Advice on complete system for Toyota MR2...

[MR2 33]

Hello All...

I've been reading through various post to learn more about building a system and now I have a question. In the past I've have built a number of car stereo systems but due to funds I haven't had a system in a long while but now I'm ready to build one up again.

I'd like any input on my proposed system. I understand you all have different opinions and experience. This is just what I've come up with my own research. I'll go ahead and leave my list below. If you think it's a good setup feel free to let me know. If you'd take a different approach fill me in. If you think I'd be better off with different hardware like I said it's been awhile and I know things change. Older brands that were once really good have now turned into lesser brands.

My list of components will pretty much give you an idea of my budget. If it's a lil' bit more I'm willing to invest more into it if you feel it would be money better spent. It's always a bummer when you fork out your hard earned cash and then your share you system and someone goes...oh man that's cool...but...you could have spent the same and got this...or for just a lil' more you could have gotten this which totally rocks...you catch my drift.

Proposed Hardware to be installed into 1991 Toyota MR2:

Head Unit:

Jensen 9424BT(I like the look of the Double Din, with Nav and Blue Tooth so I can stream music from my phone to the deck-also it seems like the best price point for these features).

Speakers:

Front Stage: 6.5" woofer/.75 Titanium Tweeters Separates MBQuart 218.3 SX (These are the old, old ones I got like 8-10 years ago left over from a previous system).

Rear Stage: 3.5-4" 2-Way MBQuart DKE 108

Shallow Sub in Truck Box: MBQuart RLP254 10" 4 Ohm DVC (I notice there are a lot of better looking subs but I need a shallow one so that is one reason I picked this one).

Amp(I originally was looking at the Alpine PDX-5 or PDX-F6 for it's features and price point but after a bit of research I'm now looking at):

Zed Audio amp: Leviathan II (also thinking of taking advantage of Group Buy)

Cap:

2 Farat Capacitor(own)

Battery:

Optima Red Top(own but I think it maybe back)

Wiring:

Various wiring left over from previous builds.

If your not familiar with the Toyota MR2 it's a pretty cool mid engine car. The engine is behind the cab in the rear of the vehicle opposed to the front. That leaves a small amount of storage under the hood. This is also where the battery is in the back center along the bottom of the firewall. I figured under the hood is closest to the battery so that is where I planned to install the amp, crossovers, cap, etc.

Has anyone on the forum have any experience installing in this particular model car or know anyone who has one? If you have any tips to share I'm all ears!

Thanks for checking out my post. I'm excited to start building my new system.

Ryan

ps: If I missed anything feel free to let me know...

[The enD 467]

We had a MR2 in your family for a while. Fun car. I did some research into a system for it, even thought about a wall. lol.

There is not much space behind the seats, but there is some.

I had a plan on building an enclosure in the front trunk and making a hole through the firewall and placing the port there. But I don't know how that would change the cars handling.

Sell the capacitor and invest the money in something else. It's useless.

Here are some pictures I found when I was looking into it(sorry seems like I have deleted some, since we sold it... fucker totaled 3 days after he bought it. Will look for more tho).

Edit : no need for me to copy and paste pictures, here are some links http://www.google.co...=og&sa=N&tab=wi

http://www.google.com/search?um=1&hl=en&safe=off&biw=980&bih=506&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=mr2+audio&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=

[MR2 33]

We had a MR2 in your family for a while. Fun car. I did some research into a system for it, even thought about a wall. lol.

There is not much space behind the seats, but there is some.

I had a plan on building an enclosure in the front trunk and making a hole through the firewall and placing the port there. But I don't know how that would change the cars handling.

Sell the capacitor and invest the money in something else. It's useless.

Here are some pictures I found when I was looking into it(sorry seems like I have deleted some, since we sold it... pucker totaled 3 days after he bought it. Will look for more tho).

