i have some 5.25 inch kenwood kfc-1361s speakers.

and am about to purchase the alpine idax30 headunit

is this a good combo for maximum sound and clarity?

thanks.

Maximum sound and clarity? Not really. I'm not personally familar with either of those products, but with just head unit power, you are definately not going to get maximum anything. It will probably sound better then stock, but don't expect miracles.

Adding an amplifier for your speakers will certainly add volume and calrity throughout the full volume range. 5.25" speakers are quite limited in output though; you really won't get any mid-bass or bass frequencies out of them, especially installed up front on a stock setup.

Hopefully I didn't just shoot down your hopes, but I'm trying to be fairly realistic. Those will help with SQ (clarity) and maybe be a tiny bit louder (limited more by the head unit power though).

If you're not looking for anything crazy, that setup will provide significantly more volume and more clarity than your stock setup. However, don't expect much bass, especially in the 5.25. The 6.5 would be better for bass and volume, but again, still nothing fantastic. It's a good place to start at the very least, you can always add an amp later, but you might be happy with it and save some dough, and at least you have a reference point ;).

well wil the bass be just as good as the stock bass?

if so i am happy with that. good enough haha

but yes i just want much better than stock.

well wil the bass be just as good as the stock bass?

if so i am happy with that. good enough haha

but yes i just want much better than stock.


With the 5.25" maybe, with the 6.5" most likely. You will have much better midrange/highs relative to the bass, making it seem like less. Invest in some sound damping, like HushMat/Dynamat/Raamat, it will deaden the door, keeping some of the road-noise out and keep resonance down, making the speakers sound better, especially complimenting those elusive bass frequencies.

will that get rid of that really anyone vibration sound you hear on the inside of the car and the outside when the bass is up?

if so i shall buy some

also does this reduce the chances of people outside hearing my music?

my friend says he can hear it clearly from 20 yards away...which i don't like haha

If you're not looking for anything crazy, that setup will provide significantly more volume and more clarity than your stock setup. However, don't expect much bass, especially in the 5.25. The 6.5 would be better for bass and volume, but again, still nothing fantastic. It's a good place to start at the very least, you can always add an amp later, but you might be happy with it and save some dough, and at least you have a reference point ;).
+1. For better bass without subs, you'll probably want components and an external amp. And for "maximum clarity", you'll need a pretty penny. Stuff like Boston Acoustics or Diamond Audio speakers are pretty good, but not cheap.

For something that'll work well with a just a headunit, IMHO Kenwood and Pioneer make really good sounding speakers for their price. Also keep an eye out for some of Blaupunkt's speakers, and you can find pretty good and cheap speakers from PolkAudio and Infinity on eBay.

will that get rid of that really anyone vibration sound you hear on the inside of the car and the outside when the bass is up?

also does this reduce the chances of people outside hearing my music?

Damping material (esp done right) will DEFINITELY deaden the vibration. It may cut the sound a bit as well, but for something that'll absorb more sound so it isn't as noisy outside, you'll want to cover your deadened material with a closed-cell foam, like Ensolite. I'd say go to http://www.raamaudio.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi . Read everything there, esp the DIYs. Rick is awesome, his stuff is excellent, esp for the price, and he even offers a small discount for NASIOC members.

I was wondering which is a better speaker, Infinity Kappa or Boston Acoustics or JL audio. I have used JL and enjoyed them. I havent heard the BA or Kappas but I know they are expensive.

Really, defining a better speaker depends on what you hear. BA's are nice, but very pricey. The Kappa is a bit cheaper, and they don't sound too bad at all (I have the cheaper Infinity Reference in my car now). I haven't heard the JL midrange speakers, but I really like their subs, and I've heard good things about the mids. Best thing to do is go into all your local car audio stores, and take a cd with a lot of the kind of music you listen to. So long as it's decently pg-pg13 rated lyrics, they'll let you play it. Figure out what you like sound-wise. Play it on a flat EQ setting, so you can see what the speakers themselves will generically sound like. Then, get in teh intarwebs and find the speakers you want for really cheap!

I was wondering which is a better speaker, Infinity Kappa or Boston Acoustics or JL audio. I have used JL and enjoyed them. I havent heard the BA or Kappas but I know they are expensive.

To rate them:

1. BA
2. JL
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.Infinity

To rate them:

1. BA
2. MB Quart
3. Alpine
4.JL Audio
5.Diamond
6.Kicker
7.Infinity


finished :D

To rate them:

1. BA
2. MB Quart
3. Alpine
4.JL Audio
5.Diamond
6.Kicker
7.Infinity


finished :D

Thanks bro...

