Least hassle audio setup recommendations.

I've got a 2000 Accord coupe with factory sound that I'm looking to upgrade. Achieving the best sound I can with the least hassle is key here. This means a HU swap, resuse of the existing wiring, and no new amps. I've pretty much settled on an Alpine IVA-W205 as the new HU, but I've still got some questions regarding replacement speakers.

I'm hung up on deciding on using coax vs component speakers. In practice, are the differences in staging between the two types of setup that noticeable? If I go with components, is it really going to be that bad putting the aftermarket tweets in the stock location? How hard is it to then wire up the crossovers? If I go with coax I don't have to worry about additional wiring, but do I need to disconnect the factory tweets?

Honestly, it sounds like coax really is the way to go with me since they're as close as I'll get to a drop in replacement, but I'm looking for a san check from someone with more experience then me.

Also, bass blockers. How important is it to use these? Are they used for just the fronts or on the backs as well?

going with coaxials would definately save you a lot of time and trouble, plug and play really. As for leaving the stock tweeters that is your call, if you like the way it sounds with them in, then leave em, otherwise take them out. it is very simple to remove them though if that is what you decide to do.

Bass blockers are a total mystery to me, but i haven't heard of many people using them, so i think you'll be alright without them.
im not professional so dont take my word as fact here.

You should check this out to.
http://www.6thgenaccord.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11

Ya, the stickied FAQ was the first thing I read. Pretty good at explaining the differences between coax and compontent. Not so much with helping decide between the two if you tend to over-analyze things like me.

In the hours I spent crawling over the Internets researching all this, it really sounds like I should go with a component setup since I recall my two previous cars, a Civic Si and a Suby WRX, both had similar factory setups. I'm thinking of going with Infinity Reference 6020cs up front with 6022si for the rear.

Bass blockers are supposed to go inline with the front woofers to cut off low end frequency, leaving them instead for the sub and/or rears. Sounds good in theory.

The more I look into car audio the more it seems either deceptively simple or endlessly complex (or both). I swear, flying an airplane is easier than figuring this stuff out.

-sounds like youve done your homework and have a pretty good idea of what your going for.
-I myself, like many others, put the tweeters from my components in the sail panel, sounds good there to me.
-so your crossover will essentially be doing the job of the bass blockers i think, if you go with components.

"The more I look into car audio the more it seems either deceptively simple or endlessly complex (or both)" - its pretty simple stuff once you know what your doing. i myself am still learning so your statement holds true to me still.

yea the crossovers will do the same job as a bass blocker it splits the frequencies for you basically.....

ya "bass blockers" are just like a high pass filter, you can double check but I'd be really surprised if a new HU wouldn't have adjustable HPF's for front & rear built in

Well hold up... here's my only hiccup with the direction you are going.

A headunit, even an aftermarket Alpine unit, isn't going to be putting out the power to make components sound THAT much better than some good 3- or 4-way coaxials. Plus you are looking at a lot more wiring if you go with components (putting the crossovers somewhere, running all the wires behind the dash to the tweeter locations). Honestly, this is just IMHO, if you're only swapping head units and replacing speakers without adding amps, just get some good coaxials. The HU's internal amp is probably 50x4 max 22x4 RMS, with a horrible S:N ratio.

As for the rest of the setup... my buddy has bass blockers for his front speakers and I think it sounds horrible... the cutoff frequency is super-high, so unless you are usinig it for tweeters in a component setup, I'd pass on them. I'm unfamiliar with that head unit, but if its worth a darn it should have built-in Highpass and lowpass filters.

My suggestion based on what you want, is to just get good coaxials and call it a day. The SQ quality difference between them and components running just on the headunit will likely not be worth the extra money.

Going without a high end 4 channel amp to your audio system is a must. Your head unit does not supply enough rms watts per channel. Have you ever listen to a 4 channel amp system. Its soo amazing like night and day makes all your 4 speakers sing.Its not expensive and dont tell me it weighs alot too lol. By the way the amp has the crossovers for you to use and tune. Hopefully this help.

I'm aware of the fact that getting a nice set of components with a new HU without also getting a 4 channel amp may have allot of people asking what the point is, and quite honestly, I'm starting to think the same thing. It seems like all my DIY projects always start snowballing like this.

Two things really are a factor here. 1) I'm trying to keep costs down as much as possible, and 2) I'm trying to keep things as close to stock looking as possible. I really don't want to use kick panels, have a sub built into the spare tire well, or have a box sitting in the trunk. So how do I get decent sound within these limitations?

The nice thing about my old Suby was I had good (but not great) low end from a factory, low profile, sub installed under the passenger seat. Having looked around, it seems as though the Blaupunkt THb 200A might be good way to get some decent low end whilst still being space saving.

I think I can get a decent 4 channel amp for a few hundred, but then the question becomes where do I put it? Under the driver seat sounds like the most logical place, but then I'd be concerned that it wouldn't be getting proper airflow. Can anyone suggest some locations I haven't considered, or a model of amp that would be robust enough?

Sheesh. Now I'm going to have to look into replacing the factory system/symbolizer with an after market system to protect all this new kit. I think I'm gonna need another thread.

you don't really need to amp whatever new speakers you get. its just that if amped, they'd sound a lot better (obviously). if you don't mind spending the money, get an amp.

not surprisingly I'd recommend an Elemental Designs 9.4 amp. Run 2 channels to the front speakers and bridge the other 2 channels to power a sub. There's no reason to amp your rear speakers imo.

For locations... well first an amp you could either mount under a seat (I can't vouch for other brands, but I haven't had any heat issues with my nine.1 and it doesn't get hardly any airflow), screw it to the back of your rear seat, mount it upside down under your tray in the trunk, or just mount it to the floor or one of the walls in the trunk.

If you're not looking for a lot of space, and just some better low end, I think you'd be surprised by a pair of 7kv2 or even a single one. If you google them (or try eu-700, that's what they used to be called) I think you'd be surprised by the kind of output those little bastards are capable of. You probably wouldn't even notice a loss of space in your trunk if you built & placed the box right - something like 1-1.3 cuft tuned to ~35hz? If you call eD & talk to them they'll even design & build a box based on what you want if you decide to buy from them.

You can definitely go to a "real" subwoofer too obviously but then you'll have a lot more limitations on space & placement. That's just what I would recommend based on what you've said so far - that or a slim 10" (elemental designs, pioneer, and JL among others all make some sort of shallow 10" sub).

edit: here's a picture for reference when I was talking about mounting an amp upside down under the rear tray in the trunk