FOCAL Budget Audio System Set-Up

[aka_NSX]

I'm going to build a $1200 FOCAL audio system in my EK3, these are the model I'm going to use,

165A1 / 27V2 / Solid 4

I know that I can get a very good SQ only by using the bottom line of FOCAL, so if anyone in a budget maybe you can consider this set-up



http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/9708/r0010927ax9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/9427/r0011035.jpg (http://img24.imageshack.us/my.php?image=r0011035.jpg)
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/r0011035.jpg/1/w1024.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img24/r0011035.jpg/1/)

[geeang]

Great! A sound system build log, exactly what this section needs to show people how an audio system install goes.

Looking forward to seeing some progress!

[55EXX]

how IMO a planned build should go

1st depends on your current systems urgent needs

equal 1st - new front speakers. great if yours are crap. something like focal access that has a high sensitivity and run ok off only head unit power but have much better sound quality.

equal 1st - new head unit. great your speakers already aren't too bad sounding. has a better in built amplifier to power existing speakers louder and may have mp3, usb etc features that are very handy. also those with inbuilt crossovers can be used to power existing speakers cleaner by removing bass that the stock speakers cannot reproduce.

(quick dictionary highpass - removes low freq. only letting ones higher that a set point pass. low pass - the opposite of highpass)

2nd - 4 channel amp. powers front and rear speakers. more power = louder. crossover built into the amp can again be used to remove bass that the small diameter speakers cannot reproduce. rough guide highpass 6-6.5" speakers around 80hz, 4" 150hz and 6x9 60-70hz. a higher cut is less bass but louder volumes can be played without distortion.

3rd - sub. run off rear channels of the 4 channel amp. you want to low pass the sub around the same point that you high pass the speakers at to achieve a equal response across the freq. range. eg low pass sub at 70hz high pass fronts at 80hz. the small gap is good as the volume after the cut hz drops off slowly so by spacing them slightly allows them to blend.

(system so far - headunit, front speakers, sub and 4 ch amp - this alone would sound very good)

4th - dedicated mono block sub amp. mono blocks are more suited for subwoofer duties as they can produce more power. use the freed up rear channel on the amp to power the rear speakers.

equal 5th (more sound quality) - better front speakers again (pick the best you want to go as this is what you will have in the end! buy once right here and buy once) depending on the power needs you may want to choose to bridge the 4 ch into these speakers of use it to run active (very advanced). put your current fronts into the rear off of head unit power.

equal 5th (for the doof doof bass head) - another matching sub and sub amp for total bass craziness. high pass your rears higher and turn them up louder. will wreck the sounds stage but definitely give you a club in your car!

everything bought is used again so plan plan plan. eg. my last car ended up with

eclipse CD7100 HU
Focal K2P fronts
Focal Access rears (from front)
Eclipse 4ch (was used as like explained)
2x Alpine mono blocks (started as one)
2x Alpine type r 12's (started as one)

it was loud and clear.


this is all IN MY OPINION

maybe worth a sticky so noobs can plan out a stereo more effectively?

[aka_NSX]

55EXX, thanks for your opinion actually this thread for me to tell people that they can have a very good SQ set-up with only a bottom line model from FOCAL,

honestly when I was competing in the SQ contest a long time back my system always run full active but people need a lot of money to run a full active set-up,

I can do $20,000 set-up but who will spend that much money for system this days, I know some people out there still does it,

thats why $1,500 set-up I think its more affordable for everyone

[civic_07]

^^^ exactly what i've been waitting to do but just dont have the time. My budget is around what you set out :thumbsup:

I'm not really into these kind of things but I do want to upgrade the stock system for my 08' Civic (front splits + amp + sup).

[aka_NSX]

Front splits done, and sound very nice even without the AMP

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/2517/r0010928za0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/9093/r0010929wp9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/3852/r0010931ig2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[tron07]

how's the staging & imaging with the tweets mounted that way?

[trism]

itr would actually sound alright, as it reflect off the windscreen

a very succesful competitor in NSW SQ competitions in 2007 had his tweeters mounted the same way. he came int eh top 3 in nsw and Australia

[55EXX]

the tweeter reflecting off the windscreen is a black art many get wrong and don't know. a dominant pro sq competitor tried this method and was not happy with it in any reflecting position as glass can often give bad reflections.

i myself have had the focal k2p tweets which are alot less harsh than others in the focal range and i still found the reflections to increase overall harshness and inaccuracy.

larger diameter soft domes i have come to love.

[aka_NSX]

why so many people so worry about the tweeter placement, I can guarantee 99% of you can't even tell where is the tweeter located in someone with a good SQ set-up in theirs car IF you enter the car with your eyes close then you just sit and listening to the music .............

[aka_NSX]

finish the sub and the amp,

so next is the wiring

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/9222/r0010933wb9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/3651/r0010934bm7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[solitz]

very nice install there mate!
whats the SQ like on the SOLID amps compared to the FP series amps? considering these amps to run active/semi for my front stage.

[Dy_]

what'd you use to cover that tweeter up?

[aka_NSX]

very nice install there mate!
whats the SQ like on the SOLID amps compared to the FP series amps? considering these amps to run active/semi for my front stage.

both is a good AMP :thumbsup:, so either one will make a good front staging in your car, if you need any of the Focal just PM me



what'd you use to cover that tweeter up?

just get a speaker grille cloth and 4mm-6mm MDF

[aka_NSX]

now is the shot of my very old Kenwood Headunit its a Mini Disc and CD changer, its going to be removed as soon as the new 2009 Kenwood is available

The FOCAL remote Bass Controller is located where the Cigy lighter used to be and the CD changer is in the Glove Box

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/9412/r0010939qm4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/8699/r0010938im7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[sKy.xD]

Thats a nice job you have done. I wonder what it sounds like, as i have someone who has also done something similar to you, and he has surprised many people with his system.

But yeh was it easy to mod the glovebox for the cd changer? Im possibly going to put my headunit into my glovebox just for a stealthy neat install.

What is that material you used to hold the cd changer in place? Where did you get it from?

Did you have to get rid of the back wall of the glove box for the wires?

[aka_NSX]

Thats a nice job you have done. I wonder what it sounds like, as i have someone who has also done something similar to you, and he has surprised many people with his system.

But yeh was it easy to mod the glovebox for the cd changer? Im possibly going to put my headunit into my glovebox just for a stealthy neat install.

What is that material you used to hold the cd changer in place? Where did you get it from?

Did you have to get rid of the back wall of the glove box for the wires?

thanks, sounds very nice and many people like my set-up, unfortunately you are not in Sydney otherwise I will demo it to you

it shouldn't be that hard to make, you only need a piece of MDF that can cover the glove box then carpet it,

I only need to make a small hole for the cable no need to cut the whole back plastic

[aka_NSX]

Finally the 2009 Kenwood arrived KDC-XBT8013U, its a very nice headunit . . .

1- Kenwood KDC-XBT8013U
2- Focal Access 165A1 Front splits
3- Focal Solid 4 Amplifier
4- Focal Polyglass 27V2 11" woofer

Total $1495


http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/133/r0011113.jpg


http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/2517/r0010928za0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/9093/r0010929wp9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/3852/r0010931ig2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/9222/r0010933wb9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/3651/r0010934bm7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[RandyRhydah]

Props, gives me a few ideas for what i want to do

[M@lew]

Looks good. I got the same splits as you for my car, sound great. :) Got them at a bargin too since the shop owner had already sold the amp + sub of that bundle and really wanted to get rid of the splits.

[trism]

very nice. how do you find the tweeters? i always found that all Focal tweeters bar the Be range to be waaaaaaay too bright

[aka_NSX]

Props, gives me a few ideas for what i want to do

what do you want to do ? what idea do you need ?


Looks good. I got the same splits as you for my car, sound great. :) Got them at a bargin too since the shop owner had already sold the amp + sub of that bundle and really wanted to get rid of the splits.

yup, the 165A1 is really worth the money only $255 :thumbsup:


very nice. how do you find the tweeters? i always found that all Focal tweeters bar the Be range to be waaaaaaay too bright

if you are in sydney please come and I will let you have a listen then tell me if the tweeter waaaaay too bright or not ...........

