Sound system advice for a 91 NA6 (Ltd Ed)?

[wisemonkey]

Hi Everyone,

I've been to a few car audio places and they haven't really been much help advising me on what to install.
Particularly when it comes to subs. They just scratch their head.

So, I thought I'd ask the experts: What's the best complete system you'd recommend for a 91 LE mx-5? For preferably under $1k.

I work in the music business and listen to a lot of mixes in transit, so sound quality is important.

Other features that would be great are: bluetooth and ipod input.

Also, preferably something that doesn't require modifying the interior too much.

And is there a system that is sub-less that's any good?

Cheers!

[Jeo]

Welcome to the forums wisemonkey

By complete system I'm assuming you want/need a source unit, speakers, sub and amp? No point in beating around the bush, but getting decent quality gear + installation will be really hard for a complete system with only $1k. If you are willing to do it yourself, you might just be able to scrape through.

Without a doubt the most important component are your front speakers. Allocate as much of your budget here as possible as this is where you will hear the most difference. Good speakers powered by a bad amp will always sound better than bad speakers powered by the greatest amp ever made. Listen to as many as you can (preferably in a car if they have a demo/customers car around) and make your decision on sound, not the brand name or its supposed features. Marketing lies, your ears don't. Ideally you'd be aiming for a set of 6.5" speakers with separate tweeters. You can buy component sets where the tweeter is integrated with the main speaker, but they are typically much worse.

Don't be fooled in to buying the top of the line source unit, you won't ever notice the difference unless the rest of your system is also top notch. Decide on what features you want/need and buy the cheapest one you can find that has said features. As long as it has a decent set of pre-outs, almost any source unit will be fine. As for iPod input, make sure you play with the interface and listen to it both through the iPod and off a CD (ideally the same song). There are some awesome iPod compatable source units and there are some dreadful ones, don't get stuck with the latter.

Same with amps, don't get talked in to something with more features than you need. 50-75 watts should be enough for most speakers, but going a little higher wouldn't hurt (particularly if you decide on getting a sub too). Again, don't pay all that much attention to brands, most of the time you couldn't hear the difference between similarly spec’d models. I was told a great analogy a few years back when I first started building my then SQ competition car. Is the 200kw made by a Holden any different to the 200kw made by a Porsche? Yes how that power is made varies, its efficiency while making that power will be different; but at the end of the day, 200kw is 200kw. Build quality varies a little, but as long as you don't buy the bargain basement gear, you’ll probably never notice it.

Subs are always a big point of contention. I first tried a 10” and then a 12” in the boot of my NA6 and wasn’t really happy with the results, it wasn’t terrible but I wanted more. I talked to a few local audio shops and was convinced to build a box into the rear parcel shelf along with an 8” sub. Have had that in for about a month now and while it isn’t what I would consider great by any means, it’s still better than even the 12” I had in the boot.

Currently I’m running 6.5” mids and 1” tweeters in the doors, the 8” sub in the parcel shelf and it’s all powered by a 4x150 amp. If you were willing install it all yourself, you could probably get away with a similar enough system for around a grand.

Lots of writing but I hope that helps.

edit: forgot! Take your own music with you when you test listen, something that you are familar with so that you know what it "should" sould like. By all means listen to whatever cd the shop has chosen, as its normally in there because it makes their stuff sound the best, but always use your own music as the final decision maker.

[meanmx]

That is some damn good advise. The only addition I would add to it is that there is space on each side of your fuel tank on the rear parcel shelf for some 8" subs which I can only assume 2 would be better than 1. Apart from that Jeo pretty much has it spot on. I myself have a 12" in the boot and I find it brilliant but it is compromised as you do need a decent sized enclosure. Have fun

Ben

[bigdog]

Nothing to add to the design side, but on the bluetooth front if you are wanting to interface your phone look for a deck that has a remote microphone - the centre console is too far from the driver's seat for good quality sound, and an 'in-deck' mic will be subject to internal noise and vibration. AFIK only Pioneer offer this feature, but I haven't checked the Alpine range yet...

[Benny]

If you're looking for a good system for $1K, don't dissmiss buying second hand.

There are some amazing bargains out there!

[redwards]

I can only suggest decks for you. I picked up a Pioneer DEH-3000IB a while back and love it. There's photos of the install over here.

It's a nice looking deck, has no buttons to mash your knuckles on (so you don't change tracks when you change gears).

