Hey guys, I am planning on doing a small audio build when I do the custom interior in my '91 convertible. My thought was a set of 4" speakers in the dash and kick panels, a set of tweeters somewhere in the dash or build into the windshield pillars, 6.5" subs in the back of the door, and 6X9's in the stock rear speaker positions. Thoughts?
What brands would be good for a nice sounding budget build?

 

decently cheap audio would be Alpine, Pioneer, and Kicker Audio. But if I were you I wouldn't waste my money on cheap audio. In the end you get what you pay for. Keep in mind when you purchase speakers that dependant on the deck you may need to run a amp for them. I would save my money and wait until there's enough dough together to pick up high quality audio(I am running Memphis audio all around(Minus Deck and sub Amp)

 

OK. Ya maybe low buck isn't the best description for my wants. My goal is just hood sound. Doesn't need to be perfect sound or super loud. My friend suggested Kicker for the speakers and Memphis for the subs.
Do I need to add a 10" or 12" sub or are the 6.5"'s enough?

 

If you have a 10" sub do you need an amplifier?

 

Yes.

For that matter, for the number of speakers you're suggesting, your gonna need a couple amps. The dash speakers won't be heard much, if at all, if you have Ttops and take them off running off just the head unit.

I've always had good luck with Pioneer head units. In fact, I'm still running the first one I ever bought, back in 97, in my camaro. It's been in 4 different cars through the years and still sounds like it did when I first bought it.

For now, I have stock size Fosgate speakers in the dash, and a pair of Pioneer 6x9s in the sail panels. The Pioneers are running off a smaller amp,200 or 250 watts per channel IIRC. They sound good, even with the tops off. The dash speakers are running off the head unit and like I mentioned, I can barely hear them with the tops off. I just recently picked up an amp for them, but haven't wired it in yet.

 

Worse than t-tops. Its a 1991 Firebird Convertible. So if I were to run everything through a 500w would that be good? Doesn't have to be loud just a nice sounding set up.

I'd like to use my head unit that I already have but I'm not sure how well a 9 year old Sony xplode would run everything.

 

if i had a limited budget with a convertible you are certainly going to need the amp most of all, it provides volume and clarity at higher volumes. so i would just get a good quality set of 6x9s and what ever amp the power level requires. properly powered 6x9s will provide a good but of bass by themselves, then down the road if you dont like it you can put another amp in and a single 10 or 12 in the trunk. which in my opinion would sound better than two 6.5s with very limited airspace and power.

 

this is what i have not the cheapest but sounds good and will last a while. you can just run the fronts off the HU

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...dio-db691.html
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...-GM-A5602.html

 

Just to make sure I understand since this is my first audio build, you are suggesting the amped 6X9's in the back and just the 4" rounds in the dash and kick panels? Or just the dash?

 

I wouldn't run just a couple speakers on a amp. Run them all, if you run say two on a amp those will be clearer than the ones running off deck power. You will be able to hear the difference and so will others. It is best to run all the speakers off the same amp if possible. But you also need to keep in mind with amps you need to looks at the ohms as well as them RMS(Peak power doesn't messng anything) as for the subs, it would be better if you were to get a two channel(if you're going to run two subs) and be sure to not underpower or overpower them. I also have a pioneer deck and a absolutely love it, in my eyes that is the only thing pioneer makes that is good/higher quality

 

Also for speakers. Don't make the speakers handle the bass, that is what the subs are for. Let the subs handle all the bass and the speakers to handle the treble. If your speakers have bass going through them they will distort. This is just my experience I am basing this all off of as well as my buddy who is a Memphis Audio dealer

 

OK. How do you keep the speakers from running bass?

 

Tune your amp, you can also pick up decks that allow you to set which frequencies you don't want your speakers to play. I currently don't have a amp for my speakers so a little bit still comes through, but on my deck I have it set up so that only frequencies higher than 200Hz play through my speakers and anything lower plays through my sub.

 

The dash speakers are not round. They are 4x6 or 4x7, I can't remember which. I'd run 1 amp for all 4 speakers as well if possible. Easier wiring and easier to mount/hide.

I'd put 6" or 6.5" speakers in the kick panels, they'll sound better than 4" speakers.

