Constructive critizism for my build...

[ravenblackfrs]

Please let me know what you think? I'm not sure what I want, but I was going to buy this stuff here to start my system. I have the money for it, saved up change all year to buy this. Let me know why you wouldn't use something in this list.

Ok here ya go:

Head unit: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_130X850...-X8500BHS.html

Amp: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500MRXM...e-MRX-M55.html

Sub and enclosure: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_1369456...tealthbox.html

Add ons: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_130CDAH200/Pioneer-CD-AH200.html
Was going to use this to mirror my phone on my head unit.

If I'm going down the wrong path let me know... I do want to change the front speakers but have no idea what to change them to, nor what amp to run them with.

Not looking for any pounding loud subwoofer, just more bump for enjoying a good stereo in the car. Not going to make it a show vehicle or advertise my system.

[ean611]

Originally Posted by ravenblackfrs

Please let me know what you think? I'm not sure what I want, but I was going to buy this stuff here to start my system. I have the money for it, saved up change all year to buy this. Let me know why you wouldn't use something in this list.

Ok here ya go:

Head unit: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_130X850...-X8500BHS.html

Amp: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500MRXM...e-MRX-M55.html

Sub and enclosure: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_1369456...tealthbox.html

Add ons: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_130CDAH200/Pioneer-CD-AH200.html
Was going to use this to mirror my phone on my head unit.

If I'm going down the wrong path let me know... I do want to change the front speakers but have no idea what to change them to, nor what amp to run them with.

Not looking for any pounding loud subwoofer, just more bump for enjoying a good stereo in the car. Not going to make it a show vehicle or advertise my system.

http://hybrid-audio.com/

I'd check that out for speakers. I've used them for a while, and they're awesome.

HU is decent

I wouldn't bother with that amp and sub if you're not going to do amps and speakers. Here's why:

The sub only covers low bass. That is the range from 20-60Hz or so. Thing is, that nice impact bass you like doesn't just cover that range, you want surface area (speaker cone size) and amp power for the 80-160Hz range as well. Thing is, trying to get response in that range out of a sub typically sounds pretty bad.

The doors in the FRS/BRZ will produce the upper mid-bass with decent drivers. These are far more important than a sub for "good" bass response. (A sub is very useful, as free-air 6's can only do so much below 50Hz)

EDIT: Just wanted to insert a note here. I've run my car with no sub, but with all other speakers amped. Tuned correctly, those two 6's can kick pretty hard. It's no sub, but you can have excellent results with just those if you select drivers carefully and give them a good amp.
/EDIT

There is also a lot more than just bass to making the car sound good, but that's another story.

Finally, the stealthbox is huge. Be warned, it's big. It's also horribly inefficient. You don't need a lot of power with a good driver in a decent box. (efficiency matter). Integrity Concepts 10 inch box is shipping I believe, and you can have a smaller box with a better woofer such as I10sw from Hybrid, or many other better drivers, for less money.

If you go for those better drivers, many of them are far FAR more efficient, so you can get a smaller amp to power that. FYI, the amp in the factory BRZ radio has actually quite a bit of juice in it, more than most aftermarket radios. I mention this as the FRS/BRZ needs 7 total channels at minimum to do well. Two for the doors, two for the dash, two for the rear, plus sub.

For the money you're dropping, a lot of people like the OEM Audio+ setup, and it's probably easier to install, as well as it's definitely not a bad solution. Can I do better buying stuff myself? Sure. is it a lot more work in picking out components and splicing together, oh yeah. It's a great set up if you don't want to do the legwork on installs and tuning the car.

Final EDIT: Spend more time picking out your front/rear speakers and amp there before you go for a sub, it's far more important even for bass than just the sub. (assuming you want clean good sounding bass). Also, check the x8500BHS on Amazon, you may find it for less. Decent nav-less HU (can use iPhone or Android for Nav)

[ravenblackfrs]

Originally Posted by ean611

http://hybrid-audio.com/

I'd check that out for speakers. I've used them for a while, and they're awesome.

