Prepping for Lukes LTW 8.

[ajackz]

I just bought a 1989 non premium sound coupe. In an effort to get music to my ears I replaced the gaping hole in the dash with this kenwood head unit.

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_113KDCX596/Kenwood-Excelon-KDC-X596.html?tp=5684#customer-reviews-tab

Well that just upset me even more, turn out my speaker are completely shot.(sounds like flapping paper). I'm wanting to start a solid settup that will eventually end with the luke e3010 box. I need some help building the foundation to a decent system.

Correct me if Im wrong but i should start with a quality component set up?
Front:
-tweets
-midbase
-cross overs
-AMP?

For the rear I had just planned on running some co-ax amped from the head unit? Or would I benefit from a component setup in the rear also?

Is this a good start? I'm not needing excellent sound right now but by the time I work my way to the trunk I would like to have a system that I can be proud of.

My genera preference Ranges from Indie,Folk, and Bluegrass, all the way to Dubstep, Hip hop, and older Rock. I never crank my system up btu i would like clear sound when Im cruising the PCH with my son.(at 1 1/2 years old he is proving to be an audiophile)

I have no allegiance to particular brands and while Im not really on a budget lets not get extravagant. I dont want bragging rights I want good sound.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Jack

[Kevinl]

What's your budget

I'd recommend focal or hybrid audio for components
If you are gong to keep rear speakers I would just amp them all

Polk db521 would be a good choice for the rear

[ajackz]

Thought I'd check out what I was working with today. I don't have much hope for the front speakers since the sound worse than the ba k did.

I don't really like to say I have a budget, but if I could stay around 400 for just the components and amp I would be very happy.

If I'm understanding correctly through all the forum post that I have been scouring through a 5 channel amp will run the entire system including sub?

[Kevinl]

yes you can do a 5 channel amp to run everything if you want. I'm not a big fan of them since on most the sub channel doesn't put out much power but it makes for a easier and cleaner install

also your poor sound could be from the stock common ground wiring obviously the one pair of speakers are shot.

[ajackz]

I'm expecting the front speakers to be about as good as the previous pictured pair.
Im pretty much dead set on a 5 channel amp, for the ease of install, less wiring, and my sanity. I suppose Ill go with the Jensen Amp that Luke recommends. Its very affordable and it seems to work well for everyone.

For the front Ill do woofers in the kick panels but Im unsure where the tweeters should reside.Would facing the tweeters towards the windshield be bad or should I source some premium tweeter pods?

The rear Ill try to find some of the premium sound speaker trays and fit the woofer and tweets in the existing mounting positions. If I happen to find some premium rear speakers are they considered component or co-axial? Would they have to be amp'd in order to work properly, or could I plug them right up to my non premium sound speaker connection? (only curious because members here speak very highly of the premium sound speakers)

Edit: Just realized that I have the same polk Speakers that you have recommended in my mk2 gti unfortunately I think they are 6 inch.

[Kevinl]

I have the premium speakers in my car I would say they are both components they both have a built in crossover

The premium tweeter pods would be easiest

I was impressed with the stock premium speakers they look a lot better than the Bose speakers that came in my 2007 gmc

I will probably amp them before I think about replacing them

[ajackz]

Removed the kick panels to reveal what I was working with up front. Just as I had suspected, couldn't be much worse and still make audible sound.


Removed my head unit also to see what kind of mess I might find myself in. Looks like previous installer had a few stereo harnesses going on. When they went with a new brand of head unit it looks as if they just cut the previous plug off and wired the new harnes to the old Harness wires(make for quite a nest). Needless to say ill have to fix that.

Anything look off? Suspicious? Or down right f'd up?

This is my drivers and passengers side kick panel wires. I have been unable to find any picture or diagrams for the non premium sound cars so I'm going to assume this is factory wiring?



The rears are a bit different as I can tell some new wire had been spliced in. No pictures yet.

[Parnell]

For the front Ill do woofers in the kick panels but Im unsure where the tweeters should reside.Would facing the tweeters towards the windshield be bad or should I source some premium tweeter pods?

If you want to explore fiber glassing you could try making your own pods. I made these as my first project when I added an older set of Alpine components, sounds really good too...


Off topic but I really dislike how the new Excelon units dont have rear usb anymore, one of my favorite features about the old ones. I never liked front usb....

[StereoInstaller1]

yes you can do a 5 channel amp to run everything if you want. I'm not a big fan of them since on most the sub channel doesn't put out much power but it makes for a easier and cleaner install

also your poor sound could be from the stock common ground wiring obviously the one pair of speakers are shot.

