Hello all. I own a 2003 WRX Sedan (black) Being the music lover that I am, I have decided to upgrade my entire system with an aftermarket one. This is even after paying extra for the premium speaker upgrade w/subwoofer. It was still not up to my standards. Anyway, here is what is going in this weekend:

Pioneer Premier DEH-840MP Headunit (plays MP3s!!!)
Pioneer DEQ-7600 Spectrun analyzer/EQ
MB Quart DSD216 (6.5" components- front)
MB Quart DSD213 (5.25" components- rear)
Polk/Momo MM12 (enclosed 12" sub in plexiglass and aluminum)
Alpine V12 5 channel amp (front and rear speaker) 50Wx4
Apline V12 Mono amp (for sub) 300Wx1
Rockford Fosgate capacitor
Monster Cable Patch Cords throughout


I got all of this for $1450!!! Which is a great deal, considering this would have cost me well over $2000 if I would have purchased it from Crutchfield.

I will be taking pics as I do the install this weekend. I'll let everyone know how it sounds when I'm done. It should sound awesome!!!!

Later,
joe

 

damn!!!

 

Sounds like a good system. You might want to change out 2 or 3 things. Mainly the amps. The Alpine V12 series are very inefficient amps. They are sloppy as hell. Also, the Fosgate caps suck. They are rated at 1F but are actually like a .5-.75F caps. They dont fill all the way. They also cant discharge fast enough for low bass response. Just some things, I am in the high-end 12v business so I have been around all of the things you are buying. The MB Quart components are a good choice though, they have great frequency response. One other suggestion, once you get everything installed, check out the Boston Acoustics ambient tweeter upgrade. THey bring the soundstage up in the car which makes a HUGE difference.

Good luck with the system, if ya need any help tuning it or have any questions lemme know.

-Tim

 

Thanks Tim. 2 things:

What amps would you recommend to run this setup? I'm always willing to try something different.

Where can I get those BA tweeter upgrades? And how much do they cost?

Thanks,
Joe

 

you can get the tweeter upgrades from any retailer that sells Boston Accoustics. I might be able to get them for you from work, ill find out exactly what you will need and what would run well with that system. They start at $150 and go up to I believe $180. Not sure, will have to double check.


The amps, check out some of the Kicker comp amps, Mmats amps, JL Audio amps, or even some of the high end Kenwood amps. BA is bringing their amps to the US market shortly. Check out some of the Phoenix Gold stuff too. You can run a 25x2 amp for that sub and get AMAZING sound. There are ways to trick car stereo systems. I ran 4 subs and 6 speakers off of a 50x2 PPI amp and I got a lot of SQL awards for it. Its not ALWAYS about power It's how you wire the system and if its tuned right.

-Tim

 

heh, I actually am working for Tweeter

If you are looking to upgrade the stock system, I would simply do this.

New head unit, id stick with Alpine or Eclipse. Most functionality for the money, and the Alpine has the green lights in it to match our consoles. Also, the Panasonic Ghost Faces are sweet too. I dont care for Panasonic though If you have a Tweeter around you, we are going to be carrying 2 more brands that A LOT of people know and want. I cant say though who

Speakers: I'd go with a set of BA Pro or Rally series. Maybe some Focals if you can find a dealer who sells them. Run some crossovers and you'd be golden.

Sub: maybe one 12 or 2 10's. Check to see if JL makes a stealthbox for our car. I havent looked yet.

Amps: With the right box shape and hooking up the stereo right, you can run like a 50x4 4 channel amp to the speakers and make them sound great. PPI, Pheonix Gold, or wait a couple weeks for the BA amps to come out. Some of the JL Audio amps are good, but not that efficient. Dont get a d-class amp, just stick with an A/B amp. Not as efficient, but can hit harder for a little less money.

-Tim

 

To tell you the truth, I havent even looked into the install fees. Im still in training right now. Havent stepped foot into the store yet The install fees I think are like $50 for HU, $75 for amp. If you want, ill sell you my stock hu once I get my new stuff installed. Not too sure when its gonna happen, but by the time you have your new car it will be out. Lemme know.

-Tim

 

Im in MA. I used to live 30 mins south of Philly in Lansdale

-Tim

 

Here is a pic of the headunit and EQ that I've installed. This is how it looks with the radio face in the closed position:

 

Here is another pic with the radio face open:

 

here is a pic of the trunk. The sub is a Polk/Momo MM12. The amp is an Alpine 5 channel (40 x 4 and 100 x 1) And a 1/2 farrad capacitor. The cap will be upgraded soon.