| Electronic Education - Ultimate Mobile Electronics System Part 2
Last issue we set out to build the coolest ICE system possible for $750. We succeeded and are now upping the bar to show you some examples of audio systems in the $1,500 range. At this price there are a lot more options, and this is where the research mentioned in the last installment of Electronic Education comes into play. Even though you have more to spend with $1,500, that doesn't mean you have money to waste or that you don't want to get the best boom for your buck.
Up Sell
More money means, well, more. You can get more amplifier power, more subwoofers, and choose a more expensive source unit with more features. So what is more important, high-frequency speakers (midrange and tweeter) or a component set? These are the last items in the electronic chain between you, the music, and what you want to hear and feel. We've stated before that very few people can really tell the difference between various high-quality amplifiers or source units, but even the most untrained ear can tell the difference between speakers. How do you choose which speakers are right for you? How else? Listen to them. That is why stereo shops spend so much money on demo boards. After you research and have an idea of what you are looking for in terms of price range, power, and brand, go to your local mobile electronics dealer and set up your system as close as you can to what you are going to buy and listen to various speakers that meet your criteria. Ask a salesperson to demo a few different sets of speakers with the source unit and amp you're interested in purchasing. Bear in mind that not all the products a stereo shop carries will be wired up in their sound room ready to go, but get as close as you can and try to stick with the same power; you don't want to sample a 500-watt amp if you are only going to buy a 100-watt amp.
Bring a CD with you, too, one with the kind of music you listen to and are familiar with. Make sure this CD is in the format you will listen to most. Do you download and burn most of your own CDs (legally, of course), or do you get your music the old-fashioned way by buying it at the music store? MP3s, or other forms of compressed audio, do not sound as good as WAV-formatted CDs, so keep this in mind. It might even be a good idea to listen to both a regular CD and some compressed audio files on the system you want to purchase.
Once you are in a sound room with the media of your choosing, just listen before your salesperson starts to get annoyed because you've been listening to Rick James' "Superfreak" over and over while switching back and forth between different speakers. Hopefully, you will start to figure out the things you like and the things you don't. One thing to remember about sound rooms, however, is that your car is much smaller and a much different acoustical environment. Another thing to keep in mind is that you shouldn't let yourself get talked into something you don't want or are not sure of. Don't just take some salesperson's word for which speakers to buy, or anything else for that matter. Listen to different speakers at different stores and try to make this decision based on your research and your impression of what sounds best. Salespeople are a good resource for information, and you should listen to what they have to say, but don't take everything they offer up as law.
After speakers, the next most important piece of equipment is the source unit. More expensive source units not only tend to offer up more features, but they can also include new technology or better quality parts and craftsmanship that will ultimately mean better sound. As the source unit is the interface between you and your stereo system, you have to choose a unit that is laid out the way you want it as well. Can you easily figure out how to change tracks on a CD or which buttons control the CD changer if you choose to add one? Not only are you looking for a good-sounding source unit (you can sample different source units for sound just as you sample different speakers), you're also looking for one that has ergonomics you are comfortable with.
The final item to upgrade, if that money just keeps rolling in, is your amp. Basically, if you have more money, you should get more power. This will help overcome road noise for better sound quality while you are driving, and it's always fun at a car show when you blast that latest MP3 you downloaded for your crew. And don't think that just because we've stated you can easily tell the difference between different speakers but not between different amps that there is no difference. As with every piece of mobile electronics equipment you buy, you should take the time to check out the amp(s) you want to purchase and listen to what sounds best to you-don't just buy the amp that comes in the color you like.
Mixed Up
Can you mix up your audio equipment? That's a perfectly legitimate question. You can find systems that are made up of components from a single manufacturer and others with gear that has nothing in common except that it's car audio equipment. Just like everything else, it depends. No, you don't have to run all the same brand stuff in your system. Choose what you need, how it sounds, and make sure that it works for the application you desire. How do you determine all this? Say it with us people: research. The bottom line? Buy what you like; it's your money.
