I ROCK

Well here's what I have: Blaupunkt Overdrive 4x6's in the front rated at 40 rms and 70 peak. I have Kicker Impulse 6x9's in the rear rated at God knows what - I honestly doubt there's anything they can't handle anyway. I have a kicker ix402 on the fronts, and an ix702 on the rears, and I just bought a SWEET Boss Rev765 (350W 2 channels) from a friend. So I'm thinking to use the Boss on the 6x9's (since it sounds GREAT on them), the 402 on the fronts, and get maybe a 10" sub to use with the 702. I don't need too much sub, just enough for fill and to "hit" so I don't tax my 6x9's too much.

That said, I read that most people seem to feel the 4x6's put out most of the sound but it seems totally the opposite with my car. No matter how much power I give those 4x6's the 6x9's are always much louder. I do have some mild blockers on the 4x6's so I don't blow them though. Those of you that feel the 4x6's put out most of the sound, how do you have yours set up? Has anyone modified the housings to tilt back toward the cabin?

Also, once I get the sub I want to put blockers on the 6x9's too just in case - what would be a good rating to get?

What are some preferred methods for adjusting the gain, bass, treble, crossover etc. on amps? I usually just turn the deck nearly to the max, then move the gain and bass up until distortion and back it off slightly - is this correct?

Thanks a lot for replies - I know a lot of this is basic but I really want to optimize this stuff w/o blowing anything.

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"Life is pain! Anyone who says differently is selling something."

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

If your head unit has 2 sets of pre-outs (and you're using them both) you can use your fader control to dial in what ever sort of front/rear bias you want. You can also trim back the gain control on the 6x9s to attenuate them. In my IROC, I don't even have rear speakers. In my Sport Coupe, they're powered off the deck and my 4x6s are powered off 2 channels of a 4 channel amp, and I've got the fader toward the front. In my GTA, I probably won't use rear speakers. I just have no use for them.

As for bass blockers, it depends on your setup. In my SC, I've got the 4x6 plates running 80hz and up from the amp's internal crossover. The frequency response of those speakers doesn't even go that low, so I've got a bit of a gap. In my IROC I've got bigger speakers, so they play just fine right down to the 80hz crossover. In your case, I'd say at least a 100hz high pass, although 150 would be safer. BUT, if you've got your 6x9s attenuated, you're going to wind up with a frequency gap because nothing will be playing from the upper limits of your sub to the lower limits of the 4x6s. Confused yet?

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SUPER-SPORT-CHEVY

I find that my clarion 4x6s dont put out squat, there overpowerd by the 6x9's in the sails with the amp turned down to almost zero. I have the bias set to +6 to the front thats the only way to hear them. I suggest getting a small amp to use with the 4x6's.
SSC

I ROCK

Thanks for the replies. Actually I HAVE three amps, and right now the 4x6's are getting 40 watts each from the small kicker. I wasn't so much saying that I WANTED the fronts to sound louder, just asking why some people seem to think they do for some reason. Mine is just like yours SSChevy, the 6x9's drown out the fronts and I think they sound good, but some people say they're only for "fill." I've also read that the optimal system would have just 2 front speakers and sub - my question is how to get a really good sounding LOUD system with that kind of setup. Thanks again!

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

How to get a loud system with just two speakers? Buy better speakers and more amplifier power.

If you filter bass out of your speakers, they don't need to handle a ton of power to get loud.

But, in terms of just front vs. surround, that's a personal choice. I've gotten flamed HARD for my opinions on this topic in the past, but I prefer 2 speakers for 2 channel. That's how the music was mixed and I'm more interrested in hearing it as it was originally intended.

But, there are plenty of others that like to be in the center of the music, which is fine.

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

Jza

Personally, I'm with Jim on the 2 speaker theory. Anything more doesn't actually improve the sound any. Might fill in some spatial gaps, but personally, I don't care how it sounds to the passengers because they're not the ones paying for any of it. I might get some mid-level 6x9s for the pillars just for when I want to play with reverbs and delays to give a concert hall effect.

Camaro_hunter_d

well I have 6 speakers in my car and I think it sounds good. I have the 4x6's(bostons) and 6x9 (alpines) and 2 RFZ1812 subs. Yes the subs over power just about everything else. But I can hear the 4x6's quite well actually. They provide the highs and mids. And the 'pines supply alot of mid and lower tones and the subs ..obvious. And I perfer to be in the middle of the sound and thats just how mine sounds... I can hear the guitar rips right in front of me and hear the singer as if they were in the back seat. But after a tragic box blow up yesterday I am retrying with the thicker wood(just over 3/4) and a different shaped box.