I used to design sell, and install high end car audio....as far back as the first TD1200 Nakamichi (over $1000 for a cassette deck!) car unit.

Nakamichi is probably the best choice for a head unit from a quality sound and conservative appearance standpoint. Alpine makes great stuff, and aren't as hideous as many. You'll get cool features like MP3 capability and display, Sirrius Satelite units and so on from Alpine. Eclipse is up there too, esp in the hideous category!

As for speakers, I have always thougt a GOOD two way speaker is better than a decent three way. (But a crappy 3 way was an easy sell because it looked flashy) Smoother and more natural. a/d/s used to be a great choice, but they've lost their dominant position. Whatever you choose, remember the third unseen component of a speaker is a crossover..make sure whatever you get not only HAS one, but a well made one. It's very important, yet nobody likes to talk about them...they're not sexy.

I do NOT subscribe to the one brand method..at ALL. I used to choose amps based on what they would do....Alpine made some great ballsy amps..good for driving larger speakers...and Nakamichi made some really clean tight and articulate amps..I would use them for driving front channels.

I do NOT recommend using the stock radio/head unit amp if you can help it, esp for the subs...they need the most power. Anything less will distort horribly. A good amp makes a big difference, esp in a cab where the volume knob has to be twisted.

I also recommend getting a crossover for the sub that allows you to tune the X-over frequency as well as the level going to the subs. My Alpine head has the X-over built in.

In an open car, it will be very hard to make good bass, and nearly impossible to create excellent stereo imagining. Consider, if money is to tight for more amp channels, and if your head unit has real wattage at the outputs, using it to power the small and hopefully efficient rear speaks.

Kick some tires at high end car audio places...NOT circuit city, LOL..places that charge for installation...and have done 911s before. If nothing else, you'll have a better grasp of the different problems and solutions.

Just a very individual opinion...
I have 2 15" on the rear and speaker everywhere lot of bass, lot of sound but I rarely listen to music. I rather to, and get used to, listen to the engine/exhaust sound. But if you want music, you have to have something real lound since the car is lound itself. Check out the pic below. 2 subs are in the rear seat box. Honestly, I rather have my rear seat back. Too sad, the PO don't have them.
http://doublehonline.dynalias.com/ca...or_Rear_02.jpg

Great advice here guys... keep it coming.

It's tough making a decision on what to buy. I like quality at reasonable cost, if u get what I mean.

I'd love to go Focals (front and back) and might stretch my budget a bit further and hold off on the new CD-Tuner & stacker for now. I already have an older Alpine deck and stacker, however, I want to upgrade it cause I want iPod, MP3 capability and the ability to play CD-RW's reliably :confused:

Since I'm planning to use the Inifnity powered 10" subwoofer (Basslink) in the trunk, I need a deck with a sub output connection too.

I need the rear seats in my cab because I take the family on weekend cruises, so Rod Birch's rear floor-based subby solution won't be suitable.

Sounds like the family is old enough to have feet and legs...

I've always thought that putting the sub up front made sense in these rear biased cars.

Focal makes a range of speakers so the lower end might be good for you. I honestly do not know a way to find out the best than to listen to various quality brand names.

I would do what you propose and upgrade the back end of the system first then modernize the head unit.

I have McIntosh head unit and amplifier with ADS speakers and a custom sub enclosure in the trunk with a 10" JL Audio sub, nice and clean but not loud.

Since budget is an issure here i think i would hold off on the more expensive focals and spend ur extra cash on the amplifier. If you have a very good amplifier, it can make some reasonable priced speakers sound like they are $800. I would recommend a JL 300/4 if you do front and rear, and a JL 300/2 in you do just the front. The JL slash seriers is the most sought amplifier in the industry. If you really want to go balls out on the amp arc audio has a line designed by Robert Zeff, a very respected engineer that pretty much started Zapco. He designed this series for arc audio, and each of these amps are each hand tested, before leaving the factory. The down side of the Roberts Zeff is that you will pay a little more than $2 dollar a watt, but believe me its worth it!

