need help deciding on my audio build
 

hello, so im deciding on my audio setup and need some help... im NOT going to run rear subwoofers.. the music i mainly listen to is edm, rap, and R&b... so i have a couple of speaker/component setup that i need help deciding with and what amp to go with it... (yes i know rear speakers is not necessary)

so far i have..

-pioneer avic 8100 nex HU
-Metra 40-NI12 Antenna Cable
-Metra 70-7552 Radio Wiring Harness
-zenclosures front Speaker Spacers
-4g sub power and ground wire
-12g front and rear speak wires


need help deciding on which speaker setup

ID CXS64 V.2 front components
ID CTX4 rear speaker

or

Focal K2 power 165 KR front components
focal ISC 100 rear speaker

no clue on what amp to run.. so any help would be greatly appreciated.. also if there is anything im missing/need or change.. please let me know also..
i will do all the install.. but for amp tuning, i am bringing it to the professionals..

My opinion...out of the 2 component sets you listed, I would go with the Focals. That being said, they are overpriced for sure. Before I spent that kind of coin, I would look at The hertz hsk 165xls.
Amp recommendation.... A nice 4 channel at 100w rms x 4 Soundstream PN4.520D

I say focals any day of the week !

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Of the mention speakers I would go focal also...but why no sub? The music you listen too, and any music really sounds much better with a sub.

You can do a small sub 8" or 10" sub

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I never used Focal, but I hear good things. I use to run ID 8's and a pair of their CD2-COMP horns in my 95 Hardbody. They were amazing once I got the tuning right.

I have focals in my 370z components on my front doors and nothing in rear panels and a pair of image dynamics 2 12" idmax subs

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:iagree:

i would not even think about the focals if i was to pay retail haha but i have a decent deal for it.. im just unsure because i couldnt find much reviews on it.. maybe like u said.. its overpriced?

maybe futher down the road i might add a sub? reason being the car is a weekend/track car and taking off and on the sub and box for every track and autocross event is a bit of a hazel.. trust me i do like subs lol.. but as of now i just want better and louder speakers since my exhaust covers my music when im normal driving

which model focal components do u have and how u like it?

Yea they are a little over priced but you can look on amazon or ebay, just make sure the are authentic and also another good brand is hertz :)

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If he goes with the K2 focals or the CXS ID's and amps them there is no need for a sub unless he wants deep bass. Those speakers handle loew frequencies then a lot of cheaper component speakers. Those two sets get my vote. Oh and 12 gauge wire for speakers is WAY overkill get some 16 gauge. A good budget amp is the RF prime series 2 channel 150 amp. Or you can step up to a nicer amp like the JL XD200/2v2

ok I will change the wires to 16g..thanks
for the amps u recommended.. it seems like a 2 channel.. im trying to amp not only my front components but also my rear coaxials speakers

which is why you want a 4 channel.

right.. and that's why im leaning toward the Soundstream PN4.520D as u mentioned a few post up..
does this amp have enough power to maximize the protential of both speakers without stressing/heating up the amp?

You should honestly just run the rears off your head unit and save your money. For a 3 inch speaker they aren't going to take much voltage to begin with. But then again I wouldn't run rears at all in a Z.

The old soundstream amps were amazing the new ones quality wise went to the way side.

im going with a 4" rear.. don't know if that makes much of a difference from a 3".. there was some guy on this forum that did it for the rear and it looks pretty neat..
yes I know you wouldn't do rears.. ive seen a lot of the arguments about it haha.. but since its a small investment.. it couldn't hurt..

4 inch still doesn't need to be amped even if you go with them. Run them off the head unit's 22 watts RMS and save some coin.

I would still go with the 4 channel. Even if you do not use the 2 rear channels, as Big said, you have the opportunity to bridge them to a small sub in the future if you decide to go that route.
As far as the quality of the newer SS amps; Big has some bad information. These amps are great, and budget friendly as well. I have installed Many, many of them for friends and family, and not a single complaint yet. Rock solid, and put out their rated power specs.
The first amp I used in my Z was a new model SS reference amp. I have more SQ trophies than you have fingers and toes with that amp running both front stage and bridged to Sub.
I highly recommend SS amps to anyone that asks.
Don't just take my word for it.. Read some of the reviews online as well. And saving a couple $ shouldn't be an issue... Its a $110 amp for christs sake.

hard to me to pull a trigger on the amp now since u guys have me a few options being 2 channel vs 4 haha...
if i was to run subs later on down the road .. i would most likely purchase a separate amp just for the subs..
as of now.. im just planning to get a amp to power my speakers only... i know both u and big is experienced with audio since ive been lurking around for a bit..
not sure if i should run the rear speakers to the HU or to a 4 channel amp and have the amp power my front and rear..
im more of just a install guy.. tried learning about specs on audio but its like reading chinese to me lol

your car.....your call

I'd never say they are totally terrible amps. Just as far as the old school vs their new ones it's night and day. For 110 amp read the reviews of a crunch amp or pyle amp. People like them because they are cheap not necessarily for the quality build product they are.

I'd put the SS reference series up against any amp out there at double the price without hesitation.

Just for giggles, I went to amazon to look at reviews on the amps you mentioned, as well as the SS amp. Heres what I found....
Crunch P1-2000.1 $200- only 5 reviews... 40% 5 stars, 20% 1 star.------------------Pyle Plam3000 $100- 92 reviews.... 47% 5 stars, 21% 1 star.--------------------SS PN4.520 $101-60 reviews.....73% 5 stars, 8% 1 star.
seems as clear cut to others as it does to me. Its not just a cheap thing, its a performance thing.

