David H's 2003 Saturn Ion

by Crutchfield's Kramer Crane

Items installed:

Alpine IDA-X200 Digital media receiver
Polk Audio db 651 6-1/2"/6-3/4" 2-way speakers
Rockford Fosgate Punch Stage 2 10" dual 2-ohm subwoofers
Kicker 06350ZX.4 4-channel amplifier
Streetwires 1-farad capacitor
Custom-built vented enclosure for two 10" subwoofers

Installation Description

The entire installation of the sound system took a few months while searching for all the right equipment. The fact that the car battery is in the trunk made the amplifier installation a breeze.

Q&A Section

Why did you decide to upgrade your A/V system?

I wanted to experience better sound quality and the joy of subwoofers.

What's the first thing you show people about your installation?

My two Rockford Fosgate subwoofers.

Why did you choose these products?

The products I have in my car are all quality name brand stereo components that over time have proven their roles.

What was the most difficult part of the installation?

The most difficult part of the installation was building the custom box to the manufacturer's specifications.

What plans, if any, do you have for future upgrades?

I am building a smaller, sealed enclosure that is only 7 inches deep for the subwoofers, and I am also planning on adding Dynamat to all 4 doors and the trunk.

Front view of the car

Front view of the car

Alpine head unit, among others

Alpine head unit, among others

Subwoofers in the custom enclosure

Subwoofers in the custom enclosure

Amplifier and capacitor set up

Amplifier and capacitor set up

Exclusive Crutchfield technology

How it works

SpeakerCompare^™ simulates the sound of home and car speakers through your headphones. It lets you compare sonic characteristics between speakers so that you can make a more informed shopping decision.

Why selecting your headphones is important

SpeakerCompare tailors your listening experience to the exact headphones you have, so that what you hear is comparable to auditioning speakers side-by-side in person. Knowing which model headphones you're using lets us remove any sonic coloring from your experience.

Two different listening modes

In an actual listening room, you'd find that some speakers play louder than others when fed the same amount of power. In equal power mode, you'll hear these differences in loudness as they naturally occur between speakers.

In equal volume mode, we've made the loudness of each speaker about the same. This gives you a more direct comparison of subtle voicing differences between speakers.

Nothing beats listening to speakers in your space

SpeakerCompare gives you a sense of the sonic differences. But performance in the real world is affected by the acoustics of your car or home, your choice of amplification, and your source material. We still believe that the gold standard for auditioning speakers is hearing them in your own environment — that's why we offer a 60-day money-back guarantee.

Listening kit

To help you choose the right speakers, we recommend using Crutchfield's SpeakerCompare Listening Kit. It includes a pair of studio-quality headphones, and a guide to getting the most out of your session, and a few other necessary items. We've carefully chosen the components of this kit to ensure a crystal-clear listening experience. It's available for a nominal rental fee, and includes a $25 Crutchfield merchandise credit.

Request a kit Request a kit

We'd love to know what you think!

Color:

Scorecard by

Sound profile:

Warm

Ideal for extended fatigue-free listening, because they emphasize bass and roll off the highest treble, for smooth, relaxed sound.

Neutral

A solid choice for most applications, because they prioritize accuracy, without emphasizing bass or treble.

Bright

Perfect for listeners who want to hear every detail, because they accentuate higher frequencies for a crisp, energetic sound.

Detail/Clarity score
Bass score
Vocals score

Researched & reviewed by humans, summarized by AI

Go to cart Continue listening

No results found

Try this:

Check your spelling
Narrow your search to brand name, product title, or model number

Rate your experience with SpeakerCompare^™

Thank you for your feedback!

You must select a track to start

Please turn active noise cancelling off for best results

Equal power

Equal volume

What to listen for

Track notes

Artist: