Full audio upgrade, speaker sizes? (1 Viewer)

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Dear lord.... you guys put these massive systems into you vehicle and I don't want to know how much you drive to justify that much listening time!!!
Seriously, my normal daily trip is 2.5 miles to the office from my house 4 times a day (back and forth for lunch and work). Outside of that there is the occasional trip to the grocery store, dog park and weekend trips to the cabin. I was thinking that $200 for an amp was overkill but some of these things are...!!!!
My "build" is budgeted similar to yours. And my driving is very limited in town, prefer sedan. But when I go somewhere - it's usually longer distance and I'd like to have nice audio on long trips.

This is also why I want no boxes with subs, all should be in stock locations leaving room for cargo.
 
My "build" is budgeted similar to yours. And my driving is very limited in town, prefer sedan. But when I go somewhere - it's usually longer distance and I'd like to have nice audio on long trips.
I guess I have never really heard (or remember hearing) high quality audio systems. Maybe I just don't have the ears for it (do have some tinnitus in my right ear) but who knows, driving the 60 for so long was DEFINITELY not a "quiet" vehicle compared to the 100. So that could be part of it too.
 
I guess I have never really heard (or remember hearing) high quality audio systems. Maybe I just don't have the ears for it (do have some tinnitus in my right ear) but who knows, driving the 60 for so long was DEFINITELY not a "quiet" vehicle compared to the 100. So that could be part of it too.
I restored/refoamed speakers first. It was OK. But then we took my buddy's F150 for hunt and it sounded sooo much better. He installed just plain Walmart grade audio and subwoofer. Just the fact that those were some Pioneer speakers and sub made it sound so much better. That made me think that it's true that pretty much "any" aftermarket solution will be better than stock. I have a lot of work to wrap up (mainly sound deadening doors properly) but I can't wait to see what happens.
 
All refoaming does is get rid of the buzz from lack of working surrounds, and helps midbass and proper bass. It does jack squat for mids and highs, which is where a lot of aural detail resides.
 
I look forward to jumping in the car now and while I used to listen to the radio a lot, I rarely ever do now. All our cars are little Carnegie Hall's now and our house has systems and speakers in a number of rooms, including outside. I don't expect my preferences and sense of values to match others. I respect everyone's choice, high or low budget, and don't believe there is a right or wrong way, at least in the case of audio systems.
 
Oh yeah not faulting you at all, I get it. I am excited to see what my little system sounds like in the future when I get everything (probably next weekend) so that way I can have a fully functional, non-buzzing system an also something that will bring a smile to my face.

For me, I am frugal (hence my thread on himming and hawwing about OE CVs or AM) and will spend money on good stuff if I experience it. In this case, the money will go elsewhere needed at the moment, so you know. Maybe one day when I have a 2 car garage, locks that aren't scitsophrenic and whatnot then I will invest in a full blown sound system. I don't spend a whole lotta time in the truck at the moment (may be changing) so there need just isn't there yet.
 
LOL... so here is the Taramps TS400x4 in my hand. Mind you I don't have huge hands but normally wear M/L gloves.
Untitled by Greg Fisicaro, on Flickr
 
Alright guys... next question for all of you...
How did you run your wiring for everything? Here are my thoughts....
1. Mount Taramps 400x4 amplifier in stock location under passenger seat
2. Run RCA for speakers from headunit through trans tunnel to amp (amp RCA side facing inwards to center console)
3. Use stock wiring for speakers to run speaker signal to doors (amp speaker terminals facing outward to passenger side)
4. Run ground wire for amp to stock location on cross bar under passenger seat
5. Run power wire from passenger seat across to drivers side door/body sill. Follow other wiring along sill to grommet just under kick panel and out body up to amp fuse location (see pic below).
6. Run dedicated 12v+ from radio along back of dash, down and out along with power cable for amp to fuse block location (see pic below).
7. Run dedicated ground for radio to???? (should I run to where amp ground is or to drivers kick panel)

Untitled by Greg Fisicaro, on Flickr
Untitled by Greg Fisicaro, on Flickr

Thoughts?
 
No need to bother with separate +12V and GND wires for HU. Either buy the lil' Metra connector, or follow the wires to appropriate OEM wire and tap it. Find the Big Red Easy Button on this one.

The rest of it sounds great
 
No need to bother with separate +12V and GND wires for HU. Either buy the lil' Metra connector, or follow the wires to appropriate OEM wire and tap it. Find the Big Red Easy Button on this one.

The rest of it sounds great

Ok... Already have a metra (70-8112) that attaches to the system. Was just thinking it might be better to have its own dedicated stuff 12v+ and ground instead of stock.
 
Not a soul will keep you from trying to reinvent the wheel
 
Yeah.. Usually speaker wire get's upgrade before radio power.
I run RCA cables over glovebox and down a pillar, then they merge with big amp power cable coming from under the good and follows along door under carpet and into "under seat" area.
 
Yeah.. Usually speaker wire get's upgrade before radio power.
I run RCA cables over glovebox and down a pillar, then they merge with big amp power cable coming from under the good and follows along door under carpet and into "under seat" area.
OK I purchased 10' cables so don't know that I have enough length to do that. So will likely just run through trans tunnel like I had originally planned. Not planning on producing more power than the stock speaker wiring can handle, hence not wanting to run new speaker wires.
 
"Back in the day" we tried to keep RCAs and power wires from running parallel and close to each other. It was to try and prevent "alternator whine" into the audio path at all costs.

With higher voltage pre-outs and better RCA shielding in the cable assembly, this could be a thing of the past, thank goodness.
 
"Back in the day" we tried to keep RCAs and power wires from running parallel and close to each other. It was to try and prevent "alternator whine" into the audio path at all costs.

With higher voltage pre-outs and better RCA shielding in the cable assembly, this could be a thing of the past, thank goodness.
Right... and that was the process that I was aware of, and how I operated. However, from everything I have been reading in different Car AV forums, that really is no longer the case. Even cheapish RCA cables now have more than adequate shielding to protect against the power interference. However for me, the more direct path will be doing like I had planned with the power wire and RCAs. While they will be parallel for a short length, it should not be enough to add in the interference.
 
I had really hoped not to do that as this is our third car and has some miles on it. Yet I can't really help myself and will need to really try not to go overboard.

Here is a subwoofer enclosure I built but had installed just last week, along with replacing the LF/C/RF speakers, underseat 8" woofers and rear door speakers on my X6. The Helix DSP Ultra adds RealCenter for a great 2-seat tune in addition to my driver seat tune.View attachment 2196229

View attachment 2196230

On the RealCenter aspect, do you have a center speaker?
 

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