6x9 can give decent sounding bass, as long as you don't expect them to thump hard enough to rattle stuff and they have enough airspace.

 

Stocks are 4X6 in the dash I believe. I have been told the 4" rounds sound better though. I'm only worried about having a nice sound. I do not want a heavy thup so I wouldn't be pushing the 6X9s for that.

 

just some decent 4x6s are fine, and they dont need amped if you have a aftermarket HU like you do. because they only require a little bit of power, they will be balanced by the gain control on the amp for the 6x9s. and if you dont want the thump all you need is a stereo amp that has approximately the same rms power per channel as the 6x9s. good 6x9s require alot of power and wont sound right if not powered properly,aftermarket HU's only put out 12-18rms which is fine for 4x6 but the 6x9s need amped.

 

It all depends on which Head Unit he's running. It could be that it's not the powerful enough to run. But even if you run the backs off of an amp and the fronts not, you will be able to hear the difference. My buddy has done it before with his alpine system. But in the end it all boils down to personal preference.

 

The front speakers may sound fine in a hardtop when run off the HU(mine do with the tops on), but when I take my tops off, I can't hear them above 35-40MPH. With the OP having a convertible, it's going to be even worse when he puts the top down.

 

there is way more than just power involved, you have distance, and each speaker can make or less sound at a given power level. but for a new person that doesnt seem interested in perfect sound, and range i am sure it will be fine.

i just have polk 4x6s off the Clarion HU in my firebird and i have ttops and most always have them off. also until last year or two i ran open headers on my big cam crate engine. its good enough for what it is. obviously not going to be an audiophile setup but its a million times better than the stock crap

 

I have a '91 Firebird convertible as well and recently installed Polk's front and rear with an Alpine head unit. Fronts are 4x6 Polk DB461, rears are 6.5 Polk DB651 (not 6x9). The biggest issue with installing aftermarket 4x6's in the Firebirds is dash interference on the drivers side due to the larger speaker magnet. After doing research, one of the reasons I went with the Polks was that I had read on here that they would fit without issue. That wasn't the case and I still had to pull the gauges and cut some of the inner dash for the magnet to clear. It wasn't a big deal and I like Polks anyway so it was worth the effort. I also purchased them through Amazon and only paid $55 & $59 for them (about half what you'd pay through Crutchfield or local stereo shop). They sound decent now but all reviews say the Polks prefer an amp which is next on my list along with a sub. I'm not looking to rattle windows of cars around me, just some good sound and think I'm on the right track. Eventually, I'd like to add kickpanel components or door speakers (but not looking to give up my door pockets/cup holders yet!).
My biggest concern now is adding a sub and sub location. Was looking at the trunk enclsures sold on here and adding a 10" or something like the sound ordnance B-8PTD powered 8" and placing under dash on passenger side.
Sorry, not trying to hi-jack OP's post but since we have same cars, hoping maybe it can help us both!

 

Thank you for the input. How does that set-up sound in your car? I already have a set of Alpine 6X9's out of my hardtop that i will be figuring out how to put into the rear. And I read on here that the 4" rounds sound better than the stock 4X6's so that's where the sizes came from. I'll probably just end up pulling all the speakers out of the hardtop and put them into the convertible. That would probably be best for the time/money restraints I have.

 

6x9's can be done but need to be surface mounted vs behind the factory grills. 4" will work up front, you just need toget a little creative mounting them but nothing major. I had an Iroc with 4" in dash by prior owner. Honestly, b/c both the 4" and 4x6 are so small, I don't know how much of a difference there really is as neither will put our a tremendous amount of sound compared to 6.5 or 6x9s. Regarding budget, using what you already have is definitely most cost effective!

 

i think there are clearance issues with the different years, which i am not sure what years work and what doesnt but the db461's fit my 87 bird without any sort of mods

 

What type of sound are you going for?

I would focus more on your front stage, have you considered kickpods?
Not that hard to do (see my sig on how to build some). You could go with a 6.5 and tweeter setup. You should end up with a pretty good sound.

Do people sit in the back seats much? I personally don't run any rear speakers. Most of the time when you add rear speakers, you end up pulling the sound behind you. Unless you have time alignment settings. Save the money on better equipment for the front stage and subs.