Installed New Audio Components Yesterday

[arbita1]

I had installed Focal Access 6 1/2" components in the doors some time ago.

See this thread - 6.5" Door Speakers

But I was very unhappy after I installed them with the sound. In addition to the new Focals, I had an old Alpine CDA-98xx receiver and had found an amp installed behind the passenger floor board which turned out to be a Blaupunkt 20w x 4. As well as Kenwood 4x6 speakers in the rear (all installed by the previous owner).

After doing some research I found that my new Focal 60w RMS speakers were being severely under powered by the above set up.

So for my birthday, I just got a JVC Arsenal receiver and a JVC 65w x 2 amp. I finished the installation yesterday and WOW what a difference! The Focal 6 1/2" speakers are amazing. They provide so much range that you can almost do without a subwoofer. I am very happy with the sound quality.

So now I have some questions...

1. In my researching, I have found a lot of people recommending not to hook up the rear speakers. My original intent was to connect the rear speakers to the receiver directly, not through an amp figuring the small 4x6's don't need much power and are just used for fill. I haven't hooked them up yet, so I don't know how they will sound. I'm afraid they will be a weak link in the system when I turn up the volume. Any advice?

2. I'm on the fence with what to do for a subwoofer. Part of me says its good enough without it. But there is definitley a fullness that is missing from the sound that the 6 1/2" can't provide at the bottom end. I really don't want to take up the space behind the rear seats though. I don't want anything big and overwhelming either. Just enough to round out the sound and add some depth. I'm thinking about one of those Kendwood or Clarion low profile powered subs. Any ideas?

I'm an audio novice at best, so any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

[nineball]

rear speakers, or rear fill, is something that has to be decided upon by the listener. personally i do not care for it but i am not everyone. you should have no problems running them from the headunit power alone. connect them and see how you like it. if you don't then changing it back is as easy as unhooking the speakers.

as far as a sub, well you only have so many options in a 911. the easiest thing to install would be one of the powered subs you mentioned you just have to be certain it will fit under a seat. i personally have never heard a self-powered sub that i cared for. after that would be a footwell enclosure and any further and you are getting into custom fabrication ($$). one other option would be to space up the rear parcel shelf a little and add some 6x9, but to get any low end out of them you would need to amp them. alpine type-r 6x9 speakers have really good low end output when amp'd properly.

[tangerine911S]

The best imaging and staging (basically the perception that the music is coming from in front of you on a stage and cannot be localized to the speakers its coming out of) comes from only a front set of speakers. Component speakers are best if you have a spot for the tweeters up high. It takes a lot of tuning and time alignment (delaying signals so the sound from both front and rear speakers hit your ears at the same time) to make rear speakers sound perfect but if you are not a hardcore audiophile, it shouldnt make much difference at all. As nineball said, rear fill is a personal preference thing. Some people prefer it, some don't. Keep in mind that almost all audio is recorded in stereo (left and right only) so having two rear speakers is considered useless to some. If you have rear passengers often or have a headunit that can play DVD's (surround sound) then rear fill might be a good choice.

I just installed a system in my IS300 and decided against rear fill. For the front speakers I installed a pair of component 6.5 inch Focal Polyglass 165VB's powered at about 100W rms each The stock rear speakers were located on the rear shelf and I removed them to let more bass into the cabin from the subwoofer in the trunk.

[scotricker]

I used small powered subs under the seats with my system,.,sounds great.

[arbita1]

Originally Posted by scotricker

I used small powered subs under the seats with my system,.,sounds great.

What did you use?

[rusnak]

I have a few amps (Soundstream Reference and Rubicon), and a 12" sub. I would not be able to imagine not having at least one car without this type of setup now that I've gotten used to it. I tune the system with a calibration mic, then fine tune the EQ with the user interface. It's a Blaupunkt Seattle MP 74.

[nineball]

Originally Posted by rusnak

I would not be able to imagine not having at least one car without this type of setup now that I've gotten used to it.

hehe only 1 car? all of mine get complete audio upgrades. casualty of working in the music industry in one form or another for too many years i guess. i look at it like some look at go fast parts - stock is stock and it will never be enough once you get a taste of the good stuff.

[arbita1]

Yesterday I was finishing up the installation...hiding wires, etc. I got a chance to really crank it up and see how it sounded. The Focal 6 1/2" speakers put out really good bass. Maybe it's the dynamat I used inside the doors or the foam baffles. Not sure. But, I'm thinking maybe I don't even need a sub after all. I was never looking for top quality sound...just something that sounded really good when I turned it up. I'm sure a sub would really round it out, but for now I'm going to leave it be and see how I like it without. I can always add one later.

As for the rear speakers, I'm leaving them off. I think they will just detract from the Focals.

[JFairman]

Alot of people think there are no 6x9 speakers that will fit in the rear deck because of the lack of depth space but I found one that does.

They are made as replacements for older cars before the days of cart stereo that only had one mono speaker in the back or in the front. They have dual voicecoils so you can use only one with a stereo head unit or amp if you don't want to cut another speaker hole in an old classic car for stereo use and they are sold seperately and without grills because alot of people mount them under the vinyl or under the dash like the origonals.

They have good efficiancy and frequency response specs and they're only 1.7" deep so they will fit in the back of a later 911 that came with 4x6 spekers under the rear deck.
You could also mount them under the rear deck and use the origonal 4x6 grills from the 911 if you wanted it to look stock.

Jegs has the lowest price I've found on them:
Retro Sound R69N Retro Sound Speakers

Crutchfield has them for $5 more:
Retrosound R-69N Single 6"x9" 2-way car speaker with dual voice coils at Crutchfield.com

Retrosound's website:
RetroSoundUSA.com - RetroMod&#153 6x9" 200 watt 3 way Upgraded Replacement Speakers (sold as a pair)

[mthomas58]

My DIY sub solution. 10" downward firing sub box. Pleased with results



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