To rate them:

1. BA
2. JL
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.Infinity

Is this list just for subs, or for components as well? I'm looking into the JL component speaker sets, and was wondering if they're worth my time/money, or if I should just keep looking for something else?

I recommend stopping by a bestbuy circuit city etc. and going to their car and audio section. They have a large setup of speakers you can listen to through different head units and amped or un-amped speakers, which you can select individually and turn them on and off as you please. Although you wont get the same experience of say a small acoustic space such as your car, you will deffinetly get an idea of what things sound like in person. Even a small upgrade will sound better than stock. However if you are looking for a dramatic change with just that set up, don't. As others here have said you'll be disapointed. Maximum clarity means running an amp, a wide range of speakers including tweeters, woofers and subs, thicker gauge wiring and etc. So to reiterate Don't expect a miracle.

I recommend stopping by a bestbuy circuit city etc. and going to their car and audio section. They have a large setup of speakers you can listen to through different head units and amped or un-amped speakers, which you can select individually and turn them on and off as you please. Although you wont get the same experience of say a small acoustic space such as your car, you will deffinetly get an idea of what things sound like in person. Even a small upgrade will sound better than stock. However if you are looking for a dramatic change with just that set up, don't. As others here have said you'll be disapointed. Maximum clarity means running an amp, a wide range of speakers including tweeters, woofers and subs, thicker gauge wiring and etc. So to reiterate Don't expect a miracle.


If all you have is Best Buy and Circuit City, then I agree. But if you have a decent shop locally with at least a Sound Room, that will be a far better representative of IN-CAR sound (still not the same, but better), and if they are good guys and know what they're doing, they will be much better suited to point you in the right direction.

I don't know where you are in SoCal, but if you're near Bakersfield, stop by my shop. Hopefully TheSatch can jump in and speak of his experience, he came into my shop and talked to me about 6 months ago on his way through my little podunk town :lol:

soobeynoobey07WRX, Audiosavvy...I think you just reiterated what I said earlier...


Really, defining a better speaker depends on what you hear. BA's are nice, but very pricey. The Kappa is a bit cheaper, and they don't sound too bad at all (I have the cheaper Infinity Reference in my car now). I haven't heard the JL midrange speakers, but I really like their subs, and I've heard good things about the mids. Best thing to do is go into all your local car audio stores, and take a cd with a lot of the kind of music you listen to. So long as it's decently pg-pg13 rated lyrics, they'll let you play it. Figure out what you like sound-wise. Play it on a flat EQ setting, so you can see what the speakers themselves will generically sound like. Then, get in teh intarwebs and find the speakers you want for really cheap!


Does anybody have any input on the JL's?

To rate them:

1. BA
2. MB Quart
3. Alpine
4.JL Audio
5.Diamond
6.Kicker
7.Infinity


finished :D

i would like to amend focal to the top

i would like to amend focal to the top


I wouldn't. I'm not too impressed by their stuff for the money, and still have never heard anything from them that was on par with the Boston Pro or MB Quart QSD 216. But sound is so subjective, it's all about personal preference anyways, so feel free to make your own list ;)

informative thread, helping me out on my speaker quest as well!

informative thread, helping me out on my speaker quest as well!


That's why we're here! :banana:

Also to pass time when I'm slow here and not making money :sadbanana:

That's why we're here! :banana:

Also to pass time when I'm slow here and not making money :sadbanana:


Could you please provide any commentary on the PVF216 and RVF216? Quart used to get a lot of talk back in the day but it's been hard to find info. The PVF has a beeg tweeter.

Could you please provide any commentary on the PVF216 and RVF216? Quart used to get a lot of talk back in the day but it's been hard to find info. The PVF has a beeg tweeter.


Oh I can certainly provide commentary, what would you like to know? The PVF uses the massive 25 mm tweeter, very similar to the older QSD tweeters like I have. I will say that for MY tastes, having them at a flat setting on the crossover is a bit too much tweet. Mine are turned down -6db on the crossover itself, and lowered even more aroun 2-4k in my parametric EQ. I can't stand that upper-mid/lower-tweet shrillness, but that's just me. I think FOR THE MONEY the RVF components are a little better, but that's often the case. My QSDs certainly don't sound THAT much better than even the $300 RVFs, that's just how things are. At a certain point you're spending FAR more for a LITTLE better. You wouldn't think 'Wow, your speakers sound like they cost more than $1500' :lol: For example, to make a 13 sec car into a 12sec car might cost $2000, to make it an 11-sec car might cost $6000, to make it a 10-sec car might cost $15,000, you get the point