Just so you know, these cars are NOT common ground wiring at all. Some of the parts used (the fader, for example) might make it seem like they are, but they are not.

Second, most 5 channel amps are approximately 350 watts RMS on a 2 ohm load. If you are using one of my boxes, where 100% of the bass goes into the cabin and uses a highly efficient, carefully tuned design, you get just insane efficiency.

With 350 watts on a $60 woofer and tuned for sound quality, you can safely expect 135db of very satisfying low end...more than enough for most anyone who isn't into stupid loud. If they want more, we also offer a 12" and a special order 15". Ask anyone who was at the E30 Picnic last year, they will all tell you that 140 watts on a $20 goodwill 15" turd of a woofer makes one hell of a giant thump of absolutely superlative bass...

Luke

[ajackz]

Just so you know, these cars are NOT common ground wiring at all. Some of the parts used (the fader, for example) might make it seem like they are, but they are not.

Second, most 5 channel amps are approximately 350 watts RMS on a 2 ohm load. If you are using one of my boxes, where 100% of the bass goes into the cabin and uses a highly efficient, carefully tuned design, you get just insane efficiency.

With 350 watts on a $60 woofer and tuned for sound quality, you can safely expect 135db of very satisfying low end...more than enough for most anyone who isn't into stupid loud. If they want more, we also offer a 12" and a special order 15". Ask anyone who was at the E30 Picnic last year, they will all tell you that 140 watts on a $20 goodwill 15" turd of a woofer makes one hell of a giant thump of absolutely superlative bass...

Luke

I have no doubt whatsoever about the way its going to sound. Ive probably read your name or e3010 in the last 100 post Ive researched.
Ive kinda put this on a 1 week hold as I'm hoping to find some good deal online for black Friday.

And Im pretty sure I have decided to just go with the premium speaker in the back.You talk them up pretty good and mention rear speakers are not "THAT" important.

BTW: MAYBE just Maybe you have some spare time and you come across some good deals that would work with your e30 set up you could post them here on REV.

[ajackz]

If you want to explore fiber glassing you could try making your own pods. I made these as my first project when I added an older set of Alpine components, sounds really good too...

Off topic but I really dislike how the new Excelon units dont have rear usb anymore, one of my favorite features about the old ones. I never liked front usb....

WOW those look really good. I have dabbled with fiberglass when I had a house. Now that I have moved to San Diego all I can afford are apartment which means I have very little space for Projects.

[StereoInstaller1]

I have no doubt whatsoever about the way its going to sound. Ive probably read your name or e3010 in the last 100 post Ive researched.
Ive kinda put this on a 1 week hold as I'm hoping to find some good deal online for black Friday.

And Im pretty sure I have decided to just go with the premium speaker in the back.You talk them up pretty good and mention rear speakers are not "THAT" important.

BTW: MAYBE just Maybe you have some spare time and you come across some good deals that would work with your e30 set up you could post them here on REV.

Well thanks! Yeah, about that "spare time" nonsense...anyway, when I see a great deal out there, it is usually someone else who finds it and brings it to my attention, I just like to share the wealth!

Let me know if you find some crazy-killer deal, like that $110 5 channel I posted a couple weeks ago:
http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=268603 or that incredible "shark tooth" woofer deal that is long gone...I really do try to share that stuff when I see it.

Luke

[ajackz]

Okay I'm about to pull my carpet and most of the interior out of my car. What wires should I be running while I have wide open space.

Three sets of RCA cables from the head unit to the 5 channel amp.
Remote wire from head unit to amp.
Speaker wires from the amp to front crossovers
Speaker wire from amp to rear speakers(Coaxial or crossovers)

If im correct the only thing that i will need connected to the head unit is the remote wire and RCAs. And all of my currrent speaker wire can be capped off and tucked away. Is this correct?

And this poor drawing because im a visual learner.

[StereoInstaller1]

Oh hell no, use the stock wire!

its all covered in the bypass thread, the stock wire kicks the shit out of aftermarket wire...even 20 years old!

[ajackz]

The only way for me to get stock wire is go to the junkyard and pull it(which i was planning on doing). I have a non premium system and Ive noticed that my wires go from the head unit straight to the speakers. Or I suppose I could clip the stock wiring at the head unit cap them off and reverse the roles of the wiring.

Such as clip the front wires. Might give me 5 foot of wire, and use this from the rear speakers to the amp

Clip the rear speaker wires maybe give me 15 foot of wire. and run this wire from the amp to the front crossover.

This would be a pain in the ass for a later owner if I were to decide selling the car.