Edit : no need for me to copy and paste pictures, here are some links http://www.google.co...=og&sa=N&tab=wi

http://www.google.com/search?um=1&hl=en&safe=off&biw=980&bih=506&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=mr2+audio&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=

Cool thanks for the picture. If you find any more it would be cool to see what you did(wanted to do)on yours.

I have not built a system in some years...but back in the day it seemed like a cap was useful so I bought one a few years back for my next system. So if not a cap what's the better solution? I saw someone have a battery in their trunk. What's up with that? I'm sure I've got a lot of catching up to do...

Again thanks for the reply!

PS: Man that sucks about the ride gettin' totaled..! I once had a pretty sick GTI my folks ended up handing down to my lil' bro. The engine was all moded. My bro like totaled it the first week he got it. Crash it into a tree going like 60 in a 25 mph sharp curve around the corner from our house. I couldn't believe it...it's was so nice and then bam whole quarter panel caved in! It wasn't even mine anymore but it was a sad site. He nearly had a heart attack he was so scared. I told my folks it was too much car for a first car...oh well.

PSS: I took a look at link...be cool to see someones personal setup. most pics I could find were rather smaller or with little details...but thx..

Edited June 4, 2011 by MR2

[The enD 467]

It was sold before I even had a change to change a speaker in the door...

Batteries and bigger alternator is what you upgrade if your voltage is dropping. You may go with just one better battery or many, depends on your system load. When people put a big system in their car it demands more so that's the way you power it up.

About the car.. well it was not my type anyway. No room for big 18's

What I would do if I had a MR2 is search for a subwoofer that is suited for a sealed type of an enclosure, make sure it's box can fit behind the seat and build a good front, no need for a rear.

One company you can look into is Sundown Audio. I've read numerous positive comments about their products and I've dealt with the owner himself, very cool guy. I'm working on shipping my stuff from him soon and I'll have a proper look on his products.

[MR2 33]

It was sold before I even had a change to change a speaker in the door...

Batteries and bigger alternator is what you upgrade if your voltage is dropping. You may go with just one better battery or many, depends on your system load. When people put a big system in their car it demands more so that's the way you power it up.

About the car.. well it was not my type anyway. No room for big 18's

What I would do if I had a MR2 is search for a subwoofer that is suited for a sealed type of an enclosure, make sure it's box can fit behind the seat and build a good front, no need for a rear.

One company you can look into is Sundown Audio. I've read numerous positive comments about their products and I've dealt with the owner himself, very cool guy. I'm working on shipping my stuff from him soon and I'll have a proper look on his products.

I hear ya...well I have had an MR2 before and I loved it...was happy to come across another one in good condition. I also have a small garage so I was looking at a smaller car this go around. It definitely isn't a car stereo junkies friends...but certainly a lil' friendlier to the pocket. It's also a fun sporty car that is actually pretty descent on gas. So all around I'm happy with the purchase.

For a big system...totally the wrong setup. I use to be the same way man...If there were 24" speakers I'd find a way to fit it in my car, truck, bus...lol..! I had a single 18" in my hatch of the GTI. My folks thought I was crazy. I said hey I want bass and if your going to do it...do it big..! =)

Anyway...thanks for the tips. I'll have to look into the company. Definitely keep me in the loop with your setup. I've been having a hard time finding much in the way of subs that will fit in a .5-.7 cubic foot speaker box. Most are massive. So that is why I was looking at the lil' MBQuart. I'm sure there are much better options out there I'm not aware of...so I'll see what they have to offer.

[edouble101 314]

Both the Alpine PDX amps and the JL Audio HD and XD amps are badass. Very small digital amps that make their power efficiently and cleanly. I highly recommend them in a space limited install like yours. I just bought a JL XD400/4 yesterday

As far as the MB Quart subs, two thumbs down. Do not expect much output. I had two 12" Mb Quart subs. Some like to call them "SQ" subs, I call them paper weights. You can get two regular sized 10" back there no problem if you design the box correctly. My buddy had two JL Audio 10w0 behind his seats that sounded nice.