HU is decent

I wouldn't bother with that amp and sub if you're not going to do amps and speakers. Here's why:

The sub only covers low bass. That is the range from 20-60Hz or so. Thing is, that nice impact bass you like doesn't just cover that range, you want surface area (speaker cone size) and amp power for the 80-160Hz range as well. Thing is, trying to get response in that range out of a sub typically sounds pretty bad.

The doors in the FRS/BRZ will produce the upper mid-bass with decent drivers. These are far more important than a sub for "good" bass response. (A sub is very useful, as free-air 6's can only do so much below 50Hz)

EDIT: Just wanted to insert a note here. I've run my car with no sub, but with all other speakers amped. Tuned correctly, those two 6's can kick pretty hard. It's no sub, but you can have excellent results with just those if you select drivers carefully and give them a good amp.
/EDIT

There is also a lot more than just bass to making the car sound good, but that's another story.

Finally, the stealthbox is huge. Be warned, it's big. It's also horribly inefficient. You don't need a lot of power with a good driver in a decent box. (efficiency matter). Integrity Concepts 10 inch box is shipping I believe, and you can have a smaller box with a better woofer such as I10sw from Hybrid, or many other better drivers, for less money.

If you go for those better drivers, many of them are far FAR more efficient, so you can get a smaller amp to power that. FYI, the amp in the factory BRZ radio has actually quite a bit of juice in it, more than most aftermarket radios. I mention this as the FRS/BRZ needs 7 total channels at minimum to do well. Two for the doors, two for the dash, two for the rear, plus sub.

For the money you're dropping, a lot of people like the OEM Audio+ setup, and it's probably easier to install, as well as it's definitely not a bad solution. Can I do better buying stuff myself? Sure. is it a lot more work in picking out components and splicing together, oh yeah. It's a great set up if you don't want to do the legwork on installs and tuning the car.

Final EDIT: Spend more time picking out your front/rear speakers and amp there before you go for a sub, it's far more important even for bass than just the sub. (assuming you want clean good sounding bass). Also, check the x8500BHS on Amazon, you may find it for less. Decent nav-less HU (can use iPhone or Android for Nav)

Only reason I was going to buy it from Crutchfield is for warranty purposes and being able to send it back if something should happen to it. The factory front speakers are rough... I hear cracking and popping from them constantly. I can turn them up to loud or the bass gets muddy. And its only sitting at +2 on the bass adjustment in the radio. I definitely want some sub bass. Don't really care about the speakers in the back seat as I don't even hear them with the factory radio. And the front speakers rattle the front door panels so bad it drives me insane... I try to ignore it but it doesn't work.

Just when I thought I had my mind made up you come in here and mess me all up!!! JERK!!!! LOL... I appreciate the info. You just stopped me from buying all that stuff. I don't want to waste money, so I need to do some more research. Might go ahead and buy the HU, will hold out on everything else.

[ean611]

Originally Posted by ravenblackfrs

Only reason I was going to buy it from Crutchfield is for warranty purposes and being able to send it back if something should happen to it. The factory front speakers are rough... I hear cracking and popping from them constantly. I can turn them up to loud or the bass gets muddy. And its only sitting at +2 on the bass adjustment in the radio. I definitely want some sub bass. Don't really care about the speakers in the back seat as I don't even hear them with the factory radio. And the front speakers rattle the front door panels so bad it drives me insane... I try to ignore it but it doesn't work.

Just when I thought I had my mind made up you come in here and mess me all up!!! JERK!!!! LOL... I appreciate the info. You just stopped me from buying all that stuff. I don't want to waste money, so I need to do some more research. Might go ahead and buy the HU, will hold out on everything else.

Fyi. Door rattles aren't the speakers, those are the interior door panels.

