I've had my Mustang system in for a month or so and I've been tweaking it to
my liking. My main concern was having a proper center channel speaker to
realistically portray that all-important center channel. I decided to go
with Alpine's SBS-05C single-DIN speaker. It fit in right below the DVD
player in the dash. It has two 2 x 2-3/4 inch full ranger speakers and one
1/2 inch tweeter.

It sounds extremely good! I hope you're reading this, Nick, because I know
you had the same concerns. With its tiny speakers, it does sound tinny by
itself...very clear and precise but definitely lacking in any bass
whatsoever, as one would expect. Fortunatley for me, my DVD player (or is
it the surround sound processer in my amp?) has a setting that allows me to
control not only the level of the center channel (as would all players I
assume) but it also has a "bi-phantom" setting (-5 to +5) that actually
mixes the level of the center channel speaker with the front speakers. In
this way, I can set it so that it still plays a substantial portion of the
center audio mix through the speaker, but it also sends a portion through
the front speakers. This adds that missing midbass and bass via the front
speakers and integrates itself rather nicely. I lose a little bit of focus
because all the information is not eminating strickly from the center
channel, but after adjusting balance and time alignment, I really can't tell
the difference.

So by itself it does what one would expect for a threesome of tiny speakers.
Very nice sounding but severly lacking in bass. But with the mixing
capabilities of my DVD player, it sounds GREAT!!!

I hope this helps any out there that may be thinking about adding a DD 5.1
system to their vehicle.

Tony


--
2001 Nissan Maxima SE Anniversary Edition
Clarion DRZ9255 Head Unit, Phoenix Gold ZX475ti, ZX450 and Xenon X1200.1
Amplifiers, Dynaudio System 360 Tri-Amped In Front and Focal 130HCs For Rear
Fill, Image Dynamics IDMAX10 D4 v.3 Sub

2001 Chevy S10 ZR2
Pioneer DEH-P9600MP Head Unit, Phoenix Gold Ti500.4 Amp, Focal 165HC
Speakers & Image Dynamics ID8 D4 v.3 Sub

2006 Mustang GT Coupe
Alpine IVA-D310 DVD Head Unit, Alpine MRA-550 Digital 5.1 Amp, Boston
Acoustics Z-Series Speakers, Alpine SBS-05DC Center Channel Speaker,
Amplified MTX Thunderform Sub

Thanks for the review, Tony. That's very helpful because I am looking for a
center channel "solution". The problem I have now, however, is that I have
filled the other portion of my double-DIN space (the top part holds my HU)
with an EQ, the Clarion EQ-750, which I have really come to love. In fact,
I just can't imagine going without it. Part of the reason has to do with my
HU, the Alpine 9853. This unit has EXTENSIVE EQ functions of it's own, of
course, but I'm the type of guy who likes to tweak from song to song,
something nearly impossible to do while driving with the 9853 as you must
negotiate through a maze of menus and use countless different buttons.
Unfortunately, the 9853 even lacks a bass and treble function (this is truly
what drove me to get a dash-mounted EQ in the first place, I have always
used trunk mounted EQ's in the past). In fact, the only functions that are
easy to access on the 9853 are the subwoofer level control (THANK GOD!),
balance and fader.

So the question is, where would I mount such a speaker unit as the Alpine?

I am leaning towards a VERY awkward and cumbersome solution. I have a spare
Kenwood KFC-X168 6 1/2" coaxial speaker (I bought three of them 6 months
ago, two I use as my rear-fill). These are NOT BAD speakers (for being
coaxial and Kenwoods and all). I am thinking of mounting it BEHIND my dash
in some way (obviously, some type of enclosure would have to be fabricated).
The sound would come through the 1/2 DIN opening left over by mounting my
1/2 DIN EQ in the lower part of my double DIN opening. Right now, I use
that open space as kind of a storage pocket for my two remote controls (the
HU remote and the DVD remote).

I already have power for a center channel as my rear-fill is being driven by
a four channel amp which is REALLY overkill (they really only need two of
those channels). I would simply bridge two channels to drive my center
speaker. What I DO NEED, of course, is a surround-sound processor. Most
likely I would buy an Alpine unit as this would integrate well into my
existing HU via Ai-NET.

