Question for Luke re: upgrades

[P.Kelly]

Luke,

Thanks in advance for taking (hopefully) a minute or two to read and respond.

Car: 92 Cabrio w/ premium sound (63k, garaged most of its life)

I have an older Alpine deck CDA-7998 that I think would be a great match for the vert, as it fold into a blank plate and from what I recall, has pretty good SQ properties.

My car currently only has sound coming out of 1 rear speaker, and 1 front speaker, and neither of the tweets... Not sure yet if it is the deck, the amp, or the speakers.

I'm going to either take you up on your offer (eventually) to build your sub-box for the vert, or try to replicate somethign similar on my own if not, but there will be no bass immediately.

I keep reading that you say the stock PS speakers are really good, which I can't confirm, as my setup sounds like dogshit, but then it is hardly working, and the audio source is a shitty pioneer CD changer playing over RF mod.

Any reason NOT to use the CA-7998? If so, shal I replace the stock amp. or is it any good?My local audio guys are suggesting Arc Audio's XXD or newer XDI amps, due to size. I've seen reviews comparing them to Alpine's PDX at about 2/3 the price. Any problems running digital amps? All my car stero experience WAY pre-dates digital...

On to speakers. If there is just a wiring issue, then maybe my speakers are good. I've normally only run a front soundstage... But I've never had a cabrio before. It sounds like you run a PS front in your rear as well? Any other reasonable options?

TIA!
Pete

[HippyEarly]

Not really an answer but two of my 3 alpine units have had bad connections somewhere. 2 of them the alpine plug that you connect your sires to don't stay plugged, the plastic clip on it wore down to much that i had to add a screw and washer to keep them in.

On one of those the connections for the face plate to the HU went bad, forceing me to use 3 pennies to keep it in the right place.

Both of these issues made my speakers act like the devil from front right to rear left to horrible static noise.

Again probably not your issue but thought id throw it out there.

[P.Kelly]

Not really an answer but two of my 3 alpine units have had bad connections somewhere. 2 of them the alpine plug that you connect your sires to don't stay plugged, the plastic clip on it wore down to much that i had to add a screw and washer to keep them in.

On one of those the connections for the face plate to the HU went bad, forceing me to use 3 pennies to keep it in the right place.

Both of these issues made my speakers act like the devil from front right to rear left to horrible static noise.

Again probably not your issue but thought id throw it out there.

Yeah, I can't say that your answer is helpful... Sorry, just being honest. Every major brand has had off days. I've almost always had Alpine headunits over the years. I've had the higher end units, so I don't know if their $100 units are worth a damn or not, but IIRC the 7998 was one of their better units, which was why I picked it up for a project back in 2004 and why I kept it when I sold the car it was in.

What I really want to know about is the stock speakers and amp. If I should just rip them out now, without fiddling with them, or if they have redeeming value. Aside from the Dynaudio system in my GTI, I can't say I've ever been even remotely imopressed with a stcok set of speakers and amp, thus my question to Luke, when I saw him suggest that the stock PS speakers are better than most other 5.25" components on the market as far as mid-bass goes.

[HippyEarly]

No worries, thought id share. I have only dealt Alpines. And they were all the high output (4x60) models $400+ iirc. A 7863 9833.


GL

[Gregolas]

the 7998 was one of their better units

I have heard the same. I ran this unit on my old setup for years and absolutely loved it. The 1.5 din size face is what I really like about it, plus it is a dead head and you don't have all the extra wires coming out of the back (cleaner install). The difference between the internal amp and using the RCA's on an external setup makes all the difference in sound. I used the internal amp when I first got the 9887 for the E30, as I just wanted something to get sound in the car as it was a commuter at the time. When I sold my E46, I decided to do a full blown system in the E30. I really wish I hadn't sold my 7998 when I did the install on my E46 (couldn't justify the huge dash kit look by trying to install the 7998 in place of the OEM unit).

I have heard Luke's setup using the PS speakers and I have to say I was completely shocked. I have NEVER heard sound like that from a stock speaker! It was great and I had no clue it was a possibility. I would have gone the PS speaker route but I have too many speakers sitting around to not use what I have. I recommend you go this route and since you already have the 7998, I would say you are off to a good start. Just get an amp/s and one of his boxes and you are done. I would be surprised if you felt the system would be lacking AT ALL. I bought an 8" LTW box for my coupe, and the only other step I am taking is getting his upcoming door panels and going three way active up front (I prefer no rear stage, and have always wanted a three way :D).

[P.Kelly]

Took apart the entire trunk today to replace the antenna (got a steal on a newer model Hirsch at the junk yard today). Found that the factory amp is attached the the rear trunk wall, just in from the left side, rather than in either of the wells, as I thought I had read. I appears that the factory battery location on my vert simply has a weight (or ballast) unit, but no wires heading into the area.

The factory amp is all black with a headsink on the top. Looks about like this, but all I can see if the other side right now.



Why did BMW put the battery in the front, and then add ballast in the back on the cabrio?

[nhat123]

Ok! Good post

[StereoInstaller1]

Pete, if the goal is some interim music, do whatever deck you have hanging around and bypass the stock amp. No amount of power is really gonna help make a better sound, but some highpass filters might help, as long as they can be set to 30Hz or so.

The stock PS driver has hte best midbass of ANY 5.25" car speaker out there. It is not any kind of ultimate speaker, but it is the best you will ever hear IF you have no sub.

I am going to be building a 'vert amp rack to go with the 'vert box, I hope to get the car back this week to do so. So far, I have yet to hear a "digital" (haha, pure bullshit from the car audio dorks yet again) amp that was not harsh as hell, that is whay I used the Soundstream Stealth amps on the 'vert I did...but with the amp rack on the vert box, you will have plenty of trunk space left, and can fit normal amps easily.

[dwvw]

Just to let everyone know, Class D does not mean Digital. Class D just means it's built to a certain topology which happens to have a switching power supply, and had the unfortunate luck of being assigned class D. There are much better alternatives to Class D amps nowadays, although they aren't too bad in a subwoofer only application.

[StereoInstaller1]

Just to let everyone know, Class D does not mean Digital. Class D just means it's built to a certain topology which happens to have a switching power supply, and had the unfortunate luck of being assigned class D. There are much better alternatives to Class D amps nowadays, although they aren't too bad in a subwoofer only application.

Eh, I will take a class B straight switching amp over any "Class D", even on bass.

But yeah, man speaks truf. Class D is NOT "digital".

[dwvw]

I miss my old Soundstream Class A 6.0's. And even those were not TRUE Class A amplifiers.

[StereoInstaller1]

Those were a great amp. Grizz Archer says the new Refernce is actually better, and i generally believe him.

Can you imagine true Class A operation in a car? Sheesh...gets hotter if you play it quietly, draws the same amperage no matter what you do...YUK!