System is basically done!

LikeaRock14 · December 26, 2004

Well, I basically finished my system with the exception of a few small changes I'd like to make

This morning I ran and picked up a set of Infinity Reference 4" Plates to fit in the dash. Overall, I'm EXTREMELY pleases with the sound quality, fit, and price. I paid $99 for the pair, $25 for the warranty, and $7 for the harnesses. I was set on getting a set of 4" MB Quart plates, yet budget constraints held me from getting them. I'm pleased with theInfinitys thus far though. The mids and highs are very clear, bass is there when I've got the ubs turned down.

So thus far, this is the system...

Pioneer Head Unit

Polk Audo dB series 6x9" Rears

Infinity Reference 4" Plates

2 12" Rockford Fosgate HE Subs

MTX Thunder 5400X Amp (needs to be replaced though).

My future plans are to downgrade to 1 12", get a newer 5 ch. amp and powering everything off of that. It sounds awesome now for how I pieced it together with my budget, I can't wait to see what a new amp will do

LikeaRock14 · December 27, 2004

Well, last night and alos a bit this morning I've been monkeeing (sp) around with it for a bit, and it's sounding even better. When I instaled the right side, I shaved down the little plastic nut things that the plate slips onto (I did this because I thought there wasn't enough room. Turns out, I just needed to mount the speaker the other way ), and after I did this the woofer was almost flat on the speaker grill, so it was giving it a sound that made it sound blown out already/ I fixed that last night, and andjusted the mids/lows/highs to get the sound the best I could, and I messed with the gain and low boost and such on the amp and got it pretty much where I need it until I get down to a single 12".

I'm really impressed with the sound quality though. I was worried for $100 I wouldn't get exactly what I wanted, but d**n these things sound betetr than they did in the store! The clarity is awesome, and is there even when I crank them (I haven't gotten ANY distortion yet, and that's without an amp, and I was blasting them prety dang high!). I was after clarity and control, which is what I got. I might not have the loudest, bassiest sounding system when I go to school this next week, but I know it will be one of the better sounding ones. I may be 17, but I'm a perfectionist when it comes to stuff like this. I'd rather take my time and save up to get what I want, rather than blow it and take the cheap way out. 95% of the kids at my school just throw in some cheap subs and an amp and claim they've got a banging system. It might slam, but it doesn't have the control and clarity mine does!

I was reading reviews on Circuit City's website about these, and many have been dissapointed with them, and saying they can't handle a lot of power and can't produce bass. Well, what 4" speaker can, unless you want to spend big bucks! For my budget though, these things are awesome. They sound great paired with the Polk Audios. I can finally hear the Polks clarity too, the Stockers in the dash sounded so bad I couldn't really compare them, but I can totally tell they will sound freaking sweet even with something like 50-60 watts going to them. The DB 6x9's are next to none when it comes to performance and sound when you're in that price range.

I'm very happy with what I did with the budget I allowed myself. I was anxious to get it all done at once, but I would have hated myself for going cheap. It was well worth the wait, and thanks to everyone who helped me on this forum and many others!

Halen5150 · December 27, 2004

Glad to hear that the install went well. I'm also a perfectionist when it comes to this stuff. I just recently installed some new equipment in my truck, and I wanted to get it done in a day, but I took my sweet time and did it right, and I couldn't be happier. There's nothing better than a clean install and that feeling of accomplishment.

LikeaRock14 · December 27, 2004

Glad to hear that the install went well. I'm also a perfectionist when it comes to this stuff. I just recently installed some new equipment in my truck, and I wanted to get it done in a day, but I took my sweet time and did it right, and I couldn't be happier. There's nothing better than a clean install and that feeling of accomplishment.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Exactly. I wanted to have a clean install and have a clean system. The only thing left to make it "clean" is to get a new installation kit. My last stereo got stolen, and they took the install kit too, or what they didn't break of it

So right now there's just a black piece of plastic covering the hole. Doesn't look bad, but still, I need the install kit!

Mark_in_Tulsa · December 27, 2004

Why are you dropping down to one sup. If so what sub?

