Critique My Proposed System

[jforest1]

Okay, guys.  I'm putting together a stereo system, and here's what I'm looking at:

2 Polk 6.5" 2-way speakers in front door panels (close to kickboard):
http://www.polkaudio.com/caraudio/mm/index.php?s=mm651
5" cutout dimensions
2 5/8" driver mounting depth (top)
2 7/8 driver mounting depth (bottom)
50 watt continuous
150 watt peak power
2.7 ohms impedance
40-25000Hz
90dB sensitivity

2 Polk 6x9" 3-way speakers in rear deck:
http://www.polkaudio.com/caraudio/mm/index.php?s=mm691
8 3/8" x 5 1/2" cutout dimensions
3 3/16" driver mounting depth (top)
3 1/2" driver mounting depth (bottom)
125 watt continuous power
300 watt peak power
2.7 ohms impedance
30-25000Hz
94dB sensitivity

Kicker ZX650.4 4-channel amp for speakers above.
http://www.kicker.com/ZX_Amplifiers


2 Polk 12" woofers in trunk:
http://www.polkaudio.com/caraudio/mm/subwoofers.php?s=overview-subs#mm1240
11" cutout dimensions
4 5/8" driver mounting depth (top)
5 1/4" driver mounting depth (bottom)
425 watt continuous
850 watt peak power
4 ohms impedance
22-200Hz
92dB
8 gauge input drivers

Kicker DX1000.1 mono amp for the woofers (parallel wired):
http://www.kicker.com/dx_amplifiers

1 farad capacitor for mono amp.

1-2 100 ampere anal fuse for battery connections to amps.

0/1 gauge cable from battery.

Have yet to choose a head unit, but will probably go Alpine or Sony

Possibly an alternator upgrade.

===

A few questions about this setup:

1.  My initial thought was to put 2x 4" speakers in the kick panels; however, it doesn't look like I could put one on the driver-side because the parking break pedal seems like it would get in the way.

2.  My fallback was to put 2x 6" speakers in the door panels close to the front.  Has anybody put 6" round speakers in the doors before?  If not, does it look doable?

3.  Does anybody see any problems with the wattages/ohms of my amp selection for driving my speakers?

4.  I've been out of the audio scene for a while--for head unit selection in 2011, what's hot and what's not?

5.  I'm thinking (not sure) I've go the stock alternator in my car, which I believe is 50amp or so.  I see 140amp and 200amp alternators in YearOne catalog.  I'm told I will need 14.4 volts for those alternators.  How do I know if the alternator can produce that?  Are they ALL 14.4 volts?  So I know what's left over for the audio, what's the typical wattage required for a 73 cuda (lights on at night, doors and glove box and console all open while blowing the horn.    )?

6.  Has anybody run 0- or 1- gauge wire before battery to trunk?  Where specifically did you run it?  I've assumed it needs to be an external run, but want to know if there's a better/easier way.

7.  Would I need 2 100 ampere anal fuses or one?  Each amp requires one, but I'm running one cable from the battery.  Are they additive (I need to put a fuse closer to the amp after I split my power cable) or do just need to put one close to the battery.


JF

[the_engineers]

Those who choose to put them in the kick panels have done so by adding spacers to move the e-brake out from the side of the car.

Voltage regulator limits the top end of alternator output.  External if you go with an original style, internal if you go with a newer (Denso) alternator.

[jforest1]

Thanks for answering #1.

Given that, I suppose I have two options:
a.  drop the 6" speakers and do 4" speakers as well.  given the kick in the back and the positioning of the 4" speakers, I'm think they may get overpowered by the rear.

b.  as an upgrade I may add another 4-channel amp (low wattage), 2x 4" in the kick panels, and a bridged 4x10" in the dash...

JF

[Bullitt-]

Thanks for answering #1.

Given that, I suppose I have two options:
a.  drop the 6" speakers and do 4" speakers as well.  given the kick in the back and the positioning of the 4" speakers, I'm think they may get overpowered by the rear.

b.  as an upgrade I may add another 4-channel amp (low wattage), 2x 4" in the kick panels, and a bridged 4x10" in the dash...

JF

a. I can hardly hear my 6" kick panel speakers when the rears & sub are cranked up but they do add fill that enhances the sound quality.
b. I made a bracket to hold 2-tweeters in the 4x10 center dash, again just adds something extra.

[the_engineers]

I have a pair of 3.5's in the 4x10 spot and 6x9's in the rear. I'd like a fuller sound, but don't want to start cutting. Only other thing I can think of is 2" tweeters above the headliner...

[MEK-Dangerfield]

This is kind of out in left field, but how loud is your exhaust? Even with an upgraded 4X10 in the dash, I have to put most of the power to the rear 6X9's. They handle it all fine, but the front speaker is almost not noticeable since it can't handle all the power of an aftermarket amp. This setup would be fine with the stock exhaust though. I might not even need the aftermarket amp then.   

[jforest1]

Probably a stupid question, but is the 4" hole actually 4" or is it 5 1/4"?  Polk's MM series only goes down to this:
http://www.polkaudio.com/caraudio/mm/index.php?s=mm521

And their 6" speakers are actually 6.5".

So what is the actual cutout dimensions I'd be looking for if I mounted two 4" speakers in the kick panels?

JF

[jforest1]

This is kind of out in left field, but how loud is your exhaust?

Loud.  Side pipes, straight.

JF

[IronChef]

Loud.  Side pipes, straight.

JF

Oh boy...I'd consider some Dynamat, and lots of it.  Especially in the doors.

[Justins72]

if your going to add a tweeter the sugested rule is no more then 6" from the mid woofer.  A good sounding system would consist of a 6.5 component set mounted in the kick panels with the tweeter facing you in the seat, A set of mid bass drivers in the package tray to supply the rear fill, and a sub that will deliver the low end bass.  When setting all of that up with amps you would want to set the front stage components to filter any frequencies below 150hz. For the rear fill they dont need a whole lot of power as you just want to hear them a little bit, so just powering them off the headunit will be enough.

[perfect]

Oh boy...I'd consider some Dynamat, and lots of it.  Especially in the doors.

you were right about that. really have it.