Replacing door speakers - best options

Anonymous · June 13, 2003, 19:39

I've got a Sony MD one that's a few years old (not stock one) so it's only 40Wx4 (which is a con of course cos that's peak not RMS)

Cheers
J

Anonymous · June 13, 2003, 19:40

depends on the type of Mosfet it is in the amp!!!!

if it has a fused Output then theres no harm giving it a go as you normally gain 1.5% on stock RMS but if no fuse then look in manual and tell me what type of amp it has on board s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Anonymous · August 18, 2003, 17:45

I've got an 03 an replaced the std h/u with a Kenwood 5090r but I still think that the overall sound quality is poor - I think the speakers are too harsh. A system with a good sound quality will not sound partucularly loud even when played at high levels - as I witnessed when I went to my local installers and sat in his car - excellent sound quality from component speakers. Even when cranked up it didn't feel like my ears were bleeding even though it was f' loud. I think better speakers are the answer. On my list of plans.

Tem · August 19, 2003, 06:15

Quote from: "Leahcim"Are the 03 stock door speakers any better than the 00-02 (which were crap). What is the current thinking on the best makes for a direct swap?

Do you want the best or a direct swap? s;)

s;)

Best would be Infinity Kappa Perfect 6.5". It's not direct swap, you have to buy/make a bracket for it. I just ripped the stock speakers off from the plastic bracket and reused it.

Anonymous · August 19, 2003, 09:07

I just bought a Sony CDXM630 (from a mate not the best but all i can afford).

I'd be very interested to see if i can bridge the outputs on this, Buster, any ideas?

Cheers mate.

Anonymous · August 19, 2003, 10:12

Quote from: "Leahcim"Are the 03 stock door speakers any better than the 00-02 (which were crap). What is the current thinking on the best makes for a direct swap?

May I suggest a pair of MB-Quart Premium... A bit expensive, mind you.

GSB · August 19, 2003, 10:45

Quote from: "Emmanuel"
Quote from: "Leahcim"Are the 03 stock door speakers any better than the 00-02 (which were crap). What is the current thinking on the best makes for a direct swap?

May I suggest a pair of MB-Quart Premium... A bit expensive, mind you.

I have a pair of these, connected to an Alpine head unit. Superb speakers, and about 1000 times better than the shite toyota fitted the car with.

Anonymous · August 19, 2003, 11:05

Quote from: "Emmanuel"May I suggest a pair of MB-Quart Premium... A bit expensive, mind you.

How expensive is expensive? How easy are they to changeover to?

Ta,
J

Tem · August 19, 2003, 11:38

Quote from: "GSB"Superb speakers, and about 1000 times better than the shite toyota fitted the car with.

Please don't mention 'speakers' in the same sentence with 'stock Toyota audio thingies' s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Anonymous · August 19, 2003, 11:45

Quote from: "Jimbob"
Quote from: "Emmanuel"May I suggest a pair of MB-Quart Premium... A bit expensive, mind you.

How expensive is expensive? How easy are they to changeover to?

Ta,
J

At the time, the average price for the PSD-216 Premium was £300. After a long search, I found them in a shop in Leicester for £250.

I believe now they have been replaced with the PCE-216 so you might find them even cheaper.

They are not very good for SPL applications but the sound quality is simply excellent. Furthermore, a sub is not needed as the frequency range goes as low as 38Hz!!!

Fitting them is not straight forward as they are not direct replacement; you will have to either attach some aftermarket brackets or dismantle the OEM ones and attach them to the new speakers. I have posted a similar thread (with pics) at Spyderchat... Unfortunately, it's down...

GSB · August 19, 2003, 11:47

Ok, if you've got standard speakers, then changing them is a fairly simple task. You need to get yourself a set of 6.5" components, these have a a single cone Mid/Bass for the lower door and a small tweeter for the upper door, and use a crossover network to split the signal accordingly between the two.

The main problem is the fit, as the holes arent particularly deep. That said, I havent heard of anyone whos had interference problems yet. Makes that are known to fit include Infinity, and MB Quart.