Wired
What about the wiring? Will it make a big difference in sound? We could probably write an entire article on that subject. Believe it or not, you could spend $1,500 on just one RCA cable if you really wanted. This is a big market with home audiophile types. But will this investment be money well spent? If you have a set of $85,000 Dynaudio Evidence Master home speakers driven by a Krell Master Reference amplifier at $120,000 (and, no, there aren't any extra zeros in either of those prices), then sure, why not? But for the average car audio system, we would have to say no. None of you out there are going to spend that much money on your wiring, but you don't want to buy the cheapest stuff either. Wiring your speakers with lamp cord may sound a little crazy, but it happens. Regardless of our budget, we like to buy quality components, and that includes the wire and accessories. Most stereo companies offer up a line of cable and accessories. There's JL Audio, Lightning Audio, StreetWires, Stinger, Scosche, MTX, Rockford Fosgate, Directed Audio Essentials, and many more.
When choosing wire and accessories, the most important thing to remember is size, or, more accurately, gauge. A good quality, name brand 12- or 14-gauge wire will be fine for most speakers, and you want to run the appropriate gauge wire from your battery to your amp. The farther your amp is from the battery, and the more power you run, the thicker the cable needs to be, and you must always have a fuse at the battery for any wire that is connected to the positive terminal. I don't remember the last time I ran a single 8-gauge cable for an amp; I typically use 4-gauge and sometimes 2-gauge! The easiest way to ensure that you have quality cable and accessories that accurately match your power consumption is to buy one of the many amp wiring kits offered by various companies.
You should also make sure you have a good ground. A good rule of thumb is to make your ground cable as short as possible and use the same gauge cable as you do on the positive side. I like to add a hefty ground cable from the negative side of the battery to the frame or unibody to further ensure the free flow of electrons.
Speaking of batteries, here's another question that comes up regularly: "Do I need a second battery?" That depends on what you want (it always does). Batteries are only good for starting your car and key-off playing time. If you want to crank your system at the next show without the engine running for extended periods of time, then, yes, an extra battery would be a good thing. If you always play your stereo while the engine is running or have a power supply so you can plug your car into a wall socket, then you don't necessarily need one. If you need extra power on demand, you can add a reinforcing capacitor. Capacitors store energy and, thanks to a really low internal resistance, release it very quickly, which can be very helpful to an amp when it is trying to hit those heavy bass notes.
The final bit of info we'll offer you in regards to wiring has to do with RCA cables or interconnect. They carry signal from your source unit to equalizers and/or crossovers and then on to your amps. To help reduce the likelihood of induced noise, choose a "twisted pair" of RCA cables and do not run them next to your power cables.
All right, that's enough techno-babble for this month. Go check out the $1,500 systems of your dreams, do some more research, then bum some cash off your parents or your significant other. When they loan it to you, make outlandish promises of reimbursement within a week's time, then fail when it comes time to deliver. Of course, you may wind up on their blacklist, but you can also wait until next issue when we show you what you can do with an unlimited budget. Even if you are going to buy one of these systems, we wouldn't miss next issue's installment of Electronic Education.
The Ultimate $1,500 Sound System
This is what you have all been waiting for, the ultimate $1,500 sound system. Of course, there is no one perfect combination that is better than another, as there is a lot of good product out there. We've set up these systems by manufacturer, but you can mix and match as stated earlier. For the most part, the amps are all four channels at 100-watts per channel, with the exception of some 75-watt per channel units, the Pioneer system where we chose two 2-channel amps for more power, and because the price was right-even Scosche had a dual amp wiring kit to accommodate both of them. Two channels of the amplifier channels are designated to the component speakers, and the other two are bridged, where necessary, to power a single woofer or multiple woofers wired into a single 4-ohm load, as with the JL Audio Power Wedge. The built-in electronic crossovers saved money and split the audible spectrum between the high-frequency component sets and low frequency subwoofer systems. As for sub enclosures, you will have to figure that one out along the way. The cheapest option is a prefabricated particleboard enclosure, but those may not be the ideal size for your speaker(s). If you can afford it, a custom-built Medium Density Fiber Board (MDF) enclosure is always a good idea, as it can be built to best suit the woofer(s) you choose. And, of course, installation is extra. See the Installation Pricing Chart if you are weary of doing the job yourself.
