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From carsound.com FEATURES It’s always there — that moment where you say “here’s what I want” and “here’s what I’m able to spend”. No mater what it is, there’s always a compromise in one way or another. Whether you’re spending a lot or a little for something, the decision always comes back to having something that will meet your needs and goals, and than means that you need a plan. $3000 System With three grand, you aren’t going to necessarily get freaky with the fiberglass and paint install, but $3000 is a solid budget for some top choice gear installed professionally into the car you can drive and enjoy every day. Let’s go at this system with a plan of reducing the boredom of commuting to work and back during the week and getting some capacity out of your tunes on a weekend road trip. Let’s even go so far as to say that you want to squeeze a couple of your fat buddies along for the ride once in a while. Okay let’s see what all that means: 1. It’s a commuter car, probably in some heavy traffic, so the operation needs to be easy. It will also be beneficial to have the variety that satellite radio offers when you get tired of your CD’s. 2. You want to get some capacity out of your music on road trips, so you want something that plays MP3- and WMA-encoded discs, maybe something that controls a changer and, hopefully, has an AUX audio input for your portable “carry in” devices like iPod, Zen, PSP, or whatever else. 3. If you want to shuttle your buddies or some lady friends around, you’re going to need space and something that’s not uncomfortable to listen to while seated in the back. That means speakers in factory locations, a single footprint multichannel amplifier, and a creative way to get the most out of a small box subwoofer. So, armed with some goals in mind, and with $3000 as a budget, we have the necessary components for making a solid plan. We’ll start off with the JVC KD-ADV6160 head unit because it’s a $379 DVD player that also plays MP3/WMA files on CD-R or RW discs, it’s Sirius satellite radio and CD changer ready (we’ll add that Sirius tuner), and it even has that AUX input we were looking for (albeit on the front panel). It’s got a big rotary encoder knob and an easy to see display, which means that we won’t have to fumble in traffic and risk a fender bender. The fact that it’s a DVD player means that we can route the video output to the rear seats and hand them the included remote so the passengers enjoy the ride! For the amplifier, we need all of our power conveniently in one package and we aren’t about to cheap out and blow it on a sub amp and hope that deck power can keep up. What we’re going to do is get a Memphis Belle-600 on the job. It’s 4 x 55watts at 4 ohms and offers an additional fifth channel that delivers as much as 400 watts into 1 ohm. Physical dimensions of 20 inches x 8 inches x 2 inches mean that we pack a lot of power into a relatively manageable space. For our replacement speakers, we’ll have to go with a coaxial that belts out the sound with a reasonably good sensitivity. We’ll choose two pairs of the Memphis 15-MC60 6.5-inch coaxial speakers with the woven Kevlar/glass fiber cone. They are strong and light, which means good sensitivity, and with a swiveling tweeter we have options that improve even factory locations. For the sub, we’re choosing the Jensen single Bandpass 10-inch with dual vents so we know it will play pretty loud on the Memphis amp at 4 ohms with the 100 rated watts. For the viewing pleasure, we’d have a fixed 6.5-inch LCD screen installed on the rear of the center console with an articulating mount so the screen angle could accommodate the other passengers. The JVC head unit’s second zone audio output that’s active for the DVD player would hit a set of Audiovox wireless headphones so the passengers can do their thing while you drive. All of this gear will set you back another $500 or so. We’ll add the necessary install accessories and basic installation labor (nothing fancy, but a solid professional job). The total damage is under three grand and we’ve got all of our goals met with expansion if we want to add a CD changer or add subs to that 1-ohm-stable Memphis amp. Install Breakdown JVC KD-ADV6160 Head unit $379.99 SIR-JVC1 Sirius Tuner $129.99 Memphis MCH-600 Amp $680.00 Memphis 15-MC60 (Front) $120.00 Memphis 15-MC60 (Front) $120.00 Jensen BP110 Sub Box $129.99 Video Screen + Headphones $500.00 Installation Accessories $150.00 SUBTOTAL $2209.97 Installation Labor (13 Hours) $780.00 TOTAL DAMAGE: $2989.97 $6000 System This plan has a little more flash. We’re going to take the elements of the last system, but let’s say that you’re less of a commuter and more of a cruiser. Your driving patterns involve the hot spots and wherever the action is, so looking and sounding good is a must. As a cruising vehicle, some additional elements, like in-dash video, multiple amplifiers and subwoofers, and some custom installation, comes into play. We’ll start with the Jensen VM9510TS DVD player