Looking for some advice as I begin to install my system...

[cueball981]

Hello!

I joined CAJ a little over a week ago. So happy I found this site. TBH, I wasn't all that impressed with the way things ended up over on the "other" site. It'd been nearly 5 years since I last posted there, and yes, times have changed.

Feeling more of the old "ECA" vibe here and couldn't be more pleased!

I'm definitely not new to car audio, having installed several systems for friends, family, and myself over the past 29 years, though today's OEM integrated "everything" is something I'm not too familiar with. Also, this will be my first venture into the DSP realm! LOL!

My drivers are budget-minded (got them for amazing prices) though I know some of you may frown on the quality. My plan is to begin here, with what I have, then as time and money allows, begin updating components here and there.


I am running stock 8.4 Uconnect in my 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie. Yes, I do have the stock Alpine 9-speaker system, which in some ways I wish I didn't. I've already replaced all 9 speakers with the following:

Dash (L/C/R): JBL GTO329s (3 total)
Doors (Fr/R): GTO 939s (4 total)
Rear Headliner (L/R): GTO 329s (2 total)

What else is going in?

DSP: Alpine PXE-0850S (though have a BNIB JBL MS-8 on the sidelines I may test out too)

Amps: 2x Alpine PDX-V9s

Subwoofers: 4x ID8v.4 in custom sealed box



Currently, I am using the factory amp to drive the new speakers. I've deactivated the ANC by unpinning the 4 microphones, and made sure to put all drivers, including the stock sub, in phase.

I can tell you right now, the sound quality has improved night & day from stock. As I listen to these "budget" drivers more and more, I actually am amazed with the mid-bass response I'm getting from the 6x9s in the front door and the mid-range/highs up on my dash.

Granted this will all change a bit once I install the DSP and amps, which is why I need your help.

I'll have 10 channels of amplification to work by running 2x PDX-V9s. I'm just trying to figure out the best route to go. Do I bridge 4 channels to 2 to run the front 6x9s, then run the rear-door 6x9s and L/R dash 3.5s off the other amp? This would then leave the PXE-0580S to power the remaining center and rear-surrounds? I'm thinking if I go this route, then I am future proofing things for those gradual upgrades I talked about earlier.

Given what I have to work with, how would you utilize each channel (theoretically up to 12 channels total using the PXE) with the current components? (I may end up going with my old-school Altec Lansing M615 mid-bass and TW2 tweeters if the surrounds haven't disintegrated...need to check on them!)

Really appreciate you taking a moment to share your thoughts and opinions.

Chris

[Holmz]

I dunno specifically...
But I suppose some measurement to find out what is not optimal, or could be better seems like a start.
The fact that it is "night and day" better means that it could be easy to make it worse, or easy to come up with some plan that does not really make things better.

So you need way to work out "better" and "not optimal".

When you at this point it is generally take some chin scratching to make good decisions.

[Queef]

Coming from head unit power to amplifier power is a great move. Put most power towards subs. Recone for speaker is a good investment.
Read about DSPs and begin playing with that, it will take awhile to get the most from it.
Crossovers - 24 dB cliff edge, easy to hear differences.
6 dB smooth transition, not as bright sounding.

Kenwood components might interest you. REW of by nines dropped very low!

Take Your Time and Enjoy!

[miniSQ]

9 tweeters in any system is a lot of tweeters. I think you need to focus more on the basic's of building a cohesive system. 2-4 tweeters is plenty for the entire system.

[cueball981]

Mini, I agree. Plan is to cross-over each of the drivers so they're not all playing full-range. I'll have the 6x9's in the front doors playing mid-bass and some mid-range, then have the 3.5s in the dash take over all the way up to 20k. Same thing in the rear, which I plan to attenuate quite a bit so as not to retract from the sound-stage up front.

I will upgrade to better drivers down the road, and ones that will provide a solid foundation, but for now, have to work with what I have. I wasn't planning on keeping these for good, just wanted to get something else in there better than stock and at a good price. And yes, the sound compared to stock is that much better. These JBL GTO's with the "composite" frames actually sound pretty good for what I paid for them.

Going to look into re-coning the Altecs (I have quite a collection) and running them active. Figure 6.5 midbass in the doors, tweets in the dash corners, 5.25 in the rear doors. I really wish I could find someone who has a set or 2 of the M400 (4 in) laying around. That would make for a nice 3-way up front! Very hard to come by now though.

[Theslaking]

The m615 have rubber surrounds. So you should be fine. I would you those and get rid of the 3 way 6x9's in the door. If it was just a 6x9 i would use it but you have way too many speakers going on. The 3.5/tweets in the dash are fine. You don't want any high frequency sound coming from behind you. Don't use any tweeters back there. I'm an advocate for rear fill. So very low playing speakers in the doors are fine. There is a way to properly implement rear speakers but that is for another thread.

The factory Alpine system was dsp'd at the factory. That's why it didn't sound like complete crap. None of us regular's even have the equipment to properly implement surround sound or like it in a car for that matter.

[cueball981]

Theslaking, what about disabling the tweeters in the 6x9s? I REALLY am liking the midbass response they're outputting.

[Theslaking]

If you can, absolutely.

[cueball981]

The reason I say this is because at the moment, there is no higher frequencies coming from the front door 6x9s; only mid-bass and some lower end mid-range. Again, even though I have all coaxials in the stock locations doesn't mean I can't cut out higher frequencies to them when setting the crossovers. The PXE-0850S has slopes as steep as 48db.

[Theslaking]

I usually cut it my 6.5's around 1k. Give or take depending on where the mid range can start at comfortably.

I think my truck is sub = 15-70hz , 6.5 = 80-800, 3.5 = 900-3500, Tweets 3600 and up