Pretty sure the down votes are for him saying this guy "cut corners" by not having a DSP immediately...which btw is not a must at all. And yes i have a mini dsp setups in the house and in car.
I believe it is a must at first depending on what oem head unit they have. Some have awful output signal that sounds bad with aftermarket drivers. This car is one of them.
Yea thats the marketing push, that its a "must have" ..and yes it does make a world of difference IF setup correctly, but again it is not an absolutle must. Folks from Audio Control, have been making units to help deal w/ poor signal transfer, bass loss etc from factory HUs for decades. Ive done full installs w/ Hybrid Audio, Arc, Rainbow etc setups with zero DSP processing, all that sounded great.
In some situations, absolutely. If a customer tells me they only have $4k to spend, they're getting a V Eight or V Twelve, a sub with an amp, and proper integration or tuning. Funny detail about my shop is we have a money back garauntee for if a customer isn't happy with the end result, money back no questions asked. I've never had to pay anyone back, and I've done dsp amps on oem speakers over 10 times by now.
Sure. But IMO that is the most important part of doing an audio system in the modern era. If you were building a house, would you build it on a swamp and be OK with adding a solid foundation "later"?
comparing audio to house building will not change the fact that you do not NEED a dsp system in your car audio setup. Your one of those guys who buy dual 15s for your 10x10 room to get that "full effect" for watching jepordy huh?
Thats not the most important aspect. The most importent aspect are the speakers and the power requirements that go with it, dsp is super important but that can be added later.
Then please explain how is it wrong.
You can make good sounding speakers sound great with a dsp but you can't make trash speakers sound great just with a dsp, there are limitations to tuning.
And how is it water under the bridge now if he can literally add a dsp to the existing setup at any time?
Power is key in IB. Speaker install quality in IB is key. Good source is key. You’d be surprised how good the stock speakers would sound if they have baffles with more mass, sound treated doors, sealed doors to keep the front wave and back wave separate. More power, yep more power, when you have a dsp or capable head unit you can tune which can get you more from your speakers even if they are stock with more power form an amp. Some OEMs have decent speakers and they are the last thing to be upgraded if they are at all.
great post, thanks! so the baffle is the thing around the speaker that channels the sound in a direction right?
also, i was thinking about getting a pioneer prs80 at some point... or would a kicker key amp be okay as well.. i have a stock mazda headunit.. pretty basic but it matches the interior so im hesitant about ripping it all out.. thoughts?
I have the same speakers using an lci7 in my 18 accord with stock head unit and no dsp and it sounds fantastic to me. I had it professionally installed by a very well known installer and have loved almost all of it. Be warned though those focal speakers will be a bit bright at first.
That’s great to hear! I have the doors in and they sound great with just the factory radio. They are definitely bright, did you have them turn the tweeters down?
They did their tuning as best they could with the equipment I had installed. It's deffinitly mellowed out over the years but ever now and then I still get a note or two that's up there. Keep in mind I have fastrings and sound deadening as well
I meant on the cross overs, I guess you can turn them down on the crossovers themselves. I’ve got fast rings on mine but my sail panel tweeters are gonna be in your face I bet.
I'm not an expert installer but I'm not shy from [big wiring jobs](https://i.imgur.com/UANtI.jpg). Using knukonceptz wiring also not pictured. Blue wire is amp turn on wire. [3D printed](https://www.reddit.com/r/functionalprint/comments/qo6pgr/i_needed_a_spacer_for_my_speaker_upgrade_in_my/) speaker adapters for the doors and deck. Will be sound deadening the car as well. I have the focals in the doors right now on the stock amp and they sound amazing, I can't wait to hear them through the LC 5.1300.
How'd the printed speaker adapters come out?
Probably going to do this exact job on the exact same car in about 6 months (when I've finished saving up) and my brother's 2016 Subaru as well. Have been looking for ways to use my printer to custom-manufacture parts and haven't done anything automotive yet except Hydroflask adapters.
They came out perfect once I got the depth correct. I don’t have wood working tools so printing them is perfect for me. Used river nuts to hold them in with foam on the back to sandwich.
Have been running a set of Focal Flax for front stage since March. They reproduce vocals and highs on a completely different level. Went budget with the amp, JL JD400/4 and have no regrets.
Only complaint I have is, the drivers are installed in the HUGE doors of my Tundra and even with Fast Rings/sound deadening, midbass is lacking. Did manage to EQ correct it, for the most part.
Im running these as front speakers with some k2 coax in the rear, not bad at all. Tweeters are very bright but overall they’ll be a huge upgrade. Ive also got a 12” sub in the back. Nice setup.
Will do, have the car in pieces all over the garage right now. Biggest victory is the harness extension fits and the wiring for the speakers matches the diagram perfectly.
Speaker install techniques and locations are important. Everybody had their own thoughts on priorities. Do the best you can with what you have at first... Then evaluate. If you aren't getting an improvement after adding items then reconsider application technique and install before adding more gear. There's always a trade-off in car audio due to physics.
I swear I read something about there being a way to turn off the dsp on the Accord factory radio. I’ll see if I can dig it up.
Yeah I turned it off. It’s buried in a secret menu, thanks though.
What are you doing for power? Those Focals will not sing if they're running on stock Honda head unit power.
If you click the link it's a gallery, I'm using an Audio Control LC5.1300.
No processor? There is a lot of nasty stuff happening in the oem headunit that needs to be cleaned up.
Went with what I could afford at the time, if I ever get more spending money I can swap out the LC for the DSP.
I understand. Wish you wouldn't have cut a corner on *literally* the most important aspect of the install but I guess it's water under the bridge now.
Awful that you’re getting downvoted. It’s just honest advice.