[NA15BS]

what can i say mate, nice n clean audio set up, i was just thinking where to put my tweeter on my ek, good job.

[riruiz_88]

to OP, so you are able to get Focal speakers in? i have gotten some prices, and would like to know if thats only for 1 set of splits or does it include both sides for the car?

[aka_NSX]

to OP, so you are able to get Focal speakers in? i have gotten some prices, and would like to know if thats only for 1 set of splits or does it include both sides for the car?

PM sent, THANKS

[SHOGUNOVDDRK]

Inspiring.

[55EXX]

why so many people so worry about the tweeter placement, I can guarantee 99% of you can't even tell where is the tweeter located in someone with a good SQ set-up in theirs car IF you enter the car with your eyes close then you just sit and listening to the music .............

i could in a amatuer system so put fussy me in that 1%, but even more i'd definately be able to tell you that it is not in the right spot due to bad imaging or dull off-axis or bright on-axis response. to me tweeter placement is vital for over all sq and imaging.

so i'm guessing your a focal dealer hence the push with all focal gear. and i personally love focal. i, in my first 2 competitive cars used focal speakers. the second being the one that won the qld caasq title. very revealing tweets. but dyns are dyns.

in eks with speakers mounted into the door card and not the door here is a great sugestion. seal the gap between the door and car with closed cell foam around speaker. i did one level higher than this as the foam could squish to close that gap. worked very well. much more solid midbass just from this alone.
http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/5170/95869355lj6.png

[aka_NSX]

i could in a amatuer system so put fussy me in that 1%, but even more i'd definately be able to tell you that it is not in the right spot due to bad imaging or dull off-axis or bright on-axis response. to me tweeter placement is vital for over all sq and imaging.

so i'm guessing your a focal dealer hence the push with all focal gear. and i personally love focal. i, in my first 2 competitive cars used focal speakers. the second being the one that won the qld caasq title. very revealing tweets. but dyns are dyns.

in eks with speakers mounted into the door card and not the door here is a great sugestion. seal the gap between the door and car with closed cell foam around speaker. i did one level higher than this as the foam could squish to close that gap. worked very well. much more solid midbass just from this alone.


well, you can say that but I know what the sound has to be and I know my sound staging is good with the tweetr on that spot

well I know there is some ppl with Dyns set up in his car and sound really bad but I'm not saying Dyns is bad compare with Focal coz I used to own Dyns speaker on my Comp car back in 14-15 yrs ago and has been winning in the Pro division but I'm still using the Focal Fiberglass Tweeter TN46, you can't even find any Dynaudio or Focal dealer back then

good point, actually I have got the Plainchant on the door shell and around the speaker panel

[TONTON]

Hmm good build..

what do you recommend for this..

5.25 fronts

6.5splits rear or 6x9 rear

with a slim 8inch sub?

[aka_NSX]

Hmm good build..

what do you recommend for this..

5.25 fronts

6.5splits rear or 6x9 rear

with a slim 8inch sub?

if you are in Sydney, you can come and have a listen then you can decide

whether FOCAL is really suit your taste of music because so many good

brand out there . . .

and I can show you one of the FOCAL 10" woofer with built in AMP that

can fit under the seat too

cheers

[arverson]

Hmm good build..

what do you recommend for this..

5.25 fronts

6.5splits rear or 6x9 rear

with a slim 8inch sub?

6.5 splits front. slim 8 or 10 inch sub. forget about 6x9s or 5.25"s

rears, either have nothing or keep whatevers there now & fade forward, or just stick with new coax 6.5 at the rears. or whatever the stock rear size is.

6.5 dont fit up front? make them! all it takes is a mdf spacer

[eight]

Can you recommend me a set up - looking at 4" speakers + 1" tweeters.

[Philip Lee]

Awesome system Laski!!! I was surprised with the SQ and bass output with this very basic system.

Cheers