Help with my 66 Impala Convertible

[ImportBuilder]

I am lucky enough to be inheriting my dads 1966 Chevy Impala SS Convertible in like a year, and we are going to putting a system in it.
I listen to a little bit of rap, some rock, alternative, punk, ska, and mostly drum and bass. drum n bass is full of low, loud rolling basslines and the like so I want some good sounding subs. I want some that actually sound good, not just rumble everything. I also want speakers that produce nice crisp mids and highs. basically, i want a nice system for as little money as possible. I think i'll have around $1000 to spend initially and I can upgrade slowly.
I was thinking maybe 2 12's in a ported box, and some 6x9's in the rear n whatever fits in my doors, along with some tweeters. I'm pretty new to car audio, so I need a bit of help with this...
Thanks for any info,
Matt
EDIT: I just remembered that I can get Power Acoustik gear @ wholesale price through a freind. I heard their amps are good, and that the MOFO subs are pretty good. is this true?

[PaulD]

Originally Posted by ImportBuilder

basically, i want a nice system for as little money as possible.

doesn't everyone ? unfortunately, good sounds cost

[ImportBuilder]

I can get amps, and subs for wholesale. along with decks and component speakers although its a limited selection of the prior 2 items. So, that should knock quite a bit off the price.

[ImportBuilder]

anyone have any ideas?

Heres what I have picked out...
2x Alpine SWE-1241 @ Crutchfield: here
1x Alpine MRD-M501 here
thats the basics for now, unless I decide to go with Power Acoustiks stuff. the HU, and the speakers are still undecided because 1) i dont have the car in my possesion yet, so i can't measure speaker mounting options. and 2) i dont want to get a HU that I can't install without dash mods, which isnt happening. If i haev to, i'll build a box for my HU and crap and have it worked into the upholstery...

[CBFryman]

look at the brand list. because you are on a budget i would say go with a single Ascendant audio atlas 15 and RE mids/highs. not too much power because on a 1000 budget you dont need to be wasteing money on altinators, extra bateries, etc...but the big 3 deff need to be upgraded with any stereo upgrade..... look at Hifonics for amps and alpine/pioneer for head units. and get you a decend EQ. not a real fancy one but good quality with decent slope and decent number of bands should run around 100.

[ImportBuilder]

I found some Hifonics Atlas subs @ onlinecarstero.com, and I have a couple questions...
1)is this a good store to buy from?
2)which is better, square or round?
the round one says it is 600W RMS, while the square is 900W RMS. these are the 12's.

[CBFryman]

no no no no, lmao....

Ascendant Audio Atlas 15

Hifonics Amp

www.ascendantaudio.com

onlinecarstereo.com is perfectly fine to buy from, a long time ago i bought some audiobahns from them. but they arent authorized in anyway which means either they honor their warranty or you are out of luck if something fails.

[ponchonutty]

Personally, I would look into going with smaller subs like 2 10" woofers and build the right enclosure for the car and subs. The reason is that the trunk is so large and with some 12" subs, it will sound a little too muddy unless you only want to listen to rap (of which you stated otherwise).

If you can find them, I liked the Directed Audio CompX line. The problem with them before was that they were very expensive but DEI is dumping them for the SX line. Like for a 10" DVC sub would retail over $250 a piece but you should be able to get them for around $100 or less. Also, they had a Studio line of subs that were awesome too. They weren't as stout as the CompX line but still did very well.

If you do go with 10" woofers, I'd suggest a simple ported box. If you want 12", I'd probably go sealed.

Did a real nice system in a '57 shoebox a few years ago with 2 10" Studios in a sealed fiberglass box. The enclosure was made to look like the front grill with headlights. The amps were the grill and the subs were the lights. Man did it ever turn heads!

[CBFryman]

DIRECTED PIMP, STOP WHORING YOUR SHIT!!!