RonRizz..would you run the rear coaxials to a amp or HU?

Amp... Its going to give you more processing control over them.

You're not getting it, what I am saying is that SS is not the end of all amps. There are others even RF that are in that price range that can keep up no problem. Performance being front and center i'd take Hertz, Arc audio, JBL and Zapco for a bit more money. Even JL's entry level as well as RF. DIY has a thread discussing this very things about SS not being the same. The newer ones are still on the down fall just google around. Even though this is an older thread

Old School Soundstream amps vs new SS amps - Car Audio | DiyMobileAudio.com | Car Stereo Forum

Would depend on his head unit, as a lot of head units he can control the rears and their crossover settings. Or just use a bass blocker.

I didn't realize it was a discussion over old school vs new SS. Of course I agree with that, however, the new models are still one of the best out there when it comes down to brass tacks----watts per dollar, and reliability. Show me a 4 channel from the brands you listed that is 100 x 4 for $105. Am I a SS fanboy?? Look at my sig. no ss products In there anymore. I DO know theres more out there....
FYI Did you read the 4 year old thread you posted? I did. 4 years ago. There is a question posted about the quality of new vs old. Not a single answer to it.
That being said, I will only recommend a product if I have first hand knowledge of it, and that's what I'm doing here.

All good man, yeah that's what I was driving towards. The SS's are good no problem there just other choices too. :happydance::tiphat:

thanks everyone for your inputs!! i will be going Focal K2 power 165 KR front components
focal , focal ISC 100 rear speaker , and Soundstream PN4.520D 4 channel amp... will buy getting these parts within the next couple of weeks!! hopefully everything runs smooth and sounds good!! thanks again!

1 more question... does the Soundstream PN4.520D 4 channel amp have enough power to put my focal k2 165kr components and rear isc 100 coxials to its full potentials without the amp stressing a lot and heating up a lot when playing my music in high volume for low trips?

Just curious. Why do you want to drive $1600++ worth of high end components with a $100 amplifier? This amplifier won't drive these speakers to their full potential. Maybe look at the specifications of this amplifier and compare it to a high end unit that would complement your excellent choices of speakers and head unit.

Tuning the amplifier is simple. No need to pay someone.

The 165k's are $600. the isc100's are $150. That's $750, not $1600++ unless you're using common core. lol. but seriously;
The 165kr are rated at 80w rms, the isc100 at 40w rms. The amp is rated at 100w rms, more than enough to drive these speakers to their potential and beyond.:tiphat: If the OP were interested in, say, competing in Iasca or Meca, I would recommend something else.
Costs more doesn't mean sounds better. Something I learned a looong time ago.

Don't know what you mean by "common core" but I was using full retail for both sets of speakers and head unit. So your saying an amplifier with a higher Signal to Noise Ratio and Lower Total Harmonic Distortion won't sound better than the Soundstream with the Focals? If that was the case, in your opinion, why not spend a lot less on the speakers too since they will sound the same as expensive ones, or is that just amplifiers? I just wouldn't spend all that money on audio then go cheap on the amplifier.

I don't recall saying that anywhere in this thread. Please point that out to me. If the OP chooses, he can buy a couple Milbert tube amps for about $8k. Offer the OP a suggestion for a suitable amp, or move along.

Just a side note to this comment unrelated to this thread.... Did you know that Alpine had a component set on the market called F#1 Status, and the Mids alone in that set were retailed at $3800 I believe. I heard a set in a Q35 at SLAP Nationals in 2005. They were amazing.
Turns out, the Mids were rebadged drivers from the Scanspeak Illuminator line, which retails at about $460 a pair. This just popped into my mind when I read that comment, that's all.

I am not trying to cheap out on the amp... I never gave a budget price on how much to spend on it, but of course nothing too outrageous like a 2k+ amp lol..
like I said in the earlier post.. i am below average when it comes to audio even after reading the sticky on audio 101 from Big haha
that is why i created this thread and ask for suggestions.. just need a good amp that can power these speakers up and bring out what these speakers can do.

Sorry Nismo13807 didn't mean to imply you were being cheap. Just didn't make sense that you are using high end speakers with an entry level amplifier. That being said here are three amps ,of many, I have used or are currently using and I am very pleased with them all. They are all four channel and can be purchased from $325 to $450 at this time.

JL XD400/4VS
Currently using to power components in the front and one ten inch sub.

Memphis 15-MCX4.75

Arc Audio FD4150

I like to experiment with various brands. These will provide exceptional sound at high levels with no distortion.

Also you mentioned you do not want a sub. The speakers behind the seats add almost no sonic impact or overall quality to the sound of the system. My feeling is a sub would contribute much more to the sound of your system. Zenclosures makes an awsome enclosure custom built to fit our cars. They will even adjust the cabinet airspace to your sub's requirement. I have this with a 10 inch sub and it sounds incredible. You could also purchase a sub enclosure and attach it to rear deck but I really like the finished look of the Zenclosure. Any of the amps listed above are bridgeable meaning you can combine one rear left and one rear right channel as one to drive one woofer at 200 to 250 RMS. When and if you decide to add a sub. Hope this helps.