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d14vd_h
Tuesday 24th May 2005, 17:26
hi guys, im looking to upgrade the speakers on my car,
i have already replaced the rear door speakers, however i want to replace the dash speakers and fit front door ones in the blank space.
i have spoke to my local ICE installer and he reccomends tweeters in the dash instead of the tiny speakers and bass/mids in the front doors leaving the full speakers in the rear doors. however he quoted £120 for these bought and installed.
i was thinking of buying the items myself and having an autoelectrician fit them for me as i am having some other electrical work carried out.
there are a full set of 6 speakers on ebay brand new for a 940 at the moment, i was thinking of simply using these, meaning i had 2 front speakers and new dash speakers all be it standard volvo ones.
advice/ reccomendations help!?
this area is not my forte

p fandango
Tuesday 24th May 2005, 17:45
i'd go with the audio shops advice with tweeters in the dash & 5"s in the doors. You'll be better off buying them as a component set so they are matched together & can be wired through the passive crossover you should get in the package (splits the frequency to which speaker will produce it best, highs to the tweeters, mid/bass to the doors)

if you don't mind me asking what make are they supplying for the £120, if its a reasonable make then it isn't a bad price, special brackets will have to be made to house the tweeters in the dash, & as you haven't got speakers in the door then wires may have to run wires to them (not sure if volvo use a standard lom or not)

the standard Volvo speakers aren't a bad quality tbh, but i'm not sure if the 940 speakers will be the same size as the 850. & they won't be any good if you intend to to upgrade the system in the future with amplifiers

fraz13
Tuesday 24th May 2005, 17:50
Dave av still got all standard speakers in ma car and a feel they sound amazing, a have got a JBL 12" tube in the boot giving me bass tho

Mibees go that way first unless speakers are burst :wink:

mulletboy2
Tuesday 24th May 2005, 17:59
What are your goals for the system? Best quality possible, or do you just want to replace some blown ones with some not blown ones, or what?

The standard volvo speakers aren't much good, and are pretty easy to blow.. which is made worse by the fact that the OE headunit clips a fair bit. If you're trying to install something so that it won't blow (again), then an amp is the way forward. Passive crossovers sap power, and aftermarket speakers tend to require more power to run than OE ones, so you may only end up making things worse.

Tell us what you want, so we can advise on the best way to go about doing it... like it or not, dealers are in business to make money, and many will seize the opportunity rather than offering the best advice.

Cheers

Mark

d14vd_h
Tuesday 24th May 2005, 18:32
Thanks a lot for all the advice guys,
when i got the car i put a sony single slot CD system in place and replaced the standard rear speakers with some kenwood ones,
i would be happy with a 6 speaker system and my sony cd headunit i have now as i dont want to invest too much money in this car especially not audio as i am more into styling.
i want the parts to be easily integrated - using the existing holes in the doors and if i go for the tweeter option be able to hide them under the existing dash grilles.
the quote for 120 involved using either alpine or kenwood components.
my aim is really to replace blown speakers while taking the oppertunity to upgrade on a budget!!!
Further thoughts??

d14vd_h
Tuesday 24th May 2005, 18:40
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=411&cadid=284ef5d07c3344e738d654a31d078e41

is this what im after???am i right in saying i would need crossovers for this? - are they included??
would my headunit need anything special to cope with these - its relativley basic

mulletboy2
Tuesday 24th May 2005, 19:10
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=411&cadid=284ef5d07c3344e738d654a31d078e41

is this what im after???am i right in saying i would need crossovers for this? - are they included??
Crossovers are included with all "component" sets, so no, you wouldn't need extra ones. However, Kenwood are really bottom of the range stuff.. if you can afford something better, I'd recommend going for something a little more expensive. I ran some myself many years ago, and even then, with little knowledge of ICE, I still wasn't happy with them.


would my headunit need anything special to cope with these - its relativley basic
It's always a good idea to run an external amp if possible. Headunits never make the claimed 40/50/60W.. you're looking at more like 15-20W in most cases.

I'd recommend taking a look at the following:

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=3854&cadid=284ef5d07c3344e738d654a31d078e41
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=2776&cadid=284ef5d07c3344e738d654a31d078e41
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=3855&cadid=284ef5d07c3344e738d654a31d078e41
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=428&cadid=284ef5d07c3344e738d654a31d078e41
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=3264&cadid=284ef5d07c3344e738d654a31d078e41

Or 2nd hand:

http://www.talkaudio.co.uk/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=2386&sort=1&cat=5&page=2
http://www.talkaudio.co.uk/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=2187&sort=1&cat=5&page=3
http://www.talkaudio.co.uk/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=1115&sort=1&cat=5&page=6

Without a doubt, the Rockfords in the last link are way out of the league of any of the others. All depends how much you really want to spend, whether you're willing to fit an amp, and whether you'll buy 2nd hand.

