't bought components in 5 years and haven't stayed up on them.

[Hell-Razor 0]

Alright well, does anybody else know anything about buying components? I have just been randomly looking around for reviews and everything but so far I don't know...

What should I be looking for when buying? rms? response? ohms?

[KU40 173]

RMS means nothing, impedance means nothing.

If they have a frequency response graph, that could be helpful.

One of the biggest differences is tweeter composition. Most silk tweeters sound distinctly different than metal tweeters.

[Hell-Razor 0]

RMS means nothing, impedance means nothing.

If they have a frequency response graph, that could be helpful.

One of the biggest differences is tweeter composition. Most silk tweeters sound distinctly different than metal tweeters.

Ok well that doesn't tell me much. What should I look for? Do I want silk or metal tweeters? How would a frequency response graph help? What should I match up with the front end amp I was told to get with the speakers?

[KU40 173]

How am I supposed to know you if you like silk or metal tweeters better? Go listen to some at a shop.

You don't want big dips or peaks in the frequency response graph, and you want it fairly flat from probably 60-20,000 hz. Granted how it sounds with the acoustics of your vehicle will change the response in some areas, at least it would start out with a good baseline.

Just match up power of the speakers with the power of the amplifier, just like subs.

[Hell-Razor 0]

How am I supposed to know you if you like silk or metal tweeters better? Go listen to some at a shop.

You don't want big dips or peaks in the frequency response graph, and you want it fairly flat from probably 60-20,000 hz. Granted how it sounds with the acoustics of your vehicle will change the response in some areas, at least it would start out with a good baseline.

Just match up power of the speakers with the power of the amplifier, just like subs.

Well I thought one or the other may be better when talking about silk or metal tweeters. Anyway I have no idea still. I guess I will just have to go to a shop and have them match up some speakers to the amp I want. I know plenty of stores here will charge like 200 for decent speakers but 800$+ for a shitty 250 watt amp so I am in a bind here I guess.

[lithium 358]

How am I supposed to know you if you like silk or metal tweeters better? Go listen to some at a shop.

You don't want big dips or peaks in the frequency response graph, and you want it fairly flat from probably 60-20,000 hz. Granted how it sounds with the acoustics of your vehicle will change the response in some areas, at least it would start out with a good baseline.

Just match up power of the speakers with the power of the amplifier, just like subs.

Well I thought one or the other may be better when talking about silk or metal tweeters. Anyway I have no idea still. I guess I will just have to go to a shop and have them match up some speakers to the amp I want. I know plenty of stores here will charge like 200 for decent speakers but 800$+ for a shitty 250 watt amp so I am in a bind here I guess.

go to the shop and listen to some speakers, compare sets with metal tweeters vs silk tweeters. take a cd with your favorites songs and give them a good listen. let us know which you like more. if you have some friends with install or if the shop has can demo you something in car do that too. picking speakers is very subjective, what you like may not be what someone else likes.

dont worry about picking the amp, that part is easy. (relatively speaking)

Edited August 4, 2009 by lithium

[///M5 2,833]

go to the shop and listen to some speakers, compare sets with metal tweeters vs silk tweeters. take a cd with your favorites songs and give them a good listen. let us know which you like more. if you have some friends with install or if the shop has can demo you something in car do that too. picking speakers is very subjective, what you like may not be what someone else likes.

done worry about picking the amp, that part is easy. (relatively speaking)

YES. That is step 1, then share what you think.

[Hell-Razor 0]

Alright, well I have been looking aroudn at shops and it looks like theres a 3inch mounting depth for the speakers and I would need 6.5 inchers for the speakers and 1inch for the tweeters. The guy said this shuold be enough for almost all types of speakers. Anyway I am looking around and I dont know what I want. Do I want a speaker that sounds a little lower? or higher when playing music? There were a couple that the guy let me crank as high as the control panel would allow me to and didnt distort but some sounded lower (more bass) than others. Sense I am going to have an 18" in the trunk, do I want to try and compensate for all that boom with high pitched speakers? If I remember correctly you can get away more with frontend speakers with turning the volume up more if theres less bass (like the louder you get or want them to get, just turn the bass down on the frontend speakers). Or would I want to try and get lower sounding frontend speakers to try and mesh everything together?

Anyway, for whoever reads this, anybody know of some good brands to go with? There was this one that I found that I have never heard of, decent priced, but were looked super cheap. Started with an "F" is all I remember.

Oh I forgot to add, I found speakers I like the sound of. But I like a few different types. Some sound really nice but are pitched higher and have less bass, some sound really nice as well but dont hit the high notes as well... just looking for advice. Would I want something that hits both the high and lows well?

Edited August 12, 2009 by Hell-Razor

[Hell-Razor 0]

ALRIGHT! I think I found the speakers I want. but at 375$ for a pair lets see if they are worth it....

I am looking at the Hertz HSK 163.4 speakers. I heard them in a profesional studio and to me I dont think any speakers can sound any better. The only problem is is that the guy wouldnt turn up the volume very loud. I would say its maybe because they dont go very loud or distort but at that much, I dont know. But he kept on trying to tell me he didnt have enough power to go any higher but I did not hear anything cut out.