Scott
car audio installer

If you like your music here it goes....

head unit dousnt matter in the least. make sure it is mp3 and either sirus or xm ready. Make sure it isn’t clumsy can be programmed easily and has a sub woofer output. Base treble theater rock settings are all useless and for someone who isn’t going to use amp.
They will all more than likely say 50w x4 that’s bull$hit its more like 18w x4 I don’t know how they get away with it bit compare a 200w amp with the size of the radio not close huh? Now put the radio part and cd part in hmmmm wow micro technogy? Think not. So don’t count on your radio to power your high end speakers they will blow them from them being under powered sure they might be loud but what happens when you have something mid or bassy? pop pop pop that what!……

NOW… the amp is the most important thing and should be the most expensive part of your COMPONANT SYSTEM everything should not be the same because every company excels at something different, ie just because Sony makes a decent head unit dousnt make them a great speaker manufacturer.

Now your going to cater your amp to your speakers needs then get the best one. Not vice versa sound wont be good if the power cant hit the speakers. so whatever the rating of the speakers rms not peak get 15w over rms. so if you have ANY speaker that is 75w rms 150peak you will want to drive it with 90w. if you only have 2 speakers that would be a 200w amp at 45% gain. the best amp for this config would be 4x 50w with 2ch bridged it will be clean and rarely heat up.

Now if you’re going to have just door speakers there is no question you have to buy a component set up with the separate tweeter or else you will only have mid and low no matter what. These component systems come with a crossover and will separate the sound range to mid and high before the speakers get the signal.

I would advise rear speakers but if you don’t want them then don’t. If you do get the same as the door speakers and use the same relative watt to watt theory.. Either get another amp or get a 400w 4ch so you can put 75w to 100w all around.

Amps to buy for you’re mid to high sound (not bassy amps just crisp clear mid and high.

Infinity
Sound stream
Alpine

Great speakers

Polk Momo
Diamond
Focal
Infinity perfect series
MTX T series Believe it or not

Well, I've pretty much narrowed down my amp to the JL Audio 300/2. It'll provide plenty of punch for an open top car.

What do you guys think of these Polk Momo MMC 6500's

I hate Polk -- 'cuz he dresses up like a doctor or scientist for those stoopid ads of his...

LOL! Well, apart from that, how does the product perform? I've read good things about them, but has anyone got these in their 911's?

he plays a dork, and the stuff, at least in home circles, is thought of as mid..maybe upper mid grade. Boston Acoustics level.

That said, they used to have a very aggressive warranty program.. I worked as a Polk dealer..you brought a Polk driver in all "blowed up" and i handed you a new one...for 5 years!

This pair is cool but you want the next step up. And for some reason that is the wrong price for that set it was 2 hundred to much.

check this set out

Polk momo mmc 6500 componant set

I agree re the mid-grade for Polks.

I like Focal. There are many others that are high quality.

The Focal's would be a beautiful set up with that amp

it would sound museum orchestra certified quality ...but they are so expensive.

hey randy what is RMS on the mid priced series of focal (do they have different series releases?)

My thinking on this is that its a cab, so much of the nuance is going to be lost unless you drive around with the top up quite a bit.

i have 1200w and i tell ya at 110mph on the way home after work with the sun roof open and windows down it sounds just like it would at 40 with everything closed.........of coarse i cant hear anything else :) but at 110 i just need to be able to feel and see

So, if I had a budget around $500.00, and was willing to purchase from different places, shop ebay, etc... I'm thinking the following:

Head unit - Blaupunkt, around $100-$125 or less
Speakers door - Polk Audio db6500 - $150-$200 (Focals too much!)
Amp - would love the JL, but will probably go for something less priced.... but with good quality, maybe alpine?

If I was to put something on the rear deck, what would be a good sounding speaker, size, etc... I had heard 4x6? I don't mind making a nice box as I could do something that compliments the car nicely.

I've read that some say front speakers only are fine, but I'm partial to sound from the rear as well...

Thoughts?

I have 5 1/2 in the back with sep tweets and I adjusted the balance to just the front and I am sorry I think its just ridiculous with out them.

(and i have (4) x 6 1/2's in front with 2 sep tweeters!)

with the rear its full and actually a little bassy

MB Quarts are said to be pretty good - some say they are either too bright or rolled off, forget which. Maybe you can price those if Focals are too spendy?

I tried rear speakers against my better judgement and liked them. You aren't going to get accurate sound staging anyway, and they help fill in the sound spatially. It adds cost tho.

Just bought a pair of Quart Ref series to replace the 5.25 Quart coax's that came w/ the car. They are bright-in fact, MBQ has a position on the xover to roll off the tweets if you think they're too bright. In an open car, bright might not be bad.