Ascendant > Directed SQ and SPL

2 10's will be less muddy than 1 15? NO!! maybe with your poo pushing woofers but with quality stuff like ascendant 1 15 will sound just as good as 2 12's or 2 10's.

The myth that 2 10's will give more precise bass than 1 15 or 2 12's or w/e is ocmpletely false unless you are talking about woofers with high moving mass and weak motors playing extremely low notes. the atlas utilizes XBL^2, has low moving mass, and a relatively strong motor. it CANNOT be beaten for the price. $160 and it outclasses adires tempest which is $150 and the tempest out classes your directed woofers.
In no way will a properly built enclosure with a 15 sound any different than properly built w/ 2 10's...it will jsut be louder. on top of the fact that the atlas still outclasses your woofers. if i have to say it agian, i will. THE ATLAS OUTCLASSES YOUR DIRECTED AUDIO WOOFERS....

Its nice that you sell it and you think that is is the nicest stuff you sell. you still reccomend it over companies that are better than it in more than one way.

let me put this into perspective

SQ (sound quality)
atlas 15 > Directed CompX 10's

SPL
Atlas 15 > 2 Directed CompX 10's

Price
Atlas 15 ($160) < 2 Directed CompX 10's ($200)

now please, stop whoring you crap... everytime you reccomend it and try to bash someone elses reccomendation when theirs is much better than your directed stuff....you will be flamed and put back in your place.

With best Reguards,
-Chris Fryman-

[ponchonutty]

Originally Posted by CBFryman

DIRECTED PIMP, STOP WHORING YOUR SHIT!!!

Ascendant > Directed SQ and SPL

2 10's will be less muddy than 1 15? NO!! maybe with your poo pushing woofers but with quality stuff like ascendant 1 15 will sound just as good as 2 12's or 2 10's.

The myth that 2 10's will give more precise bass than 1 15 or 2 12's or w/e is ocmpletely false unless you are talking about woofers with high moving mass and weak motors playing extremely low notes. the atlas utilizes XBL^2, has low moving mass, and a relatively strong motor. it CANNOT be beaten for the price. $160 and it outclasses adires tempest which is $150 and the tempest out classes your directed woofers.
In no way will a properly built enclosure with a 15 sound any different than properly built w/ 2 10's...it will jsut be louder. on top of the fact that the atlas still outclasses your woofers. if i have to say it agian, i will. THE ATLAS OUTCLASSES YOUR DIRECTED AUDIO WOOFERS....

Its nice that you sell it and you think that is is the nicest stuff you sell. you still reccomend it over companies that are better than it in more than one way.

let me put this into perspective

SQ (sound quality)
atlas 15 > Directed CompX 10's

SPL
Atlas 15 > 2 Directed CompX 10's

Price
Atlas 15 ($160) < 2 Directed CompX 10's ($200)

now please, stop whoring you crap... everytime you reccomend it and try to bash someone elses reccomendation when theirs is much better than your directed stuff....you will be flamed and put back in your place.

With best Reguards,
-Chris Fryman-

Nope. You don't want to install a 15" woofer in a convertable especially something as special as a '65 SS. I had a '66 convertable in the shop last summer. I installed 2 Earthquake 10's in a bandpass box. Yep, I usually hate bandpass boxes but since convert's have serious issues with cabin responce, you have to make up the difference somewhere. Since you listen to a little of everything, a small 4th order bandpass should fit the bill. If you can't build a bandpass then I'd stay away from sealed and go with a ported box.

[threedd97]

Convertable. Do you drive it a lot with the top down? I wouldn't even MESS with rear fill on a convertable. Concentrate on some nice front stage setup. I know those old impala's have a trunk the size of a bus. My friend has a 63 1/2 Impala Coupe Bel-Aire. It's nice, I could fit about 10 bodies in that trunk.

[CBFryman]

Originally Posted by threedd97

I could fit about 10 bodies in that trunk.

Not that you ever have or anything...