I have been reading around on websites and people have seen these from 350 to over 600$ depending on the store. I was just hoping I could get your guys opinions... I am very hesitant to drop 1500$ on frontend speakers (need four total so then two sets?) not including an amp. Shit thats more than what I wanted by almost double...

http://www.hertzaudiovideo.com/Doc/Hertz_HiEnergy_HSK163.pdf

[lithium 358]

ALRIGHT! I think I found the speakers I want. but at 375$ for a pair lets see if they are worth it....

I am looking at the Hertz HSK 163.4 speakers. I heard them in a profesional studio and to me I dont think any speakers can sound any better. The only problem is is that the guy wouldnt turn up the volume very loud. I would say its maybe because they dont go very loud or distort but at that much, I dont know. But he kept on trying to tell me he didnt have enough power to go any higher but I did not hear anything cut out.

I have been reading around on websites and people have seen these from 350 to over 600$ depending on the store. I was just hoping I could get your guys opinions... I am very hesitant to drop 1500$ on frontend speakers (need four total so then two sets?) not including an amp. Shit thats more than what I wanted by almost double...

http://www.hertzaudiovideo.com/Doc/Hertz_HiEnergy_HSK163.pdf

i dont know anything about those speakers but if your talking about a FRONT end (usually refered to as the front stage) you are only talking about 1 set of components up front. so, no need at all for you to purchase a 2nd set for the rear. if you need rear fill get something cheap.

[Hell-Razor 0]

ALRIGHT! I think I found the speakers I want. but at 375$ for a pair lets see if they are worth it....

I am looking at the Hertz HSK 163.4 speakers. I heard them in a profesional studio and to me I dont think any speakers can sound any better. The only problem is is that the guy wouldnt turn up the volume very loud. I would say its maybe because they dont go very loud or distort but at that much, I dont know. But he kept on trying to tell me he didnt have enough power to go any higher but I did not hear anything cut out.

I have been reading around on websites and people have seen these from 350 to over 600$ depending on the store. I was just hoping I could get your guys opinions... I am very hesitant to drop 1500$ on frontend speakers (need four total so then two sets?) not including an amp. Shit thats more than what I wanted by almost double...

http://www.hertzaudiovideo.com/Doc/Hertz_HiEnergy_HSK163.pdf

i dont know anything about those speakers but if your talking about a FRONT end (usually refered to as the front stage) you are only talking about 1 set of components up front. so, no need at all for you to purchase a 2nd set for the rear. if you need rear fill get something cheap.

I am using "Front End" as a term as all the speakers inside the car. Or should I be using the term as only the driver and passenger speakers? Edited August 19, 2009 by Hell-Razor

[Hell-Razor 0]

I forgot to add in there. I believe I found my deck I would like. It is the Eclipse CD7200 MK2. From what I have been reading and expecting this is exactly what I want. But a whopping price tag at about 550$.

[lithium 358]

ALRIGHT! I think I found the speakers I want. but at 375$ for a pair lets see if they are worth it....

I am looking at the Hertz HSK 163.4 speakers. I heard them in a profesional studio and to me I dont think any speakers can sound any better. The only problem is is that the guy wouldnt turn up the volume very loud. I would say its maybe because they dont go very loud or distort but at that much, I dont know. But he kept on trying to tell me he didnt have enough power to go any higher but I did not hear anything cut out.

I have been reading around on websites and people have seen these from 350 to over 600$ depending on the store. I was just hoping I could get your guys opinions... I am very hesitant to drop 1500$ on frontend speakers (need four total so then two sets?) not including an amp. Shit thats more than what I wanted by almost double...

http://www.hertzaudiovideo.com/Doc/Hertz_HiEnergy_HSK163.pdf

i dont know anything about those speakers but if your talking about a FRONT end (usually refered to as the front stage) you are only talking about 1 set of components up front. so, no need at all for you to purchase a 2nd set for the rear. if you need rear fill get something cheap.

I am using "Front End" as a term as all the speakers inside the car. Or should I be using the term as only the driver and passenger speakers?

front stage is the speakers in the drive and passenger front doors, rear stage (idk if this is called rear stage but i assume it is) or often referred to as rear fill would be speakers in the rear deck or rear doors, and sub stage would be the subs.

Edited August 19, 2009 by lithium

[lithium 358]

I forgot to add in there. I believe I found my deck I would like. It is the Eclipse CD7200 MK2. From what I have been reading and expecting this is exactly what I want. But a whopping price tag at about 550$.

ouch 550, i assume you can beat that from another site, crutchfield is almost always overpriced. you should also look into the Pioneer Premier DEH-P800PRS, which you can get under 400 and seem to have most of feature your probably looking for in an active hu. maybe try tracking down the older model Pioneer Premier DEH-P880PRS to save cash, but it doesn't look like your hurting tobad... then there is always the alpine hu and the h701 processor that is very popular aswell.