What is a good sound sytem nowadays?

SPEEDSHIFT

SPEEDSHIFT

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Jan 30, 2007
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I am going through my truck here lately to make it cleaner and nicer to drive, since I went from being in it about 20 mins a day, to about 4hrs a day. I am wanting a nice sound system, and I have a good idea of what is good and bad, but things have changed in that whole world, so I want to know if I am on the right track. Right now the only thing I plan on keeping for the new system is my Alpine motorized screen HU, everything else will be replaced.

First off, (I know this has been asked before) I want a good sound deadener, that I will install everywhere in the cab. I am sure Dynamat is great but I dont want to spend a grand just for deadner, although a quiet cab is important to me, I am sure there is a cheaper alternative.

I ordered a Jl Audio 6 channel A6450 which puts out 70w RMS per channel, but all the reveiws say its really closer to 100w RMS. I want 3.5s in the dash, and 6.5 components in all four doors. And yes I am going to run the amp on the 3.5s, but I will tune them with the gain. Now for the big question, what are good components that dont cost an arm and a leg. Like I am not paying $1000 for a set of components. I would like to use JL Audio or Diamonds, but I have been out of the loop for a while. I see lots of people liking Focals but I havent seen a cheap set yet.

Wires will all be stinger, no cap, and subs will come later. I would like to run a single JL Audio 10w7 on a JL 500.1 mono. That or two 8w7s.

I listen to every kind of music there is, rap, rock, country, movies, classical, ect ect. I dont want to change settings for different music either.

Thanks, Bodie
 
Ok how about some Focal Access components? I just cant find a Access series to fit in the dash...
 
I am in the middle of soundproofing my cab right now. Not quite done with the project, so I am not sure on the results at this point. Should know for sure by the end of the weekend whether it was all worth it or not. I took sound measurements in the cab beforehand and will be taking more as soon as the truck is all put back together. I went with a soundproofing paint from silent running Silent Running - Vibration, sound and noise control paint. Used the SR500 ( six gallons), as well as neoprene over that (3/8" on the roof, 3/4" in the rear, 1'2" on the floor and 3/4" in the doors). Hopefully I will get some decent results. It was quite the time consuming project, but much cheaper than installing dynamat, and I am relatively confident I will be getting better results.
As for the stereo, I went with a JL amp as well, and for speakers I went with Precision Power that I picked up here: Precision Power 6-1/2" Component Systems | Car Speakers | Car Audio | Car Audio, Video, & GPS Navigation at Sonic Electronix
After doing much research on different car audio forums, I came to the conclusion that they are about the best bang for the buck out there. Don't know how they sound yet as I have not quite finished installing them at this point. I will be able to post back early next week with some final results.
 
I REALLY like the Raam mat I put it, pretty good stuff:
raamaudio.com

It's a butyl based sound deadner (as opposed to asphalt based) like the Dynamat, but MUCH more reasonably priced!
 
I can't help on the deadener...I used Dynamat Extreme though and it was worth the money...all 250 sq ft of it. LOL

I'm upgrading my Focal 165K2P's to Focal 165KRX3's with custom door panels....so I'm not the one to ask about cheap components either I guess. LOL

My K2P's are going in back to replace the Focal 165V2's that are there now....those sound amazing by themselves and were only 500 bucks or so when I bought them. Nothing like the KRX3's that run 1800 bucks though.
 
What about having the inside of the cab sprayed with bedliner? I would think that would be awesome, and way cheaper.
 
SPEEDSHIFT said:
What about having the inside of the cab sprayed with bedliner? I would think that would be awesome, and way cheaper.
Click to expand...

It has been done before with acceptable results. There are several threads that I have followed on TDR and DTR on that topic. I don't know that it would be all that much cheaper though, proportionate to the results.
 