Anyway, Tony, I REALLY do want to take the plunge and upgrade to a TRUE 5.1
surround sound car audio system. If you have ANY OTHER ideas for
integrating a center channel into my Forester I would LOVE to hear it. Here
are pictures (I'm SURE you've seen these before) so you know what I have to
work with. http://www428.pair.com/mosfet/mtx.html

I'm glad your Alpine center channel is working so well for you. That's cool
that you can adjust the level of center-channel information going to either
your center speakers or your fronts in the "phantom" method.

MOSFET

"Tony F" wrote in message
...
I've had my Mustang system in for a month or so and I've been tweaking it
to my liking. My main concern was having a proper center channel speaker
to realistically portray that all-important center channel. I decided to
go with Alpine's SBS-05C single-DIN speaker. It fit in right below the
DVD player in the dash. It has two 2 x 2-3/4 inch full ranger speakers
and one 1/2 inch tweeter.

It sounds extremely good! I hope you're reading this, Nick, because I
know you had the same concerns. With its tiny speakers, it does sound
tinny by itself...very clear and precise but definitely lacking in any
bass whatsoever, as one would expect. Fortunatley for me, my DVD player
(or is it the surround sound processer in my amp?) has a setting that
allows me to control not only the level of the center channel (as would
all players I assume) but it also has a "bi-phantom" setting (-5 to +5)
that actually mixes the level of the center channel speaker with the front
speakers. In this way, I can set it so that it still plays a substantial
portion of the center audio mix through the speaker, but it also sends a
portion through the front speakers. This adds that missing midbass and
bass via the front speakers and integrates itself rather nicely. I lose a
little bit of focus because all the information is not eminating strickly
from the center channel, but after adjusting balance and time alignment, I
really can't tell the difference.

So by itself it does what one would expect for a threesome of tiny
speakers. Very nice sounding but severly lacking in bass. But with the
mixing capabilities of my DVD player, it sounds GREAT!!!

I hope this helps any out there that may be thinking about adding a DD 5.1
system to their vehicle.

Tony


--
2001 Nissan Maxima SE Anniversary Edition
Clarion DRZ9255 Head Unit, Phoenix Gold ZX475ti, ZX450 and Xenon X1200.1
Amplifiers, Dynaudio System 360 Tri-Amped In Front and Focal 130HCs For
Rear Fill, Image Dynamics IDMAX10 D4 v.3 Sub

2001 Chevy S10 ZR2
Pioneer DEH-P9600MP Head Unit, Phoenix Gold Ti500.4 Amp, Focal 165HC
Speakers & Image Dynamics ID8 D4 v.3 Sub

2006 Mustang GT Coupe
Alpine IVA-D310 DVD Head Unit, Alpine MRA-550 Digital 5.1 Amp, Boston
Acoustics Z-Series Speakers, Alpine SBS-05DC Center Channel Speaker,
Amplified MTX Thunderform Sub

Nick, Is there no where else you can mount your EQ? What about up above?
In the center console, etc? I can truly appreciate your love of having
instant, unencumered access to your EQ for song-to-song tweaking. I think
it would be awesome if you could incorporate your Kenwood coaxial into the
mix by making some sort of enclosure behind the dash...for all the trouble
you're going to have I'm sure it would be worth the satisfaction in the long
run. Have you thought about adding an electronic EQ that you could mount
under the seat or in the cargo area with a smaller, corded dash-mounted
controller? (Audio Control comes to mind here) Then you'd have room for a
center channel.

Tony


--
2001 Nissan Maxima SE Anniversary Edition
Clarion DRZ9255 Head Unit, Phoenix Gold ZX475ti, ZX450 and Xenon X1200.1
Amplifiers, Dynaudio System 360 Tri-Amped In Front and Focal 130HCs For Rear
Fill, Image Dynamics IDMAX10 D4 v.3 Sub

2001 Chevy S10 ZR2
Pioneer DEH-P9600MP Head Unit, Phoenix Gold Ti500.4 Amp, Focal 165HC
Speakers & Image Dynamics ID8 D4 v.3 Sub

2006 Mustang GT Coupe
Alpine IVA-D310 DVD Head Unit, Alpine MRA-550 Digital 5.1 Amp, Boston
Acoustics Z-Series Speakers, Alpine SBS-05DC Center Channel Speaker,
Amplified MTX Thunderform Sub

"Tony F" wrote in message
...
Nick, Is there no where else you can mount your EQ? What about up above?
In the center console, etc? I can truly appreciate your love of having
instant, unencumered access to your EQ for song-to-song tweaking. I think
it would be awesome if you could incorporate your Kenwood coaxial into the
mix by making some sort of enclosure behind the dash...for all the trouble
you're going to have I'm sure it would be worth the satisfaction in the
long run. Have you thought about adding an electronic EQ that you could
mount under the seat or in the cargo area with a smaller, corded
dash-mounted controller? (Audio Control comes to mind here) Then you'd
have room for a center channel.

