active setup finally complete

[Jackass-Jeff]

it took a few hours, but we ripped out all the old speaker wire and installed 16ga kicker wires. The wires aren't too bad =P Sending wires through the door electrical dust boot was a bitch though... luckily we were equipped w/ plenty-o-tape =P I'll be working on setting the gains, time alignment and EQ settings today.

[Vampire]

Welcome to the club. As I recall you have an Eclipse 845X like me. Last week I reran all my wires too. 12 ga all the way. Also, installed a Zed Deuce I had for a little while for my mids. I'm working on my kickpod ribbons now. Congrats

[cam2Xrunner]

Fun stuff huh ?

I start my active install next week.

Vampire, you're on DIYMA and ECA right? I think I recognize the SN.

[Vampire]

That's me. I check out your posts all the time. Also have had a fair amount of email exchange with Nguyen Dang. Good guy and very knowledgeable. You know if those W18 Nextel mids are better than the E001's then they must be awesome cause my E001's sound very good. Have you decided on your system components yet? I saw you were taking your time to get the right stuff. Good Luck.

[cam2Xrunner]

hehe. yeah, I'm like sooo close to having everything I need for my front stage. I haven't been making too much money, so car audio is a slow going process for me, but I'm ready to install, just waiting on my rcas to come in the mail.

Here's what I got

MB Quart QSD Tweeters
Phaze Audio/PPI Tubedriver 6.5" mids
Eclipse CD8053
Xetec 4G600MKII (4 x 110 wrms @ 4 ohms or 2 x 380 wrms @ 4 ohms bridged)
Monitor 1 MK2.70 (2 x 70 wrms @ 4 ohms) (2 of these)
3X 6' Stinger Expert RCA's
Raammat, Ensolite and Adhesive spray for ensloite

I'm going to get a pair of Peerless XXLS 12" subs when they come out with their 4 ohm car version.

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Hey Jeff, how does it sound active?

[Jackass-Jeff]

Hey Jeff, how does it sound active?

It sounds pretty good. A lot more of the higher signals are shining through (those sounds you hear for the first time lol) and my speakers are finally being powered to their true RMS specifications.

I'm running the XO on the headunit and it's just fine. I'm running the XOs at

100 Hz, 12 db slope
100 Hz, 6 db slope
3.15 KHz, 6 db slope
3.15 KHz, 6 db slope

The mids (problem w/ the speakers) don't create enough low end, so I've up'd the gain on those... my subs and tweeters are at 0 gain! It's pretty crazy =P I've yet to run the auto PEQ on it... but it's pretty good right now. I have to raise a few middle frequencies to even it all out, but I'm a happy camper ATM.

[Vampire]

Sounds real solid. For lack of time I chose the simplest sytem I could that would be adequate. The sub and one of the amps will be replaced later.

Eclipse 8455

Seas Excel W18E001
LCY 110
Infinity Perfect 10 (for now)

Zed Deuce w/BB
PG Ti500.4 (for now)

Raamatt, Ensolite, foam ... Just enough for me. Weight is an issue.

[cam2Xrunner]

Hey Jeff, how does it sound active?

It sounds pretty good. A lot more of the higher signals are shining through (those sounds you hear for the first time lol) and my speakers are finally being powered to their true RMS specifications.

I'm running the XO on the headunit and it's just fine. I'm running the XOs at

100 Hz, 12 db slope
100 Hz, 6 db slope
3.15 KHz, 6 db slope
3.15 KHz, 6 db slope

The mids (problem w/ the speakers) don't create enough low end, so I've up'd the gain on those... my subs and tweeters are at 0 gain! It's pretty crazy =P I've yet to run the auto PEQ on it... but it's pretty good right now. I have to raise a few middle frequencies to even it all out, but I'm a happy camper ATM.

I'd think you should have those mids crossed lower than 100hz.

I'd say 60-80hz would be more appropriate. Probably get that midbass you're looking for.

[cam2Xrunner]

Sounds real solid. For lack of time I chose the simplest sytem I could that would be adequate. The sub and one of the amps will be replaced later.

Eclipse 8455

Seas Excel W18E001
LCY 110
Infinity Perfect 10 (for now)

Zed Deuce w/BB
PG Ti500.4 (for now)

Raamatt, Ensolite, foam ... Just enough for me. Weight is an issue.

What do you not like about the PG? That's a nice amp. Selling it by chance? If so PM me a price.

OOH and how do you like the LCY/Seas Combo? Is this stuff installed yet?

[Vampire]

I have had the Excels installed for about a month now and really like them. To me they are much better than the Focal 165K midbasses I had in there. I really liked the Focal midbasses but the Excels blow them away in the low end and from a detail/clarity standpoint. You just need to make sure you have enough power to make them come alive. I did not like the Focal tweeters at all. They did have a detail and clarity associated with metal tweets but they were harsh to me unless I put them in the kicks and cross fired them at the opposite passenger. The LCY's are awesome. Some best described it as sounding like music and not like a tweeter. The size is a big issue though. If it is true that they are coming out with a more compact automotive application next year and it sounds as good...
I may have given you the impression that the PG is rubbish but it really isn't. I have had it for 3 years and it has performed well. Those old titanium series amps are solid, clean and compact. I made a big mistake and forgot to unhook one speaker channel lead while setting the gains and I think i blew one of the output transistors. I could smell that aweful burning electroinc smell after that for a few days. I cannot bridge it anymore although it works okay in 4 channel mode. The problems is that there are times when the music fades out a little.
Mr Dang is telling me to try the new W18NX drivers. He thinks I will love them. So far he has been right about what I have. If LCY does come out with a good automotive ribbon and I do get the W18NX, I'm going to use the curent drivers for a bookshelf home speaker.

[cam2Xrunner]

Very nice!

Did you read that post by Rbsarve on DIYMA about that ribbon tweeter that is only about an inch and a half in diameter? Sounds interesting. But the LCY's I've heard are outstanding by everyone who has heard them.

I'd probably try out the Nextels too if I had the oppurtunity to do so.

well let me know if you want to unload that amp in the future, I'll take it off your hands if the price was right


Jeff: You might want to try a steeper slope on your crossovers. Could protect the drivers better.

[Vampire]

I think I did. Was that the one about the planar tweeter? If it was, I'm not so sure about that. I better go back to DIYMA and look that post up.

[JAYDEE23]

Very nice!



Jeff: You might want to try a steeper slope on your crossovers. Could protect the drivers better.

for sure..try 80 w/ 18db or 24db slope. should get much better midbass from those mids