Speaker Upgrade

[bear2230]

8" in the doors and the amp mounts in the boot on a carpeted board against the back of the boot.

I also have a 10" sub Alpine SWS-1023D. Product Code: SWS1023D Our Price: $189.00 mounted in the back rear quarter in a custom box from the US imported for around $120.00.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... K:MEWNX:IT
This sub/box combo works really well.
I am running a ALPINE MRP-F600 4/3/2 CHANNEL CAR AMPLIFER AU $459.00 from Elite electronics http://myworld.ebay.com.au/elite_electronics_au/ which powers both easily and really pumps.
(maybe a touch overekill for such a little car)

See this Link it shows a similar setup to mine.TieNN89 looks like a good setup and a well made box if your handy with the tools. viewtopic.php?f=55&t=43201

I have had this setup in a 98 and a 2002 MX5 and I think it works really well. Ask Mark emexv on this forum he is a good guy and he now has the first one I did.

Richard

[muzzy66]

If you are looking for good base forget 6 or 6 1/2 inch. Spend the money and buy a pair of Focal 8" inch co-axial 210CA1 $325 (AUS) and some Dynamat sound deadening. Power them with a Alpine 300 watt amp Alpine MRP-F300 4/3/2 Channel Amplifier $279.00 and the sound from these speakers is incredible. Deep base and crystal clear mid and high range.
IMHO

Woludn't recommend an 8" personally, as they typically have sucky midrange...especially when off axis in a car door, and especially when they are Focals.

Focal make fantastic speakers, but they typically use a quite high crossover point - good for tweeter distortion /power handling, not so good for midrange when off-axis mounting in a car door. This is a limitation witht he 6.5" models and only becomes more of an issue with a larger diameter speaker (such as an 8").

I'd suggest 6" or 6.5" personally. They are't perfect at midrange and they aren't perfect at midbass, but they are a nice compromise. 5" gives better midrange response but limited midbass, 8" gives superior midbass with far worse midrange response.

This all depends on price limit also though. If you're looking at buying $50 - $100 speakers they are are going to be very limited from a sound quality perspective no matter what size you go for...but I'd still suggest sticking to 6.5".

Aside from Focal, Morel is another brand very much worth considering. Also Jaycar are now selling "Vifa" branded splits and coaxials - I haven't heard them personally, but Vifa as a brand are borderline legendary for their ability to build exceptional speaker drivers for extremely affordable prices.

They typically specialise in home audio / HiFi drivers, and their best hi-fi speakers frequently outperform car audio stuff costing 2x-3x the price. No exhageration there either - do a quick search for the Vifa XT25 tweeters and you'll see what I mean...

Again not sure if the Vifa stuff Jaycar sells is up to the same standard as their usual hifi gear, but definately worth a listen.

[muzzy66]

I also have a 10" sub Alpine SWS-1023D. Product Code: SWS1023D Our Price: $189.00 mounted in the back rear quarter in a custom box from the US imported for around $120.00.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... K:MEWNX:IT
This sub/box combo works really well.

Hmm, I like the look of that box...would solve a lot of problems for me. I had planned to build a custom FG enclosure in the side wall, but it's a damn mission and I honestly don't have the time (also cbf).

Any idea what the (internal) volume of the enclosure is? Not sure if it will be big enough for my current sub (Peerless 10" XXLS) but I could always get a different sub for it if I need to. Something like a Morel Ultimo SC10 or Image Dynamics IDQ 10 would work nicely in small box.

[Garry]

Do Jaycar sell the 8" woofers again? A few years ago when I was looking they had discontinued them and only had 1 left.

Originally I was using the same 3 way speakers as Bigdog but changed to the Clearwater 8" setup from the US that the Yanks rave about. Though an improvement over the Phillips units in clarity, for something that was supposedly designed specifically for the MX5 acoustics and head unit I found the Clearwater's to be a bit wanting, especially their overpowering top end. The Clearwater after sales service was absolutely woeful. I did a bodgy mod to the crossovers to cut down the top end a little and they sound a lot better now.

[bear2230]

Any idea what the (internal) volume of the enclosure is? Not sure if it will be big enough for my current sub (Peerless 10" XXLS) but I could always get a different sub for it if I need to. Something like a Morel Ultimo SC10 or Image Dynamics IDQ 10 would work nicely in small box.

Inside dimensions of box are approx 25cm x 15cm x 18cm so about 6750 something.