Tony

Those are all good suggestions, but unfortunately none are easy. You may be
on to something with some kind of EQ processor with a small dash mounted
controller. I really don't need much in the way of song-to-song EQ
functionality (of course to correct for cabin anomalies, I use test tones
and an SPL meter to set my parametric EQ in my 9853). But what I really
need is just a basic bass, midrange, and treble control. My tastes in music
vary widely AND I like some kinds of music to sound a certain way while
other types of music I like to sound yet another way (I know, I know,
audiophiles shutter at this as they believe music should sound EXACTLY the
way it was recorded and produced by the recording engineer, I say if it
sounds good to me, then THAT'S what's RIGHT). Anyway, a small control unit
that could be mounted ANYWHERE might give me this ability, and free up that
DIN space for the Alpine center-channel unit. OBVIOUSLY, that is the
easiest solution. This idea of mine of trying to mount the 6 1/2" in some
kind of enclosure behind the dash sounds like the PROJECT FROM HELL!!!!!! I
break out in a cold sweat just thinking about it.

Nick

Well, if it were me I'd get another head unit that's more user friendly in
terms of providing you your bass, mid, & treble. Then I'd get rid of the EQ
and make room for the center channel.

Tony

"Tony F" wrote in message
...
Well, if it were me I'd get another head unit that's more user friendly in
terms of providing you your bass, mid, & treble. Then I'd get rid of the
EQ and make room for the center channel.

Tony


But I just bought that HU!!! I'm not rich like you, Mr.
New-Mustang-With-Dynaudio-3-Ways-and-IDMAX-Subs!!! I'm afraid I have to
build my system slowly, and be on the CONSTANT lookout for bargains and take
'em when I can get them, like that smokin' deal I got on a pair of MTX MXS
12" subwoofers for $80 for the pair (they list for $250-$350 APIECE!!!).
You see, my wife would have NEVER let me go out and spend $500 on a new pair
of subs when I ALREADY had a pair that worked fine (which I did, I pair of
12" JL's, but the MTX deal was so good EVEN SHE couldn't argue). Same
story with my HU. After spending $220 on the 9853 (and keep in mind, THAT
was a tough sell on my wife as I already had a perfectly functioning Alpine
7863, but I convinced her that I HAD TO HAVE MP3 capability), there is NO
WAY I can go to her now and tell her that I need yet a new HU because it
will better accommodate a center channel. No way! No dice!

Nick

You're just a little fuzzy here. Are you saying there's little chance of
getting another CD player? :-)

Tony




But I just bought that HU!!! I'm not rich like you, Mr.
New-Mustang-With-Dynaudio-3-Ways-and-IDMAX-Subs!!! I'm afraid I have to
build my system slowly, and be on the CONSTANT lookout for bargains and
take 'em when I can get them, like that smokin' deal I got on a pair of
MTX MXS 12" subwoofers for $80 for the pair (they list for $250-$350
APIECE!!!). You see, my wife would have NEVER let me go out and spend $500
on a new pair of subs when I ALREADY had a pair that worked fine (which I
did, I pair of 12" JL's, but the MTX deal was so good EVEN SHE couldn't
argue). Same story with my HU. After spending $220 on the 9853 (and
keep in mind, THAT was a tough sell on my wife as I already had a
perfectly functioning Alpine 7863, but I convinced her that I HAD TO HAVE
MP3 capability), there is NO WAY I can go to her now and tell her that I
need yet a new HU because it will better accommodate a center channel. No
way! No dice!

Nick

"Tony F" wrote in message
...
You're just a little fuzzy here. Are you saying there's little chance of
getting another CD player? :-)

Tony

Yes. You got it!

Nick