1995 Civic EX Install...

[Grimster74]

Okay, recently I picked up a 95 Civic EX and I'm looking to install some new gear plus what I currently already have. My head unit is an Alpine 9835 with the Alpine KCA-420i i-Pod controller (which I installed today). I already have a set of Polk MMC6500 components for the front, just not sure how much modifying will need to be done to get them in the door. I've been given the go ahead from the wife that as long as I put the two Polk Audio 8's and two Alpine amp in her Highlander that I can order new gear for my car (she loves the hand-me-downs). I'm thinking of going with the new Polk Audio PA500.4 to drive the fronts and using the head unit to drive the rear deck in the car. I'm also going to pick up the PA1200.1 for the subwoofer which I'm still undecided on. I want to keep the enclosure/weight down so I've been thinking of just running a single Polk Audio SR124.DVC in a 2ohm load. The rear seats fold down so the sub will be firing into the back seats but I'm just not sure if a single 12 will fill the cabin of the car. I've owned a Nissan pickup years ago with a single 12" Orion sub behind the seat which had no problem filling the cab with thump but the cabin in the Civic is a bit larger. I want to do a sealed enclosure to keep the box size down but I'd love to hear your thoughts, especially SR124 owners. Thanks.

Rob

[black magic]

I just recently replaced my mmc6500 with the sr6500 components, and I was using the c400.4 to power them. Since you've picked out a 4-channel amp, I'm assuming you want to bi-amp your momo components. I think thats a pretty good idea, but I don't really like the idea of running your rear speakers off the head unit. I think you'd be better off not using rear speakers at all or just using the pa500.4 to power both your front and rear speakers. As for the sub, I have 2 sr124 dvc subs in a sealed enclosure in the trunk of my 96 civic. Both are facing the cabin and each are powered by a c500.1. Let me assure you that there will be plenty of bass in your cabin with even a single sub. the sr124 is an excellent sub. I personally haven't come across a sub which I think sounds as good (although I do hear that the morel ULTIMO 12 is a pretty impressive SQ sub as well).

[MacLeod]

Id skip the rears. You dont need em and running them off the head unit while amping the fronts doesnt always work well as not only are HU's horrible power sources but its harder to blend them in with the level of the fronts. Id suggest saving the money on rear speakers and buying some Dynamat for your front doors. This will go a LONG way towards improving your overall SQ.

A single SR12 running off a PA1200.1 will have plenty of output. Trust me. ;) Mine is at -9 db on my processor AND 20-40 Hz is down an additional 4 db on the EQ and 100-160 is down another 9 db. This thing has some serious output.

One thing tho - firing it to the rear of the car will yield more output. Firing to the front will get you some cancellation. Best way is to build the box and set the sub in firing to the front and listen and then pop the trunk and see if you lose any bass. Then try it to the rear and then to the side. Whichever way yields the least amount of loss with the trunk open is the way that has the least amount of cancellation.