If I were you I would stick with the PDX amps or go with JL HD(regulated) or XD(unregulated) amps. For subs I would use Sundown SA-10 or SA-8. I would not invest in rear stage speakers. Not needed IMO. I would also ditch the cap. Ditch the Optima battery too and pick up an XS Power

Lucky for you your power runs are short even if you mount your amps in the front trunk which maybe the best location. Either way, small car with big fun!

[The enD 467]

^ or the new SD line, if he has the time to pre-order and wait for them to come.

[eggyhustles 33]

I've had good luck with the soundstream stealth + the kenwood xr amps

[MR2 33]

Both the Alpine PDX amps and the JL Audio HD and XD amps are badass. Very small digital amps that make their power efficiently and cleanly. I highly recommend them in a space limited install like yours. I just bought a JL XD400/4 yesterday

As far as the MB Quart subs, two thumbs down. Do not expect much output. I had two 12" Mb Quart subs. Some like to call them "SQ" subs, I call them paper weights. You can get two regular sized 10" back there no problem if you design the box correctly. My buddy had two JL Audio 10w0 behind his seats that sounded nice.

If I were you I would stick with the PDX amps or go with JL HD(regulated) or XD(unregulated) amps. For subs I would use Sundown SA-10 or SA-8. I would not invest in rear stage speakers. Not needed IMO. I would also ditch the cap. Ditch the Optima battery too and pick up an XS Power

Lucky for you your power runs are short even if you mount your amps in the front trunk which maybe the best location. Either way, small car with big fun!

Thx for the reply!

Ya I really liked the sound of the Alpine PDX-5 or even the more SQ PDX-F6(less channels but perfect with no rear stage)but after checking out the Zed Audio Amps I was really leaning that way. They are definitely a bit more, larger, but could probably fit one of the Zeds.

So battery. Can I just run one XS or are you talking multiple action. I'm really not doing that big of a system I don't think... I should be able to get by with just one good battery? As far as the sub I took at look at the lesser expensive one first...but the depth is the same like 6". So basically I just need to find a prefab box that a tad over 6" right(or do I need a bit of room behind the sub for proper install)?

I kinda figured I'd run rear stage of the deck power just in case I felt like I wanted a lil' fill. I main attention was always on the front stage. That's the setup I did on my Maxima years ago. It's sounded really nice and it was really loud. It was a three amp setup.

[MR2 33]

I've had good luck with the soundstream stealth + the kenwood xr amps

I remember soundstream back in the day...are the Kenwood XR amps their better line(wasn't sure how they ranked). Had a friend who worked at Circuit City back in the day and he had a full Kenwood setup. Of course he got a huge discount doing a direct buy so I'm sure he bought whatever the most expensive option was since he wasn't paying full price. I ran the really old Punch stuff cause I had friends at Circuit and Car Toys(those are probably bad words here huh). Anyway they both hooked me up. As of today I'm starting over basically completely. I am not bias to any brand. Just looking for quality stuff at a price I can afford. Unfortunately I'm not on an unlimited budget but with proper selection I think I can do a pretty descent system without breaking my bank account.

Thanks for the info..!

[MR2 33]

^ or the new SD line, if he has the time to pre-order and wait for them to come.

Been looking over their site. Looks like they got some really sweet subs. I'll have to crunch some numbers and see how they add up. Definitely really interested in their products tho..!

Thx..!

[edouble101 314]

Sounds like you should be ok by only replacing your starting battery with a good XS Power battery.

I would make a mock up box out of particle board or cardboard. By using a mock up box you can find your max dimensions fairly easily. You would more than likely be better off either making your own enclosure (s) or have an enclosure builder make you one than buying a prefab box. But maybe there are prefab boxes available for your car that would work well.

Did you check out mr2 forums to see what those guys are using?

[MR2 33]

Sounds like you should be ok by only replacing your starting battery with a good XS Power battery.