One other thing that is unique to MB Quart is that they are VERY picky about how they are mounted. Now of course in a perfect world every speaker is mounted to a perfectly flat surface, but in a car, it can't always be so exact unless you're really willing to spend the time and money to do it right. With the MB Quarts' composite plastic basket, it is very easy to bend while mounting it down, and you can very easily destroy the speaker if not mounted PERFECTLY flat. Even if it doesn't destroy it, you will noticeably hinder the performance of the speaker. And be careful how tightly you screw into the back of the tweeter with the supplied screws, too far and you can damage it. The MBs are, and have always been, a little more fragile when it comes to install. If you're taking your time and doing it right, none of this should worry you, but you wanted commentary, so here ya go :D

soobeynoobey07WRX, Audiosavvy...I think you just reiterated what I said earlier...

Does anybody have any input on the JL's?

Kentrik, nothing like a good opinion of many to help one decide. :)

as far as JLs go, I can't say much about them, looking at crutchfield didn't help either as there were no user reviews that i can find. I've trusted alpine personally. Infinity is great too, I run the basslink II in my trunk and I personally love the sound it produces for its size(which was a big decider for me). Here are some reviews of JL subs, which I hope helps a bit. http://www.caraudiomag.com/reviews/01/jl/index.html

Lol, thanks soobeynoobey97wrx, but I think you're still missing what I've said. I plan on going with a single JL10w6v2, so I'm ok on the subs, but I wanna know people's opinion on their COMPONENT SPEAKERS. No one in town really carries them, and I haven't had the time lately to drive into the city to see if I can find a place that has them in a wall or soundroom that I can listen to them in.

I just listened to them at tweeters, and i wasnt impressed. I dont really know what im talking about though. There were a few set of focals that blew me away, and a set of alpines that were really nice.

Oh I can certainly provide commentary, what would you like to know? The PVF uses the massive 25 mm tweeter, very similar to the older QSD tweeters like I have. I will say that for MY tastes, having them at a flat setting on the crossover is a bit too much tweet. Mine are turned down -6db on the crossover itself, and lowered even more aroun 2-4k in my parametric EQ. I can't stand that upper-mid/lower-tweet shrillness, but that's just me. I think FOR THE MONEY the RVF components are a little better, but that's often the case. My QSDs certainly don't sound THAT much better than even the $300 RVFs, that's just how things are. At a certain point you're spending FAR more for a LITTLE better. You wouldn't think 'Wow, your speakers sound like they cost more than $1500' :lol: For example, to make a 13 sec car into a 12sec car might cost $2000, to make it an 11-sec car might cost $6000, to make it a 10-sec car might cost $15,000, you get the point

Great info...thanks alot. :cool: I think I like a similar sonic signature. Back in the day 15+ years ago, Quarts did sound alittle metallic and bright - I think it's a Teutonic thing. My intent is to roll off the high end slightly especially since the tweeters will be up in the sail panels. If they are run active, the high end will be easy to adjust. Some soft domes can be painlessly substituted otherwise. If the RVF's have solid midbass, I can see them working out fine.

I hear ya on the law of diminishing returns. My other gig involves higher end golf gear customization....that last 5% can be a bitch :(...but is good for my wallet :rolleyes:. Thanks for the tip on the woofer baskets...if you say the RVF's are solid, it's good enough for me.

Great info...thanks alot. :cool: I think I like a similar sonic signature. Back in the day 15+ years ago, Quarts did sound alittle metallic and bright - I think it's a Teutonic thing. My intent is to roll off the high end slightly especially since the tweeters will be up in the sail panels. If they are run active, the high end will be easy to adjust. Some soft domes can be painlessly substituted otherwise. If the RVF's have solid midbass, I can see them working out fine.

I hear ya on the law of diminishing returns. My other gig involves higher end golf gear customization....that last 5% can be a bitch :(...but is good for my wallet :rolleyes:. Thanks for the tip on the woofer baskets...if you say the RVF's are solid, it's good enough for me.


RVFs are certainly solid, and especially if you like acoustic guitar, you will be impressed. Keep in mind that the RVF crossover doesn't have bi-amping capability. I know you're running active, but you may choose to go through your crossovers like I did, and if so you'll have to go with the Premium set. I did mainly because my battery is disconnected and re-set so freakin often that I don't want to get in and forget that now my $500 tweeters have no crossover :diaf:. I have to safeguard myself from myself :lol: