Component Speakers Maybe Amp - Help?

[Reign]

Hey guys. I am upgrading my speakers and I might buy an amp off of this dude for like 50 bux (1000 watt) and I needed some help here. I'm really want to be sure about the speakers. I want to buy component speakers for the car since they are definitely better. Since component speakers have separate tweeters and mids and all that, do you just put them anywhere? How does it work? Do you only put the actual speaker in the kick panel? Where does the rest go? Should I buy one, two, or three component speakers for my car (kick panel, front, rear deck)? I'm definitely getting confused here.

Now this is going to sound retarded, but does the 91 318is already come with a factory amp (I'm guessing no)? How much would adding an amp in there hinder the performance? Is it worth it when you have component speakers? Sound means a lot to me, but so does speed.

I would appreciate all of your help.

[AndrewBird]

Component speaker usually consist of a midrange, meaning middle frequencies and a tweeter for high frequencies (2 of each for right and left). The mid ranges would go in the kickpanel (although it's not the BEST place for them, but without building a custom enclosure, it's the only place) and the tweeters can go in the factory tweeter pods near the side view mirrors.

Rear speakers in an e30 are pretty much pointless. Don't bother with them. If you want more info, search.

Along with the mids and tweets, you would also have a subwoofer to cover the low end frequencies. Most people put this in their trunk. The BEST way to do it, is build a ported box with the ports coming through the rear deck and the sub sealed to the ski hole in the rear bulkhead. If you search for StereoInstaller1's (Luke's) boxes that he makes and sells, you will see what I mean.

Now, I'm not sure if your car came with an amp, but it doesn't matter too much as they are garbage. The best way to go is to rip it out and run new speaker wire. If you are getting the amp you were talking about, you will also need to run RCA cables from the deck to the amp, then speaker wires from the amp to the speakers.

Also, 5.25" midranges are the biggest you can fit in the kickpanels. Some people have fit 6.5's, but you have to do some cutting and modifying.

[Reign]

Thank you so much for all of the info bro. So do you recommend I buy a sub if I'm getting components and probably the amp? Do you even recommend the amp? Should I only get one component speaker or two? Do two even fit?

[AndrewBird]

A sub would be a good idea as the mids aren't going to put out much if any real bass.

You would put one 5.25" speaker in each kickpanel and one tweeter in each tweeter pod, meaning 4 speakers total. Plus the subwoofer in the trunk. Here is an example of what you get when you get a "component set":



(2) 5.25" speakers, (2) tweeters and (2) crossovers (usually) - Crossovers direct high frequencies to the tweeters and midrange frequencies to the 5.25's while filtering out everything else. Some amplifiers have built in crossovers.

Is the amp you are thinking about getting a 4 channel? I am assuming so. Your best bet is to use that, run two channels to the front components (all four speakers, one channel to each set of speakers) and then bridge the other two channels to run a subwoofer.

If you have the money, get one of Luke's boxes. You won't be able to build a better box and you won't have to (which can be difficult for a beginner).

[Reign]

Thank so much for your help! I'm actually talking to some guy now about an amp and he wants to sell me a 4 month old (sold his car apparently) Rockford Fosgate Punch 300 for 125 (I'm definitely working him down on that considering I may buy his 12" sub too with an enclosure he already had). Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015P74N0?...0&linkCode=asn

Is it worth it? Is there a better amp for a better price or at least in the same ballpark? Specs are here: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_575P300...ures_and_specs

For speakers, I was going to buy two (right?) of these Alpine SPX-13REF that I found for $185 which is a huge drop from the $350 I found them elsewhere, but I'm thinking $185 might be a bit much if since I'm buying two. My wallet is gettin tiny. I'm going to keep doing research, but do you think I should definitely spend $370 for both speakers? I was looking at the peak power and it is only 180. Is that bad? I mean, they're an expensive set of Alpine's...Does that even matter for component speakers as much especially when you have an amp?

One last question, how many subs do I need? Just one right?

Thanks again for all of the help!


EDIT: This is what he just told me about the sub. "sounds so good in my car because the box was very well built when we cut the holes we had to sit on the sub to squeeze it in the whole so the bass hits really hard because theres no air or flex in the box".

Would you still take the sub after he sat on it?! I still can't believe he told me he sat on the damn thing. Is this normal?! This is the sub: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_575P1S4...ures_and_specs

[AndrewBird]

Honestly, I don't know a whole lot about what brands are good/bad. Luke or someone else can chime in on this part.

These are the speakers you are thinking of getting, correct?

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-cDcW92Eu2NA/p_500SPX13RE/Alpine-SPX-13REF.html

If it is, that is all you need. That comes with 4 speakers (2 mids, 2 tweeters) and 2 crossovers for $350 (or $180 from where ever you found them).

