Full Active With Widebands?

[Skippman]

Here's a system I was debating on for a Subaru BRZ I have on order. The BRZ has enough room for a 4" driver plus a tweeter in the dash. The doors are 7" drivers from the factory.


Audison BitTenD
Audison Voce AV 5.1k
Audison AV bit IN

Wideband: KEF Ci50R or Aura NSW2-326-8A "Whisper"
Midbase: Peerless SLS830667

or

Hertz HSK-165

This will all be running off the factory Fujitsu Ten headunit that will of course be DSP'd by the BitTenD.

Pick this appart. Do you think this will work given the BRZ's interior or am I way off base here?


Also, does anyone know the maximum sized driver you could fit in the dash? I'm talking if you completely removed both the midbass and the tweeter and their brackets and custom fab'd something up? Diameter and depth would be great to know. I have a crazy idea and want to know if it'd fit.

[2forme]

I think you're gonna end up replacing the head unit. Hold off on the DSP's until you know you're keeping it for certain . The software on the stock unit sucks, so I feel like someone who puts THIS much thought into their sound would get fed up with it.

[Skippman]

Well, I plan on eventually doing just that, possibly with the Ca-Fi knock off. The BitTenD is going in no matter what in order to tune the system.

I really wish I could find a head unit that ran Android that had either a TOS/LINK or coaxial digital output. I know it's kind of a niche thing to ask for but so is an Android based head unit. If I could find one I'd be digital from the source all the way through to the DAC in the amp. The downside is I'd have to control volume at the DSP, which isn't really a big deal as it comes with a remote mounted display.

[ft_sjo]

Why not just go the whole Italian hog and go for the Voce's?

[SubieNate]

I plan to do something similar, but I'll likely do a 3" wideband (Tang Band W3 variant or Fountek FR88ex) + possibly a small neo tweet crossed passively.

I like the widebands as you keep most of the sound up in the dash instead of aiming at your feet. Ideally you'd want the drivers aimed back at you instead of up into the windshield but you can't have it all in a sportscar.

I ran Peerless 2" widebanders + the Aura 6.5" paper cone with the NRT motor and a Creative Sound Solutions SDX10 in my last car run full active and loved it.

Nathan

Nathan

[Skippman]

So Nate, are you going to run a 6.1 active setup, run passive, or just skip the doors all together?

[rmjjensen]

FYI you can get very good sound quality out of the factory deck. I tagged the preamp audio from the AK4359 DAC output currently and it sounds clean. I may use an AK4103/4104 to get a true S/PDIF output to feed my Alpine PXA DSP. I haven't done the S/PDIF yet since, like others say, I don't know if I truly want to keep the stock BRZ head unit. I'm really torn - I don't love it, but I don't hate it either. I just miss my car computer setup that was pure digital.

Sounds like it's going to be a very good build with what you've listed. I'm only running front stage and it sounds very clean - the dash speakers can be harsh but I was able to tone it done with the stock EQ settings so obviously with your Bit Ten you will be in much better shape.

[cruzinbill]

Originally Posted by 2forme

I think you're gonna end up replacing the head unit. Hold off on the DSP's until you know you're keeping it for certain . The software on the stock unit sucks, so I feel like someone who puts THIS much thought into their sound would get fed up with it.

He will be fine using the Bit10 on the factory head. It has Hi and low level inputs.

Originally Posted by ft_sjo

Why not just go the whole Italian hog and go for the Voce's?

The HSK sound better than the Voce line. Also, Hertz and Audison are both Electromedia .



I think what you have chosen will work well. Id say stick to 4" or smaller in the dash. You will already need to trim on some 4" drivers for fit.

[2forme]

Bill, I was referring to the stock unit's software being crap, not the sound.

[Skippman]

Originally Posted by cruzinbill

He will be fine using the Bit10 on the factory head. It has Hi and low level inputs.



The HSK sound better than the Voce line. Also, Hertz and Audison are both Electromedia .



I think what you have chosen will work well. Id say stick to 4" or smaller in the dash. You will already need to trim on some 4" drivers for fit.

Bill, I had the crazy idea to strip out a set of KEF Q100 bookshelves and use them as wideband drivers in the dash but I don't think there's anyway I can get a 5 1/4" diver to fit no matter how much trimming I do.

For an example of my audio tastes I have a full set of KEF IQ speakers (2x IQ9's, 2x IQ8DS's, 2x IQ1's, and an IQ6C) all in a 7.1 home theater setup and LOVE LOVE LOVE them. I bought a set of Audio Engine2 speakers for my desktop and man, they're flat sounding most of the time. Every once in a while sometihng will open them up but I largely regret the purchase.

[ft_sjo]

Originally Posted by cruzinbill

The HSK sound better than the Voce line. Also, Hertz and Audison are both Electromedia .

Yes I'm aware. I've not listened to them back to back, but I do have a fair few trophies with the Voce's.

I'm considering some Scan-speak 10f's in mine.

[cruzinbill]

Originally Posted by 2forme

Bill, I was referring to the stock unit's software being crap, not the sound.

Ah ok, I've never used the BRZ head.

Originally Posted by Skippman

Bill, I had the crazy idea to strip out a set of KEF Q100 bookshelves and use them as wideband drivers in the dash but I don't think there's anyway I can get a 5 1/4" diver to fit no matter how much trimming I do.

For an example of my audio tastes I have a full set of KEF IQ speakers (2x IQ9's, 2x IQ8DS's, 2x IQ1's, and an IQ6C) all in a 7.1 home theater setup and LOVE LOVE LOVE them. I bought a set of Audio Engine2 speakers for my desktop and man, they're flat sounding most of the time. Every once in a while sometihng will open them up but I largely regret the purchase.

You prolly could if you did enough work, but also prolly more trouble than its worth. But if you are bored and want to try, end results are always fun conversation lol.

Originally Posted by ft_sjo

Yes I'm aware. I've not listened to them back to back, but I do have a fair few trophies with the Voce's.

I'm considering some Scan-speak 10f's in mine.

I listened to both pretty close to each other, the Voce just felt like somthin was missing was all. Now they are still a great set. I just think for the price after hearing both after each other that the HSK are a bit more of a bargain. Now that's not to say that I wouldn't run them. They would just be my third choice of fav speakers. Milles, HSK, then Voce.

I've never got to hear any scan's that were setup right. Either some dumb kid with to much money running them off deck power with the bass maxxxed out and distorting. Or their system wasn't tuned yet and they didn't want to have anyone listen. Maybe one day tho lol.

[ft_sjo]

Slightly off-topic pic of the Voce's in my old competition car

[Skippman]

@ft_sjo That is VERY clean looking! Did you do that install yourself or have a shop do it for you. Given you were competing I'd assume you'd done it yourself.
@cruzinbill More trouble than it's worth probably. I've never really listened to my KEF's off axis so I don't even know how it'd sound. True it'd be bounced off the windshield but still, that's just going to do nothing more than distort it further.

I was reading some reviews of the Audible Physics AR3K's and people really seem to like the Tang Band W3's and W4's, particularly the bamboo coned ones. The Seas Prestige line also seems to get good reviews. Running full active is definatly a lot of research, lol.