System planning input

[upperguy]

Hey guys I am finally getting around to doing my system and was wondering if I could get some opinions. To start, this is all going in a 98 M3 coupe.

Front components I am planning on going with the new Polk SR 5.25.
Rears either blanks and porting the rear deck or Polk Momo 6x9.
My source is already an Eclipse CD3000.
4ch would be the Polk momo 400.4 which would either power everything or be bridged to the fronts.
Sub amp is the Momo 500.1.
and finally Sub is the momo 10" dvc.

I get a great hookup on Polk, Kicker and Eclipse and I am a bit of an audiophile. I have heard nothing but rave reviews on the new SR components and decided to go for them over the Eclipse 3-way aluminums which I hadn't heard much about and the Kicker SS components which I didn't hear anything good about. The amps are clean and would look good mounted together and I owned a momo sub before that I liked the sound of alot.

As far as enclosure goes I planned to glass a box roughly .95 cu.ft. on the driver side of the trunk and build a rack...somewhere in there. For cables I will most likely run Kicker or tsunami(metra). My intentions are to keep the spare tire as well(not worth the extra space on the rally:-p)

[carstereopro]

not to be a dick, to sound snobby or like a know it all,......

If you are an audiophile, then why are you using Polk? Although the SR's have pretty respectable performance, there are many speakers out there that walk all over them. (I understand you get a deal on them, but a true Audiophile spares no expense for the most dynamic performing audio equipment.)

Personally, I can accept it as a decent "high-end" system with most of the components in your system-to-be, but its far from "audiophile."

Visit a few high end shops and give a listen to the following equipment:
Boston SPZ's
Focal Utopia
Rainbow Platinum (or Reference)

McIntosh Amplifiers (autoformers kick ass)
Tru Technologies Amps
Zapco Competition

As far as subs go, I like:
JL W6v.2 (I know, mass produced, but these are still hand built in Florida despite what most people say)
Boston G5
Boston SPG (hand Built in Massachusetts)
Critical Mass Ultimate series
Image Dynamics IDMax

These are just a few, there are many other brands, but just as important is the installation and interconnects.

For interconnects I like:
Pear Cable (need some serious money just to consider these)
Monster Cable 400 series
Streetwires ZN9 series

As I always state in posts like this, these are my opinions, not everyone will agree.

[upperguy]

When I posted it all up I was specifically looking for a response from you, as it really seems you know what you're talking about as far as this stuff goes. I am an audiophile but just maybe not to the degree you are. I am also working my way through college so I have that expense sitting on my shoulder as well.

I have heard the Utopia's and was impressed but not nearly $1800 impressed, I heard and enjoyed the Bostons, but have no experience with Rainbow. Same goes with McIntosh and Zapco amps I have heard but don't have access to them or room for the Zapco specifically.

Sub-wise I have heard the Bostons and liked them. However, I'm looking for a smaller 10 that I can toss in the corner and not worry about and that rules alot of the higher end subs out. The Momo will sound clean in a small sealed(.85) box. Though I am open to check some of those out and give them a chance.

On the price note I, though my work get a substantial discount and that whole system would run me a touch over $800, maybe $950 including all the wiring and mdf/fiberglass to build and carpet an amp rack and box. I also have to take into account that with school and the Rally my car will be packed with supplies and sometimes in less then ideal locations.

Have you had any experience with the Momo amplifiers? I have seen a people running them and they seemed good and mount together for a clean look as well. I have also been told by a separate source they internally look almost identical to JL's amps, though I don't know how much merit that holds.

Thanks for the input so far

[Nath]

i wouldnt bother with 4" rears, or if you do, fade most of the sounds to your fronts..

if your getting a sub then dont bother with 6x9's - science proves you cant make clear sound out of somthing rectangular!

[upperguy]

You think I would be better off with leaving the rears empty to let the bass through or putting speakers in powered by the head as filler? This is my first time working in an E36 so I don't know how the staging is in it.

[Nath]

i have replaced my "nokias" with 4" Audiobahn as rear fill powered off my HU..

[ESP]

Phil has some good suggestions there for you to consider.

I am not up on the latest equipment at this time but my personal preference for a quality sounding system with some type of budget constraint would be as follows:

Fronts I would run JL Audio Separates 6.5" Not the absolute highest quality but for the money I have been repeatedly impressed with them.

Rears I would run just a 5.25" midbass driver, no tweeter, solely for rear fill.

Subs I would go with what Phil recommended, I tend to favor JL and Image Dynamics (just may be cause I am still back in the 90s as far as my equipment knowledge.

Amps, from a budget standpoint I would consider the JLs, if I was to spend a bit more I would go Zapco or McIntosh

LOL, this post kinda identifies all the old equipment I have in storage.

[carstereopro]

I can respect your budget.

Here's what I would run:

Boston GT42 (run as a 3 ch, 75w/rms x 2 to front stage, 350w/rms to sub)
Boston G21044 (run 2 ohm mono)
Boston SX50 components (SX60's will fit with a little cutting)

Here's what you're looking at, at retail:
GT42 $699
G210 $179
SX50 $250
Realistically, make friends at the local Boston Dealer, and I'm sure you could get everything for around $1000.

And when your budget grows, all boston 10" subs work in only .5 cubic feet sealed, including speaker displacement. So when you have more money, you can upgrade to a G3 or G5 without having to change the box. (depth is the only limiting factor)