ok, im finally gonna go out and get a system for my car, i already have the iPod so the Head Unit is taken care of, but i want to get some speakers, prob for (150-200) and then i am not sure if i need just an amp or a sub/amp, i am thinking that subs r ONLY for rap??? am i mistaken?? because i DO NOT listen to rap... i need ur guys honest opinions, because i think it might be an unnecesary expense and a waste of room....

also while we are on the subject, please please please suggest a good set of speakers that you guys know will fit the mini cooper and also point out good places for sub/amp placement, becuase i do not want to lose my valueable trunk space

thanks a lot!!

 

Oh geeze no! Subs are certainly not just for rap. In fact, some of the most demanding sub owners are those that listen to classical music. No, really! Subs are there to fill in the low/sub frequencies. Without them, your smaller speakers are forced to reproduce sound they cannot due to their size.

I'm sure Ryephile could say a thing or two on this subject.

As for amp placement, I think the best is to use the boot cubby holes. I recently completely redid my setup. Used to have amps under a baffle sitting on the boot floor (on a rack). There was too much signal interference due to the amps sitting directly on the battery so to speak. Had one amp for front, one for rear and one for sub. Consolodated down to one for front and one for sub. Same amp, MTX Thunder4122. Really powerful for it's size. Fits just fine in the boot cubby holes. I've got deck power running my rears, which I mainly use for accoustic fill anyway.




Still kept the same look to the rear enclosure area, but I'll be redoing it soon to accomodate a 5-10lb bottle for either nitrous or co2. It's all fiberglass with a mini window for the digital cap readout and the Cooper S oval area lights up (where the amps used to be, but where a bottle will be soon).



R

 

>>ok, im finally gonna go out and get a system for my car, i already have the iPod so the Head Unit is taken care of, but i want to get some speakers, prob for (150-200) and then i am not sure if i need just an amp or a sub/amp, i am thinking that subs r ONLY for rap??? am i mistaken?? because i DO NOT listen to rap... i need ur guys honest opinions, because i think it might be an unnecesary expense and a waste of room....
>>
>>also while we are on the subject, please please please suggest a good set of speakers that you guys know will fit the mini cooper and also point out good places for sub/amp placement, becuase i do not want to lose my valueable trunk space
>>
>>thanks a lot!!


Subwoofers produce frequecies lower than most speakers do. Humans can hear down to 20 Hz. Most speakers go down as low as 100 Hz. So in effect, we're missing 20-100 Hz frequency range when listening to music on "normal" speakers.

Good subwoofers will give you freq to listen to.

Most any genre of music will have freqs down to 20 Hz....it's not just for rap

 

wow davbret u really have a "big *** stereo" holy crap! ya, but ur trunk space is gone and it looks as if installation would of cost you a fortune, i dont think im in the market for all of this stuff! i mean 3 amps!?!? i was only looking for one! and then one sub and a set of speakers?!?! but i guess the sub is necesarry????

 

Doesn't the massive bass shake the car up too much?

On rough roads or when I play the stock system really loud, I hear noises (buzzing or creaking) sometimes. Wouldn't a massive sub just amplify this problem?

Of course most of the noise is coming from the stock speaker system I suspect.

 

I use my sub to round out the tonal quality inside the cabin. I don't set it to "boom" so to speak. I like a rich, deep sound. And yes, it can rattle stuff. But not anymore. Not only have I place a bunch of dynamat type material on the hollow places of the structure, but I've lined the doors and boot floor and boot door. Plus I've placed felt cloth in many areas. It's a process of elimination, but eventually they are all gone and you've got solid ride.

If you are looking to keep it simple, I'd suggest one of the new Blaupunkt class T amps. You could get a 4 or even 5 channel amp. With a 4 channel you could put 2 channels to the front (left/right) and bridge the other two down for the sub. Run the rears off deck power for fill. With a 5 channel you could put 2 for the front, 2 for the rear and a mono single channel for the sub. The cool thing about these amps is that they are physically "cool", as in not warm. So placing them in the boot cubby is worryless. I removed alot of padding back there for my class D style amps which run much warmer. And these Blaupunkts are very small as well, making them a breeze to fit in the cubby area.

As for cost, well, ya...stereos are spendy. I do all my own work so I save there. Did the install and the build of the fiberglass enclosure.

Or another thought, if you are looking to simply add a sub and keep it really simple you could keep the stock setup and just add a WOOX or similar sub/amp combo that are fairly small actually.

