Audio gurus - Should I re-use my old gear in the Z
11-22-2006, 07:58 PM
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Audio gurus - Should I re-use my old gear in the Z
I need to get decent sound in my 06 z coupe... Car audio is one of my passsions and the bose blows! (but it's slightly better than non-bose which is just repulsive!)
Thanks in advance for reading my long post
I have a great sounding system in the old M3 that I am pulling out, but It's all pretty old stuff, although high quality and in perfect shape. Just wondering if there's better stuff out there of if I should recycle and continue using this stuff.
Head-unit: Alpine CDA-7939 This was made in 1995!!! and I used it in the CRX for a while (4 years) and in the M3 for 6 years and 170k miles! Never missed a beat and still running. But... it's old, does not play burned CDs well. Does not do video or nav (not a big deal tho). Can't use all steering wheel buttons with it (that kinda sucks!). It is pre-amp only and I have been using the Fiber-optic digital output to the processor. Otherwise, it has 4-volt outputs, if I was using analog. The amber back-lit display does match the z instrument lighting well. I don't car for everything being blue now.
Processor: Alpine PXA-h600 (via fiber optic from head unit). Performs digital crossover duties, digital time alignment for four speakers and two subwoofers, sets sub level and phase so the sub matches the midbass perfectly, variable x-over slopes, and a 4-band parametric EQ (you set center freq and q). Then it outputs pre-amp signals via six 20-bit Sign Magnitude D/A converters. The setup function is uber-cool. You place a wired microphone from the processor on the headrest (or wherever point you want the sound aligned to), press the start button, get out of the car and shut the door and it goes through a series of test tones, pulses, white noise, etc and sets up everything perfectly flat (great place to start from). You can store up to 8 settings, I think. BUT, it is not backwards compatible with new alpine head-units (afaik). Alpine has dropped their f/o digital outputs except the F1 stuff (which I am not paying $$$$$$ for! - prolly not compatible anyway).
Amp: Precision Power PC4800 (mirror chrome finish). This amp is awesome. it puts out 100WRMS x 4 channels, @4-ohms from 20hz-20khz and from 9-15 volts (very strongly regulated power supply and tripple-darlington output transistor configuration; non-current limited, but with protection). It doubles it's power into 2-ohm loads. Can be set up for 2/3/4 channel operation. This ran my whole system and sounded great. BUT: It is like 2-feet long. Not really anywhere convenient to mount it in the z without interfering with sub box space or being in the way or visible through the hatch (I am into stealth installs)
Front speakers: Diamond Audio hex 6.5" 2-ways. These are the originals which were made by Eton in Germany, not the mass-produced, made in china units on sale now. I like the sound, but the woofer/midrange is HUGE. Closer to 7" and it is 2-7/8" deep. awesome mid-bass and midrange. Not sure how these will fit in the z or what they'll sound like. the tweets were a little bright and their 0db setting so I put them on -4 in the M3. Had the mids and tweets mounted in the kick-panels (where factory 5-1/4" speakers were). not sire where i's mount tweets in the Z
Subs - two 12" earthquake Magme subs, each in 1 cu ft sealed box. I have already decided I would not use these in the Z. Too heavy!! The Z is heavy enough already! The box with these subs in the M3 weighs 85lbs!!! About killed myself taking it out of the M. I was 6-years younger when I installed it. Either it gained weight or I am gettting older!!!
Oh, and an Optima battery that I have had forever and two 1/5 Farad capacitors.
So.. The stuff's old, but sounds good, but has it's advantages and disadvantages. I used to be all up in the car stereo scene (had an install in a mag that I did back in the day (1997)). I knew everything that was out and had tried most of it.
Have not even looked at car audio for like 6 years (I was mostly happy and wife was at wits-end with car audio stuff
)
So are there better options out there now (I realize head units have come a long way) but have amps and drivers changed that much
Opinions welcome
What I am thinking:
- DDIN head unit with nav (Alpine, Kenwood, Pioneer AVIC)
- JL 450/1 and 500/1 amps in the bose sub location
- Morel Hybrid Ovation 6." 2-ways (I can get them at cost) or DLS 6/5" 2-ways
- Single Rockford, Power 10", in a super-efficient box - 2-2.5 Cu Ft, ported and tuned to 30 or 35 Hz
Those are the high points. Just not sure if it's worth it when I have the other components already and they work fine...???
Thanks for reading...
Thanks in advance for reading my long post
I have a great sounding system in the old M3 that I am pulling out, but It's all pretty old stuff, although high quality and in perfect shape. Just wondering if there's better stuff out there of if I should recycle and continue using this stuff.
Head-unit: Alpine CDA-7939 This was made in 1995!!! and I used it in the CRX for a while (4 years) and in the M3 for 6 years and 170k miles! Never missed a beat and still running. But... it's old, does not play burned CDs well. Does not do video or nav (not a big deal tho). Can't use all steering wheel buttons with it (that kinda sucks!). It is pre-amp only and I have been using the Fiber-optic digital output to the processor. Otherwise, it has 4-volt outputs, if I was using analog. The amber back-lit display does match the z instrument lighting well. I don't car for everything being blue now.
