Audio/Speaker Questions

[Kerplunk105]

Ok, I am really quite clueless when it comes to audio stuff. :help: So, don't laugh and answer my questions! :mrgreen:

1. What is the difference between 2 way, 3 way, and 4 way?
2. What is the difference between "audio speakers" and "component speakers"?
3. If I have 2 way speakers in the front, do I need to have 2 way in the back as well?
4. Which is more important for sound quality-speakers or CD player?
5. Whats is a good amount of watt power?
6. If I am not planning on doing a sub or amp, what set up would you recommend? (6x9 in back and 6.5 in front)

Thanks a bunch :thumbup:

[MPowerKai]

Ok, I am really quite clueless when it comes to audio stuff. :help: So, don't laugh and answer my questions! :mrgreen:

1. What is the difference between 2 way, 3 way, and 4 way?
2. What is the difference between "audio speakers" and "component speakers"?
3. If I have 2 way speakers in the front, do I need to have 2 way in the back as well?
4. Which is more important for sound quality-speakers or CD player?
5. Whats is a good amount of watt power?
6. If I am not planning on doing a sub or amp, what set up would you recommend? (6x9 in back and 6.5 in front)

Thanks a bunch :thumbup:

I'm gonna try my best but I'm not too good at this and may need to be corrected.
1. 2 way is just high and mid, 3 way speakers have high, imds, and lows. I don't think there is a 4 way.
2. Component speakers have a lot better quality but are only for highs and mids and you should get subs to get components unless you don't want much bass. Also components generally need to be amplified.
3. No, you do not need 2 way speakers in the back if you have them in the front.
4. both
5. Depends on your head unit/speaker combo/and how loud you want to play your music
6. You should get a nice set of coaxial speakers from jl audio.

[Kerplunk105]

Sounds good.

Thanks a bunch!!!!!!

[TROLL]

additions to the answers above...

2. a component speaker has a seperate tweeter and woofer which you can mount independently of each other. seperating the tweeter from the woofer (physical distance) allows for better... whats the word... imaging (i think). where a coaxial has the tweeter mounted in the center of the woofer. i cant tell you why, but this all plays into the quality and authenticity of the sound.
it really has nothing to do with being amped or not, although components are generally higher end and sometimes require being amped.

4. the cd player sends the signal, so a higher quality system will be able to send a cleaner higher quality signal from the start. sometimes aftermarket head units push a little more power as well.
better speakers will be able to handle more volume and should be able to reproduce the signal more accurately. i'd guess that speakers will enable you to go louder faster than cleaner.
but yes, the chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so both would be more beneficial than doing one or the other.

of course audio stuff is a gray line... it depends how picky you are. i know plenty of people who are happy with their stock radio and speakers... then you've got people who spend a few hundred bucks and are totally content, then you've got the guys who arent happy listening to anything but $10,000 systems. so in the end its whatever makes you happy...

[igo4bmx]

additions to the answers above...

2. a component speaker has a seperate tweeter and woofer which you can mount independently of each other. seperating the tweeter from the woofer (physical distance) allows for better... whats the word... imaging (i think). where a coaxial has the tweeter mounted in the center of the woofer. i cant tell you why, but this all plays into the quality and authenticity of the sound.
it really has nothing to do with being amped or not, although components are generally higher end and sometimes require being amped.

4. the cd player sends the signal, so a higher quality system will be able to send a cleaner higher quality signal from the start. sometimes aftermarket head units push a little more power as well.
better speakers will be able to handle more volume and should be able to reproduce the signal more accurately. i'd guess that speakers will enable you to go louder faster than cleaner.
but yes, the chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so both would be more beneficial than doing one or the other.

of course audio stuff is a gray line... it depends how picky you are. i know plenty of people who are happy with their stock radio and speakers... then you've got people who spend a few hundred bucks and are totally content, then you've got the guys who arent happy listening to anything but $10,000 systems. so in the end its whatever makes you happy...

I'd like to add:
2- component systems also offer external crossovers, which generally have heavy duty capacitors to help seperate frequencies- as opposed to the dinky capacitors they put behind a 2 way or 3 way speaker system.

3- IMO get a really nice front 2 way setup, and don't even run speakers in the back. rear speakers totally kill audio imaging (the effect of having a real feeling of real live audio around you). think of it this way, when you hear a band on stage, do you really hear it in every direction? or does the audio "image" really come from the front, and reflect off of walls, the floor, ceiling etc

[MPowerKai]

of course audio stuff is a gray line... it depends how picky you are. i know plenty of people who are happy with their stock radio and speakers... then you've got people who spend a few hundred bucks and are totally content, then you've got the guys who arent happy listening to anything but $10,000 systems. so in the end its whatever makes you happy...

This is very true, I have close to 10k in audio in my M3. 300 farad stinger cap, jl audio 1000.1 amp jl audio 400.4 amp, 2 jlw audio 10w7's, diamond audio d6's all around on the inside. Some other stuff, but I hate it and was happier with the stock harmon kardon system in the car before.

[wonner]

3- IMO get a really nice front 2 way setup, and don't even run speakers in the back. rear speakers totally kill audio imaging (the effect of having a real feeling of real live audio around you). think of it this way, when you hear a band on stage, do you really hear it in every direction? or does the audio "image" really come from the front, and reflect off of walls, the floor, ceiling etc
+1

A decent set of components will sound great.

[igo4bmx]

This is very true, I have close to 10k in audio in my M3. 300 farad stinger cap, jl audio 1000.1 amp jl audio 400.4 amp, 2 jlw audio 10w7's, diamond audio d6's all around on the inside. Some other stuff, but I hate it and was happier with the stock harmon kardon system in the car before.