There are several spray on sound deadeners. I'd look at a dedicated product before bed liner.
 
what size speakers goes in behind the seat on a 01 regular cab, and what size in the doors also thanks
 
SPEEDSHIFT said:
What about having the inside of the cab sprayed with bedliner? I would think that would be awesome, and way cheaper.
Click to expand...

I did the bedliner in my 99 superduty (very noisy), and didn't like it. Didn't dead'n enough like dynamat or some of the others.
 
Took the truck out for a drive today to see what the difference was, and noted a 10 decibel drop across the board inside the cab. Bear in mind that I did not do the firewall, as I do not wish to remove the dash at this point. Engine noise is now the biggest source of noise. Road noise is all but gone, as well as the drone from my ladders that was driving me crazy. I would call it a success for right around $700. I used to have around 70 db at idle, 78 on the highway at 75 mph and 84 db under heavy acceleration. Today the sound meter never went over 74 db, and is at just at 60 db at idle.
On a side note, the speakers sound tremendously better than the stockers FWIW. I am no stereo guru, so I can't say how they compare to Focals or others, but I am very pleased with them myself.
 
Does anyone have any experience with TMA or RE Audio speakers? Looks like I will be using Raamat or Dynamat Extreme for insulation.
 
SPEEDSHIFT said:
Does anyone have any experience with TMA or RE Audio speakers? Looks like I will be using Raamat or Dynamat Extreme for insulation.
Click to expand...

I don't know about TMA, but RE audio has a great reputation and makes some good subwoofers. Their XXX components will handle a ton of power as well

I would look into using Raamat or Damplifier Pro from Second Skin before Dynamat, its good stuff but just plain pricey. Also look into getting a air barrier of sorts to block the airborn noise, and fill the little openings in the cab with some expanding foam like great stuff.

Here is a friend of mine's 07 QC. He is partially sponsored by Dynamat so that is why he used it, but see where the blue painters tape is, that is for adding the great stuff foam in those sort of openings in the cab and floor and wherever, just add it slowly and don't try to fill the whole, gotta let it expand and do its thing. The entire floor, back wall and roof got a layer of dynamat and dynaliner (in varying thicknesses) and all you could hear was the engine while going down the road, and this was before the doors got done.
IMG_0061.jpg
 
SPEEDSHIFT said:
I am going through my truck here lately to make it cleaner and nicer to drive, since I went from being in it about 20 mins a day, to about 4hrs a day. I am wanting a nice sound system, and I have a good idea of what is good and bad, but things have changed in that whole world, so I want to know if I am on the right track. Right now the only thing I plan on keeping for the new system is my Alpine motorized screen HU, everything else will be replaced.

First off, (I know this has been asked before) I want a good sound deadener, that I will install everywhere in the cab. I am sure Dynamat is great but I dont want to spend a grand just for deadner, although a quiet cab is important to me, I am sure there is a cheaper alternative.

I ordered a Jl Audio 6 channel A6450 which puts out 70w RMS per channel, but all the reveiws say its really closer to 100w RMS. I want 3.5s in the dash, and 6.5 components in all four doors. And yes I am going to run the amp on the 3.5s, but I will tune them with the gain. Now for the big question, what are good components that dont cost an arm and a leg. Like I am not paying $1000 for a set of components. I would like to use JL Audio or Diamonds, but I have been out of the loop for a while. I see lots of people liking Focals but I havent seen a cheap set yet.

Wires will all be stinger, no cap, and subs will come later. I would like to run a single JL Audio 10w7 on a JL 500.1 mono. That or two 8w7s.

I listen to every kind of music there is, rap, rock, country, movies, classical, ect ect. I dont want to change settings for different music either.

Thanks, Bodie
Click to expand...

I was a high-end installer many moons ago and worked for both Orion and Eclipse as well as the Senior Editor/Technical Editor at Car Stereo Review and Executive Editor/Technical Director at Car Audio and Electronics back in the day. (It is sad to me that both magazines are now closed.)

