Front Stage 3 Way Setup

[bwoodroof 0]

I know this is Hybrid Audios Forums, but i do need some help. I am between three brands for a good sq setup for the front stage in my 1997 Lincoln Towncar. Scan Speak, Zapco, or Hybrid Audio. 8", 4", and 1" is the sizes i have been looking for. I want the best for under $1500.

Edited August 9, 2008 by Twisted-Woodroof

[sick6ness 1]

I know this is Hybrid Audios Forums, but i do need some help. I am between three brands for a good sq setup for the front stage in my 1997 Lincoln Towncar. Scan Speak, Zapco, or Hybrid Audio. 8", 4", and 1" is the sizes i have been looking for. I want the best for under $1500.

Def go with the hybrids, they are really amazing sounding drivers.

[Dr Durden 0]

I want the best for under $1500.

The best simply doesn't exist.

HAT offers some highly capable speakers for the money, though. For the price and service...and the performance, they are hard to beat. I've found them to be pretty plug and play friendly.

I think one if the reasons why people say Hybrid drivers sound "amazing" is because they were designed to play in a car by a very experienced installer and tuner of car audio systems. ScanSpeak drivers can sound "amazing" too, but you need to work with them more because they are not designed for car audio.

I've had entire HAT and Scan 3-way systems up front (including mixing them together), and what it boiled down to for me was install skills and personal preference.

Edited August 10, 2008 by FoxPro5

[bwoodroof 0]

Well i can actually get a full 5.1 setup in the car for under 1500! L1,L3,L6 for the front stage, a L3 for the center, L4 for the rears, and a L8 for the sub. Ten Amplifiers, and i gotta get another behringer processor, but sounds like a winner to me.

[///M5 2,833]

Why 5.1 in a car???

[bwoodroof 0]

Well the rears dont really matter, but it is hard to get good imaging in a wide car, i drive a lincoln towncar. The center speaker really brings the front stage alive, like a L3 or L4. Anybody else have an opinion on just doing the three way front stage with a single driver as a center. I am just getting into the competition side of SQ, however i know what my music should sound like for staging, I have been doing audio recording since i was 16. But i welcome any comments.

[///M5 2,833]

I'd scrap the center channel idea, it will ruin your staging not help it. Unless of course you are playing 5.1 recordings, but that would be movies and not really music.

[dave_Edwards 1]

if I had a dollar for every person that thinks I have a center channel.......L631 combo up front....that's it

[bwoodroof 0]

Cool thanks for all the input. Have you guys ever heard of a passive crossover called "Matrix". I was talking to a few MECA SQ judges at the HiFi Buys Show in Nashville, about a month ago, but one guy named Vinnie Taylor, the head SQ Judge, recomended this idea into the car.

Edited August 11, 2008 by Twisted-Woodroof

[dave_Edwards 1]

Vinny just judged my car this weekend....gave me an 82!!!

[bwoodroof 0]

Cool man, i was in Street+ but i am working on my car so i am out of SQ for this year, but my high score in street+ was 69.5 with a 50 dollar front stage setup.

[bwoodroof 0]

But what do you think about doing a 641-3 setup, L6 in the doors, L4 in the pillar firing at each other, L1 on axis, and a L8 as a sub firing at center stage from the rear deck.

[///M5 2,833]

I'd personally use something other than the L8 as a sub. I'd love to have them as midbasses, but there are a lot of other subs that will do more for less in such a limited frequency range.

[Dr Durden 0]

Agreed. The L8 isn't a sub and I highly doubt you'll get away with it as one. Dave Brooks has 100 L8's in his car....heheh...just kiding, he has 10. BUT, he still uses a SUB woofer. Impact in the 200 hz reigion is one thing, but you cannot replace that desired low extension rumble at 40 hz from the cone of a sub with a mid woofer.

Experimentation is a must, but I don't think tweeters on axis is going to sound that great.

[Dave Brooks 0]

Yeah if you're doing vids like Jurassic park and looking for the L8 to shake the car when the T-Rex stomps... ummm... It goes plenty low and sounds darn good down there, but it ain't gonna shake the muffler brackets none :-) It'll shake the panel it is mounted to, but not the whole car.

[///M5 2,833]

Experimentation is a must, but I don't think tweeters on axis is going to sound that great.

Agreed. If you aren't willing to spend a lot of time aiming things around and seeing how they sound in different configurations then a 3 way is beyond what you should tackle. Guessing on your aiming now is one thing, but if you are planning to build things without first mocking in all of the drivers and experimenting then the installation will end up a failure...unless of course you are the luckiest sob I have ever seen.

[bwoodroof 0]

I have done a few things on imaging and the placement is still to be decided. However, I have two Solo X 12s in the trunk if i want the extra bass, but i have more of a taste for a faster acting sub in the 8" range. I think the L8 will be enough for my daily driving. But on another topic speaker imaging, what has worked well for you hybrid guys?

[Dave Brooks 0]

I'm an on-axis one-seat kinda guy... but I don't recommend it for what you are doing... not at all. So I'll shut up and let the off-axis masters speak

[bwoodroof 0]

Like Dave said i am a one seat guy as well. I am anxious to see what you hybrid guys can help me out with.

[Dr Durden 0]

faster acting sub in the 8" range.

What do you mean by this?

I think the L8 will be enough for my daily driving.

I don't. But, hey it's your money and your car.

[Dave Brooks 0]

I think he means something with a fast attack at low frequencies.

[bwoodroof 0]

close to it, like i said i have two solo x 12s if i need to pound it out, lol. I am just wanting a full hybrid setup. The Solo Xs are good and all but i want a more natural sounding setup.

[bwoodroof 0]

well here is the deal, A L1,L3,L6 in the front. and a L8 somewhere in the car. Thanks to all you Hybrid guys!

[sick6ness 1]

well here is the deal, A L1,L3,L6 in the front. and a L8 somewhere in the car. Thanks to all you Hybrid guys!

For what you want.. An L8 with a decent amount of wattage.

[bwoodroof 0]

ill be sending around 800 watts to it, just for the extra headroom in the amp. But i have decided to put the sub where the shifter would go. Lucky for me i drive an automatic.