that has a 7-inch “flip-up” touch screen monitor. This will give us plenty of control over the system and, since it includes a TV tuner AND the dual diversity antennas, it will be perfect for catching the major channels on Sports Sunday when we’re tailgating. We’ll have a second screen in the trunk lid, flushed into a custom panel, so if we want to play Xbox or PlayStation2 in the parking lot at the cruise spot or at the football game, no problem! We’re going spend more than double the price of the last installation (labor) ticket on this one because we’ll have a custom enclosure and amp rack built for the three JVC amplifiers and the two Memphis Car Audio 12-inch subwoofers. The enclosure will be constructed in the floor of our vehicle’s trunk where the spare tire normally goes and extend slightly above the original floor line to accommodate the depth. Memphis suggests a 3.5-cubic-foot enclosure for these, tuned at 34Hz. We’ll have our installation team construct as large a vent as possible across the back of the enclosure near the trunk lid wall. That way, these woofers will REALLY move some air. One JVC KS-AX5700 amplifier each will connect bridged to a single sub wired to a 4-ohm load. Running 4-ohm loads creates a situation where the amp will play loud and easy all day long. The third JVC amplifier in this system is a 4-channel design that drives front and rear speakers. We’ll use a Memphis MCSSYNC6 component speaker system in front this time that gives us an external passive crossover and separate tweeters that could be “synchronously mounted” for installation flexibility. We’re going to go with the same in the rear, only we’ll have our installation team set the levels so the rear speakers are a good 6 dB down from the front so we still have good staging in the car. The front speakers will be installed in a custom door panel insert that contours to the door shape. We will also sound deaden the doors and trunk floor with Scosche Accumat. All of the amplifiers will be installed on a semi-arched twin rail made from round 2-inch tubing stock that stretches across the trunk floor and “floats” the amplifiers above the subwoofers. The tubing will have stand-off mount pieces to allow the drilled/tapped holes to accept the flat mounting form of the amps. Wiring will run inside the tubing. On one side of the trunk will be the electrical distribution and a power supply capacitor. We met our goal with just over $6000 on the ticket. It’s really going to be a fun car to use on the weekends and anywhere that you want to hang out! Install Breakdown Jensen VM9510TS DVD Headunit $899.99 (1) JVC KS-AX5500 amplifier $299.95 (1) Memphis 15-MCSSYNC6 (Front) $260.00 (1) Memphis 15-MCSSYNC6 (Rear) $260.00 Scosche Accumat (045) $130.00 (2) JVC KS-AX5700 amplifiers $659.90 (2) Memphis M112 Subs $460.00 Installation Accessories $314.00 Second Video Screen (Trunk Lid) $259.00 Inverter for Game Console Plug In $89.00 SUBTOTAL $3631.84 Enclosure and Amp Rack (23 Hrs) $1380.00 Other Installation Labor (20 Hours) $1080.00 TOTAL DAMAGE: $6091.84 $12000 System Now we really have a budget to play with, but you have to be smart with your plan or more money will just buy you more of a mess. The first thing that you are going to consider with a budget of 12 grand is how much amplifier power is going to be supported by your stock electrical system. While we haven’t specified a vehicle for this design feature, it’s a safe bet that if the vehicle is doing any regular cruising and hanging out around the car show scene, it means that: a) You will play it louder and more often than someone who is simply commuting with their vehicle. b)Your electrical system will be forced to supply the energy at times when the engine is at low RPM or perhaps even shut off while parked. This means that we’re especially interested in maximizing whatever we can where power consumption is concerned, and we still want to be able to crank it up! In this system, we’re going to budget in a replacement of the OEM alternator because, in all likelihood, we’ll need it. We’ll replace that with a bolt-on Ohio Generator unit that gives us 160 to 200 amps (depending on the application) all day long. We’ll round the price for this one because the application will obviously determine the actual cost. We’ll also upgrade to Scosche/EFX EDC1200 batteries (one for the vehicle and another for the system) and upgrade all the cables to 2-gauge between the body and negative battery post in addition to the connection between the alternator and the positive battery post. For good measure, we’ll also upgrade the battery to engine ground. All of these upgrades will ensure a good foundation on which to build a kick ass, reliable system. We’re going to rock the house with four Memphis M3124D 12-inch DVC subwoofers. We’re going to need over 8 cubic feet in a custom vented enclosure to get these to move the maximum amount of air, and to power them we’re going to use a Memphis MCD-1500 Class D amplifier. Out of all the featured manufacturers here, Memphis was really the