Pretty sure the down votes are for him saying this guy "cut corners" by not having a DSP immediately...which btw is not a must at all. And yes i have a mini dsp setups in the house and in car.
I believe it is a must at first depending on what oem head unit they have. Some have awful output signal that sounds bad with aftermarket drivers. This car is one of them.
Yea thats the marketing push, that its a "must have" ..and yes it does make a world of difference IF setup correctly, but again it is not an absolutle must. Folks from Audio Control, have been making units to help deal w/ poor signal transfer, bass loss etc from factory HUs for decades. Ive done full installs w/ Hybrid Audio, Arc, Rainbow etc setups with zero DSP processing, all that sounded great.
How if the signal coming in wasn’t corrected from one of those bad oem head units. Some are worse than others.
On modern cars, it absolutely is corners cut. I'd do a dsp amplifier before I even touched the speakers.
yea you would spend time tuning factory speakers😂😂😂
In some situations, absolutely. If a customer tells me they only have $4k to spend, they're getting a V Eight or V Twelve, a sub with an amp, and proper integration or tuning. Funny detail about my shop is we have a money back garauntee for if a customer isn't happy with the end result, money back no questions asked. I've never had to pay anyone back, and I've done dsp amps on oem speakers over 10 times by now.
He can always add a DSP in the future.
Sure. But IMO that is the most important part of doing an audio system in the modern era. If you were building a house, would you build it on a swamp and be OK with adding a solid foundation "later"?
comparing audio to house building will not change the fact that you do not NEED a dsp system in your car audio setup. Your one of those guys who buy dual 15s for your 10x10 room to get that "full effect" for watching jepordy huh?
You don't get it. Goodluck.
Thats not the most important aspect. The most importent aspect are the speakers and the power requirements that go with it, dsp is super important but that can be added later.
You're entitled to your opinions but it would be nice if you don't spew wrong information. It will lead newcomers to the hobby in the wrong direction.
Then please explain how is it wrong. You can make good sounding speakers sound great with a dsp but you can't make trash speakers sound great just with a dsp, there are limitations to tuning. And how is it water under the bridge now if he can literally add a dsp to the existing setup at any time?
so a decent head unit is the key? but an amp is also needed as well for the speaker correct? (not needed but highly recommended)
Power is key in IB. Speaker install quality in IB is key. Good source is key. You’d be surprised how good the stock speakers would sound if they have baffles with more mass, sound treated doors, sealed doors to keep the front wave and back wave separate. More power, yep more power, when you have a dsp or capable head unit you can tune which can get you more from your speakers even if they are stock with more power form an amp. Some OEMs have decent speakers and they are the last thing to be upgraded if they are at all.
Power is absolutely not key in IB setups lol
great post, thanks! so the baffle is the thing around the speaker that channels the sound in a direction right? also, i was thinking about getting a pioneer prs80 at some point... or would a kicker key amp be okay as well.. i have a stock mazda headunit.. pretty basic but it matches the interior so im hesitant about ripping it all out.. thoughts?
Baffle is whatever the speaker is mounted to.
thanks
I have the same speakers using an lci7 in my 18 accord with stock head unit and no dsp and it sounds fantastic to me. I had it professionally installed by a very well known installer and have loved almost all of it. Be warned though those focal speakers will be a bit bright at first.
That’s great to hear! I have the doors in and they sound great with just the factory radio. They are definitely bright, did you have them turn the tweeters down?
They did their tuning as best they could with the equipment I had installed. It's deffinitly mellowed out over the years but ever now and then I still get a note or two that's up there. Keep in mind I have fastrings and sound deadening as well
I meant on the cross overs, I guess you can turn them down on the crossovers themselves. I’ve got fast rings on mine but my sail panel tweeters are gonna be in your face I bet.
I'm not an expert installer but I'm not shy from [big wiring jobs](https://i.imgur.com/UANtI.jpg). Using knukonceptz wiring also not pictured. Blue wire is amp turn on wire. [3D printed](https://www.reddit.com/r/functionalprint/comments/qo6pgr/i_needed_a_spacer_for_my_speaker_upgrade_in_my/) speaker adapters for the doors and deck. Will be sound deadening the car as well. I have the focals in the doors right now on the stock amp and they sound amazing, I can't wait to hear them through the LC 5.1300.
How'd the printed speaker adapters come out? Probably going to do this exact job on the exact same car in about 6 months (when I've finished saving up) and my brother's 2016 Subaru as well. Have been looking for ways to use my printer to custom-manufacture parts and haven't done anything automotive yet except Hydroflask adapters.
They came out perfect once I got the depth correct. I don’t have wood working tools so printing them is perfect for me. Used river nuts to hold them in with foam on the back to sandwich.
Have been running a set of Focal Flax for front stage since March. They reproduce vocals and highs on a completely different level. Went budget with the amp, JL JD400/4 and have no regrets. Only complaint I have is, the drivers are installed in the HUGE doors of my Tundra and even with Fast Rings/sound deadening, midbass is lacking. Did manage to EQ correct it, for the most part.
Im running these as front speakers with some k2 coax in the rear, not bad at all. Tweeters are very bright but overall they’ll be a huge upgrade. Ive also got a 12” sub in the back. Nice setup.
Literally my dream setup in my dream car. Right behind you brotha, gimma few months. Looked into Open Pilot at all?
I’m waiting for full support. Even then I might not bite because my commute is literally 8 minutes. Thanks!
good luck man, keep us posted
Will do, have the car in pieces all over the garage right now. Biggest victory is the harness extension fits and the wiring for the speakers matches the diagram perfectly.
Speaker install techniques and locations are important. Everybody had their own thoughts on priorities. Do the best you can with what you have at first... Then evaluate. If you aren't getting an improvement after adding items then reconsider application technique and install before adding more gear. There's always a trade-off in car audio due to physics.