stereo, what do you have and like?

[kensmith]

I am thinking of buying a low buck cd player with HD radio. I saw this one: JVC KD HDR40 on sale at Amazon.com for $89.00. I thought it looked good for the price. Also thinking of some small 4" speakers for the kick panels. Maybe Polk Audio DXi400 coaxial. What do you think?

[engineerted]

I have twin 40 idfs, does that count? They play any song I want right up to the red line.

Ted

[kensmith]

I have twin 40 idfs, does that count? They play any song I want right up to the red line.

Ted

Yep, counts a lot but since I am stock, I need music of a different type!

[azygoustoyou]

Ken,
If you really want the front speakers to sound well. Look in your wheel well and see if its open. If it is, either make some speaker boxes to go in there. It makes a world of difference. If you don't want to make them. I'll sell you some. If your car is sealed there and it is closed in, take some poly fill and fill the void. Put some in then listen to it. You'll hear the difference and will be able to tell how much you need. With the void in the fender, the speaker looses a lot of sound. Plus you won't want to let the elements destroy your investment.

[kensmith]

There were 4" speakers already in the plastic kick panels so I am just going to upgrade them. Is there any benefit to enclose them from the back? The previous owner had some padding formed around the back of the speakers. I always thought you leave the back open VS closing the area. Maybe sound deadener behind but not covering the back of the speaker itself.

[azygoustoyou]

If you have the opening like mine and either make these boxes or buy them. You will not only protect your speakers from the elements. It will sound so much better. You won't believe it. If you have any questions about how much better these boxes make. Contact Bob at RZwart@ktron.com He has them. He couldn't believe the difference either himself.
You could make these out of 1/4" pine to fit the area. I use a staple gun to make the boxes with some gorilla glue. Then enclose them in cat hair. Once dry, give them a fiberglass resin covering to fill any pores. Then cover with bed liner. It will take two days to make them and about $60 of material. Put them in the void and trace out your hole. then cut it out.
The ones I sell have to have the hole cut out too. Just to make sure they fit in others cars. The front speakers will sound just as good as if you had a custom speaker box in the back.

[Daniel]

Hi Ken

I have been in the Audio Business for a long time used to be a Car Stereo Installer for a couple of top
Companys in SoCal, had my own shop for a while and now do Home Audio/ Theater along with my
own brand of Home Speakers that i design and sale .

While i had dead time i would test speakers in the show room making comparisons sometimes for
personal selection or just to test the latest products to arrive and here is what i noticed as far as
bang for the buck .

4 Speakers are far better then just 2 ! having another pair behind really fill in the gaps giving you a
balanced sound If you use 4 speakers that match . Match the brand model and size do not mix match
not even if you use the same brand unless you have to . If you have really amazing speakers up front
but something less expensive in the rear the middle area will have what is called cancellation this is
caused by the sound waves clashing as they mix and you'll have a dead area some where in the center
of the car . 124s are a noisy car top up or down i would strongly consider 2 in the front and 2 in the rear
this will help surround and over power some of the road noise and wind .

If you used less expensive speakers front and rear but all 4 matching lets say the budget was $ 50/65
bucks per pair totaling about 100 to 130 in speakers alone this will most likely sound better then a $ 165
front and $45/ 60 pair in the rear . Price alone is not the key to judging a Speaker if you gave me a budget
i could put a more detailed ideal of what I think is a good setup .

As far as Polk speakers they are way over rated now a days and living largely off there Rep as a " Quality "
Speaker .

Here is a couple of good tips for you but maybe you know this already .

Run good speaker wire keep the lengths equal on the fronts, match the lengths on the rears as well if running
back speakers the lengths don't need to match front to rear just pairing speakers .

Mounting speakers on Wood is a good ideal doesnt have to be much but anything more solid then thin steel
that will resonate causing harmonic issues for the speaker is a improvement if possible to do so .


azygoustoyou's Box will help the speaker perform better sense the speakers would be in a free air
environment mounting them in the factory location allowing the woofer to move very freely but they
can handle this on the most part just the sound quality would be better in a reasonable enclosure allowing
the Mid and upper bass frequencies to run smoother and tune on a more stable balanced level .

I know you seem set on the JVC Stereo already but do yourself a favor don't buy JVC not reliable and not
much of a performer either, this is why the professionals have a nick name for JVC (Junk Very Cheap). Clarion
is a better option by far and have been a solid brand in the Car Audio world for years . here is a link to a
cz500 for $88 bucks link below
http://www.amazon.com/Clarion-CZ500--Da ... 528&sr=8-2
I haven't used one of these and wouldn't expect it to be the best sounding radio for less then a $100 but maybe a
good pick for that price range over the other brands .

If your budget is tight buy the speakers and radio now and purchase the boxs from azygoustoyou later when you
feel like forking over some more cash, his boxs sound like a good deal for what he puts into them that work and
detail takes time .

I always thought this brand had good budget speakers Power Acoustik used them a lot years ago and still do from
time to time for friends cars when helping them out with a system .
http://www.amazon.com/Power-Acoustik-KP ... 4&sr=1-138
This size can fit with some minor cutting or a wood plate/ spacer painted black .

Hope this helps

Daniel

[kensmith]

I only plan on installing the speakers back in the plastic kick panels which appear to be closed. I was just wondering if the area behind the speakers should be left open or some kind of sound deadening wrapped around the back of the speakers like the previous owner had. I always thought you don't close off the open area so there is some air or space behind it? These are 4" coaxial speakers, nothing with a big woofer. And I am only doing the front kick panels as the car is noisy anyway so I don't need concert sound. My wheel wells are not open as some have said. There is metal behind the plastic kick panels. I am talking about the kick panels with the map pockets that are held in place with screws.

[Daniel]

if the area behind the speakers should be left open or some kind of sound deadening wrapped around the back of the speakers

If your talking about covering the back of the speaker its self where the basket is that holds the magnet no then
you will choke the speaker not allowing it to breath . there used to be foam caps for speakers and they could be glued
onto the back area or from behind like inside the fender space but i haven't a clue who carries these any more .

4 inch isn't going to sound like much when your driving but if that is what you have to work with then i i guess
that is what your going to have . 6 1/2 is a much better choice if for any reason you decide to change the speakers
and are willing to do some cutting to fit them above the map pocket area .

[kensmith]

I thought about going bigger and might some day but I doubt while running down the road it's going to make a big difference since the motor and exhaust are fairly loud. 90% of my driving will be with the top down. I just want some tunes and I bought a cheap receiver that has built-in HD. Spent just over $100 for a JVC KD-HDR40 and pair of Polk Audio DXI400 4in Polymer Cones Coaxial Speakers delivered to my home and all new, not refurbished. Retail at Best Buy is double what I paid. For that price, if I don't like them I can sell them on CL and get my money back. But I think for what I want, they will be fine.

[samthedog]

I have twin 40 idfs, does that count? They play any song I want right up to the red line.

Ted

+1

I am trying to make my 124 all it can be, but am going with stock tunes.
Engine sound is all I want to hear,especially when revving high going up and down the gears.
Absolute ear satisfaction.

[DUCeditor]

I am trying to make my 124 all it can be, but am going with stock tunes.
Engine sound is all I want to hear,especially when revving high going up and down the gears.
Absolute ear satisfaction.

My `77 came with a crappy looking Honda radio and speakers put into the doors. Blech! There was nothing for me to do but replace the speakers. I used these inexpensive Pyramids because they were shallow so not to interfere with the window crank as the others did...



But the crappy radio remains in the center console and it, too, will need to be replaced.

The Pyramid speakers sound pretty decent but frankly they'll never be used. No. The only sound I want to hear in my Spider comes through the intake, out the exhaust and is mixed with the squeals of delight of a happy driver and passenger. Now THAT is belissimo!

-don

[Adam]

Hi Ken,

Having spent a few years selling car audio, I have to agree with Daniel. If you just want sound, two sets of 4" speakers will give you that. If you want sound quality at levels high enough to overcome road and wind noise on the highway, go with two pairs of 6" speakers. For best sound up front, buy the custom enclosures from azygoustoyou. Alternatively, you can make your own custom kick panel enclosures (or have a set made). Use MDF or fiberglass, other materials resonate too much. Look for a CD player that has an aux input and a USB so you can play music via a connected iPod or flash drive; saves you from carrying a bunch of CD's.

I have a pair of 6" Infinity kappas in home-made kick panel enclosures up front and another pair in home-made boxes in the rear. For a bit more bottom end fill, I mounted a Boss Audio low-profile 8" powered subwoofer in the void behind my rear seat. The car sounds great, even at highway speeds, without the gangstar thump-thump-thump normally associated with car subwoofers. The only downside is that I had to upgrade the stereo in my daily driver as a result.

[Daniel]

Thanks for sharing the Photos Adam nice to see another Audiophile on here !

I have Refence Series Infinitys in my truck now but purchased Kappas a larger sub (12") Menphis Sound and 2 JL Audio
Amps can't wait for this weather to clear up on a weekend and get busy this is my Christmas Present to myself .


Daniel

[Adam]

I have two pair of reference coaxs in my impreza and an 8" bazooka tube. I used to go all out on my system, but I got tired of my cars getting broken into. My all time favorite sub was a JL Audio 12W6 in a small sealed box... tight and clean! The Bazooka tube surprised me. It sounds great, takes up little room in my trunk, and can be removed in a matter of minutes. In my fiat, the Kappas door speakers are nice. they have a high power handling and put out a reasonable mid-bass; if anything I am under-dirving them from the head unit, but being 2 ohm helps. The Boss Audio 8" sub is not very good, it reminds me of the factory sub that was in my subaru, but it does give a bit more lowend to help over come the road and wind noise and does not sacrafice any trunk space. none the less, I think the fiat would be silly with a booming sound system.