Help me with my speaker project

You do realize you can route frequencies without additional crossovers, right? Passive crossovers are evil. They're a compromise.

 

'route frequencies' ? you mean, filter them? sure, you can use active crossovers and biamplification. that's getting more complicated. my experience, trying to do it with the equalizers built into a car stereo becomes annoying, when you have to go into a dozen funky menus to setup things after they are all forgotten when the shop disconnects your battery for service.


anyways, the sort of external crossovers that come with quality component speaker systems are really quite good.




btw, I'm an electronics nerd, I have done all sorts of electronics engineering for the last 40+ years, digital, audio, video, and RF.

I'm by no means saying JL is the only good brand, there's lots of other excellent speakers such as MTX, Focal, etc etc. I have listened to various walls of car stereo speakers, and decided I liked the sound from the JL's best in various price ranges, so have used them in my last 3-4 installs. I too, like the OP, am older, and listen to a wide range of mostly acoustic music, quite a lot of harmony vocals and stuff, and like my sound very clean and natural sounding but still be able to rock when I'm in the mood.

 

My Best advice is to talk to Mr.Marv he has heard a shit ton of speakers and will point you in the right way. BTW he's on this forum but calling him is best.

 

I got a hold of some bad information earlier Primer. Your head unit won't do the active thing after all. I just got done going through the owner's manual and although you have lots of control with that thing, you only have high or low pass filters. So you'd need a passive 2-way system if staying with head unit power (something efficient). You'd need in-amp or external processing to do the active thing. You can do the passive with an amp too.

 

Pics coming.

This is a test

I don't love the Kenwood UI for this. But here goes. The HU has the option to set crossovers for a front center, two front doors, two rear doors, and a sub.

This is what it looks like:

 

These are the screens for changing the crossover frequencies:

 

I appreciate all the ideas.

I still haven't had time to research it all. I'm intrigued by the idea of the Parts Express drivers. When I open my doors up, I'd like to avoid fabbing a mount. If I could find something I knew would work I might be inclined to go that way.

I'm not completely opposed to the idea of an amp. Was hoping my HU would be enough.

But now I'm confused about the subs in the rear doors. It sounds like you're saying there's a chance...

lol

 

Ya know, if you're wanting to stick with pre-fab mounts, then the whole sub in the doors thing is probably a bridge too far. I'm rethinking it myself. Actually I've talked myself out of it.

A bunch of the Parts Express and Madisound drivers will fit pre-made mounts, but that'd be a case by case basis. Seems like you want easy though. Kits with passive crossovers are easy...as easy as it gets anyway unless you go coax. They both typically fit adapters.

 

I'd certainly start with him if I wanted an enclosure or amp rack built