jl or alpine component speakers

wotugonado · September 25, 2015, 22:30

Looking at freshening up the speakers in the mr2
wont be running an amp or sub but i have a phillips ce139dr headunit with 50w output to run them off, with all that in mind will
A- they fit without too much hassle
B- sound any good running off just the headunit

Bit of a novice with speakers so any help will be appreciated.

m http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/speaker ... t-speakers m

adamjob · September 26, 2015, 14:03

RMS is matched so should be fine, not sure of the quality of the speakers never heard them before but will be a vast improvement over stock. They will fit no problem just gut the stock ones for the spacers.

JoeCool · September 26, 2015, 14:30

Quote from: "adamjob"RMS is matched so should be fine, not sure of the quality of the speakers never heard them before but will be a vast improvement over stock. They will fit no problem just gut the stock ones for the spacers.

You can't really match them by RMS, it's sensitivity that matters. "Power" is mainly just made up numbers in terms of audio, but relates mainly to thermal power handling.

Personally I'd avoid JBL. I've just never heard a set sound nice.

At that price point I'd go for Pioneers Every time.

wotugonado · September 26, 2015, 14:52

Thanks good info there, so these and infinitys are off the list. I ll have a look at the pioneers any others under a ton worth checking out ?

JoeCool · September 26, 2015, 15:33

If a tonne is your actual limit, check out hertz and jl audio. Hertz have a line specifically designed to run off of head unit power. Most.components are designed to pair up with an amp, and the internal amps in head units are a bit weedy to run them really well. They'll still work though.

Jl audio kit is always nice.

But if you're not amping them, I'd get the pioneers and spend the extra money on a bit of sound deadening for the door skins, and just.make time to get the install as rigid and rattle.free as possible.

wotugonado · September 26, 2015, 18:02

m http://www.caraudiocentre.co.uk/product ... -23886.htm m

m http://caraudiosecurity.com/tr650-csi-1 ... t-speakers m

Last time picking your brains, so I think I might as well pay for a better set as I wont be doing it again, narrowed it to these 2 as ive spent the afternoon scouring the web and taking your advice, and they both get good reviews.
I like deep house, d&b so thats the type of music they will be dealing with.
opinions on these please.

s12vea · September 26, 2015, 21:07

I've had both brand before in my roadsters and the jl sounded best when running off head unit. They sounded amazing when running off an amp also, so room for upgrade in the future if you so wish.

wotugonado · September 26, 2015, 21:33

Quote from: "s12vea"I've had both brand before in my roadsters and the jl sounded best when running off head unit. They sounded amazing when running off an amp also, so room for upgrade in the future if you so wish.

Thanks mate, were you running them on their own without a sub ? Just worried that the jl wont deliver the bass for the type of music i listen too

JoeCool · September 27, 2015, 08:40

Quote from: "wotugonado"
Quote from: "s12vea"I've had both brand before in my roadsters and the jl sounded best when running off head unit. They sounded amazing when running off an amp also, so room for upgrade in the future if you so wish.

Thanks mate, were you running them on their own without a sub ? Just worried that the jl wont deliver the bass for the type of music i listen too

Best thing you can do in a Roadster is get those JL's, and get a 2 channel amp for them, as well as take the time to sound deaden the door skins and really install the speakers firlmy in the door. Amping speakers makes a WORLD of difference. You can basically get away without a sub (and al lthe time, cost and compexity in installing one as well as the lost space and added weight, both an issue in the '2) by amping 6.5" speakers and installing them properly. You won't get the Chest compression from a true sub, but you will get a surprising amount of thump. Plus it'll be WAY more musical and balanced than an un-amplified set of components overwhelmed by a cheap over-amplified sub.

Welcome to the world of car audio feature creep: A £50 set of speaker becomes a £200 audio overhaul (Or in my case, a £700 BMW ends up competing in IASCA with £3k's worth of kit in it and a years installing and tuning!).

Either of these will be fine:

m http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/amplifi ... -amplifier m

m http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/amplifi ... zia2080hpx m

OR if you can find a genesis Profile 2 Amplifier (ebay link if you fancy a risk) for £50 to £60 they're the mutts.

wotugonado · September 27, 2015, 10:08

Ha thanks, yeah this car has a habit of costs spiralling out of control so why should the stereo system buck the trend. Jl it is then. I think i may still have my amps from my first car in my loft so may end up digging them out now s:roll: :roll: s:roll: s:)

s:) Thanks guys for the input appreciate it.

Tomo70 · September 27, 2015, 10:13

That's excellent bit of info that Joecool. I have been in the same predicament. I too have the same head unit. I partly sound proofed the doors and put some Infinity composite speakers in. It was an improvement on stock but not what I was hoping for.

The info you have just supplied has made me realise where I may have gone wrong. Sorry Wotugonado for jumping on your thread. Think you bought the HU off the same guy I bought the Inffinity speakers off s:crazyeyes: :crazyeyes: s:crazyeyes:

Tom

wotugonado · September 27, 2015, 10:50

Well the deal is done jl's on order for a bargain £83.00 delivered to my door, everywhere else wanted over £90.00 quid plus delivery s:D

s:D

Hi Tom, the infinitys didnt get great reviews when i looked, so i walked away from them as an option. But amping them may make a difference for you hopefully.
Looks like im going to be up in the loft later searching for the amp ha ha its spiralling s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

So i will be back with more questions for you all, you've gone and made a rod for your own back now s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

stargazer30 · September 27, 2015, 11:52

Good choice. I ran a full JL front and rears set in my Type R with a JL amp and it sounded superb. So good in fact I took the Sub out as it didn't really add anything and I could not seem to make it integrate properly.

