Tackett

Ok, this may turn into a rant/help thread, (I have been having lots of these lately.) Recently I just became happy with the way my stereo sounded, everything finally came together with the equipment listed in my signature:

Pioneer 12 disc changer
pioneer deh P80mp headunit
Alpine type R componets (tweets in the kick panels)
JL audio evolution tweeters (stock location)
JL12W7 sub.
Old Crossfire CFA 204 (I think) 2 channel 100watt powering the componets
Phoenix gold xs2500 powering the Sub.

After days and months of tweeking and tweeking, I finally became comprimisingly happy with my sound, it wasnt the greatest, but good enough not to justify dropping more money or time into it. After riding around for a few months with no issues. I started suddenly having BAD alternator whine from all speakers, and the preamp outs in my headunit started to sound like they had a short in them. Not to mention the fact that the headunit stopped recognizing my cd changer all together. weird no?

Finnally, I settled on the fact that maybe my headunit was screwed, so I chucked it all and bought a brand new pioneer premier DEH P860, the one with the CD changer controls. Now that I have the headunit, I figured two things out, the new headunit still will NOT recognize the cd changer, and the alpine componets suck majorly. Though my preamp short was figured out, and alternator whine was gone. I never did figure out what was wrong with the changer, I dunno if the cable is screwed from some strange reason or the actualy changer got blasted somehow. I know the thing has power, because I can eject the cartridge and I can hear it shuffling through discs on startup. So I am probably going to have to buy another changer as well.

Now for the alpines, which is actually the focus of this long-winded thread. I screwed with every setting and spent HOURS trying to get the right sound out of those freakin alpines. Which, consequently enough, I did the same thing with the last headunit. Finally I said ARGHHH I hate these componets! They can't handle any amount of power, distort with the smallest amount of bass even crossed over at 125hz>, the tweeters sound like they are underwater, everything is just BLAH..god awful. I managed somehow to get the sub transparent last time, now the sound is obviously coming from behind you, due to the fact that the alpines just dont have any amount of power or volume, or sound quality for that matter. So now I come to the final question....Do you think that my crossfire amp sucks monkeys? Or is it the alpines? I ask because I need to replace one of them, I am thinking its the componets. So here is the list of componets I am looking at. Place your bids please.

Oh and if someone can figure out my changer problem I will personally mail you 20 bucks.

Eclipse
http://69.93.14.227/index.cfm?fuseac...roduct_ID=1147

Diamond
http://69.93.14.227/index.cfm?fuseac...roduct_ID=1138

Polks
http://69.93.14.227/index.cfm?fuseac...roduct_ID=2571

ID
http://69.93.14.227/index.cfm?fuseac...roduct_ID=1173

Good ole JL
http://69.93.14.227/index.cfm?fuseac...roduct_ID=1189

Now nobody mention focals please, I cant stomach looking at those hideous things, no matter WHAT they sound like.

Tackett

Hell I may just chuck it all and grab the dynaudios
http://69.93.14.227/index.cfm?fuseac...roduct_ID=1141

Paul350Z

iTrader: (1)

I'll bet a dime on the speakers over the amplifiers not having heard either.

Amplifiers ought to sound neutral - transparent. If they flavor the sound at all - especially in a car - they'd have to be very very bad. Listening in a quiet home, with $3000 worth of speakers, I can pick out one amp or the other. But in a car with it's terrible accoustics and that noise maker called a VQ under the hood ... not a chance.

The speakers on the otherhand are 70% or more of the "sound". Add the accoustics of the car and I would say the two are 90% together.

I went with Infinity Kappa 6.1 components after a nice sit down listen at a local stereo place. Once I picked them I bought the matching Infinity rears - the subwoofers were a toss up with some others so I stuck with the brand and paid for 10.1's and got the 10's in a shipping mistake.

Did you ever try cleaning the laser lens in the CD changer?

andyisphat2004

iTrader: (1)

i have had alpines for coming up on 2 years and couldnt complain more

andyisphat2004

iTrader: (1)

wtf did i just write, im doing 2 things at once, i have had alpines for 2 years and have had very little probs and am happy with quality

usmanasif

iTrader: (4)

^^^ there's an edit button you know!

Tackett, sorry I can't add to what others have said, but just wanted to thank you for pointing out the woofersetc link for Polk Momos. I have never seen them below $299.

Tackett

Just so you know, Woofersetc has the lowest prices I have ever seen on car audio equipment on the entire internet. Thats where I always look.

Tackett

Can anyone vouch for these?

I know CDT audio kicks ***, and this is pretty expensive for my tastes, but Id rather just buy one more set of speakers and be done with it.

http://69.93.14.227/index.cfm?fuseac...roduct_ID=1117

Just wish they didnt have that freakin red surround.

Tackett

Ok, I just had an idea...why dont I just buy midrange speakers and crossovers since I already have two sets of tweeters, I dont need a third. So why not...

http://69.93.14.227/index.cfm?fuseac...roduct_ID=1566
http://69.93.14.227/index.cfm?fuseac...roduct_ID=1281

Yeah, thats 500 bucks, but thats also a 700 dollar set with the tweeter. Think I could just wire up the JL and alpine tweeters to that crossover and sound OK? I already have too much treble the way it is.