Like I said, you can get very clean good bass out of your doors, but it takes a little bit of mass loader (to get rid of the door panel rattles) and some nice speakers and amp.

You hear the rears far more than you think. The difference between time aligning and calibrating them is huge.

If you're hearing cracking and poping, you may want to get something replaced under warranty, as those speakers shouldn't do that in stock trim. With the BRZ radio (for those staying stock, better than FRS radio), The bass response was ok with none of what you describe. The BRZ and FRS have the same speakers, so yeah, you may want to get that looked at.

[mid_life_crisis]

Plenty of write-ups on sound deadening the doors. Do it. Money and time well spent.
For a simple install just go with a quality set of separates with good passive crossovers.
I have a set of Hertz 3 ways in my FR-S in the factory locations and they go low enough that a standup bass vibrates the rear view mirror. No sub needed, although one wouldn't hurt. The crossovers are under the front seats. Hardest part was snaking wires to the doors.
As for the rear speakers, opinions will vary. Mine is that in a car this small you don't need them. Even if you wanted them, the location is terrible. You're better off forgetting they exist, but again that's just my opinion. Of course it's also the opinion of my installer, who agreed that they were nearly pointless in this car and didn't bother trying to sell me on doing anything in that location.
My system is not audiophile level: I don't have any sound processors, just a two channel amp with a built in crossover and a quality set of speakers. It does, however, sound far better than the stock system.

[Zippy]

If you are looking at the 8500 for its features, you can save some money with the 5500. Only difference between the two is a detachable faceplate. I never remove my faceplate on my 8500.

I completely agree with midlife about sound deadening the doors. If they sound like you closed the door of a Mercedes then they are done right. Where we will differ is rear speakers. There are some tracks that leverage rear speakers well to complete the listening experience. Also, if you plan on playing a DVD the surround kinda requires it.

As for the sub and amp, my inner bass head acknowledges the need for good low frequencies. By all means if that is your thing then go for it. You'll need some line level converters to get the sub inputs. On the sound quality end, you can still turn the sub way down and have it blend with the factory speakers. Just keep in mind that the trunk rattle will also require sound deadener to get rid of.

[ean611]

Originally Posted by Zippy

If you are looking at the 8500 for its features, you can save some money with the 5500. Only difference between the two is a detachable faceplate. I never remove my faceplate on my 8500.

I completely agree with midlife about sound deadening the doors. If they sound like you closed the door of a Mercedes then they are done right. Where we will differ is rear speakers. There are some tracks that leverage rear speakers well to complete the listening experience. Also, if you plan on playing a DVD the surround kinda requires it.

As for the sub and amp, my inner bass head acknowledges the need for good low frequencies. By all means if that is your thing then go for it. You'll need some line level converters to get the sub inputs. On the sound quality end, you can still turn the sub way down and have it blend with the factory speakers. Just keep in mind that the trunk rattle will also require sound deadener to get rid of.

The 8500 has far better RCA outputs. Low-Z 4V rather than high-Z 2V.

If you're adding amps, and you don't like noise, you're far better off with the 8500

[Zippy]

Originally Posted by ean611

The 8500 has far better RCA outputs. Low-Z 4V rather than high-Z 2V.

If you're adding amps, and you don't like noise, you're far better off with the 8500

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PU...s/AVH-X5500BHS It's the same 4v high output as the 8500.

[ean611]

Originally Posted by Zippy

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PU...s/AVH-X5500BHS It's the same 4v high output as the 8500.

Interesting. Thought that unit was 2v. Not sure what the difference is, possibly android compatibility. Pioneer's site isn't that useful for comparison.

[ravenblackfrs]

Originally Posted by Zippy

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PU...s/AVH-X5500BHS It's the same 4v high output as the 8500.

5500 doesn't have the Android capability that the 8500 has. Thats why I picked the 8500. Want to link it to my Galaxy s3. Seen someone with one and it worked perfect for what I need it for.