I would make a mock up box out of particle board or cardboard. By using a mock up box you can find your max dimensions fairly easily. You would more than likely be better off either making your own enclosure (s) or have an enclosure builder make you one than buying a prefab box. But maybe there are prefab boxes available for your car that would work well.

Did you check out mr2 forums to see what those guys are using?

Most are using pre fab. I found one article where someone has a link to someone making custom boxes specifically for the mr2. I sent him a message to find out the max depth since it's not stated. I'll keep digging.

So I've been checking out some of the nice sub offerings on this site. They are looking really nice but too deep for most pre fab boxes. Can anyone recommend a really good shallow sub(or is there such an a thing)..? Seems like the shallow subs were made for applications like mine where space is really limited but you still want some descent bass. Good thing is it's a small cab area. It's not like it's in the trunk. My favs have always been hatchbacks but having the sub in the cab might work if I can find the best fit.

Btw which XS Power Battery should I be looking at for my lil' MR2...and should my stock alternator be ok to run a one amp system(assuming it's in good working order-I can replace that if it's old/weak).

[steveo50 3]

Stay away from jensen iv had 2 of them and they are crap!

[MR2 33]

Stay away from jensen iv had 2 of them and they are crap!

Your talking about Jensen subs right...cause I'm looking at the Jensen 9424BT Head Unit(features look attractive but never ran a Jensen Head Unit before-also the price is right).

[steveo50 3]

No the hu are trash man don't do it save your self a headache

[swagger_wagon468 53]

^x2. My buddy has one from best buy. Its the third oneand itsbeen about 7everything months. All have been under warranty... but still a PITA! Subs that come to mind(not sure on depths tho. So they may not work)

SSA dcon10

Sa-10

Sa-8

Fi X 10. Maybe Fi Ssd?...

That's about all I can think of.

Good luck!

[Angelboy863 21]

I think you should get a Sundown Audio amplifer for your subs. Reallyyy good amps. They will last.

but as for subs, my friend has a pair of 10" Kicker CVT shallow mounts in his truck and he loves them. Still has them today and they knock.

and i agree that you should have a custom box because these factory boxes aren't specific enough. Every car is different. especially yours

Good luck though! Make sure you keep the forum updated on your build. I'm interested in how this will work out.

[swagger_wagon468 53]

^ x2 on the sundown amps. But im a biased Sundown nut-hugger.

And proud of it! Lolz

[Luke.H 33]

You seem like you're doing your research and don't mind saving up for quality equipment. So I would save up for a better HU than the Jensen. Ive seen one in a friends car and honestly they're like dollar store head units. Maybe the one you've listed is better, but I doubt it. Kenwoods have Garmin Nav if your focused on that aspect. If not Alpine and Pioneer make great units. I know you said you want a nav etc but a buddy of mine has a Pioneer DEH-7200 older Premier model and its a great HU if you can find one and maybe use the savings to get a external Nav. I think it has bluetooth too. Anyhow, good luck

[steveo50 3]

Damn nut huggers incriminator!

[CrownVic 15]

I used to have a jensen H/U, it worked as long as I had the car, but it was absolute trash I hated it.

IMO for H/Us id stick with Clarion, Alpine, Kenwood, Pioneer, or Eclipse there all known brands that have quality products.

Some good sites to find cheap stuff:

www.audiosavings.com

www.sonicelectronix.com

www.woofersect.com

[Luke.H 33]

OP have you considered the US amps DCON combo offered in the ssa store? I believe that amp is fairly small and the price is really good.

[MR2 33]

I used to have a jensen H/U, it worked as long as I had the car, but it was absolute trash I hated it.

IMO for H/Us id stick with Clarion, Alpine, Kenwood, Pioneer, or Eclipse there all known brands that have quality products.

