Diamond Audio Amp Speaker Setup

[95CarbonEclipse]

I bought a Diamond Audio D7 054 amp like 5 years ago and have never hooked it up. The specs along with a review on it can be found here: Diamond Audio Four Channel Car Amplifier - Car Audio and Electronics Magazine

My question is, since I've been out of the car audio scene for a while now, what should I be looking for in a speaker setup to replace my factory speakers (spec wise)? I'd like my DSM to sound as good or better then my '03 Yukon with the Bose system in it, but I'm wanting to stay away from having to weigh down my car with a sub box.

Advice please... (specs preferably, but if someone knows of a particular brand/model #, then that would be helpful as well).

Also, I'm NOT interested in breaking the bank on this one. Just because I spent close to $900 on 400w - 4 channel amp, 5 years ago doesn't mean that looking to spend $500 on a set of 6 1/2's today. So please, let's keep it reasonable.

Thanks

 

[RedTurboEclipse]

I've installed quite a few systems. I would go for components in the front. To somewhat just improve on the stock style setup. Tweeters in the dash, mid-bass speaks in the doors.

So are you set on not getting a subwoofer at all? This really makes it a bit tougher because the rear speaker enclosures in our 2gs suck. They are limited in depth to actually put any decent 6x9s back there, and there the space behind is so open and not sealed it just doesn't seem to reproduce good lows.

Most component speakers out there are rated at 4ohm svc. So that means You're only going to be feeding those speakers up front about 50watts rms that your amp is supplying. The last 2 channels available are for your rears. Or if you plan on getting a sub and not want to get another amp, just bridge those 2 other channels for it.

THe usual thing for people to do with 4 channel amps are power all 4 speakers. But now from experience, and tuning. When you have a sub present, and the soundstage being up front, the rears are almost always just for rear fill, and sometimes dont play that big of a factor. If I know I'm putting subs, I would just get a 2 channel amp for the front, not only saving money, but most of the time the 2 channel amp will provide more power x2 @ 4ohm load. Have the rear speakers just be powered by the deck, and of course the sub and sub amp of choice.

Configurations are many. As for brands, I don't like to recommend because it's always biased in most cases. Go to the stores and listen for what you like. Sometimes you might hear a set that sounds good enough for you at a low price.

Just remember the 6x9s that they have setup are in very nice sealed enclosures, and it won't sound anything like that when mounted in our crappy rear mounts of the 2g.

The fronts are 6.5s, the rears are 6x9. If for some reason you got a rare GSX with no infinity stock system, there is a possibility the rear might be like a lot of n/ts and talons which are also 6.5s, but I highly doubt that. You can hack up the stock dash "tweeters" cut the magnet, and use the bucket for new 1" dome tweeters. They also sell direct replacements, but if you buy a set of components, the matching tweeters come with it.

You can also get some really nice "brand name" components up front that are 150-200rms, and make your amp 2 bridged channels so each one gets a whooping 200watts rms, which is nice. Of course this leaves the rear speakers having to be powered by your deck, but if you get a sub, it should be fine for rear fill.

 

[95CarbonEclipse]

WOW. That's a lot of info. Thank you.

I'm not totally against the idea of putting a sub into the mix. I was actually thinking that I'd get a decent mono channel amp and run a 10" sub in the back (or one of the 12" RF HX2's I've been holding onto since I had my last system), but I wanted to get the most out of the factory speaker locations and actually use this monster 4 channel amp that I paid too damn much for (it's literally a monster in size, especially for a 50X4 amp). Plus, I'm trying to fix the crappy aftermarket junk that came in this car when I got it without spending an arm and a leg and if I go shopping for a "decent" mono channel amp, I'll lost at least 2 arms or 2 legs.

I like the idea of bridging the the 4 channels down to 2 and then just using that to run some nice 6.5's up front. I know what you mean about the rear speakers being just for fill when introducing a sub into the system from when I had my last system. That being said, any half-way decent 6X9 being ran off the head unit should do the trick for the rears.

Now... for the front I would like to go with a component set up, but I don't wanna break the bank (or even put a scratch into it really). Could I get a decent set of 6.5's that would sound good if they were running 100w RMS to them? I think this would be cheaper then getting components, maybe I'm wrong.


Also... I'm not sure if you've read the thread about foam filling our chassis, but I've started on this project and the only place I really have left to foam fill is the void between our interior trim panels in the rear and the rear quarter panel. I'm thinking that if I do it right this could help the 6X9's in the rear sound a lot better.

 

[RedTurboEclipse]

There are cheap components and expensive ones. It's really up to how much you want to spend, of course if they sound good to you.

If you have an audio shop where you can listen to them with your own ears it helps.

Check out millionbuy.com

they have some of the best prices on car audio, I buy from them all the time.

 

[95CarbonEclipse]

Thanks. Locally our stereo shops don't offer a very wide range of products, especially stuff that actually on display. I'll see what they've got though.

After looking on ebay at what my DA amp has sold for recently... I'm thinking I just may sell it and then use the money to get a respectable factory replacement setup. Then later I'll just have to buy a nice mono channel amp to run one of the subs laying around the house here.

Thanks again.

 

[Drifte]

If i were you, I would:
run components in the door. Mount the tweeter in the door pretty much anywhere. Its recommended to stay within 6" of the mid/woof though. Then, since speakers in the rear are bad for imaging, and just plain sound weird, I would get another set of speakers for the dash. I currently use some 3" coaxial. Use 2 channels of the amp for the doors, the other 2 for the dash. Most say dont put speakers in the dash, its bad for imaging...well it works really well in a car, especially when you have to overcome 3" exhaust etc. Theirs a lot of small subs available with great sound quality. the all in one units by infinity or the low profile subwoofers by Pioneer and Elemental designs.

As for which components...stick with a name brand it seems to work. I liked my clarion Pro Audios a lot, in fact I think im going to buy those back.

 

[95CarbonEclipse]

If i were you, I would:
run components in the door. Mount the tweeter in the door pretty much anywhere. Its recommended to stay within 6" of the mid/woof though. Then, since speakers in the rear are bad for imaging, and just plain sound weird, I would get another set of speakers for the dash. I currently use some 3" coaxial. Use 2 channels of the amp for the doors, the other 2 for the dash. Most say dont put speakers in the dash, its bad for imaging...well it works really well in a car, especially when you have to overcome 3" exhaust etc. Theirs a lot of small subs available with great sound quality. the all in one units by infinity or the low profile subwoofers by Pioneer and Elemental designs.

As for which components...stick with a name brand it seems to work. I liked my clarion Pro Audios a lot, in fact I think im going to buy those back.

When you say "In the dash" are you referring to the stock tweeter locations?

 

[kassdog]

Sincee your worried about wieght in the car I would get a simple 8" sub. Bose systems are the best around and to it to sound better than your bose system is going to be hard.

 

[95CarbonEclipse]

... that's true. I'm just jealous that my Yukon sounds so damn nice, but my eclipse sounds like garbage (the joker that owned it before me swapped out the front speakers with some $2 aftermarket ones that sound like tin cans with string attached between them).

 

[RedTurboEclipse]

In the home theatre audio world, Bose is actually rated pretty low. They are different with their car audio?

 

[Drifte]

In the home theatre audio world, Bose is actually rated pretty low. They are different with their car audio?

No, just top notch for FACTORY audio. Im with most who really dislike boss, except the wave radio, very nice for a kitchen.

i was implying the stock tweeter locations for the other speakers. But I realize now you have a 2g, and cant fit as much up their. Maybe some 3 ways, and some custom kicks or some door panel fab work. Hard to say what you should do, I dont know your preferences exactly.

 

[95CarbonEclipse]

I think it's pretty clear from my original post that my goals are to get the best sound out of the factory speaker locations without spending a ton of cash. Seeing as how I already have a pretty nice amp to use I was looking for a speaker set that my DA amp would compliment nicely.

I'm not really interested in fabbing up custom speaker mounts, brackets, or relocating speakers. I just want something simple that sounds nice, without spending a crapload of money.

 

[arturo74r]

I'm upgrading my system too. But I did this on my honda, since you already have the amp, you can just buy 2 pairs of speakers (6 1/2 for the front and 6x9 for the back) and a decent cd player (less than $100). You won't be rattling windows but your audio will improve big time.