Hameed

After doing a lot of reading and research here, I have finally figured out what I need to do to upgrade the stereo in my car and just need your clarification and affirmation from the guru's on this board regarding my audio upgrade. I have a 99 GS400 with the Nakamichi stereo and I am more interested in SQ than SPL. I will NOT be competing in any audio competitions.

Here is my plan:

• DYNAUDIO System 240GT 6.5" Component Set for the front, $470.00
• OR Focal 165K2P 6-1/2 K2P 6.5 COMPONENT SYST for the front $399.00
• MB QUART PCE216 6.5 PREMIUM COMPONENT for the rears, $275.00
• JL Audio 450/4 amp to power these, $529.00
• JL Audio 500/1 mono sub amp, $379.00 to power 2 JL Audio 10W3 V2 Dual 2 Ohms (the subs are the only pieces I have purchased so far)
• A good amp wiring kit (looking for your advice here for something I can buy from ebay)
• Do I need anything else for the upgrade?

These are the best prices I have seen on ebay from different vendors. Any suggestions on getting better prices than these by buying from a single vendor? I have tried two different vendors on ebay, but so far that is the best I have seen. Anyone here have some hookups they can pass on?

I don't plan on upgrading the HU right now. Maybe sometime in the future, I will do that, and possibly get an In dash Navigation system.

GaryDell

Definitely Dyn over Focal. I would ditch the MBQ's altogether, then use the 4 channel amp to power just the front speakers (eithe bridged x2 or 'bi-amping'). Spend the money saved on install or put it towards HU/navigation... JL makes fantastic amps feature wise, but you can get similar performance for much cheaper (look into Avionixx, Autotek, Hifonics, JBL, PPI).

You have 6.5" speakers in mind, am I to assume that you are already cutting a larger space in the door to fit them? Are you interested in using kickpanels for better imaging/higher soundstage? Would you consider yourself to be a midbass wh0re?

Hameed

The fronts are currently 6.5", so no I am not really considering cutting larger holes in the door.......

Not sure what you mean by this..... (as you can tell I am a newbie in this dept.

I like bass, definitely. Good tight and loud bass!

GaryDell

Midbass, something that many consider the Dyn's to be lacking, isn't the same as bass. But they should still be sufficient, especially if you're new to this.

These are kickpanels:
http://www.wes.nissanpower.com/photo.html

Most shops will make a set for a bit more than you were going to pay for your rearfill. Even though the speakers will be lower in your vehicle than they would have been in the doors, the sound will seem to be coming from a higher point in the car. It will also help eliminate driver-door speaker bias (being closer to you, sounds more dominant than passenger speaker).

Make sure you put those JL subs in a sufficiently large enclosure (probably around 2 cubes each, sealed).

engin_ear

iTrader: (1)

Loosely similar to my system.
I agree, Dyn's over Focal for the front. I like the Dyn MD100 tweeter WAY more than the Focal tweets, which are harsh. You might want to go with the 240MKII, since you won't care about fitting into existing factory openings - you'll be removing the factory enclosure. You may need to make a spacer though, to move the midwoofer out a half-inch or so.
Chuck the Quart idea. You can get a lower line Focal that will be at least as good as the Quarts, and a better quality speaker. I used Dyn's in the front and Focals in the back - gives me a nice tonal distribution.
Amps are great. You could go crazy spending more money, but I wouldn't go cheaper. JL amps are great bang/buck.

jmecbr900

We can't use kick panel pods in our cars.

Factory location with correct tuning will have very good imaging anyway, plus it will look factory.

Diamond Audio is what I'm now bias to since that's what I have, but MB, Focal, Dynaudio, and the like are excellent choices too. The subs you chose are great choices. JL amps are good, but pricey (new). If your budget allows, go for it. You won't be dissapointed. Again, I have experience with Diamond Audio, Alpine, etc. I'm partial to those brands due to reliability and performance. I like my D7's a lot. They are very good acoustically and in build quality. I've always had good performance out of Alpine Amps. I have run the v12 series in the 5, 4, and 2 channel variety. All sounded great acoustically, with the 2 channel being a bit under powered IMO. It sounded good, just didn't have as much juice as I'd like.

Another real important thing to consider is the HU. With the factory, you will be hindered when it comes to flexibility to tuning. Eclipse, Pioneer, Alpine, etc. are good choices. Look into a HU that has the flexibility to expand to other horizons later. Capability to play different mediums....mp3, CDRW, changer, etc. Preferably chose a HU that has the features that will net you the results you're looking for. For example, don't chose a HU that has neat displays, but poor audio output if you are looking for SQ. Also consider warranty.

Finally, for interconnects: The only positive experience was with Streetwires. They are no longer in business though. Now I'm running Hooker Audio for everything. Most wires are plenty good for your purpose. You should concentrate on size and routing more than brand really. Yes, brands do make some difference, but placement and size play a bigger role.

ikankoi

ive been using www.knukonceptz.com products for years... have never been disappointed from the quality/price, unless youre into fancy brands like monster cables or streetwires for the look...

jmecbr900

I just read the title all the way thru.....

I'm not a guru, but I do want to help my buddy Hameed out.

engin_ear

iTrader: (1)

Hameed:
One thing I forgot to mention is that, unlike those that have (had) the stock Pioneer system, you have the Nak system - it's easier to interface directly to it and bypass the stock amp. You can take the Front L/R preamp leads that are accessible at the connector on the rear of the headunit and connect them to any device that has high-level inputs, and preferably something that will act as a buffer between the headunit and the new amps. You can add an EQ in between your headunit and amps and allow tuning of frequency bands. I put an in-dash unit in (for satellite radio reasons), but you could use anything that has high-level inputs. If done correctly, it will be cleaner than going thru your existing stock amp, and you'll have more flexibility.

retrodrive

I will get back on this thread shortly...have a bunch of exams tomorrow

retrodrive

Don't use the MB Quart. QSD is the only descent set of speakers they offer. You really need to listen to both Dynaudio and Focals since they are absolutely on different sides of sound reproduction. JL are fine amps but I would look into TRU Technologies amplifiers also. The T series looks better then the JL's (subjective but it does look incredibly good) and it is SEVERELY underpowered (tested by magazine). Their subs are also pretty cool but the bass is pretty heavy and wet. Personally, they do not sound like any real-world bass. If you want quality I would look into Focal Utopias, IDMAX (I run them let me know if you want to get it) or Elemental Design subs.

Hameed

Thanks bro! I did a search on ebay for TRU amps but nothing came up. Please let me know what to look for.
I already have the JL subs, so won't be needing any new ones....

So to summarize, I should get Focal Utopias for the front and back ? Will that not be overkill? What about amps for these? Any specific models I should get?

engin_ear

iTrader: (1)

Focal Utopias are excellent, but expensive - you may get more bang for your buck with Dynaudio. But listen to them, as Retro says. You don't want to have to live with something that someone else likes, but you don't.