Some good sites to find cheap stuff:

www.audiosavings.com

www.sonicelectronix.com

www.woofersect.com

Ok lots of good feedback guys thanks..! I guess the better idea would be to say drop the Nav and get a different HU. I haven't bought any in years but when I did I always spent a lot $1000-$2500(but I lived at home and didn't have as many bills)! The trend is recent years for most electronics has been more features for the same amount or even more features for less. I hoped that might have meant that I could get more for less(in this case I was hoping a lot less)! There are a ton of dirt chirp ones on Ebay(the Jensen is somewhere in between dirt cheap and the lower end of the more expensive ones. I guess you might say I'm looking for somewhere in the middle. My budget for HU is $500. What around that price range would you all recommend. I do want a screen but I could give up the double din for a flip out or less features all together just for a solid HU.

As far as the sub box. I want to keep it as big as possible without taking away from the seat being able to recline and so on. There are a couple of places out there that make boxes specifically for the MR2. The max depth is 5.5-5.75. Most all the subs in the store here are 6" deep. So that really limits things. Again the limitation for my setup is because I want to be able to have the seat all the way back. From what I am reading it doesn't take a whole lot to fill up the cab with bass. I've had big systems in the past but I always had a large trunk or a hatch that I could fill it with a huge box. This setup is all about the smallest enclosure(.5'-.7' cf)that will fit nicely behind the seat(even leaving room for the t-tops)but have a descent amount of bass. I'd rather have it sound cleaner than just louder.

Some of you have commented on focusing on the front stage and forget about the rear. I think that is the direction I'm going now. I will likely throw some descent speakers in the rear and run them off the deck(if I choose to even use them). So now I'm looking possibly going with a 4 channel amp like:

Zed Audio:

DRACONIA II (4 x100) or

Dreadnought (225 watts x 4)

I believe I can run front stage off channels 1 & 2 and channels 3 & 4 for sub.

I don't hear many of you guys running Zed Audio Amps. Is there a reason for that? I really like what I've been reading up on them and feel like giving them a try.

Thanks everyone for all the replies.! They are all very helpful. I'm doing a lot of research because one I haven't built a system in awhile so I know things have changed(some for the better and some things not I'm sure), and two I know with a bit of research sometimes you can spend the same or a lil' more and get a lot better hardware. So the input is really appreciated!

I just got the car. It has a bad motor...so it's sitting at the mechanic getting pulled. Depending on how much that runs me will determine how much I can afford to invest in my system. For now the initial proposed system is my budget I can pull the trigger on that now. Like I said if there is better hardware for not a lot more I'll definitely give it a good look which might change my buying decisions.

So based on your feedback guys I'm not going to buy the Jensen HU. Seems everyone agrees it's junk!

Also I'm not going to get an MBQuart Shallow Sub(too weak)!

These are the speaker boxes I'm looking at. Even if I had someone or myself(I don't have the time to build is mainly why I'm looking at prefab)It's going to be no bigger than the ones that are being offered. So I think the prefab is really the best solution for me. Again guys I'm not trying to win any SPL comps. If anything I'd rather go for SQ.

links to boxes:

http://www.emspowered.com/storefront/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_86&products_id=211

http://www.mr2subenclosures.com/prices.php

some recommendations from the MR2 community for subs are:

Daytona 10" - same place as 1st link box

http://www.emspowered.com/storefront/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=157_59_86&products_id=225

JL 10w3v2 10" - from 2nd link above who builds boxes

or from the second link box was designed specifically for the (which I don't believe they make anymore but is only 5.75" deep so it fits perfectly). The newer v3 are 5.95". I haven't got a reply back if that would fit or a 6" depth. I'm going to assume it won't since most of the boxes are under 5" max depth the two other were specifically build for my car so that is probably why they can fit a slightly deeper sub.

[Quentin Jarrell 671]

Try to find some shallow mount stereo integrity shallow mounts. You will not find a better shallow mount. It has 50% more excursion than the JL, which is hands down the best big box brand shallow mount on the market