barkman

Hey all, forgive me if this is posted in the wrong section but its my first time on here. Have been using FEOC over the years but have not found them too helpful lately so am trying a new site!

I currently have an escort with 16.5 speakers front and rear (neither component speakers) and am fitting a 4 channel amp and sub, couple of questions if i may

1) should i amp sub and front or sub and rear speakers?
2) component speakers are often mentioned as better for the front, is there a noticeable difference with these?
3) how do you mount them in front, am currently using the auto lead adaptors for 6.5" and not too confident on adapting doors, pillars etc...?
4) I know about connecting amp to battery through grommit behind passenger rear wheel but does anyone have a guide or photos as this is my first install?

Thanks in advance, hello to all, and look forward to your advice!

tabetha

I would amp the rear speaker to the sub.
Components are vastly better, the more you spend the better you can get, but can still get some decent stuff for little over £100.
Mount anyhow you can, a lot cut MDF templates to use between the door and speaker, in an ideal world the tweeters will be as close to the ear as possible, but failing that certainly angled towards the driver/passenger.
The BOOM comes from the rear, the quality comes from the front.
The current JBL GTO 628 in Halfrauds is a good deal, very nice clarity.
Connection is quite easy, don't waste your money on so called "special" wire for the LIVE amp feeds, just boggo std wire of suffecient rating will be fine, ALWAYS fuse the wire as close to the battery as you can, any run that goes through the car.
Also take you earth direct from the battery, it is a lot lees prone to picking up noise this way.
Keep the power leads down one side of the car and the RCA leads from the headunit to amp/s down the other side, put next to each other can generate noise, usually heard as a fuzzing sound.
I would use gold plated connectors on the amp terminals, this is not to "speed up sound" as I've heard some muppet say, it's merely the best corrosion resistor know to man, and the boot will get a surprising amount of moisture in it.
Don't set the amp gains too high, set volume on say 1/3 on head unit and adjust amp gains so that it is a nice tollerable sound, turn the gains up too much and damage could be caused.
Take your time and don't bodge, like most youngsters, possibly cause they're strapped for cash!
The set up I took out a civic a few years ago blew the fuses with the previous owner, so he replaced these with 3/8" solid bar!!, and the moron had two fuses for each amp right at the amp themselves, so nothing to protect the actual wiring itself.
tabetha

barkman

Big thanks mate, some real good advice there. Not too concered with money if i get the desired sound. Trying to keep an all alpine set up so may have a look for some component speakers by them. To fit the tweeters at ear height where would i mount them in the escort? I have fitted a bluetooth kit running up the panel at side of windscreen, would i go same way with the tweeters? if so how is best to attach them to pillar (soz if ive misunderstood)
Will run the raer speakers off the amp and run wires as described above.
Think ill have to do some experiment with the amp, no nothing about gains etc!

tabetha

Some mount them at the seat belt point on the a pillar, but it is painful there, so I would mount on the screen pillars as you say, anyhow you can, hard to say without knowing exact speakers.
The gain on the amp is just like a electric tap, it lets more feed/sound through from the headunit, as the amp runs at a set increase the more you put in the more you get out, setting the gain too high will likely result in distortion at higher volumes, setting too low and the headunit could distort the sound before passing it on to the amp for the amp to increase to the level you want, roughly 13 to 1/2 turn on gain is a usual figure, but just experiment.
Although you like Alpine stereo gear, your ears may well like another make speaker wise.
The speakers have but one function, to sound nice to YOU, so buy irrespective of make, other wise you will always wonder about the better sounds you may be missing.
If alpine speakers sound best to you by all means get them, don't buy ANY without hearing them, as it's amazing just how different seemingly similar speakers even of the same make type can sound.
A lot depends on what you like listening too, but remember EAR DAMAGE done now with super loud stereos can be PERMANENT, for the rest of your life, don't waste your hearing just to keep up with the lads, cos you will look a right dick with your hearing aid if you do due to excess noise.
tabetha
tabetha

barkman

Still not sure about the component speakers, these are the ones i have in at mo

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/alpine-sxe-1725s.html
would these be much better
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/alpine-sxe-1750s.html

Cheers for your help, i am gonna try and get it all done the weekend, no doubt will be back with more questions (and probably problems!) but will use the advice you have given me thankyou.

tabetha

The 2nd ones would be a marginal improvement, going by specs, but remember not to buy without hearing, put a day aside to visit some audio shops, listen to a set of FOCAL POLYGLASS then tell me £40 Alpine sound good, or any other speaker of that price, just simply no comparison, everyones ears are different.
I like infinity EMIT K tweeters but to others they sound really tinny, not cheap though!!
tabetha

barkman

top man, will do. Having a go at some installing this weekend, started new thread for some more advice if u got any. cheers