As far as their power handling, that should be fine. One thing to note, don't bother looking at peak power. RMS is what you want to look at. Peak is meaningless because you won't be running the speakers at "peak" power. Also, wattage is "a logarithmic thing" (as said by Luke), which means to make a stereo louder then 100 watts, it takes upwards of 1000 watts. And this is RMS wattage, not peak wattage. Which also means that wattage pretty much all together is pointless.

As far as the sat on sub, as long as there is no visible damage to it, it should be fine. But understand, just because the box he made sounds good in HIS car, does not mean it will sound good in YOUR car. Part of building a GOOD box is building it to the geometry of the car it is going in. It's not as simple as just building it to the right size (cubic feet).

[smonkbmw]

buy what SOUNDS good to you, not what brand name and price works best. lemme rephrase. if youre working on a budget go to a local stereo shop and LISTEN to all the speakers in your price range. who knows, maybe a $100 pair of Rockwell (horrific fosgate knockoffs) may sound good to you. then youre getting something that sounds good and saved you scratch. i wouldnt buy speakers on someones recommendation because who knows what they sound like. cause at that point someone is TELLING you what sounds good just because of the name....that shouldnt be how it works.

you ask if you should get Alpines, and if thats a good price for them. have you heard them? do they sound good to you? if i was spending that much money on speakers, id want to make sure they sounded awesome. thats just me i guess.

my personal preference is Diamond Audio. take a listen, maybe youll like em, maybe you wont.

[Jaygo333]

subscribed.

Just one question, where would you place the crossovers?

I know the 2 mids in the back, the tweets in the pods but where do the crossovers go?

Plus, if can you use a sub with lets say the Alpine setup? 1 12 inch sub using Lukes box to be exact.

[smonkbmw]

I know the 2 mids in the back, the tweets in the pods but where do the crossovers go?

wut?

in the back? components should be placed no less than 12" away from each other. so in the OPs case in the kick panels and the sail panels. crossovers can go where ever. understand that a wire feeding the sound goes into the crossover then out of the crossover goes one wire to the tweeter and one to the woofer. my suggestion is to get the crossover to as close as to the speakers as possible, one wire is easier to run than two.

[Reign]

Aight awesome guys. Thank you so much for the help. I've been doing a lot of research in the past couple of days as well as going to stores and listening to the audio equipment that I currently have in my plans.

NitroRusterDriver, I'm going to start looking at RMS for the amps because I don't like the RMS for the amp I have planned out with that guy. I'm going to take some more looks at Craigslist or Ebay for that. I don't think I'm going to take the sub either. Since sound is everything to me, I don't want to screw anything up or go "budget" since there's no point if I want to be satisfied. I'll post again tonight letting you guys know what my final plans are. I'll probably be ordering everything tomorrow so I can start installation before school starts again.

EDIT: I have a question, after looking at subs I found component subwoofers. What is the difference between component subs and powered subs? I'm guessing powered subs are more powerful because the component subs would run with the component speakers. Am I right? Also, the component speakers that I am getting does not list mids as being in the package. Are the woofers the mids?

If anyone has any suggestion for a sub and/or amp, please let me know.

[lylefk]

You are over-complicating it...what is your budget, first off? That amp and sub he has aren't BAD per say, but they definitely aren't my first choice.

I have a question, after looking at subs I found component subwoofers. What is the difference between component subs and powered subs? I'm guessing powered subs are more powerful because the component subs would run with the component speakers. Am I right? Also, the component speakers that I am getting does not list mids as being in the package. Are the woofers the mids?

"Powered subs" are an all in one unit, like a bazooka tube. They have the amp and sub built into the enclosure...avoid.

"Component Sub" never heard of it, your confusion is confusing me now.

In your components the 'woofer' is your 5.25" mid.

My suggestion...pick up Lukes box, throw the inexpensive Sony sub in it that supposedly sounds fantastic in that particular box and then buy that guys RF amp and use it to run the sub...pick up another amp to run the front components and call it good.

[Reign]

Why would I buy two amps if one 4 channel will do perfectly?


EDIT: I found out what the difference between a powered subwoofer and a component subwoofer is. A powered already has it's own amp (like you said lylefk) and a component you just need an amp for it and allows more "customization" according to crutchfield. "While powered subs can be very effective bass producers, their smaller drivers and amplifiers may not provide all the sound power you want if you're looking for really big bass."

I'm going to start looking at component subs and I'll have an update again in the morning, but my final purchases will be then.

[smonkbmw]

im so glad i get ignored in threads like this. oh well.

[Reign]

im so glad i get ignored in threads like this. oh well.

How did I ignore you? I said I just went to some places in the past couple of days listening to subs and speakers...that's what you said to do.

[lylefk]

You can use a 4 channel amp to run the sub (channel 3&4) and then run either just the fronts or the fronts and rears...if you run front and rear on only 2 channels you will lose fade and the sound quality is SLIGHTLY diminished. I would personally just run the fronts on the amp and with the rears off deck power.