one that built amps big enough for what we’re doing. This amp will play at 2 ohms, which I normally try to avoid for heating purposes, but these are Class D and are much more efficient, so the trade-off is acceptable given our electrical system upgrades. Our JVC EXAD KD-AVX-1 head unit will manage all the source inputs because it will handle DVD, CD, MP3, WMA, Sirius satellite radio, an A/V AUX input to which we’ll connect the newest iPod — it even has a cool 3-inch color screen right on the face. That unit will drive the sub amps from a dedicated output as well as a Memphis MCA-3004 four-channel amplifier from the front and rear preouts, all using Memphis VBF1 line drivers. The four channel amplifier will drive a set of component speakers each in the front and rear of the car. The front set will be in a door panel that is modified to accept the 6.5-inch component mids as well as the tweeters and flush-mounted passive crossover. The panel modifications include a more solid mounting baffle, acrylic inserts to hide the mounting screws and flush the passive crossover, and new, matching upholstery so the panel blends back into the original interior theme. The rear components will be in the rear locations. In addition to the audio, there will be a set of factory matched Audiovox headrest monitors so we can watch DVD movies or connect the video podcasts from the new iPod into the AUX video input of the JVC headunit. A pair of wireless headphones rounds out the video package. Since these are ready to go, installation labor costs are minimal on these. For around $12,000 we’ve really got a full audio AND video system with multiple sources that can belt out the beats. With our electrical upgrades and well-planned system power, this will be as reliable to drive as it will to take to shows. Install Breakdown JVC KD-AVX-1 DVD Headunit $649.95 SIR-JVC1 Sirius Tuner $129.99 (3) Memphis VBF1 Line Drivers $297.00 (1) Memphis MCA-3004 Amp $490.00 (1) Memphis 15-MCSQ6.5 (Front Spk.) $400.00 (1) Memphis 15-MCSSYNC6 (Rear) $260.00 (4) Memphis M3124D Subs $1100.00 (1) Memphis MCD-1500 Amp $1000.00 Audiovox Headrest Monitors $1500.00 Installation Accessories $1087.25 Electrical System Upgrades $1270.00 SUBTOTAL $8184.19 Enclosure and Amp Rack (30 Hours) $1800.00 Door Panels (16 Hours) $960.00 Additional Install Labor (19 Hours) $1140.00 TOTAL DAMAGE: $12084.19 Now, back to the beginning of the story when we talked about planning. It’s so important to plan your installation by asking yourself how you want to use your system in addition to what you expect it to do. All the equipment in the world will not be much fun if it’s difficult to access, hard to use, or is not reliable. A professional installer who can really listen to what you’re trying to accomplish can help you with a plan that makes every penny you spend on your new system count! Car Facts From CARFAX Before you buy that used car to house your new system, get your facts straight with the help of CARFAX. by Jacqueline Bates Larry Gamache of CARFAX spoke to CAR SOUND & PERFORMANCE about choosing the right used car for your next audio project. The most important thing to look for when buying a used car is value. Whether you buy a cheap car that you know is a beater, or you find an incredible bargain, you want to get what you pay for — or more. A vehicle history report from CARFAX is a great way to insure that you know exactly what you’re buying. You would probably like to think that you have this covered on your own, but CARFAX knows things you don’t. You need to make the first move in insuring that the car you’re looking at is one that you want to own. You’ll want to take the car for a test drive to make sure that it does all the things a car should do — start, run, move by its own power, and possibly even stop. You’ll also want to give the car a visual inspection. Next, you’ll want to take the car to a mechanic to have the safety system, airbags, and electrical system checked. If you’re buying a car to do an audio install, a working electrical system is going to be a good starting point. Flooding is absolutely the best way to ruin an electrical system. Thankfully, CARFAX has you covered. CARFAX will not only tell you if the car itself has been a reported flood victim, but also if it comes from a region that FEMA recognizes as a flood area. You can get a free flood report on a vehicle at www.carfax.com/flood, and the information is also included in the full paid report (a single report will run you a cool $19.99). If you’re not in a rush, CARFAX recommends that you browse carfax.com to check participating dealers’ listings. If you’re lucky enough to find the car that you’re looking for at a dealer, CARFAX urges you to look for cars in a manufacturer’s sponsored certified pre-owned program, or to go for the extended warranty. Whether you buy your next used car from a private party or a dealer, CARFAX helps you get the most for your money by letting you know exactly what the vehicle has been through.
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