Keep old speakers and amp? Go active with new amp? New speakers?... help me decide!

Vehicle:
2010 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited 3.5L (currently with the stock, base model door speakers + tweeters still installed)

Gear that I already have I'm going to be using for sure:
Joying 7" Android 12 Head Unit with optical output (installed two years ago and I love it!)
Helix DSP.2 (connected via optical; plus a custom control panel I built for my dash... just bought this DSP 2 years ago for this build)
Kicker ZX750.1 (~900W RMS at 1 ohm... I've had this for ~15 years, still "kicking"...)
Fi Q 12" Dual 2ohm (also had this for ~15 years, also no sign of needing replaced)
Custom down firing sealed box I built for this car; will be a stealth install when I'm done so I can still use the storage area.
Will be doing basic some sound deadening on the doors and other accessible areas, but I'm not gutting the whole car to do it.
All wiring already installed (0/1 Knu Kolossus for power; two runs of Knu Karma SS to each front door= ready to run active tweeter+woofer "some day")

Plus I have these parts left over from previous systems:
JBL P660C Components (bought and installed in 2006 Hyundai Sonata in 2017... used until I sold that car about two years ago, so ~4 years of use)
Kicker ZX200.2 (2x76W RMS at 4ohms... was running the JBL set. I've had this for 15 years)


As you can tell by the fact that I'm using lots of old stuff in a 13 year old vehicle (low miles, no rust, it's a good car! heh), I am on a budget and I only like to spend money where it will actually make a noticeable difference. The DSP was the big spend on this one, and I got that second hand (in box, great condition) two years ago for around $300, which was a smoking deal. I do own a measurement mic (calibrated MiniDSP UMIK-1) so I can get the DSP set up properly.

Should I go active with a four channel amp to make full use of the DSP? Should I replace the speakers? Or, will I be hard pressed to notice any difference versus my old stuff once the DSP is set up? I read lots of praise for the P660C when I bought them... are they likely to handle going active alright, or should I just sell the set and buy something else?

If you think it's worth it, I would appreciate some recommendations for some budget tweeters and 6.5" woofers and a 4 channel amp. I don't mind buying individual woofers and tweeters if I can save some money and end up with something better. I don't really care about getting "car audio" brand name stuff. Quality + value is the most important thing. I will do my best to treat the door panels to improve midbass, deaden vibrations, etc. but they definitely aren't going to be 100% sealed. It's a car, nothing is going to make it an ideal listening environment, but I'm hoping for good all around response, noticeable midbass and highs that aren't harsh.

As for a dollar amount budget, I don't have a specific number in mind... I'd rather just see the best bang for the buck options you guys recommend. But to give some rough guideline, we're definitely not talking about components that cost $100 each here, combined with a $400 amp. That's just way too high for me right now. Remember... 15 year old sub, amp etc. By comparison, the entire P660C set was under $135 when I bought it in 2017 and it's been running off the amp I bought for less than $150 in 2008...

Thanks everyone! :nod:

EDIT: Forgot to mention, the JBL component set is advertised as 2ohm. I know things are always more complicated than that, but I figured it'd be worth mentioning since most sets like these are advertised as 4 ohms. I'll be honest, I haven't measured them individually to see what they are without the crossover network.

Crutchfield has the Infinity Reference 7005A Five Channel amplifier on sale for $322.95 right now - Infinity Reference 7005A

Definitely go active. I would install what you have now, see how it performs, and then start replacing things that don't meet up to expectations. Many people waste money on things they THINK would sound better

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Originally Posted by BigAl205

Definitely go active. I would install what you have now, see how it performs, and then start replacing things that don't meet up to expectations. Many people waste money on things they THINK would sound better

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Thanks! I appreciate the input. This is seeming like the smart choice for me. Any recommendations for a 4 channel amp? I was thinking about a D4S (specifically a JP84) based on all the recommendations, but then there are people who say the SNR is bad and there is an irritating hiss when it should be silent (this would bother me). Also heard bad things about warranty/service. Others have also said that while it is passed off as a "by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts" type boutique (yet value oriented?) "Made in the USA" brand, it appears to contain the same parts you'd find on AliExpress. If I could get one super cheap, maybe I'd still go with that, but I don't want to get one just because 1000 people on reddit (who have heard exactly one system in their life) bought one and it was "loud" so now D4S is the automatic recommendation.

