In the process of financing/purchasing a 1991 Honda Accord, and of course one of the requirements is killer audio.

The parents own one and like most Hondas, they seem to be quite audio friendly. Im not shelling out for sub-bass just yet (lived without it for 4 years in the EA Falcon so a few months wont hurt).

Anyway these are my thoughts:-

Eclipse CD-3421 HU (3 preouts and top notch quality throughout)
Dynaudio System 240 for front stage
VanDenHul cabling (no reason why hifi cables cant be used in cars)
Layer of stinger/dynamat for front doors

Undecided:-

Rear fill

Have Alpine S-type coaxes and a pair of 175A splits, how well will they match the dyns? I still think rear fills important - it can add more depth to an already sharp and focused soundstage.

Front stage amp

Nothing too extravagent, maybe an Alpine V12, Eclipse, PG - as yet undecided. Throw some possibilites at me everyone

Also considering an EQ as well, need to research more. Don't know enough about these (home audio doesnt use them).

[ December 04, 2003, 23:51: Message edited by: Iano ]

I like Orion for amps.

Also theres an Orion DEQ30 for sale on the forums. If I were u I'd snap that up.

nice setup coming along there mate..

have you considered Audison amps to run the Dyn's?? i would look at the LRx2.500.. yes, that is what im running but the 'compatibility' is superb..
as for the rears, use the co-axs and run them off the deck..

if set up right, you wont need an eq as such..
but, it can make a good setup sound better..

Oh yes, how could I forget the LRx Audisons Ian?!?! definately look into those aswell!

An idea for rear fill that Yanddy at Audioart in Perth has been using for some time is a pair of Dyn MD140/2 3.2" soft dome mids. I have yet to try it but will be putting a pair into the Astra as soon as time permits.

More advice sought

Will a simple 10" sealed box enclosure fed with plenty of power provide ample sub bass? Like I've stated, I'd like something that will punch if I feel the urge but also to blend perfectly and seamlessly with the rest of the system. Frequency response must be as even and flat as possible. No distinguishable gaps in the range.

Been looking around at //////lLPINE type Rs, Bostons (competitor or pro-series?) and JL W3 v2.

Hmm...

top quality sound costs $$$, but your choices so far are top value. and certainly putting a lot of your budget into the front splits is the way to go.

for the rears, use the best quality you have, so go with the alpine splits. but to get the best from them, don't skimp on their installation either. nice solid mdf mounting baffles, sound deadening, and ideally sealing off (air) gaps between the front of the baffle and behind the speakers. and preferably run them off a dedicated amp, but sure, to begin with, power them off the eclipse if budget is restricted. the alpine's should blend fine with the dyn's.

audison amps have been popular to drive dyn splits. they team up extremely well for a very muscical combo. you don't necessarily need heaps of power on tap, so even the LRx2.150 would be plenty for normal listening volumes. alpine V12's are also a top quality amp; my personal experience has been a 'warmer', more engaging SQ from audison amps than alpine, having used both and heard plenty of both before.

for punchy bass, then a single or 2 10" subs would go nicely. nothing wrong with 12" subs either of course. your choice would also depend on the subamp used and space availability in the boot. alpine type-R, JL W3 and boston pro's are all top subs, and go nicely in small sealed boxes. plenty of choice depending on budget, but wait until you're ready before deciding, and do plenty of auditioning.

also, the dyn 7" MW160 driver can produce heaps of midbass, especially when installed onto a nice solid door. but added punch can be gained from using a relatively high LP for the sub (eg: 90Hz, 24dB/oct xover).

good luck

[ December 08, 2003, 13:58: Message edited by: shiny_car ]

Well the basic system is now installed, but not without the odd gremlin raring its head.

Eclipse CD-3421
Alpine SPR-175A fronts
Alpine SPS-1729 rears
Clarion VNET 450 bridged for front stage

Considerably less glamorous than my initial plan, but hey bling costs money too.

What started out as your basic drop in install proved a major headache. No expert on this, but the guys doing the install claimed that due to the amount of electronics in my Honda, it was causing a loud ~~buzzzz~~ throughout the entire setup, rendering it unlistenable.

Re-routing using higher grade cabling, better fuse and some quality battery terminals have solved the problem...

Also spent a good 2 hours fiddling with gain and filter settings on the amp, because the thickwit install crew kind of rushed things.

Next will be an Alpine base model class D mono, driving a 12" type R sub.

[ January 02, 2004, 12:50 AM: Message edited by: Iano ]

good to hear things are up and running.

if you have the time and inclination, you can start to do your own installing. that way you'll save heaps, and be able to spend the necessary time to create the 'bling' that any flashy install requires.

have fun.