Upgrading the Ultimate $750 "Deck and Two" System
There are only two things the Ultimate "deck and two" from last issue needs: more power and more bass. Below are just a couple of options that will give you that by way of an amp, an amplifier wiring kit, and a subwoofer system. You can choose raw drivers and a buy or build an enclosure for them, or you can choose a complete sub system, as I have here, to save money. You'll want to wire your component speakers to two channels of the four-channel amps listed instead of to the head unit. The remaining channels are bridged and wired to the subwoofer system of your choosing. Frequencies from around 100Hz and down go to the subs. Everything else from 100Hz to 20,000Hz and up goes to the component speakers, where this remaining portion of the audible spectrum is typically split again at around 3,500Hz.
Installation Pricing Chart
All prices are approximate and will vary by area, shop, and vehicle. Depending on your vehicle, you will most likely also need a source unit installation kit and a wiring harness. Those cost extra, and the price will vary from one vehicle to the next.
* Source Unit: $45
* 4-Channel Amplifier: $55
* Component Speaker Set: $75
* Raw Sub(s): Typically included with enclosure purchase
* Loaded Sub Box: $25
* Speaker Box Prefabricated for single 12-inch: $150-$175
* Speaker Enclosure: Custom-built MDF enclosures start at $250
Orion
Source
Pioneer DEH-P7600MP, $300.00
Essentials 800-Watt
Total: $1,410.99
Precision Power
Source
Clarion DXZ545MP, $249.99
Essentials 800-Watts
Total: $1,491.98
JL Audio
Source Kenwood KDC-MP225, $170.00
Total: $1,489.80
Amp
Orion 4004, $369.00
Amp
PPI DCX300.4, $599.00
Amp
JL Audio 300-4, $549.95
Components
Orion C6.2, $319.00
Components
PPI PC650S, $329.00
Components JL Audio
TR650-CSI, $199.95
Sub(s)
Orion C12D2 (X2), $338.00
Sub(s)
PPI PC122, $229.00
Sub(s)
JL Audio Power Wedge, $469.95
Wiring Kit
Directed 4-gauge, $84.99
Wiring Kit
Directed 4-gauge, $84.99
Wiring Kit
JL Audio XA-PCS4-1, $99.95
Pioneer
Source
Pioneer DEH-P7600MP, $300.00
Total: $1,259.95
Directed Audio
Source
Pioneer DEH-P4600MP, $200.00
Essentials 800-watt
Total: $1,490.99
Rockford Fosgate
Source
Rockford RFX9020, $199.99
Total: $1,499.95
Lightning Audio
Source
Rockford RFX9020, $199.99
Total: $1,327.93
MTX
Source
Kenwood KDC-MPV5025, $250.00
Total: $1,409.84
Amp
Pioneer GM-5000T (X2), $320.00
Amp
Directed 600/4, $499.00
Amp
Rockford P8004, $649.99
Amp
Lightning S2.500.4, $449.00
Amp
MTX MXA4004, $299.95
Components
Lightning S2.65C$299.00
Components
MTX T8.6 ,$269.95
Components
Pioneer TS-C160R ,$300.00
Components
Directed s650, $349.00
Components
Rockford P162S, $199.99
Components
MTX T8.6, $269.95
Sub(s)
Pioneer (X2) TS-W305DVC, $240.00
Sub(s)
Directed 212d, $358.00
Sub(s)
Rockford PL1-212, $349.99
Sub(s)
Lightning S4.12.8 (X2), $299.99
Sub(s)
MTX SLH-T5512X2-A, $499.95
Wiring Kit
Lightning SXCK-4-04, $79.95
Amp Wiring
Scosche AKPA4BL, $99.95
Wiring Kit
Directed 4-gauge, $84.99
Wiring Kit
Rockford CP4CKDR, $99.99
Wiring Kit
StreetWires PS04BSI, $89.99
Upgrade #2
Amp
Rockford P8004, $649.99
Total: $1,099.95
Upgrade #1
Amp
JL Audio 300-4, $549.95
Total: $1,199.95
Sub System
JL Audio Stealthbox, $549.95
Sub(s)
Rockford PL1-212, $349.99
Wiring Kit
JL Audio XA-PCS4-1, $99.95
Wiring Kit
Rockford CP4CKDR, $99.99