JL make good speakers but if you want any kind of bass (without a sub) you will need to amp them and fully sound deaden your doors. Your HU is about about 15w RMS (regardless of what the specs say) The JLs need a clean 40W+ RMS to really make them come alive.

wotugonado · September 27, 2015, 13:39

Nice s:)

s:) looking forward to getting these now. Amp looks like the way forward then, up the loft I go.

Found it ! My old kenwood amp and wiring kit

s12vea · September 27, 2015, 14:39

Sorry for slow reply. Now you have the speaker plus amp your sorted!

Don't forget to sound proof the doors if not already done.

wotugonado · September 27, 2015, 14:57

Thanks.
So flashband will suffice for the sound deadening, just slap it all over the inner door skin ?
I think I will have to mount the amp behind the passenger seat, any tips to fix it in position ?

s12vea · September 27, 2015, 15:36

Flash tape works well just don't block the drain holes. Velcro behind seat or make up something to mount in cubby hole.
It will be worth it when done

stargazer30 · September 27, 2015, 22:06

For the amp take out the passenger bin, it's just 5 10mm bolts and bolt it into the bin plastics. The last thing you want if you're unlucky enough to have a front end impact is the amp flying forward into the cabin. Plus you need the bin out anyway as the earth mount is under it.

wotugonado · September 28, 2015, 16:47

The amp was too big to go in the bins and too fat to go under the seat, so behind the passenger seat was my only realistic option. Also too late now as its fitted and powers connected s:)

s:)

Next question how the frig do you get the new speaker cable through the door to the new speaker or should I just link into the existing wires at the head unit ?
I had a look but couldn't even find the entry into the car is it behind the dash ?

stargazer30 · September 28, 2015, 20:05

Quote from: "wotugonado"Next question how the frig do you get the new speaker cable through the door to the new speaker or should I just link into the existing wires at the head unit ? I had a look but couldn't even find the entry into the car is it behind the dash ?

You can break into the stock wiring behind the HU as the easiest option. I did this with my edge speakers as they are budget speakers and don't have a crossover so the stock wiring speaker/tweeter plugs in the doors were re-usable. The stock wiring is not too bad.

If your new speakers have a separate passive crossover and you want the best signal to them, then I'm afraid you need to run new wires into the doors. The entry point is not behind the dash, if you remove the kick panels and look up above you should see it. Having said that the easiest (and its not that easy) way is to take the stock speaker out, and feed the wire from the inside of the door through the rubber gromit and into the cabin. Get one of those flexible white curtain wire/rail things and rub some fairly liquid on, then attach the wiring to the other end. They are flexible enough to run through the gromit but strong enough to push through without bending.

I have to do this job when my new JL speakers arrive later this week - not looking forward to it either.

StuC · September 28, 2015, 20:16

Running new wires through the grommet isn't so bad. You just need patience, coupled with freakishly long arms and squirrel like hands. s;-) ;-) s;-)
Good luck.

I learnt it least six new swear words doing my heated mirrors. Just be patient dude. :-) :-) :-)

wotugonado · September 28, 2015, 20:51

Cheers guys good tips there, well as with everything on this car it spirals, so in for a penny in for a pound new cables it is.
Reckon I will beat your quota of 6 swear words stu, I have no patience for this type of fiddly stuff s:)

s:)

StuC · September 28, 2015, 21:54

Sounds like a challenge matey! s;-) ;-) s;-)

wotugonado · September 30, 2015, 20:44

Right cable through the grommet was easy took about 10 mins which I was well pleased with as I thought it was gonna be a real nightmare.
Right bit im stuck with is the sound deadening of the door. Do I take the clear plastic sheet off first or just put the flash band over the top ? Does the handle mechanism come off or just cut round it ?
Bearing in mind the stuff is sticky as hell and melts in the heat do I want that all over the cable connections.

JoeCool · September 30, 2015, 21:01

Quote from: "wotugonado"Right cable through the grommet was easy took about 10 mins which I was well pleased with as I thought it was gonna be a real nightmare.
Right bit I'm stuck with is the sound deadening of the door. Do I take the clear plastic sheet off first or just put the flash band over the top ? Does the handle mechanism come off or just cut round it ?
Bearing in mind the stuff is sticky as hell and melts in the heat do I want that all over the cable connections.

You want to mass load the outer door skins behind where the speaker is. Think of it as giving a solid back surface for the speaker to fire off, and to prevent resonance.

UNless you're going all out, it's not super critical. If you're serious, you make up a baffle board ot seal up the inner door skin, then mass load both outer and inner door skin to try and make a bit of an 'enclosure'. But all of your easy gains are made in just mass loading that outer door skin, to prevent it 'ringing'. I wouldn't even bother mass loading the inner door skin/cage unless you're going all out.