Just Spent $3,000 On New System... Please Read And Give Your Opinions!!!

[PeteNYC 10+ year member]

This is my first post on this forum. I recently got back into car audio after a 7 year hiatus and found it to be very different.

A lot of new innovations since then. I just spent 3G's on a system including installation etc. Please let me know what you think of the items I purchased as well as the mix of components and if they will sound good.

I drive a 2003 4-door Ford Explorer XLT. These are the components that will be installed this Friday morning by Canal Audio in Manhattan. They are Authorized dealers for Focal, Zapco and Eclipse in this specific application.

Tell me what you think.

Head Unit........Eclipse 8053 (top of the line)

Front Stage......Focal Utopia 165W (200MAX 100RMS)

Rear Fill........Focal Access 165ca (120MAX 60RMS)

Amplifier........Zapco Reference 1000.4 (150RMS X4)

Door Deadner.....Dynaxorb sheets

Possible addition to Eclipse 8053 unit is the voice command/MP3 adapter option.

ALREADY EXISTING TO MY ORIGINAL STOCK SYSTEM FOR BASS IS an Alpine M350 mono amp running 1-10" Rockford Fosgate HE in a single enclosed box. Might need to upgrade this to be up to par with my new system.

I thought the bass from the RF 10" was enough and booming enough, but I'll wait till after the install in order to see how much more bass to add. I have my Alpine amp set half power to the RF. HAD TO KEEP THE FRONT STAGE IN THE STOCK LOCATION IN THE DOORS BECAUSE NOBODY MAKES KICK PANELS FOR THE 2003 EXPLORER? WEIRD. DONT WANT TO SPEND MONEY ON CUSTOMS.

I did tons of research and decided onthis all. The subs I'll take care of later if need be. I love SQ and tight bass, so no need for bandpass boxes and all that. Sealed enclosures give me that tight quick hit bass that I like, not that kiddy bass.

DO YOU GUYS THINK THIS SYSTEM IN MY EXPLORER WILL BE WHAT I THINK? PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR OPINIONS, GOOD OR BAD.

PS--- A big question for me was the Focal 165w3 or 165w's! The 2ways or the 3ways drove me nuts and I decided on the two ways (165W) because they sold for $360 less than the 3ways (165w3). People told me that there wasnt much difference in sound but plenty in price? Is that true?

Also I wanted MP3 capabiities head unit and didnt because a lot of people tole me mp3's sound 20% less in quality, so Eclipse didnt want to scar there best models name in the 8053 and let it have the mp3s in it so if someone hears the bad sound they dont think it's their best model, 8053 singing it! Proof is all the models UNDER the 8053 HAVE mp3 availability. I know the piece I may buy, the adapter has the mp3's in it, but the main unit doesnt. The Zapco I heard is better off going 150RMS to Focals 100RMS. They say thats a perfect mix cause Focals are power starved.

PLEASE POST BACK WITH YOUR OPINIONS GUYS...THANX!

Click to read more...

 

[jemorgan85 10+ year member]

Only thing I can say is that rear fill is generally a waste of money, especially if it is firing up towards glass. Rear fill is not the same distance to your ears as the front stage is, therefore you have waves counteracting each other at 180 degrees. This causes the cancellation of frequencies, generally those of higher octave.

 

[phycophonetech 10+ year member]

I just got my stuff done by canal audio too. Jerry and mike right ? great guys . I got my 2003 honda accord done there last week . I'm no super expert but if anyone can make your system sound great it's those two , well four really. I'll tell ya, for now on all my work will go to those guys , It looks good man and good luck

 

[xjmadness 10+ year member]

thats a nice system (dont know about that 3grand tho) I hope u tried/will try to haggle down the price a little.

and trust me...u want to have custom kick panels for your speakers. if your gonna spend that much on speakers, dont cut short on gettin those shitty Q logic kick panels.

