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Hello,

I recently got a 2001 Civic (Sedan, DX) and one of the very first things I wanted to do is to install a sound system. I've been doing some research and I want to go with the following so far....

Head-Unit

Alpine CDE-102

Subwoofer(s)

Alpine Type-R Subs
Probably the SWR-1242D because it has more horse shoes than SWR-1222D - haha as you can see I don't know the difference - basically I can't afford a really expensive build

Amplifier

Alpine Amps Mostly the PDX 1.600 or 4.100, I don't know the differences in both really but found them at a cheaper price

Speakers

And because I just found out that a speaker is blown..NEW speakers!

I have no clue of which speakers to get.



Will a set up like this work and provide a nice sound? I don't want it extremely loud but I want to be able to feel it

Any suggestions, changes or anything else? Anything I missed?

 
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good head unit. get the 4 ohm sub and put the coils in parallel for a 2ohm load and run them off the PDX 1.600 (or the MRP-M500 for half the money). a single 12 is more than enough for a civic.

 
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yeah great choice on the head unit. ive had my cheap alpine hu for 5 yrs, and my alpine amp for almost 7. sounds amazing. and its been thru a big accident where it got tossed against the rear seats and ripped some terminals out. they are built to last. i need some new speakers too, my infinity are getting so old and have alot of torn stuff but they still sound good! i also advise going with just a single sub. it will be plenty

 
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My Alpine head unit is 12 years old and the only problem w/ it is a couple months ago the lighting on the far right of it went way dim. Works fine other than that. (Hmmm...Gearbox's DIY thread....)

 
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Yeah Alpine is amazing. If you want clear sound, make sure to run some sort of amp to your new speakers. Otherwise, everytime you turn it up they will distort. IMO, though it's quality of wound over quantity.
AND
Depending on what type of music you listen to
Get a sealed box for your Type R instead of a ported box. I think the difference is huge with the Type R between the two boxes. Nice choices though

 
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i just dumped a 12" kicker comp and amp today and bought a single JL Audio 10W6 and JL G1300 amp. IT'S INSANE! i went into the store looking for Apline 12" Type R and an Alpine amp, but after hearing everything, i went with the JL. it's crazy how good this little 10" sounds. loud to the point of pain and still no distortion.

 
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JL= not the best quality, but loud. Again, it all depends on what music you listen to, and how clear you want the bass to hit

 
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Nice choice on the HU. Getting a quality HU is crucial for any build. Its the heart of your system.

As for the sub and box it really depends on what you listen to mostly. I love edm (electronic dance music) so for me a sealed box application was needed. I also when with a 10" sub rather than a 12" or higher because I really wanted that punchy accurate base. For hiphop heads, a bandpass box with either 10" or 12" sub(s) is usually the right way to go. Ported is that happy medium of the two, plus the boxes are usually smaller than bandpass boxes so that may be another route you may want to consider. Its not as "boomy" as bandpass though. Another thing to consider when choosing a box is space as I touched on earlier. A bandpass box will take up the most room, while a sealed box the opposite.

As for the regular speakers, I believe our cars use 6.5"s in the front and 6X9"s in the back, I recommend mixing and matching. I prefer crisper mids and highs in the front and more concentrated lows in the rear. Its all a matter of personal preference. I used JBL's in the front and some Pioneers in the back myself. You also need to consider whether you want coaxial or component speakers. Coaxials are cheaper but components will sound better. The reason is because you are able to mount the tweeters where ever you want (generally people install them in their sails).

Lastly the amp. Make sure you get an amp that best matches your sub. Don't get confused with the peak numbers. Pay attention to the RMS numbers. That 12" sub has an RMS rating of 250w @ 4ohms. Get an amp that is slightly higher than that. You never want to under power a sub so thats why I recommend something higher. Say 300w rms @ 4ohms for example.

A couple more things to consider with your build. Wiring is important. More often than not I see installers using cheap, thin power cables and rca's for their installs. If your amp says it needs a 4 gauge power wire, then give it a 4 gauge power wire! Also you want to ensure a good signal to the radio so quality RCA's are in order. Another thing to consider is sound deadener like Dynamat. Once you get your bangin system installed your going to hear rattles, esp. in your trunk. For me this is annoying, and its further annoying when I'm parked next to some **** with 2 12's with no sound deadener and all I can hear is his trunk & license plate rattling like crazy. So imo for a professional sounding system, get sound deadener. At least do your trunk up with it.

 
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that's the first time i've ever heard someone say JL wasn't one of the best for quality. clean/clear bass is why i went with the 10W6. for the same music and same volume, it was cleaner/clearer than the 12" Type R. yes it will go loud, but i don't listen to music all that loud anymore. too many years around jet engines in the Air Force, so i'm protecting my hearing now. pop, country, classic rock, hip hop, trance, jazz, the 10W6 is clean and tight on all of them. side by side comparison is why i picked the JL.

 
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I'm runnin a single alpine type r 12 off an alpine mrp-m850 amp, and it sounds great. I have it in a sealed box, which I've always gone with for sound quality. I can't help but wonder how hard that thing would bump in a larger ported box though...

 
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Alpine just downright kicks ***... but JL does make better subs. I see your trying to go with an Alpine system but sometimes your actually better off to mismatch!!!

I don't really care too much about systems any more but I do have the Alpine IVA-W203, a Clarion amp and 2 pioneer 10'' subs. It's far too loud, I never turn the subs past half, that's why a single sub is all you need.

Don't forget to post some pictures of the progress!