Gonz
Well-Known Member
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I've been reading and researching quite a bit here for a while, the search function has yielded some great results and helped point me in the right direction. In an effort to repay that, I'll add some more options and material so hopefully someone else can learn as I did!
I have an '18 JLU, 8.4" Alpine stock system. The vehicle is pretty much bone stock, with the exception of some lighting upgrades.
Here's what I've gotten my wish down to, and what I'm planning on ordering within the next week or two:
Leaving stock radio as is, no need to upgrade or mess with that right now.
Pac Amp pro R2 w/Toslink output
Amp - I have a Phoenix Gold DSP not being used, I bought it for use in a 2010 BMW M5 build, but the build never happened, long story. My original plan was to get the JL 900/5 amp, run the PG DSP to it, then head out to all speakers from there. Now I'm thinking more along the lines of saving the PG DSP for another car, and getting the JL VX1000/5i. It's a big jump in price from the 900/5, but I like the built in DSP and how everyone here has been raving about it. EDIT: I ended up going with the JL VXi 700/5 amp, with the DSP built in.
Front speakers - Focal Performance PS165F3 6.5, 3.5, tweeter using the Metra pod for the knee speakers. They're on sale, there's a new version coming out, can't beat the price on this one! The comparable speakers I considered would be the JL C5 3-way and the Morel VIrtus 603.
Soundbar - Focal Expert PC 165F coax using the SSV speaker adapters. I'm also planning on lining the inside of the soundbar pods with sound deadening and maybe a bit of poly fill. Again, these are discounted heavily right now, otherwise the JL C5 coax was a consideration.
Sub - I may catch hell for this, but I'm going to give a shot at reusing the stock sub location with a better speaker, some sound deadening for reinforcement, and see what happens. Worst case if it sounds like crap then I'll get the SSV enclosure instead. The actual speaker I'm looking at is the Focal Performance P25FS, a shallow mount 10" sub. It's a 4ohm sub that wants 300RMS, the amp I'm looking at, at 4ohms, is 400rms, which will be great. I was very highly considering the JL 10TW3-D4, a 10" dual voice coil sub that would run at 2ohms with the higher power output from the JL amp. EDIT: I scrapped the idea of reusing the stock enclosure, and got the SSV Works empty enclosure and the JL 10TW3-D4 sub. Edited again, the JL 10TW3 does not fit the SSV enclosure, dammit! That's going back, I ordered a Focal RSB-250 instead.
Other - I'll order the JL amp rack for under the passenger seat. I'm still trying to figure out what I should do with the crossovers for the front speakers (suggestions welcome). Regular assortment of wiring for the amp, new speaker wire, optical cable from PAC Amp Pro to Amp.
Once everything is ordered I will plan on taking a ton of pics to update as I go. I plan on using all the great other threads on here for all the installation and disassembly/reassembly.
Please, I welcome all suggestions and insight. If anyone thinks I should go with other options or has ideas one way or the other about the DSP/Amp combo I'm all ears!
I have an '18 JLU, 8.4" Alpine stock system. The vehicle is pretty much bone stock, with the exception of some lighting upgrades.
Here's what I've gotten my wish down to, and what I'm planning on ordering within the next week or two:
Leaving stock radio as is, no need to upgrade or mess with that right now.
Pac Amp pro R2 w/Toslink output
Amp - I have a Phoenix Gold DSP not being used, I bought it for use in a 2010 BMW M5 build, but the build never happened, long story. My original plan was to get the JL 900/5 amp, run the PG DSP to it, then head out to all speakers from there. Now I'm thinking more along the lines of saving the PG DSP for another car, and getting the JL VX1000/5i. It's a big jump in price from the 900/5, but I like the built in DSP and how everyone here has been raving about it. EDIT: I ended up going with the JL VXi 700/5 amp, with the DSP built in.
Front speakers - Focal Performance PS165F3 6.5, 3.5, tweeter using the Metra pod for the knee speakers. They're on sale, there's a new version coming out, can't beat the price on this one! The comparable speakers I considered would be the JL C5 3-way and the Morel VIrtus 603.
Soundbar - Focal Expert PC 165F coax using the SSV speaker adapters. I'm also planning on lining the inside of the soundbar pods with sound deadening and maybe a bit of poly fill. Again, these are discounted heavily right now, otherwise the JL C5 coax was a consideration.
Sub - I may catch hell for this, but I'm going to give a shot at reusing the stock sub location with a better speaker, some sound deadening for reinforcement, and see what happens. Worst case if it sounds like crap then I'll get the SSV enclosure instead. The actual speaker I'm looking at is the Focal Performance P25FS, a shallow mount 10" sub. It's a 4ohm sub that wants 300RMS, the amp I'm looking at, at 4ohms, is 400rms, which will be great. I was very highly considering the JL 10TW3-D4, a 10" dual voice coil sub that would run at 2ohms with the higher power output from the JL amp. EDIT: I scrapped the idea of reusing the stock enclosure, and got the SSV Works empty enclosure and the JL 10TW3-D4 sub. Edited again, the JL 10TW3 does not fit the SSV enclosure, dammit! That's going back, I ordered a Focal RSB-250 instead.
Other - I'll order the JL amp rack for under the passenger seat. I'm still trying to figure out what I should do with the crossovers for the front speakers (suggestions welcome). Regular assortment of wiring for the amp, new speaker wire, optical cable from PAC Amp Pro to Amp.
Once everything is ordered I will plan on taking a ton of pics to update as I go. I plan on using all the great other threads on here for all the installation and disassembly/reassembly.
Please, I welcome all suggestions and insight. If anyone thinks I should go with other options or has ideas one way or the other about the DSP/Amp combo I'm all ears!
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