Also, I'd consider a single new 5 channel amp but it would absolutely have to have at least as much output on the "sub" channel at 1ohm as my Kicker.

The D4S JP95 seems to have decent specs (900W@1ohm on ch5, 200w@2ohm or 120w@4ohm on the rest) but I'm not sure how much I trust the numbers, and it seems like it's probably a pretty inefficient amp since it has a cooling fan. I really do not want to have to worry about a fan going bad in my amp or making noise when it finally starts up if the weather has been cold.

The thought of having efficient amps that don't draw much more than they need is pretty appealing... But I feel like there has to be a trade off. I'm not sure if I'd ever hear a difference between a class D and a Class A/B running my speakers... I just don't want anything to be glaringly bad or harsh/hard on the ears.

What about the Sundown SAE-1100.5? Sundown Audio SAE-1100.5 5-Channel Full Range Class A/B Amplifier - $330 at most places

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Originally Posted by chithead

What about the Sundown SAE-1100.5? Sundown Audio SAE-1100.5 5-Channel Full Range Class A/B Amplifier - $330 at most places

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Seems like a good amp, but it's rated at less power than what I have now (the kicker came with paperwork saying it was rated for 891 watts when tested). When I bought the sub it was built to handle 1000+ watts, so when I do push it the amp clipping is generally the bottleneck. I don't want to reduce power because I know I'll just end up driving it into clipping while trying to get the levels I had before.

I have read some good things about the NVX NBA401 (4 channel A/B) for only $150 (and yes, I know that's really the normal price and it isn't on sale)...
https://www.sonicelectronix.com/item...VX-NBA401.html

My main issue is that the specs list 0.5% THD, which tells me that the power numbers are basically meaningless compared to other brands. It could be functionally the same as an amp with half the rated wattage for all I know. I can't find any reviews on this thing.

I have also read really good things about the US Acoustics Barbara Ann, but, for some reason they are $400 a lot of places now? I could be wrong, but I remember looking at them a year or two ago and they were like half that. Am I mistaken?

I did just find it on Parts Express, on backorder for $269, which seems like a good deal for such a well regarded amp in this economy.
https://www.parts-express.com/U.S.-A...006?quantity=1

Any reason I shouldn't just order the Barbara Ann? I'm not in a huge hurry to finish my system, so the Backorder shouldn't be a problem. I'd love to find it cheaper somewhere if anyone knows where to look. I clearly don't buy a lot of car audio gear so I don't know where to find the best deals these days. :)

I like the idea of having a smaller, more efficient and cooler running Class D amp but I'd rather know that I've got the best sound quality possible for my budget, and I think a good Class A/B like the Barbara Ann is the better option for my use case. I also like what I have read about U.S. Acoustics' customer service. Ideally it should never matter... but when it does...

Yeah, those US Acoustics amps have almost doubled in price since their introduction. But to be fair - just about everything has doubled the past few years. Still amazing options though for the price.

The NVX are always these sleeper amps - great power, very reliable, yet hardly anyone talks about them. I've used their speakers in the past and absolutely enjoyed every one of them. Especially the SB Acoustics drivers they had. Wow, those sounded so good.

Anyone have any first hand recommendations for a 4 channel amp in the $150-$300 range?

As an alternative, I found someone selling a clean looking Kicker ZX700.5 about an hour away from me for only $50... which is a great deal, but it is advertised as having less power per channel than I'm used to (70W at 4ohms, 80W at 2ohms vs 70@4 and 100@2 of my current 2 channel ZX200.2), it's pretty huge, and the sub\5th channel would be totally unused. I really really wish it'd been a ZX650.4. So, it's tempting, but with the couple hours of driving, gas, etc. it's probably more like an $80 purchase.

It might be enough... I'm not really sure. It's so hard to decide because there is so much subjective info online, and so many thousands of different models. It really seems like this industry is intentionally confusing so you will hopefully buy something barely passable and then eventually massively overspend on something later to make up for it.

Are there any real standout products in my price range? Like, something that everyone says is reliable and makes more than rated power with minimal distortion, good SNR so there is no audible hiss in the background...