Cost is up to you, both the above manufacturers offer several options. ranging from around £100 to well over £300. Bear in mind that while you get what you pay for, the £100 option is still light years ahead of the standard fit stuff. When deciding how much to spend, bear in mind that you arent in an ideal listening environment.

Installation is fairly simple, but can be as complicated as you want it to be.

The simplest way is to take off the door trims, and remove the standard speakers. You then cut the guts out of the standard speakers and mount your new speakers inside them and screw them back to the door. swap the old tweeter for the new on using the original brakets, secure your crossover and wire the two speakers to the cars original wiring.

There are addtional things you can do that complicate things, but can be worthwhile, chief of these is the installation of a sound absorbing material such as dynamat, this helps your new speakers produce a better sound, and prevents a lot of rattles. You can replace the speaker cables to your head unit with heavier guage OFC cables, and you can make MDF speaker mounts instead of gutting your standard speakers. It all depends how much time and effort you want to put in and how handy you are with your toolkit...

Look in Spydermagazine for more details and photo "how-to's".

zud · August 19, 2003, 12:28

Buster posted a guide to fitting component speakers here...

http://www.mr2roc.org/viewtopic.php?t=144&start=0

I fitted the Focals using Buster's post as a guide and found it v useful.

I'm sure there's cheaper and easier alternatives that would give a good improvement without messing around with MDF surrounds and dynomat, but I'm very happy with the result!! s:D

s:D

For once I'd have to disagree with John Woodward... I thought the stock speakers very poor, and the Focals are a huge improvement! There's greater range and clarity; you can get enough volume to listen on the motorway without distortion; you don't need to change the bass setting for every change of CD. To me, saying the stock speakers are "good enough, why replace them?" is a bit like saying an MGF is "a good enough roadster, why have an MR2?" s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

I ordered mine by following the link that Buster includes, but I believe that Halfords also now sell the Focals at £130 (which would have saved me a 60 mile round trip to Guildford to collect my speakers from the "local" depot after they tried to deliver when I was out!)

Sorry I still haven't answered the original question on this thread, but it might lead a few people to Buster's guide if nothing else.

Anonymous · August 19, 2003, 16:35

Speaker choice is a very personal disition because everybody has different hearing. what may sound nice to somone here may sound not as good to somone else.

So i would sugest going to your local Halfords !( s:shock: :shock: s:shock: there i said it s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted: ) and have a listen to all the speakers on the wall that you can listen to and pick what make you like and then what power rateing you like and then weather a coxial set is better than coponents !

once you have chossen the make etc buy them online as you will get it cheaper! but rember they wont sound as puchy in tehcar as in halfords, as halfords cheat they put them in a sealed box which emans the bass will sound very tigth and not drop as low as it will in the car but it wont make much differentce s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Tem · August 20, 2003, 07:04

Quote from: "Buster"once you have chossen the make etc buy them online as you will get it cheaper!

I wish ppl stop doing that, or we won't have anything but online stores after a while...

Anyway, it IS a good advice to actually lister for what you like. I did just that and ended up with Infinity Kappa Perfects. Nothing else was as clear as they, though some came very, very close.

(and do NOT confuse Kappa Perfects with Kappa or Reference series)

Anonymous · August 20, 2003, 16:38

Quote(and do NOT confuse Kappa Perfects with Kappa or Reference series)

LOL the difference between the 2 sets is very minermal apart from Price s:shock: :shock: s:shock: and a small wattige difference oh well but they sound nice (not as good as the focals s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted: LOL )

But if you cant be arsed to shop on line and want to keep teh high street shops open (tem s:wink: :wink: s:wink: ) halfords are the cheapest high street outlet but they have to order them in which takes around 2 weeks s:cry: :cry: s:cry:

Slacey · August 20, 2003, 16:57

Quote from: "Buster"(not as good as the focals s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted: LOL )

I love my Focals, they sound great - any news on that UD Sub Jnr yet Buster? I'm really itching for a discreet sub now (especially seeing as my Sony H/U has a specific input and settings for one! s:D

s:D

Anonymous · August 20, 2003, 17:01

funny you should say that since markii said that he was going to get one and he was hopeing that it would fit i got in touch with musical touch in america for some sizes and stuff for the box and they guy said the following

" are you any good at box biulding "

those at JAE will know what i can do LOL s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

so he gose i can make it my self all i gota do it mask the area under the sterring collom and glass fiber it simple !