R

 

Are subs only for rap?
Absolutely not. For all forms of music the subs are helpful. The cleaner the power to the subs, the better the sound and the less the midrange and smaller woofers have to work to produce the lows that they can't do a decent job of anyway. Also with subs you can use amps that have bypasses that send all of the low signals to the sub and not to the midrange so the midranges are better at producing what they are supposed to do.

First ask yourself what is your total budget for everything. Then you can figure out where you want to spend it and how much will be needed for labor.

On a limited budget you will have to figure out what you can keep and what you might do yourself or have a knowledgable friend help you with to save money.

I have aftermarket everything except for subs. I asked my pro audio shop to play my head unit/CD player with my amp and a pair of similar component speakers to my car in the show room with and without a 10" sub/separate amp.
The difference was easily heard. Much cleaner and deeper lows/bass for a fuller sound and much cleaner midrange.
In my case I would have to add the JL steathbox in the boot area and loose some space. Rough cost $450+ for the sub and up to $200 for the install and cables and such. I'm going to run my current setup for a month or so before I decide what to do. No rush.

>>Doesn't the massive bass shake the car up too much?
If the bass was distorted or happened to resonate something loose then yes it can shake your panels. If the sub is powered well then the bass is just right, not too booming, and you can hear it clearly and feel it definitely.

>>On rough roads or when I play the stock system really loud, I hear noises (buzzing or creaking) sometimes. Wouldn't a massive sub just amplify this problem?
Not in my opinion. When I turn up my stereo I get music that sounds good, not distortion and there are no extra sounds of any buzzing or creaking.

>>Of course most of the noise is coming from the stock speaker system I suspect.
There are many sources of those unwanted sounds. Even my exhaust (Quicksilver) is not easily heard if I am playing a CD. If I want to hear my exhaust then I turn the stereo down or off. Usually off and I roll my windows down. The worst is to play your stereo up to higher levels of volume, thus creating distortion.

Your stock HU or radio isn't very powerful so it can't produce much volume. Your stock speakers are not that bad, probably better than you realize. A clean and powerful amp would be a good place to start. Maybe 35 to 40 watts x 4 channels minimum and up to 55 Watts x 4.

One way to set it up is for the Amp to power the front speakers (midrange and tweeters) using 2 channels while the 2 rear speakers are powered by the stock or aftermarket Head unit/radio. The remaining 2 channels of the amp can be bridged for driving the subwoofer. Usually a single 10" sub will do the trick. On a budget some people like the Infinity Basslink (powered by it's own amp). Others like the JL Steathbox which is made for the MINI and fits in the boot.

One additional comment. Depending on your setup there may be some high pitched whinning noise or interference. Using high quality cables to the amp and speakers, proper grounding, and troubleshooting sources of the noise are important to enjoy the high quality stereo system you are trying to install. Car audio professionals may be best suited to handle this type of problem if and when it develops. You get what you pay for so ask around for referrals and if a shop has lots of experience with MINIs. It can make a BIG difference.

Good luck with your audio system upgrades.

 

Davbret is right, I do have something to say about this.........but, looks like Hune has taken his usual long-answered approach (no offense

Music is formatted after our ears; we hear sounds generally from 20Hz to 20kHz. Typically, there isn't one driver that can reproduce the entire range accurately, and with any significant loudness, hence different drivers like tweeters, midranges, and [sub]woofers. Since subs are used for the lowest bass region, they are integral in obtaining full-frequency audio reproduction. Styles of music are irrelevant.

Do your audio system upgrades in Stages. Replace the stock loudspeakers with high quality drivers. Good companies include Focal, Diamond (Eton), and Morel. Sometimes, you get what you pay for, but many times, you pay for the brand. If you lack the capabilities to design your own system properly, find a shop that does! Good system design is just as important as the installation itself. If you decide to upgrade your amplification in the future, make sure you have a head unit of equal quality, and that you give yourself future potential if you decide you're willing to give up some boot space to also cram in a subwoofer.

Unfortunately, the MINI has very little room for extra gear like amps and subs. Compromises are sometimes a b!tch

I said brief, so that's it for now!
Cheers,
Ryan

 

Ryephile-
Sorry I got carried away- my fingers were out of control-honest! Maybe too much coffee!
Wait I haven't had any all day

 

>> If you decide to upgrade your amplification in the future, make sure you have a head unit of equal quality

why would i need a new head unit??

 

Gotta keep this short- the boss is watching

Why would you need a new head unit?
You don't, necessarily,unless that becomes the weakest link in your audio system.
If you get a great amp/speakers and your head unit is stock (CD player or radio which is less than fantastic in output) then you might be amplifying a less than great sound source. If you cannot hear the difference then getting a new head unit is mostly for the features, looks, or for more power than stock to drive speakers (usually the rears-see previous post). Just keep the "whole picture" in mind and you can do some upgrades as your budget allows or in stages as was suggested.

 

Subs are essential whether you listen to rap, rock, dance, etc. I was jamming in the MINI today with the best of Lionel Richie and he never sounded so good. :smile:

My set up is not the most unique or expensive system out there, but it is decent. I decided to just keep my current HK speakers and head unit but didn't use the HK amp. I had the audio shop install the newest ZAPCOs 350 and 360 amps and the JL audio stealthbox sub. The complete speaker system was re-wired and they made a special floor panel with amp cover to keep it looking stealth.

See the audio thread, "AMPLIFIERS...which are the best?" 2nd page for pics of my system. :smile: The equipment, wiring, and installation came to $1900 total.

 

>>Gotta keep this short- the boss is watching :smile: Lots of cash typical for Stage 3 may hinder that potential too

Good luck, and Cheers,
Ryan

 

thanks for all ur info! i do not know if i want to get a new HU cuz i may lose my MFSW controls which i desperately need.... so i will have to go to a stereo store this weekend or upcoming week!

thanks again, keep posting!

 

>>>>Gotta keep this short- the boss is watching :smile: Lots of cash typical for Stage 3 may hinder that potential too

 

ok, so 2 6x9 speakers in the back? then wat in the front? do i buy component speakers or what?? im soooooooooo lost on how to buy speakers!

 

Don't worry about losing your MFSW controls. They can be wired to a new head unit using the PAC SWI-X. You basically tap into the line coming from the steering wheel that used to go to the stock headunit. SWI-X unit then transmits that signal into infared, acting like a remote control for your new head unit. So your new headunit must come with a remote control, but most do anymore. I've got this in my MINI and it works flawlessly. The other cool thing is that you can set the buttons to be anything you want. Currently I've got the right top/bottom controling volume, the right middle to change function (aux/TV/radio/CD), the left top/bottom for tracks in CD/AUX mode or stations in TV/Radio mode, and the middle left for a mute button to quickly turn it down when someone calls me. Prettly slick.




R

 

lol, its all too confusing for me!

 

>>ok, so 2 6x9 speakers in the back? then wat in the front? do i buy component speakers or what?? im soooooooooo lost on how to buy speakers!

Yes. there are many options but you can keep things simple. Depends on what you can get in your area. depends on your budget. Stick to highly efficient speakers when you can. Ones that do well with less power is a start. For the rears people put in component 6.5" speakers but this is more costly and will benefit the rear passengers the most. To save money stick with 6x9 and probably two way is OK. Three way or double tweeter 6x9 are more costly.

Front speakers start from 5.25" either component with crossover or two way (not as good but less costly). Some people put in 6.5" speakers but you will need a spacer/adapter to get things to fit well. Also the tweeter in the front door is a bit smaller so be careful not to get a tweeter too large to fit easily. Installers know how to make or get spacers that will work.

There is info posted here on making your steering wheel controls work for an aftermarket radio/head unit. It is an interface and will cost a bit more but then gives you the option for looking at other better radios. Again you don't have to change out everything all at once but you can know your options and keep things in mind when you plan.

 

If I were you I would leave the 6x9's alone. A true stereophile will change the dafer so that most of the signal is diercted towards the front speakers, leaving the rear for fill. I think there are 6x9 free-air subs somewhere on the market...

 

I don't listen to rap (hip-hop, yes), and I love subs for all kinds of music - especially jazz and classical, assuming that we're talking about a sub that can reproduce rich, tight bass (for which I am a BIG fan of sealed cabinets).

 

I listen to ALL kinds of music but very little rap.I am 53 so it really doesnt work for me , now Limp Bisciut is another matter all together :smile: Actually big subs can BOOM like the kids want but if you are not looking for that they can still be used to really fill out ALL kinds of music. My car was used by a company called Diamond Audio as their show car for this year. It was completely stripped, dynamatted and all speakers replaced with theirs but the stock covers kept in place so with the exception of the boot area you cant really tell. Much to most peoples amazment with the doors and windows up you can have some serious volume going on inside and people 10 ft away cant even tell if it is on.If you want check outthe link to the audio page on my site and you can see the system under construction.maby it will give you some more info as well. If yo like a full range of music a good sub wil lcertainly make a differance, RandyPage Title MAXMINI audio page[img]null[/img]

 

Inside the car room limitations are a thing of the past if you’re thinking outside the lines.