Now you can't go wrong with a Fosgate, exspecially their amps.

But In my personaly prefer 2 10inch subs, better than 1 12inch, by a long shot.

In fact I like 2 10 inchers better than 2 12s. Unless you go REAL HIGH end, 10 sounds better because they are tighter, especially in a truck. But if for some reason your gonna dump your old subs I would look at two 10inch subs, they will be louder, cleaner, and tighter than one 12.

LikeaRock14 · December 27, 2004

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to go with 2 10" Subs, it would probably be just what I'm looking for, but I really would like the room in the rear too.

For me, 2 12" Subs is just too much for me. I don't need that much bass, I just want enough to where it's there when I need it, and I've got some more bass than the speakers put out. I might go with a 10", but I figured by just dropping the second 12 I'll save $$$ of course. I really wish I never sold my Arc Audios, I really regret it now

My cousin has a set of 10" Arcs though, I think they're still in the box. I might just buy one off him for cheap and get mono block for it, or get a 5 ch. and power everything. We'll just have to see. In due time I'll finally have what I want

Halen5150 · December 28, 2004

Now you can't go wrong with a Fosgate, exspecially their amps.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That depends on the year of the amp. I don't know about their newer stuff, but I bought a Punch 800a2 about four and a half years ago because it claimed to be a true 800 watt amp. I looked at the birthsheet after buying the amp, and actual power at 12volts and 2 ohms was 1039 watts. However, when you read further down, it says not to put anything less than a 4 ohm load on the amp. That amp overheated very often at 4 ohm mono loads, even when I didn't have it cranked for very long. I will never buy a punch amp again unless it's in RF's top line of products. I run Punch HX2 10" subs that I've had for over two years now. They hit really hard for 10" subs, and I think they sound great. Punch is kind of like JL imo, they have some nice higher end products, but for the money you could do much better. I bought the HX2 subs at the time because selection was limited(airspace, power handling, and mounting depth) to those or Kicker Comp VR's. I tried the Kickers, had them for about three weeks, and sold them to a friend. I took an internet ad down to the local car audio store, and they gave me a hell of a deal on the HX2s.

LikeaRock14 · December 28, 2004

I refuse to buy a R.F amp, almost everyone I've known whos run them, the newer ones at least, have had very bad luck with them. I'm set on an Arc audio amp if I get the $$$

Mark_in_Tulsa · December 28, 2004

Not that I want to start a amp war, but I belive for the last few years, all of fosgates amps are 1 ohm stable. I know I friend had one set up that way for a while, then sold the amp. But I have never had a prob with them.

Wingnut · December 28, 2004

I refuse to buy a R.F amp, almost everyone I've known whos run them, the newer ones at least, have had very bad luck with them. I'm set on an Arc audio amp if I get the $$$

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Dude...I have one in my Blazer that's at least 8 years old. It's never let me down. Not once. There also happen to be two 10 inch Fosgate subs in the back of it that I bought at the same time that are still going strong.

Both of the amps in my 02 are Fosgates, and they both kick a$$. (They are both newer amps.)

Sure, the some people will always look down their noses at them. But the simple fact of the matter is.....Fosgate makes good amps.

Are they the absolute best? No.

Are there better amps out there? Sure, but they will cost you quite a bit more than a Fosgate will.

Using Wingnuts simple equations of cost/performance/reliability ....It's incredibly hard to beat Fosgates stuff.

LikeaRock14 · December 28, 2004

I know they don't make bad equipment. I'm fairly impressed with the HE's in the back of my S series, but I'm just a bit skeptical with the amps. But then again, maybe it's because 4 of the friends I have who have had their Fosgate amps blow were because they got them off Ebay

Halen5150 · December 28, 2004

I'm sure RF makes some good amps, but for what their newer line of mono amps(

Rockford Fosgate T10001bd, T20001bd, and T30001bd) costs, I could buy Orion amps and get way more bang for the buck. Hell, I could buy two Orion 2500d amps for the price of one RF T30001bd, and have 5000 watts from the Orion amps vs. 3000 watts from the RF amp. I'll stick with Orion amps.