But after coming of the phone i relised how do you glass fiber upside down

s:oops: :oops: s:oops: s:oops: :oops: s:oops: s:roll: :roll: s:roll:

So i will use my srpay gun to spray it up in the area and see what happends if it is sucessful i shall see if they can be mass produced and sold

?

GSB · August 20, 2003, 17:13

Interesting,,,

Personally, I hate glass fibre. Can't stand the stuff as it makes me itch like buggery.

But if your willing to have a go at re-creating the UD subwoofer Jnr, and its as good as the original (and assuming Steve Texter doesn't mind, I'd hate for you to incur the wrath of SC's Ed Black - Steves biggest customer), then you can put me down at the top of your list of buyers for the finished product.

In a nutshell, Make it and I'll buy one off you...

Anonymous · August 20, 2003, 17:16

Quoteand assuming Steve Texter doesn't mind, I'd hate for you to incur the wrath of SC's Ed Black - Steves biggest customer)

not a member of SC just look on it now and again.

But it's going to be my own design (with a bit of help from musical touch) LOL so he shouldnt get the arse ache, and if he dose i will send craige and kris round to sort him out LOL

s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

GSB · August 20, 2003, 17:19

In that case Buster, I just worked out what my girlfriend is buying me for Christmas this year!

Cheers!

Anonymous · August 20, 2003, 17:23

wont be that expensive s:shock: :shock: s:shock: i buy glass fiber in bulk so you only be about £30 at the most

as most people who ahve had things fitted i only charge for materials no laubor ( do it coz i love loud music low bass and the MR2 s:wink: :wink: s:wink: )

Slacey · August 20, 2003, 20:33

Seeing as Grant has sneaked in as your first customer s:wink: :wink: s:wink: , I'm number 2. Keep us informed Dave....

Sean

Tem · August 21, 2003, 07:30

Quote from: "Buster"LOL the difference between the 2 sets is very minermal apart from Price s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

Wanna rent my golden ears for next visit to the shop? s;)

s;)

Seriously, I first heard the Reference series. They sounded ok, a bit strong on bass, but nothing serious. If I got them without listening to anything else, I'd probably be very happy about them.

Then heard the Kappas and there's a HUGE difference between these two. The Kappa has so much cleaner sounds than the reference, that I bet no one will buy the reference after hearing the Kappas. I know I wouldn't. After Kappa, the reference sounds like someone filled my ears with mushrooms and some teen turned the bass to the max.

The difference (in sound) between Kappa and Kappa Perfect wasn't that big. I'd be happy with both, but they only had Kappa Perfects in store so I got them.

Anonymous · August 21, 2003, 15:10

fair play !
s:lol: :lol: s:lol:
As i said before each speaker sounds different to differnt people s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

I just like loads of bass and mid range and i found that in focals as a general make, so for an average set up the focals are ideal but the utopia's are ( SEXY ) sound very nice s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Anonymous · August 22, 2003, 10:41

For info, another supplier of the Focals is SMC Sound and Vision - w www.smcsoundandvision.co.uk w who seem quite nice and have got them in stock.
Unfortunately for me it's in Shrewsbury but hopefully tomorrow will be a nice day for a trip out.

On a slightly different note I saw one of these (link below) yesterday and the Profile 2 looks like it's a good size to lurk inconspicuously somewhere.
Unless they get really hot and melt stuff. I'm sure Buster has the lowdown.

m http://www.smcsoundandvision.co.uk/acat ... nesis.html m

J