[bear2230]

Here is a picture of that imported box installed with a Clarion 900 watt sub.
The rods are stainless cupboard handles for protection until the grill comes in.

[muzzy66]

Very nice fit, but as you said that box volume only comes out to about 6.75L given those dimensions - that's WAY to small for a 10" sub.

In fact even an ID8 needs closer to about 8.5L for sufficient low end extension (~ -3dB @ 26Hz), and the ID8 is one of the smallest enclosure decent subs I know of.

Are you sure those dimensions are right? I was advised by the guy on ebay that it's about 0.5 cu ft (or about 14L) which is dead on perfect for my sub, but big difference between 14L and 6.75L!

[bear2230]

Muzzy,
Swing by my work one day and have a listen. I can't believe the base out of this size box either. I gave it to Cronulla car radio and they found a sub that worked. I think the sub was about $180.00. It's being powered by an Orion 600 watt amp which is really good. Give Owen a call at Cronulla car radio 23 years doing installs he knows his beans.

[muzzy66]

If I did get a install done for me it'd have to be with FHRX Studios - I'm so damn anal about my sound that they are about the only guys I trust to do the job and do it right. My projects are always far from straight forward, and with the exception of Marty's boys I've never really been able to find another installer who I can talk to on the same level and who can actually understand what I want done. With most installers, I get half way through explaining my plan and they look at me like

6L really is crazy small though...I need a box that will play down to at least about -3dB @ 28hz in order to suit my needs, and there is no other sub I can think of below $700 that I would contemplate replacing the Peerless with.

I think I calculated that with a custom job I could probably get 10L-15L in that side cavity, but to be honest it's just too much damn work - also I still live with my parents, and anytime I pull out the fibreglassing materials I get neverending whinging about the smell and the mess lol

I ran countless subs through that enclosure size but can't find anything that will fit and remain a good match for my install...I'll try to think of any others, because it would save me so much damn effort. Maybe I should just order one, give it a shot and see how it goes...if it sounds like a$$ I can always take it out again.

I'll sleep on it, thanks for the info

[bear2230]

Muzzy,

Marty is the man and I wish he did my install. My problem is if I went to FHRX I would have spent 6 grand easy. This whole sterio installed was $2500.00. Now I know I will probably end up at FHRX to get it fine tuned/re-designed but for now im about 90% happy.

[muzzy66]

I understand entirely, and to be honest I can understand how it can be hard for people to justify such big bucks on an install.

In all honesty for most people, it's probably not as much an issue. The only real issue for me is that like i said, I'm rediculously anal about sound! Before I begin any system, I spend countless hours, days or even weeks planning it out - choosing the right drivers, working out the best install locations, calculating the optimal crossover points, gain levels and angles, etc. When I do a system it's all about achieving the best possible sonic accuracy, and every single aspect is planned out 'to the T' to make sure I squeeze every ounce of potential out of it.

In a case like mine when you put this much time, thought and effort into planning, there is nothing more frustrating then handing it over to an install shop and finding they have got the angles wrong, got the sub volume a little off, etc. It was because of situations like this that in the end I ended up saying hell with it...only way to get it done how I want it is to learn the hands on stuff and do it myself.

Marty is a top installer though - I've spent a lot of time around his workshop and I've seen the amount of care he takes, and the quality of work he produces and his level of knowledge. I can talk to him about different configuration options, positions, acoustic theories, etc and he knows what I'm talking about - most installers get lost 10 minutes into the discussion and you just know they won't be able to pull it off.

Also he knows how infuriatingly picky I am and how much it means to me to have everything perfect - so I know if I ever did leave it with him, he'd make sure it's right.

Most people these days do pretty straightforward installs though (i.e. splits and a sub) so for most people it probably doesn't matter as much as it does for me. Setting up splits and a sub aren't hard for someone who has even half decent knowledge of audio, so most decent installers can pull it off well enough!

[bear2230]

Muzzy,
Here are the sub specs
http://www.clarion.com/au/en/products/2 ... 19315.html

[timk]

I have some Clearwater 8" woofers and tweeters designed for the NB (all bolt straight in) that give decent midbass, PM me if you are interested.

[rob323]

Muzzy,
Here are the sub specs
http://www.clarion.com/au/en/products/2 ... 19315.html

Dam that's one inefficient little woofer (the only spec they give).

[bear2230]

I'm running a Orion 600 watt 4 Chanel
http://www.orioncaraudio.com/products/p ... ductid=505
Rob let me tell you this little really pumps the whole car shakes when you crank it