Audio system help.

[Smegman.]

Hey guys,
First post. Just wondering if anyone could give me a few different Audio set ups, varying in price from $1000-$3000.
Only 17 but about to get my MX-5 and I'm a pretty big music fan and want my sound to be crisp as possible.
Help would be greatly appreciated guys.
Links to the products would be great too.
Thanks all, Peace.
Jack

[Smegman.]

Sorry guys, also if anyone has any sites to browse MX-5 mod gear.
Audio, interior, body kits, engine mods, etc.
Thanks again

[toymx5]

Hi Smegman, Might be a good idea to let people know what state/area you're from so people can refer you to shops within a reasonable distance to you.

Good luck with getting your MX and doing her up, just be warned the people on here will quickly spend all your money and more for you !! They get very excited about doing them up

[Smegman.]

Haha thanks mate,
That's cool I don't mind spending a bit, well worth it.
I'm from Melbourne, Victoria
Hope it helps everyone.

[toymx5]

Oh good we need more Melbournites on here !

For interior bling and engine mods check out the MX5 Mania's site via their link at the bottom of the page. They're in Sydney but are really easy to deal with and can have stuff to you in a couple of days. The MX5 Centre are here in Moorabbin and have some good stuff too, especially wheels and brakes if you want to modify your car for track days, they have a link below as well.
For servicing, body work/painting and performance mods the MX-5 Factory in Ringwood do excellent work and are a sponsor of the MX-5 Club of Victoria. The contact their is Dick Ritchie.
I can highly recommend Town & Country Exhaust in Geelong who produce an amazing exhaust sytem for MX-5's, well worth checking out !
Not sure about audio shops but if you look in the audio section on this forum I'm sure you'll find some good info, all I'd say is go for quality over power, remember the cabin of a MX-5 is tiny so you don't need huge amounts of power, you just need a well set up system with good quality components.

You'll get heaps of info and advice off this forum, have fun !

[Juffa]

G'day Jack.

Welcome to the forum. I'd suggest getting yourself along to a Victorian MX-5 Club gathering. You don't need to join first, just come along and see if it is the sort of thing that works for you. The reason I'm suggesting this is so you can see and speak to other owners to see what they have done before you go out and spend big money.....and I'm not just talking about audio systems.

www.mx5vic.org.au

J.

[noddi85]

Hey guys,
First post. Just wondering if anyone could give me a few different Audio set ups, varying in price from $1000-$3000.
Only 17 but about to get my MX-5 and I'm a pretty big music fan and want my sound to be crisp as possible.
Help would be greatly appreciated guys.
Links to the products would be great too.
Thanks all, Peace.
Jack

I run a set of focal K2 splits with some sound deadner sheets in the doors amped of a alpine 2 channel amp and an alpine head unet. The splits are probably the most costly but if your a huge music fan they will keep you very happy. Great bass for a split and quite powerfull as well. the amp i run is an older alpine V12 amp but they keep there quality for years. As far as head unets go there are plenty of options depending on what you want it to do.
Hope this helps

[Benny]

HI Jack,
Welcome to the world of MX-5's.

I know how you feel about having good music in your car.
I am a bit of an audiophile, but you can't even turn up the sound on your home system anymore because of the noise complaints, so to me, the car is about the only place to listen to good music that is turned up fairly loud (IMHO).

I guess you could do what my father did many years ago, when a neighbour knocked on the door to complain that my father's music was so loud he couldn't hear his TV.
My father just told him to turn up the volume on his TV, and if he still couldn't hear it, to run it through a big audio amplifier, then slammed the door in his face!

I also run a set of Focal splits in my 5, and IMHO are about the best car speakers you can get, that are anywhere near affordable.
I also run a small 8" sub in the boot, in a custom made enclosure that takes up very little boot space and the sub makes all the difference in the world, giving the music great depth and a good back massage at the same time!

The head unit is not so important, but the speakers are #1, then the amp(s), but you will have to spend somewhere north of $2,500 (for new equipment) to get GOOD sound out of a 5.
Forget about trying to put in rear speakers, the cabin is too small for them to make much difference, but do buy yourself a good set of splits, and small sub and a good amp to run it all.
If you're ever up in Sydney, give me a yell, and I'll be happy to demonstrate my system for you.
You'll be very surprised at how good it sounds.

