Source
The Clarion HX-D2 is quite simply the best SQ head unit I've ever owned or used. Considered by many to be the best sounding head unit ever made, the Clarion adds a full 8 channel digital active processor with some of the finest adjustability imaginable - volume adjustment in 0.5dB steps, Time alignment in from 0 to 5 metres in 7 millimetre steps, bandpass crossovers and phase toggle on on all channels, a 5 band parametric EQ with Q values adjustable from 0.5 to 12 in steps of 0.5. It's a dead head, which means there is no on board amplifier - this MUST be used with an external amplifier. Also it does not have bluetooth or USB and it doesn't play MP3's - just a pure CD source designed for the purest competition use.
My much beloved Clarion HX-D2 had a couple of issues though so it had to come out for repair...and I was left with the task of finding a capable replacement for not much money. I managed to find myself a unit I always liked, an Eclipse CD8455. It doesn't provide the adjustability of the Clarion (nothing under $2,000 RRP does) but it does most of what I need until the Clarion gets back. 10 bands of parametric EQ, but nowhere near the fine adjustment of the Clarion. Volume only adjusts in 1dB steps (likewise levels), it only does 3-way active, and the unit in generally is quite limited compared to the Clarion...but still impressive compared to any other semi-pro unit.
Amplifier
In the Laser system of old I was lucky enough to score myself a second hand Brax X2400.2 - Brax amplifiers have a legendary reputation among car audio enthiasts as one of the best sounding amplifiers money can buy. Impeccibly designed and built in Germany, the Brax amps have few peers in terms of straight out sonic accuracy. Unfortunately I needed cash desperately to put towards the MX5, and so I had to sell the Brax...a decision I regret to this day.
While you will never find another brax for reasonable money in Australia (they are rare as anything), Brax also have a sister company called Helix. By sacrificing some of the sturdy build (the Brax weighs 7kg!), sexy bling and pure power output of the Brax amps, the Helix amps are able to offer about 90% of the sonic accuracy for about 1/3 the price. I managed to find a classic Helix HXA500 on ebay from a seller in the UK, and this 5 channel amp will be running most (if not all) of my system. These amps are instantly recognised for their 'high tech' look, with the clear perspex window showing off the brilliant internals among red and green lighting.
Front Stage
I'll be running a three way front stage, either partially or completely active. For those who don't know what active means I'll add an explanation at the end of this post.
The tweeter will handle from 4khz upwards, and this will be the Scanspeak D3004/602000 Illuminator. This is a small format version of the fairly new (and already famous) 6600 'aircirc'. A fantastic performer, the Illuminator is one of the best small format dome tweeters around. They are characterised by very low distorion levels, very impressive low frequency performance down to 2khz, excellent off-axis response and fantastic build quality.
The midrange will be the Fountek FR88-EX, and will play from around 400hz up to around 4khz.
These 3" Fountek drivers are actually officially listed as a 'full range' driver because of their very wide usable frequency range - they can play comfortable from around 300hz - 10khz+ in the right conditions, and at a squeese can be on their own over an entire range (naturally with limited power handling). The FR88 is known for a flat requency response, great build quality and exceptionally low distortion over a very wide frequency range.
Most impressive of all is that these drivers can currently be bought for less then $50/pair (plus shipping) from the US, yet provide performance that is legitimately superior to midrange drivers at 10x the price. This is no exhageration - I original bought a pair of Focal's flagship 3W2Be midrange's (at $600/pair), but I chose to use the Fountek's instead. In back to back tests they proved to be better performers.
The midbass is the Seas L16RN-SL. This will handle from 80hz to 400hz and is a pretty unusual choice because that it's actually a 5.5" woofer. Most people will swear that you need at least a 6" driver for decent midbass, preferable an 8". To be honest this normally is the case, because you generally can't beat physics...and low frequency performance mostly comes down to displacement (cone area vs excursion).
The Seas L16 is the exception to the rule because it's not you're typical 5" woofer. Firstly most 5" speakers are 5.25" in diameter, but the Seas is actuall 5.5". The intelligent flange design allows Seas to get about 30% more cone are compared to a conventional 5 inch driver. In addition to this, the motor on the L16 is an absolute masterpiece! It's capable of a full 6mm one-way xmax (more then a lot of cheap subwoofers). It also has a great basket design with excellent airflow. Combined these factors allow the L16 to play as deep, clean and loud down low as the very best 6.5" woofers out there.
At around $150/pair they are also fairly affordable, given their capabilities. Note however that even though these are 5" they are purely for midbass - they have fairly high midrange distortion and get quite harsh if used above about 1khz.
Subwoofer
This system isn't about wattage, SPL or doof doof - it's about pure sound quality. That means flat even frequency response, minimal distortion and pure accuracy. It's all about being natrual and 'musical' (as the hifi reviews say).
Far as subwoofers go, it doesn't get much more accurate then the Peerless XXLS.
At around $250 - $300 the XXLS is not an incredibly expensive sub by high end SQ standards, but don't let the price fool you. With most car audio brands, the big dollar price tags go towards marketing, advertising, 'bling' looks and doof-doof credentials. When you buy DIY gearfrom someone like Peerless, that money goes into one thing and one thing only - the best possibly product performance. These companies have engineering geniuses on their side, andall of your their effort goes into ensuring the best possible build quality, lowest distortion and consistency.
Look around and you'll find that there are hifi subwoofers and speakers costing upwards of $5,000 which use XXLS drivers. They may not look fancy, but they have a practically legendary reputation for being one of the most musically accurate subwoofer drivers on earth.
So there it is! That's the system layout for the MX5. I'll post up some pics of current progress once my camera battery is charged back up again
In the meantime, see below for an explanation on what an 'active front stage' means!
What is active processing?
Most car splits have what's called a 'passive crossover' - it's a box which accepts an amplifier input and then essentially filters the high frequencies to the tweeter and the low frequencies to the midrange. The type of component values used (resisters, capacitors, etc) determine fixed crossover settings and these are all selected based on the actual speakers used. These CANNOT be used with any components because the electrical specifications of each speaker is different, and connecting different speakers will put all of the values out of whack. Passive crossovers use a fixed crossover point, slope and speaker level - they sometimes have adjustability build in, but it's normally very limited.
Passive crossovers have their pros and cons. On the plus side, the 'fixed' settings allows manufacturers to protect their components by setting them up in ways that minimises risk of inexperienced users damaging the speakers. On the down side the fixed settings means that you cannot adjust these to suit your specific car environment, positioning or installation. It also means you can only really use them with the speakers they came with...so fi you don't like your tweeters, you cant really do much about it.
In an active system there is no passive crossover box. All signal processing occurs before the signal reaches the amplifier, and then each amplifier channel is connected directly to it's own speaker.
The benefits of running active are:
* less distortion (less components in signal path)
* more adjustability (crossover points, crossover slopes, levels, time alignment, EQ)
* the ability your tune dynamically 'on the fly' from the drivers seat, and fine tune for best results
* abllity to chop and change speakers at your hearts content - all you need to do is readjust your settings accordingly
Downside of running active:
* Requires a head unit / processor capable of doing all filtering
* You need an amp channel for each speaker (8 channels for 3-way + sub)
* You must know what you're doing with tuning otherwise you can make it sound terrible (or worse, damage your speakers)