Strathfields has them for sale these days for around $200 these days (I picked it up for $280, then they kept discounting it ) and it comes with an iPod cable. The deck has an additional BUS port in the back for installing a bluetooth unit - but a higher spec Pioneer will probably come with one.

[TieNN89]

Nothing to add to the design side, but on the bluetooth front if you are wanting to interface your phone look for a deck that has a remote microphone - the centre console is too far from the driver's seat for good quality sound, and an 'in-deck' mic will be subject to internal noise and vibration. AFIK only Pioneer offer this feature, but I haven't checked the Alpine range yet...

Where abouts do you stick the microphone in an MX-5

mines where my speedo as i haven't worked out any better place without getting any wind noise etc

[TieNN89]

1k is gona be a very hard

Spend most of your money on the front speaker then your amp then your head deck

I suggest splits in the front

with all the features you want and a decent head deck you're looking at around $300+ there already

then you got your amp which is gona cost around $500 as well possible more

then you got your front speakers which cost anywhere from $50 to 2k 3k 4k depending on how much you want to spend

I've got a set of Focals in my doors and without an amp they are beautiful just need a sub tho cause there splits not subby speakers

But for a set of Focals like mine you'll need more than 1k to do the whole job (speaker amp headdeck wiring installation....)

[mr_rotary]

1k is gona be a very hard

It is when you go to expensive dealers. Try looking for bargains on either E-Bay or something like the trading post. I have managed to source Alpine's latest top of the line Type X splits brand new (RRP $599 AU) and last years slightly used Australian Alpine 9885 deck (RRP $499 AU) with iPod cable (RRP $69 AU) for under $600 plus install costs

It can be done with enough left over for an amp and at a squeeze a sub!

[bigdog]

Nothing to add to the design side, but on the bluetooth front if you are wanting to interface your phone look for a deck that has a remote microphone - the centre console is too far from the driver's seat for good quality sound, and an 'in-deck' mic will be subject to internal noise and vibration. AFIK only Pioneer offer this feature, but I haven't checked the Alpine range yet...

Where abouts do you stick the microphone in an MX-5

mines where my speedo as i haven't worked out any better place without getting any wind noise etc

My original car kit had the mic at the top corner of the windscreen on driver's side - that seemed to work very well. Cable runs inside the a pillar trim.

[devolutio]

can i advise not going for something with ipod compatibility if it doesn't let you control the ipod by the ipod. i have a low spec blaupunkt head unit and bought one of those stupidly expensive ipod connectors that basically makes the ipod out to be a cd-changer, catch was that you had to make play lists and each playlist could only have 99 tracks each. completely useless. lifting the pins inside the interface that go from a microchip to the ipod let me select changer on the head unit, but be able to control the music with the ipod. one thing it has over a straight line in cable is that it charges the ipod while it's plugged in.

I find that the head units amplifiers are ample for powering the front speakers as loud as i want it to go (6")- as long as all the bass duty is taken care of by a sub and amp in the back. the car is never going to be an ideal listening environment, and i think as long as you can turn it up loud enough if you really need to feel the music, then a less than perfect sound (but still enjoyable) in the car would probably be helpful for making problems with your mixes more obvious. kinda like listening to it through a wall or a closed door, or on ipod headphones etc.

but i think you could have change from 1k, but only if you can wire/install yourself.

[Jeo]

can i advise not going for something with ipod compatibility if it doesn't let you control the ipod by the ipod. i have a low spec blaupunkt head unit and bought one of those stupidly expensive ipod connectors that basically makes the ipod out to be a cd-changer, catch was that you had to make play lists and each playlist could only have 99 tracks each. completely useless.

Sorry but there are plenty of head units on the market that can control the iPod quite well. As I said before though, there are some absolutley dredful ones too. As long as you try before you buy and make sure the user interface suits you, you should be right.

Also I couldn't disagree more with not needing an external amp for the front speakers in an MX5. Because we have a less than ideal listening environment to begin with, we need all the power we can get to make up for the convertible shortcomings.

[devolutio]

oh well mine works well. not trying to win any spl competitions but I can certainly turn it up past the point of looking (and sounding) like a wanker with the roof down.

[thefinn]

Go down and visit FHRX at caringbah. Marty knows how to work on MX5's , I am in japan atm but once I get back you can listen to my car Jack.

[wisemonkey]

Wow! Well I definitely came to the right place.

Thanks very much everyone for your input. I'm going to digest all this and I'll let you know how I go.

Cheers!