New install: Kenwood 8120/Focal/JL/Sound Dampening

[NCC1701]

Originally Posted by jwight

OK, how about some photos of the new audio setup?

Sorry, I missed your request initially. I came back to this thread because now I'm interested in the Focal component speakers.

Now, I'm wondering if the 8120 is sufficient to power the Focals, or if I really also need an amp, as was used by tbone. Can someone recommend a good amp which doesn't cost twice as much as the speaker system? And, does the OEM under seat sub become meaningless with the Focals installed, as I suspect?
EDIT: Upon closer look, I see tbone installed the KR, while I'm looking at the A1 which costs about half as much money as the KR. At my age, I doubt I could tell the difference between them. Maybe I should get these?

Also, I've already got some Dynamat in the outside door panels. Wondering if I need more.

A question for tbone, or anyone else with the 8120 in use: Does the voice guidance sometimes get garbled for you? Mine does. It seems like it is mainly when the unit has been in continuous use for hours. But, I could be wrong about that. Is this a known issue?

BTW, when I drove into Alabama Saturday I actually laughed OUT LOUD the first (and second, and third, and ...) time I heard the voice guidance pronounce ALABAMAwith a pronounced SOUTHERN accent! It's soooo bizarre! LOL!! I say al-uh-bam-uh, it says al-uh-bay'-muh like an excited southern belle! It's hilarious!

[tbone28]

My navi doesn't get garbled, but I also haven't taken long trips as you have.

Regarding the amp, I would suggest buying one. I think Focals are power hungry speakers. While you could run them off the head unit, you won't be getting the most out of your speakers.

[John_H]

I'd suggest your factory subwoofer will be dwarfed with a good speaker upgrade.

One of the problems is that the amount of base is derived from the speaker channels (in an odd way, too) within the subwoofer. There is no crossover. There is no adjustment of level. The base response of your new speakers should easily handle the low end currently supplemented by the subwoofer with the sound-dampening reinforcing the door into much more of an acoustic cavity rather than just a place to mount the speakers.

If you want serious base (which I wouldn't expect of the person I see posting here on SCoA) an under-dash subwoofer that's properly engineered into a good crossover/amp system would give you all the joy you'd want. The 4 inch cones on the factory subwoofer are just silly for anything more than rounding out the factory setup.

You could sell the subwoofer (and perhaps stock tweeters) to someone who didn't get a decent speaker upgrade, helping to round out the high and low end of their factory speakers.

[NCC1701]

Originally Posted by John_H

I'd suggest your factory subwoofer will be dwarfed with a good speaker upgrade.
<snip> The base response of your new speakers should easily handle the low end currently supplemented by the subwoofer with the sound-dampening reinforcing the door into much more of an acoustic cavity rather than just a place to mount the speakers.

If you want serious base <snip>

That's pretty much as I thought. Maybe I'll add more dampening at the time of installation. I've been doing more research online since my post in the wee hours of this morning. It was the ad at 4smartcar which had me looking at the Focal A1's. But, I'm now thinking a bit more upper range, and not necessarily Focal.

You are correct that I don't want a Boom smart. I'm into good old fashioned realistic reproduction. Here's a speaker set I'm drooling over, with an amp along these lines. The JBLs might be beyond my price range, but I'm sure they'd rock, their studio monitors are fantastic!

I wish Klipsch made car speakers.

[homeslice]

Doesn't that radio have an electronic crossover built in to filter out the bass of the door speakers? My Alpine IVA-W205 does. I can use the power of the radio and crossover the speakers at 80 or 120 Hz and then the sub-out on the radio runs to my amp and puts all low frequencies. Doesn't that JL amp have any kind of crossovers built into it?

I have an old Soundstream electronic crossover in my closet if I have to use multiple amps.

How do you configure the JL amp to use 2 channels for the doors and 1 channel to the sub and have it all crossed over so there is no distortion?

[wellfever]

wow~~very nicely done.....I want to make my smart quieter too...

[wellfever]

where can I find "Blackhole Tile Block" ? thanks you