# Car Audio



## Iann (Oct 17, 2017)

Curious to what people have don't with the cars stereo system?
I can't handle stock so I did a full upgrade.
Was NOT cheap and was able to save money by installing myself.

Head Unit- Kenwood Excelon DNX996XR

Front door speakers-
Morel Tempo 6.5 Component speakers

Rear doors-
Morel Tempo 6.5 Coaxle

Subwoofer-
Kicker Hideaway 8" 150 watt powered sub

Amplifier-
Kicker Key 180.4 running the 4 door speakers

Doors are fully sound deaded with Boom Mat

Speaker Baffle foam around all door speakers.

I have to say this car is really nice to sit in and drive.

All in I have about $2800 in my stereo system.

I also use only Tidal to stream music as it's the only one I know of that streams hi fidelity.


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Iann said:


> Curious to what people have don't with the cars stereo system?
> I can't handle stock so I did a full upgrade.
> Was NOT cheap and was able to save money by installing myself.
> 
> ...


Does it have auto tune? Is it 2-way passive? Active?

The Pioneer in my other car has auto tune which does EQ and Time Alignment, and it makes all the difference in the world. Soundstage is right up on the dash and the offending frequencies are tuned out. Having a 250.4 watt Alpine amp also helps. Cheap components with a good tune beats top components without a tune. The only way to improve this setup is with a better sub.

If I do anything to my RS car, it will be an aftermarket power amp for more headroom. The stock headunit has Time Alignment and decent EQ. I haven't been fussed to change it. The problem with newer cars is the head unit integration. Also the stock screen is larger than any double din.


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## Iann (Oct 17, 2017)

OldBay said:


> Does it have auto tune? Is it 2-way passive? Active?
> 
> The Pioneer in my other car has auto tune which does EQ and Time Alignment, and it makes all the difference in the world. Soundstage is right up on the dash and the offending frequencies are tuned out. Having a 250.4 watt Alpine amp also helps. Cheap components with a good tune beats top components without a tune. The only way to improve this setup is with a better sub.
> 
> If I do anything to my RS car, it will be an aftermarket power amp for more headroom. The stock headunit has Time Alignment and decent EQ. I haven't been fussed to change it. The problem with newer cars is the head unit integration. Also the stock screen is larger than any double din.


I have my front speakers running in Bi-amp mode.

I have Component speakers in the front. 6.5" woofer and a 1"tweeter.

My door tweeters are ran to my front input on the amp and the 6.5 woofer is ran to the rear input of the amp.
Bi-amp mode has to be engaged on the amp.

My rear door speakers are running off the head unit.

My amp does the same. Has auto tune, DSP, time alignment.

I have to be careful on what I run on my car as there's no traditional 12v battery in my car.

Metra makes integration harnesses for newer cars to where you can change the head unit.

Mine was $200 which allows me to keep my steering wheel and my other features in my car.

The sound is amazing and literally sounds like it's playing in front of me.

Certain songs I can hear things I haven't heard before.
Sounds awesome.









Description
Kicker 45KEY1804 180 watt 4 Channel Key Smart Amplifier

The biggest advance - in the smallest package.
Introducing the KEY smart amplifier and audio processor in one, featuring A.I.-driven DSP.

Acoustic Correction = Audio Perfection
Don't just make your system louder - make it clearer. Make it better&#8230;

Press the selector, and the microphone goes to work. The KEY uses a powerful internal computer to deliver dramatic improvements in realism and soundstage. A massive 40-band equalizer improves tonality, and a 24dB crossover re-defines the capabilities of each speaker.

The concert quality of your factory stereo is revealed! What would take hours for a professional to achieve happens in a matter of minutes. All automatically.

Details:
180 Watts Of Power (45x4)
Auto EQ Microphone With Selector Switch Included
Compatible with Start/Stop Vehicle Technology
FIT2 Technology Included
Turn On Via Remote 12v Signal Or DC Offset
Auto 40-Band Equalizer
Bi-Amp Capability (Defeatable)
Auto Compressor (Defeatable)
Kicker EQ Preset (Defeatable)
Auto Time Alignment (Defeatable)
Auto Gain Adjustment
Auto Speaker Size Detection
24dB Crossovers
60/80/120hz High Pass Filter (Defeatable)

Specifications:
Power (watts/ch), 4 Ohm stereo 45x 4
Microphone/Kicker EQ button included
Standard dimensions(H x W x L) 1-11/16 x 2-3/4 x 7-3/8
Metric dimensions(H x W x L) 4.3 x 7 x18.7
Frequency Response (Hz): 20-20k, +0/-1dB
Input Sensitivity: high level 250mV-10V
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >90dB, a-weighted, re: rated power
Active Crossover: 24dB/octave, selective high pass or all pass @ 60,80, or 120Hz


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Iann said:


> I have my front speakers running in Bi-amp mode.
> 
> I have Component speakers in the front. 6.5" woofer and a 1"tweeter.
> 
> ...


It sounds like you are using an active crossover in your power amp. Didn't the components come with a crossover? High end sets are usually best when you run the crossover they came with. No advantage to having them bi-amped unless the tweeters are on separate channels, so you can time align them with the woofers.

best solution in this case is to coaxially mount the tweets as close to the woofer as possible. If they are mounted physically away from the woofer, then there will be problems with imaging. time alignment solves this, but only if they are on their own channels.


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## Iann (Oct 17, 2017)

The amp is small and I was able to install it behind my head unit.


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Iann said:


> I have my front speakers running in Bi-amp mode.
> 
> I have Component speakers in the front. 6.5" woofer and a 1"tweeter.
> 
> ...


I didnt know they built TA into the power amps now.