Processor: Alpine PXA-h600 (via fiber optic from head unit). Performs digital crossover duties, digital time alignment for four speakers and two subwoofers, sets sub level and phase so the sub matches the midbass perfectly, variable x-over slopes, and a 4-band parametric EQ (you set center freq and q). Then it outputs pre-amp signals via six 20-bit Sign Magnitude D/A converters. The setup function is uber-cool. You place a wired microphone from the processor on the headrest (or wherever point you want the sound aligned to), press the start button, get out of the car and shut the door and it goes through a series of test tones, pulses, white noise, etc and sets up everything perfectly flat (great place to start from). You can store up to 8 settings, I think. BUT, it is not backwards compatible with new alpine head-units (afaik). Alpine has dropped their f/o digital outputs except the F1 stuff (which I am not paying $$$$$$ for! - prolly not compatible anyway).
Amp: Precision Power PC4800 (mirror chrome finish). This amp is awesome. it puts out 100WRMS x 4 channels, @4-ohms from 20hz-20khz and from 9-15 volts (very strongly regulated power supply and tripple-darlington output transistor configuration; non-current limited, but with protection). It doubles it's power into 2-ohm loads. Can be set up for 2/3/4 channel operation. This ran my whole system and sounded great. BUT: It is like 2-feet long. Not really anywhere convenient to mount it in the z without interfering with sub box space or being in the way or visible through the hatch (I am into stealth installs)
Front speakers: Diamond Audio hex 6.5" 2-ways. These are the originals which were made by Eton in Germany, not the mass-produced, made in china units on sale now. I like the sound, but the woofer/midrange is HUGE. Closer to 7" and it is 2-7/8" deep. awesome mid-bass and midrange. Not sure how these will fit in the z or what they'll sound like. the tweets were a little bright and their 0db setting so I put them on -4 in the M3. Had the mids and tweets mounted in the kick-panels (where factory 5-1/4" speakers were). not sire where i's mount tweets in the Z
Subs - two 12" earthquake Magme subs, each in 1 cu ft sealed box. I have already decided I would not use these in the Z. Too heavy!! The Z is heavy enough already! The box with these subs in the M3 weighs 85lbs!!! About killed myself taking it out of the M. I was 6-years younger when I installed it. Either it gained weight or I am gettting older!!!
Oh, and an Optima battery that I have had forever and two 1/5 Farad capacitors.
So.. The stuff's old, but sounds good, but has it's advantages and disadvantages. I used to be all up in the car stereo scene (had an install in a mag that I did back in the day (1997)). I knew everything that was out and had tried most of it.
Have not even looked at car audio for like 6 years (I was mostly happy and wife was at wits-end with car audio stuff
)So are there better options out there now (I realize head units have come a long way) but have amps and drivers changed that much
Opinions welcome
What I am thinking:
- DDIN head unit with nav (Alpine, Kenwood, Pioneer AVIC)
- JL 450/1 and 500/1 amps in the bose sub location
- Morel Hybrid Ovation 6." 2-ways (I can get them at cost) or DLS 6/5" 2-ways
- Single Rockford, Power 10", in a super-efficient box - 2-2.5 Cu Ft, ported and tuned to 30 or 35 Hz
Those are the high points. Just not sure if it's worth it when I have the other components already and they work fine...???
Thanks for reading...
11-22-2006, 08:24 PM
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Originally Posted by USN HM 350Z
if you like it and it sounds good, why waste money on more equipment?
Subs are just too heavy.
Amp is an awkward size for the install I want to do.
I just drool over shiny new stuff.
Morels have so much adjustability built-in and have a remote panel so you can make remote crossover setup adjustments from the front-seat. Awesome. Much easier than getting out, flipping switches, getting in...
Originally Posted by USN HM 350Z
If you decide you want newer stuff give me first dibs at the PPI amp
Last edited by hiz-n-herz; 11-22-2006 at 08:28 PM.
11-22-2006, 08:51 PM
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The headunit might be in need of an update, but I would use what you have first. There's alot of stereo equipment I wish I had not parted with (Phoenix Gold MPS2240, EQ215x...). Now they don't make audio gear like that anymore IMO.
16psibrick has done some really quality work for Z/G owners from what Ive seen here, I'm sure he will hook you up
16psibrick has done some really quality work for Z/G owners from what Ive seen here, I'm sure he will hook you up
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11-22-2006, 09:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Ichigo
The headunit might be in need of an update, but I would use what you have first. There's alot of stereo equipment I wish I had not parted with (Phoenix Gold MPS2240, EQ215x...). Now they don't make audio gear like that anymore IMO.
What appears to be their higher-end line has s/n ratings of 85 db and damping factors of 6.xx??? And the can't double their power into half of the impedance??? Of course not sure if ratings are more standardized now. I don't remember s/n being A-weighted back in the day so not sure what weighting was used, if any.PG even dumped the titanium series???
The Damping factor of the PPI I have is >200. The s/n ratio is at 105db, I think.
That's just sad for PG....
The old MPS stuff was the shiznit, as was the EQ215ix.
Good points...
Even the new JL amps are not double it's output power into half of the impedance, so I am a bit skeptical of it. It's a mathematical fact that you should double to the power into half of the impedance - if the amp is capable and they are not current-limiting in design to cut corners on the output stage.
Originally Posted by Ichigo
The headunit might be in need of an update, but I would use what you have first. There's alot of stereo equipment I wish I had not parted with (Phoenix Gold MPS2240, EQ215x...). Now they don't make audio gear like that anymore IMO.
16psibrick has done some really quality work for Z/G owners from what Ive seen here, I'm sure he will hook you up
16psibrick has done some really quality work for Z/G owners from what Ive seen here, I'm sure he will hook you up
11-22-2006, 09:30 PM
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Originally Posted by 16psibrick
cool, lets meet up on fri if possible, would love to hear hte M 
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