My audio upgrade....

[95mushroom]

Finally finished my stereo upgrades. I have the Bose w/12 disc. When I bought the car, the stereo seriously needed help. Only had the footwell tweeters and r.f. door speaker & l.r. door speaker. Replaced them w/wally-mart pioneer speakers and they lasted a long enough though still where pretty weak.

Over chirstmas added JL Audio TR650 CSIs to the front doors, TR400CSIs to the rear doors (4"ers fit nicely instead of the stock 3.5") all running off the stock Bose amp that I had rebuilt at carstereohelp.com (not cheap at $330) Those added a really nice punch but lacked the boom I wanted.

About 3 weeks ago I found pac-audio.com. They make interface adpaters for mostly domestic cars. Basically to add an additional amp or replace the factory add and keep or remove the stock headunit and keep the steering wheel controls.

I choose to add an amp and keep the stock head unit for sercuity reasons. Also it would only run a Mono-amp for subwoofer(s) duty. They sell directly online but though email and I wasn't sure it would work with my Bose. So I ordered it from a local stereo place.

To complement it I bought a Kicker 1200.1 amp and 2 Kicker Competion VR 15" round subs off ebay. Still have the factory warranty as the ebay store I bought them from is an authorized Kicker store. Came home last weekend and managed just in time to get it done to head back to school. I wired and built my own sealed enclosure (2 15"s would just be wasting space w/a vented or ported box) out of plywood because I still plan on using my trunk to haul stuff and MDF would have warped.

Kicker tests each amp they sell and give each its own "birth certificate." Mine is factory rated at 1450watts at a 2 ohm load and is 1 ohm stable which I ran so figure about 2900Watts[/size] peak power. Let's just say the inside rearview mirror is now unless at 1/2 volume. Very pleased with the end result and excellent feeling you know that homie next to you is running his Audiobahn crap the installer totally gouged him for, and then you just blast him away lol.

Figures

TR650CSIs $150
TR400CSIs $75
Rebuilt Bose Amp $330
Kicker KX1200.1 Amp $480
2 Kicker CompVR15 $200
Voodoo 0GA wiring kit $75
Box Supplies $50
PAC-Audio interface $70

[stevensolds]

Nice man -- How many watts RMS? 2900 must be PmPo as it would blow the windows out. I sent back my stuff i ordered from crutchfield, ones i ordered were wrong ones. once it credits i am gonna get the right ones this time and maybe add a Rockford Fosgate amp to it. That should sound awesome.

[SupaStealth]

As long as its not the new new amps, get the ones that are pre-2002

[95mushroom]

steven, the Kicker is rated at 600 RMS at 2 ohms and 1200 at 1ohm, which I'm running, but Kicker always underrates their stuff. Mine puts out 1450 peak at 2 ohms which is above the 600 RMS at 2 ohms its rated. Peak is almost always double RMS for factory ratings.

The Aurora has frameless doors so their seal is pretty bad and the pressure just leaks out.

Which right ones are you talking about? Would the Rockford just be a sub driver or you going to run the speakers off it too?

[SupaStealth]

peak ratings mean nothing

[Toodaggonhigh72]

Peak ratings don't mean nothing your right, but Kicker...Now your talking they make some serious sh.. I got the Kx 600.1 2004 model not pre 2004 like some one on here suggested, bangs like no other and it doesn't get hot at all, when you get a chance check out my ride in the "your Aurora forum" You sound like you got a great set up...My rear window flexes in and out with my kicker setup my amp is rated at 600 but puts out 740, so your glass should be about to fall out lol...Let ya subs keep bangin down blocks

[SupaStealth]

SupaStealth said:

As long as its not the new new amps, get the ones that are pre-2002

I forgot to specify, it was in response to the post before about Rockford Amps.

[stevensolds]

Supa i was gonna order the most recent ones. I guess i wont now?

Btw, wrong ones i ordered cause i wanted bigger (6 1/2) i ordered 5 1/4. hey free shipping back what the hell. a

[SupaStealth]

i dunno, i guess it's personal preference, now that Rockford changed their amp rating system so they list the "max" power, to compete with the crappy Xplode's, people who don't know the difference between RMS and Max power. Although my friend just got a New Rockford that is rated at 1500 Watts RMS, i don't remember what the birth sheet said though. i guess just don't buy the ones from best buy. I'll get back to this post tomorrow

[95mushroom]

Toodaggonhigh72 said:

Peak ratings don't mean nothing your right, but Kicker...Now your talking they make some serious sh.. I got the Kx 600.1 2004 model not pre 2004 like some one on here suggested, bangs like no other and it doesn't get hot at all, when you get a chance check out my ride in the "your Aurora forum" You sound like you got a great set up...My rear window flexes in and out with my kicker setup my amp is rated at 600 but puts out 740, so your glass should be about to fall out lol...Let ya subs keep bangin down blocks

Mine's a 2004 model too. I like the look more then the old ones.

Ya that's want I'm kinda worried about. Guys with my amp have blown windows and a guy with an Explorer supposedly cracked his roof!!! I got about 2 hrs. left on break-in before I can crank her up. I knocked it up a couple times and you can feel the hair on the back of your head move and the headliner shake. It's totally awesome. I'll probably have someone sit in the back and monitor the windows and roof to learn the limit.

[SupaStealth]

one protective thing i do when i go to audio competitions is to put something in between the 3rd brake light and the window, most people use wristbands (like workout ones or something else, like a piece of sock or something) for padding, this will at least help the vibration or possible breaking of the back window.