Damn that sucks
i don't think they make 300 farad caps.

either way you have some solid products- maybe a trip to an audio shop with an RTA and some tweaking will help the situation.

[dstarmotuner]

Ok, I am really quite clueless when it comes to audio stuff. :help: So, don't laugh and answer my questions! :mrgreen:

1. What is the difference between 2 way, 3 way, and 4 way?
2. What is the difference between "audio speakers" and "component speakers"?
3. If I have 2 way speakers in the front, do I need to have 2 way in the back as well?
4. Which is more important for sound quality-speakers or CD player?
5. Whats is a good amount of watt power?
6. If I am not planning on doing a sub or amp, what set up would you recommend? (6x9 in back and 6.5 in front)

Thanks a bunch :thumbup:

Thought Id answer in my own way.

2 way, 3 way etc is just the amount of speakers/tweeters it has. They each play a diffrent frequency. There are 4 ways. Pioneer makes 5 ways actaully.

A coaxil and a component is different because the tweeter is seperate from the subwoofer and it has a crossover to seperate the sound.

no

both

depends on what you are looking for ussally 35-75rms x 4 is enough

depends on price range i like memphis speakers all around.

i didn't have time to type this out nicely so io know i misspelled a bunch of things too bad.

[Kerplunk105]

If I have component speakers do I need to have an amp to power them properly?

I'm not planning on getting an amp any time soon...

Thanks again guys! :)

[dstarmotuner]

If I have component speakers do I need to have an amp to power them properly?

I'm not planning on getting an amp any time soon...

Thanks again guys! :)

U dont NEED one but it sure as hell will make a difference.

[igo4bmx]

Thought Id answer in my own way.

2 way, 3 way etc is just the amount of speakers/tweeters it has. They each play a diffrent frequency. There are 4 ways. Pioneer makes 5 ways actaully. Link to the 5 way speaker for the car? I NEVER HEARD OF THIS EVER

A coaxil and a component is different because the tweeter is seperate from the subwoofer and it has a crossover to seperate the sound.
tweeter and woofer... its not a subwoofer ;)


also the power required for the speakers really depends on efficiency and their reccomended power needs

[Kerplunk105]

5 way:

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/v3/pg/product/details/0,,2076_310069904_168472238,00.html

[TROLL]

head unit, amp, speakers.
each component will improve the overall system... you can do any of the above by themselves and in most cases they will make noticeable improvement, but those who end up doing all of them are going to see the greatest results.
again, its important to understand that everyone has a different goal... some people turn their stock radio up and are happy as could be, others cant hear anything but distortion. know what i mean? :)

[TROLL]

5 way:

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/v3/pg/product/details/0,,2076_310069904_168472238,00.html

holy crap its a 6x9, 2.25, 1.5, .75, and .5 all in one.... haha.

dont buy that.

[Kerplunk105]

so confused....(...must be the blondeness...)

I just want the best sounding system for my money? I am looking to spend like $400ish total for 4 speakers and new head unit/cd player.

[TROLL]

if you have time, you should pm wkderf and go visit him at work one day. if he's not busy i'm sure he'll be happy to take his time and try and help edumacate you on whats what and let you listen to some different things.
if you've got about $400 i would do as a couple others said and just get a nice set of front component speakers and a head unit. dont worry about rear speakers, they're very far down the list of priorities.
if you get a cheap head unit you might be able to sneak an amp in there, but thats more installing and just complicates the system more so i'm not sure if you'll be able to squeak that in.

[factoid: the polks i'm selling were once wkderfs]

[Kerplunk105]

Thanks :) I'll do that!!

[igo4bmx]

head unit, amp, speakers.
each component will improve the overall system... you can do any of the above by themselves and in most cases they will make noticeable improvement, but those who end up doing all of them are going to see the greatest results.
again, its important to understand that everyone has a different goal... some people turn their stock radio up and are happy as could be, others cant hear anything but distortion. know what i mean? :)


and when your exhaust is as loud as mine u just give up ;)

[MPowerKai]

Damn that sucks
i don't think they make 300 farad caps.

either way you have some solid products- maybe a trip to an audio shop with an RTA and some tweaking will help the situation.

They do it's just hella expensive and many just opt to buy another battery which is cheaper

[igo4bmx]

They do it's just hella expensive and many just opt to buy another battery which is cheaper


can you show me a link to the product?
on stinger's site the largest capacitor they have is 35 farad

[MPowerKai]

can you show me a link to the product?
on stinger's site the largest capacitor they have is 35 farad


I have no clue where it is on the site but I can take a picture of it from my car when I get some free time

[Kerplunk105]

Where is the best place to buy these things? (speakers, cd player, etc)

Best Buy, Curcuit City, etc?

[03sLoMaX]

Damn that sucks
i don't think they make 300 farad caps.

either way you have some solid products- maybe a trip to an audio shop with an RTA and some tweaking will help the situation.

i agree...that setup should sound amazing...something has to be wrong...i dont think they make 300 farad caps either...i know they make 3 farad and 5 farad...but 300 is not necessary...your supposed to have a 1 farad cap per thousand watts (at least from what was recommended to me) a 300 farad would be equivalent to your system putting out around 300,000 watts, lol...you should need no more then a 3 farad for what your running...i was looking at getting a 5 farad for 2 JL 1000/1s and a 400/4 for 2 12" W7's and Boston Acoustic Pros all around..