I personally would not recommend using both the dash and door speakers. You will get the best sound quality and imaging if you minimize the point sources of the music. I would suggest running a quality component system in the doors or kick panels to get the best imaging and staging and if you can make room for it a seperate midbass driver in the front doors or kicks will make a huge impact on sound quality.

As for brands, many good ones have been mentioned in the thread so far. JL Audio is good for amps and speakers, Focal makes great speakers. Diamond Audio was great in my past experience but i have not dealt with them recently at all. Kicker builds some very good products (subs, amps and speakers) and Image Dynamics builds very good speakers that are usually priced very competitively. Alpine and Kenwood make great source units. Just like diesel performance products, go with a brand that you trust and with a retailer that will stand behind the product as much as the manufacturer. Dynaudio is another speaker manufacturer that builds high end speakers that comes to mind.

When it comes to sound deadening... Dynamat is the king for a reason, Dynamic Control was the originator and their product has continually been refined through the years. I have installed it in MANY vehicles and verifyied the results on an AudioControl RTA as well as my ear and it CAN and WILL make a difference. Another brand that works great is Cascade Audio, but it is not cheap either. Kinda like engine parts... good ones aren't cheap and cheap ones aren't good!

It is very important to clean the surfaces thoroughly or the matterial will not stick well and you will be wasting your money. If you are working on a limited budget for your sound deadening you can work in critical areas to get the most bang for your bucks. I have found that the doors are the biggest place to make a noticable difference, then the headliner then the floor. Also you don't have to cover 100% or use multiple layers to get a reduction in noise and vibration. But in general the more you use the better the results.

The best way I can illustrate the difference in sound deadening is to have someone think about a Lexus, a Toyota and a Scion. The Scion have virtually no sound deadening and it shows they rattle and do not feel solid at all. A Toyota has some sound deadening and it is a noticable improvement over a Scion but there is still room for improvement. Then a Lexus has extensive sound deadening and it shows, they are dead quiet and feel solid when you shut the door.

One of the last major system installations I did was for Billy Gibbons (yes Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top) on a Scion Xb that he bought because he loved the square boxy shape of the car. I completely gutted the car and removed the little sound deadening it had and installed nearly 100% coverage of Dynamat Xtreme and used various thicknesses of Dynaliner (I think that is what it was called) on the car with the thin stuff on the headliner and the medium stuff on the doors and side panels and the thickest on the floor. It made a HUGE difference in the car. Road noise and engine noise were virtually eliminated and closing the door felt and sounded like a Lexus or MBZ rather than a Coke can.

Labor is a big part of the cost of sound deadening a car or truck so save some bucks there and gut the interior yourself and install it yourself. Like I said just be sure all the surfaces are clean!!!

I hope I have helped shed some light on the subject... I'm sure you'll do fine and dont forget to have fun while you're at it!!!

Take care,
CT
 
By the way i also just did a $3000 stereo upgrade in an 08 Chevy Silverado using a JL Audio Stealthbox, speakers, amps and wiring. It sounded great and was pretty easy to install.

I wrote it up for a tech article in DIESEL WORLD magazine a few issues back (I cant remember which month). It used the base model JL amps and speakers and it still sounded VERY good so don't write off the base models from the good companies as that can be a great way to get good sound without breaking the bank and if you are not competing you may not need (or notice) the improvement of their high end models.

Food for thought!!! I'd rather have entry level product from a high end manufacturer than high end products from and entry level manufacturer.
 
Thanks for the info, Chris. I am going to be using the Dynamat Extreme for sure, right now I am buying all the little pieces of the puzzle. Right now I am going to change the exhaust system in my truck to a 5" MBRP, running a Donaldson muffler along with the MBRP muffler and try to eleminate as much sound mechanically as possible first, then I will deaden the cab and run all my wires with Stinger wire/RCAs.

I hate to spend this much money, but what about this set for the fronts? Run the 6.5s in the doors and the 3.5s and tweeters in the dash?

http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_id=1171
 
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