I have a limited budget of about $800 (ugh) and I am not an audiophile by any means. I'm just looking to replace the stock (non-bose) system. I don't plan on setting car alarms off with my system, so I only really want clean, full sound. It does not have to be super loud.

I would really appreciate some of you 'experts' out there to provide your thoughts on this configuration:

Alpine 9833 ($339 from Etronics) - 26W RMS
Infinity Perfect 6.1 up front ($225 from reputable co. on Ebay)
Infinity Basslink in the stock location ($209 from Discount Jungle)
Brown Bread ($100 for 36 sq ft) - like dynomat but cheaper
Misc. crap ($80) - wire, harness, etc..
TOTAL: about $953 (ok, so I'm a bit over...)

I plan on keeping the crap speakers in the back just for filler. However, I wouldn't be surprised if I just fade it forward.

My questions:
1. Can I get away without putting in an amp and just run off the HU, as I don't need it to be super loud, and I plan on just mainly driving the fronts?
2. Has anyone confirmed that the tweeters for the perfects will fit in the stock location without issue?
3. Am I cheating myself by looking at the Infinity Kappa 63.5s instead? (About $70 cheaper.)
4. Given the system, does it make sense to completely replace all of the speaker wire?

Thanks for any input you can provide. I really want to get started on this ASAP!!!!

 

I'm using the Alpine MRV-F450 to push Infiniti Kappas 60.5cs and they sound great. I ran them off the CDA-9833 for a week or so and then broke down and got the amp. I'd say you probably need an amp to push those Perfects. I also ran speaker wire to my doors + rears as per the how to article and it worked great. However, I'm not sure you really need new wire for an amp under 100 watts.

 

Honestly, you are really going to notice not having those rears. I would just replace it all at once, or you are going to be mad at yourself for not doing it.

In all, doesnt sound like a bad setup, I would skip the dynamat and just get some rear speaks though. If you arent an audiophile, why spend money on the dynamat?

 

Thanks for the replies. I thought that the Dynomat helps out with overall vibration as well as sound insulation from the outside. Since I'm not going to be cranking the stereo (nor will I be able with my current power specified), I thought the quieter the cabin, the better. But it's food for thought.

 

barbarumbus:
Thanks for the reply. West Chester huh? That's pretty much where I'm from... I went to the Z meet there a few weeks ago.

Question: You went with a 5 channel amp, so I'm assuming you're driving your 4 speakers with a sub. Since I'm basically going with 2 speakers (ignoring the back for the time being) and plan on using a self powered sub, I guess I don't need the power. Which I think is what you meant by referencing a 100 W amp.

One other thing: what are your thoughts on the 9833? I haven't been able to find a whole lot about them on the web/my350z.com. What was the sound like before you got the amp?

 

Dynamat is a sound 'deadening' material, not a sound 'proofing' material. From the times I've used it, I've noticed no quieting properties from it.

The upside is that it does work as advertised. I noticed improved midrange frequencies the most.

 

One other thing: If I do go for an amp (nothing crazy, something like the US Acoustics USX2100 100Wx2) does the HU RMS even matter? This particular amp does have speaker level inputs, but I would imagine this helps only from an EQ perspective.

I guess the question I'm really asking is: If I'm doing an external amp, does it make sense to pay extra for a little more RMS out of the HU, or is it basically wasted because the Amp will step it down anyway?

 

broohaha:
The CDA-9833 has a great set of features outside of the built in amp. Namely the equalizer and crossover, which allow you to finely tune your system. If you decide to go with an external amp you can turn off the internal one, which is supposed to help sound quality. The only problem I have with the CDA-9833 is the fact that the display gets really washed out when it's sunny. Even at it's highest contrast it can become difficult to read.
Before I got my amp it seemed like the Kappa 60.5cs were way too bright and there was very little mid-bass. After installing the amp the speakers sound less bright and have much better bass. I'm not sure if this was a result of the Kappas breaking in or the amp, either way I like the sound much better now.

 

Ok, thanks for everyone's help. Here's what I ended up with (in case anyone cares... ):

Alpine 9831 ($260)
Infinity Perfect 6.1 ($220)
Infinity Basslink ($204)
US Acoustics USX2150 ($149)
Largest Walmart Amp Cable set 4-8awg power lines ($24)
Install Kit - TBD (~$30)
Misc. Crap - TBD (~$20)
TOTAL: $907 - a bit over budget, but f it...

I went with the 9831 since I have the amp and didn't need the extra RMS from the 9833. Unfortunately, the USX2100 is on factory backorder from SoundDomain, and I couldn't find it from anyone else. I've heard that US Acoustics is far from top of the line, but bang for the buck, the 2100 seemed like an excellent choice. The 2150 ups the RMS from 100 to 150, so I guess I don't have to worry about not having enough power.

It won't win any competitions, but it will definitely sound much better than the POS I've got now...

 

if you want a little more bump take a look at the Infinity Basslink T rather than the normal Infinity Basslink. I got mine off ebay for about $340 shipped, and they will look awesome matching the Z.