Replace Speakers For Cheaper, Or Subs For More Money?

[FrustratedMunky]

Okay guys, I can do 2 things here.

Choice 1 (Replacing the speakers first):

1. Purchase an Alpine MRP-T130 2-channel amp from a coworker of mine, pushing out 65W x 2 @2OHMs. I'm not too sure how much it would cost, I'm looking around $100.00.
2. Purchase Alpine Type-S OR Alpine Type-R component speakers for $249.99 for the S or $299.99 for the R for the front speakers.
3. Purchase Alpine Type-S coaxial speakers for $100.00 for the rear fillers.

Total: Approx. $449.99 OR $499.99 plus install and tax.

NOTE: I would be replacing the speakers with the Alpines to get me a little more bass and higher volume capabilities. If you don't think it will push out any more bass that the premium BMW stock speakers, please let me know.

Choice 2 (Putting in the subwoofer):

1. Purchase an Alpine MRD-M301 mono-amp pusing about 350W x 1 to an Alpine 10" Type-R subwoofer that I already have.
2. Have a custom box installed stretching across the back of the trunk, like a false wall, fully sealed enclosure, with an amp rack and space for a subwoofer.

Total: Approx. $800.00 including tax and install

A possible Choice 3 (Putting in the subwoofer without the custom enclosure):

1. This would be exactly the same at Choice 2, except it would only be a single 10" enclosure and would probably be something like, $100.00 less.


FINAL NOTE: I have an Alpine CDA-9833 already installed, and all the prices are in $CAD.

Please tell me which one you think I should do, thanks.

[KenC]

If you already have the premium system, I'd go ahead and put a sub in first. It'll make the biggest difference.
Are the Type R components DVC? If not, you're going to want to look at the rms wattage at 4ohms instead of 2 for the mid amp.

[spud814]

Good catch Ken, yup look at 4 ohm wattage not 2 ohms for mids.

-gil

[FrustratedMunky]

Oh shit, nice catch. Yeah, it's not DVC, so it would be 50W x 2 @4OHMs.

So, in your opinion, do you think I should do Choice 2 or 3? The guy gave me a really good deal on a custom box, he said just $300 for the custom box (carpeted) and for all of the install, so that pushed me more to the custom box choice (Choice 2).

[spud814]

Hey FrustratedMunky,

Are you going for show car? Why spend all that money on a custom install when you could put all that money back into equipment. It sucks to have a car that looks good but doens't sound good. If they are installing for maybe interior speakers i would understand b/c having the right enclosures for speakers are very important, but i can't justify spending money on a custom install on a sub unless your goiing for show. Now what you should spend money on is on a well built box, not the prefabbed boxes at audio stores that have a crazy mark up. Get the right air space, and make it air tight. It's not hard to install car audio yourself. If your main prority is BASS, i get choice 2 or 3, b/c choice one will only give you louder and cleaner music, does nothing for SUB bass, but it does improve mid-bass. But just to let you know, if you want loud, the stock speakers won't beable to do it, your speakers will probably crack before your sub does. Doesn't matter what choice you pick FrustratedMunky, b/c in the end you will just upgrade everything, LOL.

Choice 2 and 3 seem to be exactly the same. Unless choice 3 is without the false wall.

-gil

[FrustratedMunky]

Choice 2 and 3 seem to be exactly the same. Unless choice 3 is without the false wall.

Yeah, the only difference is that it doesn't have the false wall. I'm not going for a show car, but I want everything to look very well finished, very clean, and if it's only going to be like.... $100.00 more to have the clean custom box with the amp rack and all, then I'd much rather go for that I think.

I'm not too sure why I put Choice 1 up there, I think I was getting desperate for options. It sounded like a cheaper way to go, therefore I will be able to add something into my car quicker :) LOL, stupid idea by me, yes, I know.

The SQ of the premium BMW speakers are awesome compared to other stocks, and I'd say even comparable to many of the aftermarket speakers out there right now, but it doesn't have the volume capacity, which is no biggie (I just have to remember to not crank it).

So I'm pretty much deciding on Choice 2 or 3. I'm thinking 2 more, just because of how good the deal sounds and how well the finish will look afterwards, compared to just having a box sitting in my trunk all the time. The installer also said that he didn't need that much room, depth wise, for the install either, so I will have plenty of room in the trunk still.

I understand that I should maybe invest more into the quality of the equipment that I use, but for me, this is pretty ideal. The Type-R 10" is perfect and I already have it sitting in my room. The amp is more than enough for the sub and I don't really see any other way of using better equipment on the Type-R.

I guess I should see exactly what the price difference will be with or without the false wall, but I'm thinking it would only be something like $100.00. With a price difference like that, I'd personally say it's a better deal, but I might be crazy.

[spud814]

Hey FrustratedMunky,
Sorry if you mis-understood, i wasn't dissing on your equiment at all. What i meant by saving for equipment was like replace the stock speakers with aftermarkets and so on. I dont diss on equiment, you could have sony speakers and what not and it could sound amazing. Sound is a preference, you buy whatever sounds good. The premium is good compared to other stock systems, but the headroom and the clarity in the stock premium could be enhanced with some aftermarket speakers, to make it sound even clearier and more accurate. So basically what i meant was get the sub and some speakers instead of only sub and custom install. But if your custom install could save you trunk space, go for it, its' hard to have both in car audio. Just remember to post pics when your done.

-gil

[FrustratedMunky]

Heh, alright. I wasn't offended, I think I also misunderstood what you said.

Yeah, I hear ya about saving for better equipment. Unfortunately, the only other "equipment" that I would get would be pretty much the Alpine Type-S/Type-R 5 1/4" component speakers for the front, which would be $250/$300, along with the 2 channel amp to go with that (approximately a $400+ investment). The rear fillers are no big deal, so I wouldn't really need to replace those. If anything, I would do the fronts first.

So as you can tell, me saving that $100 on the custom install would be nowhere near what I need for speakers, but it could help a little bit if I do it later. I think I'll see what the installer says, as to how much space the false wall will take up and what the price difference would be just with a normal fully sealed or ported box.

[Mystikal]

I've told you before, and I'll tell you again. Do the sub first. And that custom enclosure sounds heavy, I'd keep it small and simple.

[808BMW]

Are you set on type-s/type-r's up front? $300 for front components is kinda pricey just for type-r's. For $300 you could find something better.

[FrustratedMunky]

Yeah, unfortunately, I'm one of those people that "swear by Alpine"

[Mystikal]

That's CDN dollars man.

Oh, I paid $219+tax for my Type-R components, new in-store. Try to talk them down a bit.

[KenC]

Yeah, unfortunately, I'm one of those people that "swear by Alpine"

How many other brands have you listened to extensively? Alpine makes great HUs and good amps...

[FrustratedMunky]

I've listened to Infinity, that's about it for any other brand that I would actually consider. The place where I'm getting my stuff from doesn't sell them though, only like Fosgate and shat like that, LOL.

Also, is it better to have the sub facing upwards? Or should it be facing towards the front or to the rear of car? To the side of the trunk? Tilted or not tilted? (For a single 10")

[Mystikal]

Close to the backseat, facing rearwards. The further the wave has to travel, the deeper the bass will sound.