That would be a perfect upgrade for my CMAX. Keep the stock head unit, feed the power amp with speaker level, and use the tuning built into the amp. Thanks for posting the link.

..Ah, but its only 180 watts! I thought it was 180 x 4!

Head room and pin drop clarity comes from high wattage digital power amps. My Alipine is 1000 Watts. I have two channels bridged for the sub and the other two channels run the front stage.


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## Iann (Oct 17, 2017)

Bi-amping is superior to active or passive crossovers. 

The amp has Bi-amp mode and has a internal crossover. 
Is hooked up properly.


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## Ant with ten lives. (Sep 9, 2019)

I just do karaoke with my pax. Of course with tamborines.


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Iann said:


> Bi-amping is superior to active or passive crossovers.
> 
> The amp has Bi-amp mode and has a internal crossover.
> Is hooked up properly.


I just checked the specs on the morel. They are way underpowered by the Kicker amp. They support 120 Watts RMS. You will get a huge improvement by using an amp with 120RMS (250 watts per channel, 250x4). That amp only supplies 45W RMS. You need an amp 4x the size.

Digital amps distort the louder they get. Punch and clarity "headroom" comes from operating the amp in its sweet spot with power to spare. Its not about being able to play it louder, but at normal volumes you want the amp operating without distortion.

That kicker amp looks great, but it appears to be designed to work with high sensitivity coax/factory speakers.

If I had that amp and your components, I would see if its possible to bridge the channels and use it as a 2 channel amp to power the front stage. You would need to use the passive crossovers, but each speaker would be getting twice the wattage and be operating in a more close to normal range.



Iann said:


> Bi-amping is superior to active or passive crossovers.
> 
> The amp has Bi-amp mode and has a internal crossover.
> Is hooked up properly.


*Bi-amping IS active crossover. * Its using two separate amps that are fed with digitally separated frequency ranges.

Your Kenwood supports active 3-way. And the front stage components are excellent. The weak link in your system is the power amp. That appears to be a factory integration amp.

If you want an active front stage to match your system, you will need a four channel, 120W RMS x 4 amp. Have the kenwood handle the tuning and active crossover.


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## Iann (Oct 17, 2017)

They would sound better for sure. 
Although when running in Bi amp mode it runs the front doors at a 80% power to the woofer and the 20% to the tweeter. 

The head unit in running is only running the rear door speakers and honestly you really don't need them. 
I like my sound in front of me. 

I have to be careful on how many amps I pull since my car doesn't have a 12v battery. 

Only reason I got the Morels installed is I had them in a previous car with a bigger amp. 

This amp is not for everyone as it's a set it and forget it type.


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Iann said:


> They would sound better for sure.
> Although when running in Bi amp mode it runs the front doors at a 80% power to the woofer and the 20% to the tweeter.
> 
> The head unit in running is only running the rear door speakers and honestly you really don't need them.
> ...


What do you mean there isnt a 12v battery?

I'm only trying to help you. The head unit and components are top notch, the amp is a factory integration, low wattage amp.

In my car I have a CDT component set and 2-way passive crossovers. There is a 1000 watt Alpine PDX amp. Each front channel gets 250Watts, and the rear channels are bridged 500 Watts to run a 10" sub. The rear fill is from the head unit.

Active crossovers are not always better than passive. They are better in low end systems, but high end passive crossovers can be tuned to the components they were speced for, and if the tweet is coaxially mounted there isn't much advantage to active.


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## Iann (Oct 17, 2017)

My car has a integrated 12v battery. 
2019 hyundai ioniq hybrid. 
Weirdest thing ever but it's true. 
It had installers stumped so I decided to do it myself. 
Crutchfield recommended I didn't because it's too new of a vehicle. 

I fully get where you're coming from and I fully understand how my system works. 
I agree 100% with you. 

With the upgraded deck, amp and 150 watt subwoofer. 
In worried already and a little stressed as I can't find one single person that's installed a full setup on my type of car. 

That's why I'm trying to keep it low amps and wattage.


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## Terri Lee (Jun 23, 2016)

Happy with stock.
One car has a Panasonic.
The other has a B&O with 19 speakers driven by 755 watts.


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## Jon Stoppable (Dec 11, 2019)

Bears don't listen to music, which is free. Bears do know that it's only possible to time-align and equalize drivers for a single point though. A cheaper and more effective solution to improve the frequency response of a small highly reflective space is to roll down the windows.


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## 25rides7daysaweek (Nov 20, 2017)

Jon Stoppable said:


> Bears don't listen to music, which is free. Bears do know that it's only possible to time-align and equalize drivers for a single point though. A cheaper and more effective solution to improve the frequency response of a small highly reflective space is to roll down the windows.


That would probably save your 
long term hearing prospects too...
Go Bears !!!!


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## Terri Lee (Jun 23, 2016)

Terri Lee said:


> Happy with stock.
> One car has a JBL synthesis.
> The other has a B&O with 19 speakers driven by 755 watts.


My Edit


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## Dekero (Sep 24, 2019)

Couldn't vote on 2 options... But I have upgraded my factory subs with Bavsound Ghost subs that have 2-3 more impact than the stock set of 8's my BMW X5 came with... And while it's tight and snappy it's still lacking low end 30-100hz bass and I miss it in alot of the music I listen to so Tonite I ordered a 12" Kicker Q class sub, and a Jl Audio 1000D Amp and remote bass knob for control... I used to do car audio for a living so I plan on building a custom slot ported down firing MDF enclosure that fits in the storage compartment under my rear cargo area and showcasing the amp on the left side of the cargo area wall.

Can't wait for some deep lows when listening to old school hip hop, and classic rock kick drum..

If your gonna be in your car for hours on end you should enjoy the ride.....


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