Car Audio Question/Suggestions

M

Midwesthonky

Audioholic General
I decided to put this in the steam vent section as a number of us are older like me. I have to realize that I now fall into that category.

Anyway, I have a 2001 Ford Mustang Cobra Convertible that I picked up at auction a couple of years ago. Basically, before the pandemic. Then I tore my bicep and hen the pandemic hit so I couldn't drive it back home from Arizona. Then last year I had plane tickets bought and ended up in the hospital with a stroke 5 days before the flight left. So life sh@t on another year. FINALLY, I have it at home (add in more life sh@tting stuff). Now, my and my dad's best guess is this thing was a former drug mule car as the dash was tore apart and the radio missing. It has 117k miles and is a bit beat up. Runs nice and is fast, but the paint is not so great in spots. But I don't have a lot of money into it. It's a summer toy that I paid $5k for. Fun but at lower cost.

So, I haven't dealt with car audio since I was a teen / early 20's. Sooooo...it's been decades. The radio was missing and it being a convertible, I didn't want to put in something worthy of stealing so I went with a nice Kenwood Excelon deck. Now, this is a 2001 model so before they started putting in subs and premium systems. The passenger door speaker sounds like it has a tear in it and the tweeter isn't performing well either. Hey, it's 21 years old and been in Arizona heat for those years. I don't want to put a ton of money into it but I want decent sound since I really love music. I listen to a variety with classic rock from the 60's to the 80's dominant but throw in pop, some current dance/pop/EDM, occasional country, symphony, and jazz into the mix. I was looking at adding a small amp and going with the Kicker 47KSS6804 series in the front doors and the Kicker 47KSC6504 for the rear seats. Again, not looking to spend a ton. I know there are better speakers out there, but this is more a bang for the buck build and this would have me dropping about $650. But I do want to hear the music when cruising the interstate with the top down at the legal speed limit of 70 mph <wink wink>.

Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? Things I'm missing?
 
Eppie

Eppie

Audioholic Ninja
It's been a long time since I dealt in car audio, but I know we have a few guys here that were installers or have aftermarket systems. Hopefully they will chime in.

Is the Kicker 47KSS6804 the kit that comes with the crossover and tweeters? The 47KSS6804 by itself is a subwoofer. The kit includes separate tweeters that typically get mounted higher up in the doors or the front columns, so make sure you have the correct replacement. I see that the tweeter can also get mounted where the phase plug is for the woofer, so it's a flexible kit that allows it to be installed as a coaxial as well. The crossover has 3 settings for the tweeter so you have some adjustment to the sound as well. Looks like a decent replacement.

I was partial to Rockford Fosgate but what I saw on Crutchfield didn't look any better than the Kicker you are considering. (Crutchfield has the 47KSS6804 for a LOT less money than Bass Electronics.) In that price range you could also consider JL Audio, JBL (Stadium) and Alpine. JL Audio and JBL would be at the top of my list, but like I said, I have been out of the loop for a while.
 
panteragstk

panteragstk

Audioholic Warlord
I have a similar Kicker system in my truck, minus the sub, and it sounds as good as a car audio system can sound without it being stock, or VERY expensive. Not expensive because of the speakers, but all the sound deadening and such you have to do to fix all the issues with a vehicle of that era. Trust me, my 2007 truck is in a similar boat. I've got a ton of work to do to really make it sound good, but audio isn't high on the list.

The good thing is that car audio is quite cheap now for VERY good stuff. Kenwood has been my preferred deck brand for along time. Kicker also makes some good component kits, like the one you linked, so you're good there.

I think for a "cheap" system you're on the right track.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I had a Kicker 10" sub in my truck until the sub amp took it out (as well as itself) a coupla years ago. I had no particular issues with it up until then, tho; and for the price it was fine...if the amp hadn't taken it out I'd probably still be using it. I didn't know much about the brand when I got it and have seen some of the knocks against them, but the performance for the $ seems fine and to work for many otoh. I replaced it with an Infinity driver that was appropriate for the box and I found a good price on (had used some of the same series for some diy subs at home earlier), that works fine, too....
 
panteragstk

panteragstk

Audioholic Warlord
I had a Kicker 10" sub in my truck until the sub amp took it out (as well as itself) a coupla years ago. I had no particular issues with it up until then, tho; and for the price it was fine...if the amp hadn't taken it out I'd probably still be using it. I didn't know much about the brand when I got it and have seen some of the knocks against them, but the performance for the $ seems fine and to work for many otoh. I replaced it with an Infinity driver that was appropriate for the box and I found a good price on (had used some of the same series for some diy subs at home earlier), that works fine, too....
Yep, infinity is great too. Had many car speakers by them and subs. Always great.
 
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