Shortly after I got my 06 MCS I started upgrading the sound system components, and I now consider it finished and am very satisfied.

Deck: Alpine CDA-9857
Originally I put the 9856 in, but with a music library consisting of almost 300 artists, it was a nightmare if I had to navigate to an artist on my iPod near or close to the middle. The 9857 solved that problem with the "Percentage Search" iPod feature. Now the number pad (1-6) acts like a scroll bar when navigating through the iPod. I love it!

Speakers: Focal Polyglass 165 V1 (front) and Focal Polyglass 690 CV1 (rear)
I originally planned on getting some Infinity Kappas, but when I was in sound shop I listened to the Focal speakers side-by-side with the Infinitys, and decided to go with Focal. Both sounded amazing, but at the same price points I was able to hear more details in the music while listening to the Focals - a lot of which I never knew existed in the music.

Sub: JL Audio Stealthbox with a 10" W3 v2.
The W3 sounds amazing (very powerful, and very clean) and the enclosure has a very tolerable footprint and really looks like it is supposed to be part of the car.

Amps: JL Audio 300/4 (for the speakers) and JL Audio 250/1 (for the sub)
These are located underneath the front seats. They fit in there nicely but they take up precious foot room for backseat passengers. I could have put them (or just one five-channel amp) in the boot, but I like the fact that they're hidden.

 

Another bay area MINI bumpin it eh? It could be possible to fit those amps underneath the rear seats, I don't know how hot the JL amps get but I wouldn't expect it to be so much that a cut out of the underseat filler wouldn't allow enough air, especially compared to where u got em now.

 

Not a bad idea! I'll look into that.

 

Any install photos?

 

They do get pretty hot, FYI.

 

My camera is broken so I just took some quick shots with my phone:

 

Congrats on your system. It must sound terrific.

I just installed a 9857, and now I'm looking at speakers. I know exactly what you mean when you refer to the details. I listen to alot of symphonic music. I judge a system by how well it handles a 60 piece orchestra. If it does the job on classical, I know it will be ok for my rock, pop, and jazz stuff.

I haven't been able to find a store/sound shop here in NJ that has Focals in their boards to hear. I've reached out on the local forum to find someone who has them.

Did you install it yourself?

 

Sounds great - a lot like the way I was going to go - then I made a little change in direction.

I chose the deck you ended up with - Alpine CDA-9857.

I planned to go with Focals in the front but switched to a set of Rainbow CS 265 Profi comps.

Then instead of the Focal 6x9s in the rear plus a set of real subs, I switched to the little Focal K2 13KS "subs" and a set of Rainbow CAL 25 ALK tweets. I haven't actually installed yet since I haven't even chosen amps but the Focals will fit in the 6x9 space in the rear - very stealthy.

I deleted the rear seats and will mount amps (when I get them) under the seat replacement platform - also stealthy. If not for the sound itself, you won't visually be able to tell I changed anything other than the deck.

 

I listen to a lot of jazz and classical music, and in my experience the Focal speakers have been nothing short of stellar. Hopefully you get a chance to hear them one way or another!

Since I was making such a hefty purchase, my sound shop threw in installation and insulation for free, so the only thing I installed myself was the new deck.

Have you had a chance to hear the K2 13KS speakers in a car? I've yet to be impressed by those "sub speakers"... They tend to sound tinny and lack any punch. I haven't heard that model yet, but the problem is that if you really want that subwoofer punch, you need that big magnet to make it. Maybe that's not what you're going for though, which is cool. If you listen to a lot of jazz, that might actually be a better sounding solution. Whenever I'm playing jazz in my car I have to turn the subwoofer amp's output level wayyy down, otherwise the car rattles like crazy.

 

I can't understand why someone would not like Focals, but I remember more than one review that said they weren't "warm" enough. I agree with you, Focal speakers are fantastic.....but so are Rainbow speakers. When you get to that range it's all down to personal taste. I could have gone either way, but since they're hard to find and have almost zero buzz in the US the Rainbows are rarely used and therefore rather unique; I kinda like that aspect.

No, I haven't heard the K2 13KS in a car yet - taking a chance there. On the other hand, I was really fussing over subs when I suddenly pulled my head out and realized that while I want outstanding fidelity, full range reproduction, I really DISlike POWERful bass. I figure I should get outstanding sound from the Rainbows in the front and then I'll have the rear "subs" and HIGH end tweets to punch things up even more at the high and low ends.....we'll see, I like to walk a different path once in a while.

 

Well sounds like they should work well for you then. I definitely have my moments when I could go for punchy bass (nothing loud enough to shake buildings two blocks away from me or anything... I'm not that type), but to each his own!

I've never actually heard Rainbows... my sound shop doesn't carry them, but I just read a couple reviews of them and they seem pretty solid.

Good luck with your system, should sound great!

 

Thanks - I took a chance. Besides, I know the little subs have good sound quality.....if I decide I need a bit more bass quantity I can always add something later.

I still have to amp things though - I planned to go with ARC Audio amps but now I think I'll take a look at JL Audio as well.

 

What was the total bill for all of this?

 

little over 2k

 

How would the 165's work without an amp? Just connected to my Alpine CDA-9853, for now?

 

Can you control the CDA-9857 with the steering wheel controls?

 

I'd like to know too.

The 165v1 are the 2006 replacements for the 165A. Maybe somebody is running them off the head unit without an amp as well.

Anyone ???

 

Yes. Check out this thread:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=67796

 

I haven't tried it, but the few folks I spoke with while trying to decide how to put a system together all pretty much agreed you can call Focals "power hungry." So, were they just trying to sell me amps or do they really need more power to get 'em going?

 

did you do the install yourself? if not, what shop did you use? looks great love the stealth look.

 

i installed focals with Alpine 450w amp and they are fantastic. 165v2's and 690v1's. i hear portions of music that i never heard before. they have amzing clarity. get them on ebay.

 

save your amps! put them UNDER the carpet below the seats

http://www.bugs78.ca/photo/garagegal...iS/ampinstall/

 

I got the Infinity Reference 6010cs for the front doors, Infinity Kappa 692.71i for the back, and an Infinity Kapp Perfect 12.1 VQ for my sub. Sad to think I could've gotten what you consider to be nicer speakers for realitively the same price I'll just pretend I never heard that and still love my speakers.
I am just about to add some eDead once I get my car back from the shop.