 

[unrealii 10+ year member]

Also I wanted MP3 capabiities head unit and didnt because a lot of people tole me mp3's sound 20% less in quality, so Eclipse didnt want to scar there best models name in the 8053 and let it have the mp3s in it so if someone hears the bad sound they dont think it's their best model, 8053 singing it! Proof is all the models UNDER the 8053 HAVE mp3 availability. I know the piece I may buy, the adapter has the mp3's in it, but the main unit doesnt. The Zapco I heard is better off going 150RMS to Focals 100RMS. They say thats a perfect mix cause Focals are power starved.
PLEASE POST BACK WITH YOUR OPINIONS GUYS...THANX!

If you dont care about the 16v balanced outputs and possible voice command (if you pay the extra $300-$400 for the E-comm to get the mp3) from the cd8053, I would jump up to a cd8454 because that will cost less than a cd8053 & E-Comm.

 

[packerfan 10+ year member]

Only thing I can say is that rear fill is generally a waste of money, especially if it is firing up towards glass. Rear fill is not the same distance to your ears as the front stage is, therefore you have waves counteracting each other at 180 degrees. This causes the cancellation of frequencies, generally those of higher octave.

Some people like rear fill....

 

[linksyz 10+ year member]

i run 165w off of orion 4002 amp (100x2rms) and the gain is at about 45%. my stock rear fill is turned off and ive set my alpine 9835 xover to 80hz or sometimes 100hz for focals and they sound awesome. i can turn them up to 33 volume for the loudest, but i usually go only up to 27 (out of 35). above 27 im afraid ill blow my woofers, and they start sounding lil distorted (reminds me of my friends 10 visonik sub in a bandbass box), but tweeters sound really nice at any given volume. i have both of my front doors deadened with dynamat exteme door kit too and i left the stock 6x8 grilles in the doors which i think are the reason why my woofers sound little distorted, i think that woofers are hitting the grilles.

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

Nice sytem there bro....//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[kappa546 10+ year member]

good stuff but for $3000 you could've done better, especially sicne that doesnt include your sub stage. if you already have it all... make the most out of it with excellent install. wouldnt be worth **** if you had all that and didnt make the most of it

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

i Think for 3K you've got yourself a nice backbone for your system- everything is top notch- exellent receiver and frontstage- you went all out the first time- thats the way to do it- big dogg style:evil:

I personally like to do the installs myself to ensure my level of QC......but as long as you can tell it was a quality install-its your piece of mind

Best of luck

 

[spicmonster 10+ year member]

I just got my stuff done by canal audio too. Jerry and mike right ? great guys . I got my 2003 honda accord done there last week . I'm no super expert but if anyone can make your system sound great it's those two , well four really. I'll tell ya, for now on all my work will go to those guys , It looks good man and good luck

wat you got in your car...cause i got a 2004 accord...and im keeping the head unit the same...just wonderin if u changed the tweeters on the dash..anypics?

 

[linksyz 10+ year member]

Linksyz, I don't know if your HU is different, but almost every Alpine HU I've used starts to distort @ 25 volume (22 volume with BBE/MX on) ...

1kHz recorded at 0dB changes is fine at 27 but it changes to hissing noise at 28. maybe i should turn my gain up a bit.

 

[BumpinDoug 10+ year member]

Just get yourself a better sub...hmm im feeling 12" W7 or 12" Magnum D2 to give your system some kick

 

[phycophonetech 10+ year member]

wat you got in your car...cause i got a 2004 accord...and im keeping the head unit the same...just wonderin if u changed the tweeters on the dash..anypics?

I put in the kenwood kdc -979 hu , they have a kit to replace the radio/ac unit it comes with the controls and a din sized space for your radio that you can get at install.com or check with your local dealer .

I changed the tweeters to kicker R22"s right on the corners where the stock one's are . With that you have to remove the piece inside and make it fit, the guys were cutting it with a heavy scirror and it fir in perfectly

pics to come as soon as I can bowror my nieces camera

let me know if you have any more ?'s on the honda

 

[linksyz 10+ year member]

1kHz recorded at 0dB changes is fine at 27 but it changes to hissing noise at 28. maybe i should turn my gain up a bit.

with mx on