I have the high end Bose system in my Merc (which was an expensive option) and while the sound is good, it's not a patch on the sound in my 5.

[Smegman.]

Thanks for all your help guys it's really appreciated I will definitely look into it a bit more now that I have a better idea.
Thanks.

[BadBong]

HI Jack,
Welcome to the world of MX-5's.

I know how you feel about having good music in your car.
I am a bit of an audiophile, but you can't even turn up the sound on your home system anymore because of the noise complaints, so to me, the car is about the only place to listen to good music that is turned up fairly loud (IMHO).

I guess you could do what my father did many years ago, when a neighbour knocked on the door to complain that my father's music was so loud he couldn't hear his TV.
My father just told him to turn up the volume on his TV, and if he still couldn't hear it, to run it through a big audio amplifier, then slammed the door in his face!

I also run a set of Focal splits in my 5, and IMHO are about the best car speakers you can get, that are anywhere near affordable.
I also run a small 8" sub in the boot, in a custom made enclosure that takes up very little boot space and the sub makes all the difference in the world, giving the music great depth and a good back massage at the same time!

The head unit is not so important, but the speakers are #1, then the amp(s), but you will have to spend somewhere north of $2,500 (for new equipment) to get GOOD sound out of a 5.
Forget about trying to put in rear speakers, the cabin is too small for them to make much difference, but do buy yourself a good set of splits, and small sub and a good amp to run it all.
If you're ever up in Sydney, give me a yell, and I'll be happy to demonstrate my system for you.
You'll be very surprised at how good it sounds.

I have the high end Bose system in my Merc (which was an expensive option) and while the sound is good, it's not a patch on the sound in my 5.

I second what Benny said.

Best to invest your money into a good set of speakers, amp and sub rather than the head unit. More importantly, it will be important to get your car doors deadened and get it professionally installed.

I had mine done by Marty and his crew at Fhrx (Sydney) but you might want to email him to see whether he's got any affiliations in Melbourne.

One thing that I did differently to Benny is that I went with a slim-line sub. It's installed behind the driver's seat and it's a 10" sub from focal (top of the range) and i believe it delivers just as good sounds as a decent sub in the boot without loosing the boot space... have a look here http://www.focalaustralia.com.au/subwoofers.html for the BUS 25.

Best of luck mate - sound systems are well worth it especially when you're stuck in traffic.... =/

[Mr Morlock]

I find the sound in my 01 model to be excellent - works a treat for talkback and cd's. Before spending a lot of money on upgrades best to try the standard set up first and bear in mind that the lounge room is a safer place for vegging out on music rather than a motorcar.

[Benny]

I find the sound in my 01 model to be excellent - works a treat for talkback and cd's. Before spending a lot of money on upgrades best to try the standard set up first and bear in mind that the lounge room is a safer place for vegging out on music rather than a motorcar.

You must have tin ears Mr Morlock or you don't like music much.
It may be OK for talk back radio, but music sounds terrible with all the distortion and intermodulation distortion.
All 3 of my MX-5's had very poor sound when I bought them, and even the Bose system in NC's is only just bearable IMHO.

[toymx5]

I find the sound in my 01 model to be excellent - works a treat for talkback and cd's. Before spending a lot of money on upgrades best to try the standard set up first and bear in mind that the lounge room is a safer place for vegging out on music rather than a motorcar.

You must have tin ears Mr Morlock or you don't like music much.
It may be OK for talk back radio, but music sounds terrible with all the distortion and intermodulation distortion.
All 3 of my MX-5's had very poor sound when I bought them, and even the Bose system in NC's is only just bearable IMHO.

Totally agree Benny ! Plus I don't know many 17 year olds (as is Smegman) that listen to talk back radio !!

[Jeo]

Everything Benny said plus listen to the components you intend on buying. Don't just trust what others or the internet says, physically go and listen to the stuff intend on buying. Take your own music too.