HTH

Mark

p fandango
Tuesday 24th May 2005, 19:20
:jaw: Mulletboy, how can you recommend Maystar over Kenwood? i've had a complete install using both makes & there was no competition between them

mulletboy2
Tuesday 24th May 2005, 22:05
:jaw: Mulletboy, how can you recommend Maystar over Kenwood? i've had a complete install using both makes & there was no competition between them
Were the systems of the same retail value, at roughly the same point in time? Maystar have come on in leaps and bounds over the last couple of years, and other than the subjective feeling of "Kenwood's more popular, therefore it's gotta be better", there is nothing that would indicate kenwood as any better, pound for pound, to me.

Bear in mind that install and setup will make far more of a difference than equipment choice too.. was your sound deadening as good on the Maystar setup? Was your aiming as good? did you choose the right kit for the right applications? Many, many factors, but you won't convince me that kenwood's better ;)

fraz13
Tuesday 24th May 2005, 23:43
Have to say av got a Maystar think its a MX400 amp running my JBL 12" tube, I bought the amp 9 years ago, a sold it after around 3 or 4 years, it changed hands again (2 brothers) and a was given it back a few years back, its powered up every day and its fair hammered at times, touch wood (hairy woods the best) its never given me any hastle at all

A was told a few years ago it was sh*t and it should be replaced but its still going strong so mibees av just been lucky or there seriously under-rated :slap:

siamblue
Wednesday 25th May 2005, 00:22
I was heavily into ICE about 10 years ago, So the market wasn't no where as good as it is now, But the only Kenwood items i would touch then was the amps, I went for the Alpine set ups for the bass and MD Quart for the Mids and tweets.

d14vd_h
Wednesday 25th May 2005, 00:25
keep it comin guys....
to be honest tho im talkin max £70 for the components otherwise i'd be aswell payin 120 for the pros to do it all hassle free for me!

fraz13
Wednesday 25th May 2005, 00:36
Av got a set of nearly new Alpine 6" components with tweeters lyin in the garage if yer interested, White cone ones. A wasnt gonny get rid but a cant see me up grading the speakers as ad go nuts and need to amplify everything then where do ye stop? just ask Duane hahaha

M44K TS
Wednesday 25th May 2005, 13:35
Dave av still got all standard speakers in ma car and a feel they sound amazing, a have got a JBL 12" tube in the boot giving me bass tho

Mibees go that way first unless speakers are burst :wink:


do you still have the standard head unit or have you changed it?

fraz13
Wednesday 25th May 2005, 16:43
do you still have the standard head unit or have you changed it?
No no mate, Alpine Screen/Radio with 6 disc

Head unit does make a big difference but a only had ma standard CD for around an hour so dunno what it sounded like

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v458/fraz13/450x600_volvo029.jpg

p fandango
Wednesday 25th May 2005, 17:02
Were the systems of the same retail value, at roughly the same point in time? Maystar have come on in leaps and bounds over the last couple of years, and other than the subjective feeling of "Kenwood's more popular, therefore it's gotta be better", there is nothing that would indicate kenwood as any better, pound for pound, to me.

Bear in mind that install and setup will make far more of a difference than equipment choice too.. was your sound deadening as good on the Maystar setup? Was your aiming as good? did you choose the right kit for the right applications? Many, many factors, but you won't convince me that kenwood's better ;)
not sure how close the retail values are but all the kit i had was top from both manufactures range, the Kenwood install replaced the Maystar a year after (Kenwood install got replaced about 2 years ago, so Maystar stuff must have be 3 years back). I've never used any sound deadened in BT so all the acoustics were the same & have always used the same position for the speakers/tweeters.

p fandango
Wednesday 25th May 2005, 17:03
A wasnt gonny get rid but a cant see me up grading the speakers as ad go nuts and need to amplify everything then where do ye stop? just ask Duane hahaha
what you trying to say Fraz :haha:

mulletboy2
Wednesday 25th May 2005, 19:33
not sure how close the retail values are but all the kit i had was top from both manufactures range, the Kenwood install replaced the Maystar a year after (Kenwood install got replaced about 2 years ago, so Maystar stuff must have be 3 years back). I've never used any sound deadened in BT so all the acoustics were the same & have always used the same position for the speakers/tweeters.
Then it could be something as trivial as the kenwood tweeters or mids having a better off-axis response (which isn't always a good thing)/poor gain structures/different headunit/etc.. and I expect that kenwood probably go to a higher retail value level than Maystar :)

I've heard and been suitably impressed by a lot of Maystar stuff... have yet to hear a single kenwood ICE component that I like. They do actually make some decent high end stuff - but it's all for the Asian market.

Anyway, at the end of the day, the best advice is always "have a listen to installs running the kit you're looking at, and decide which stuff you like best for yourself". I'm not going to say that Maystar is always better than Kenwood, because it probably isn't :)

[edit] Just to hijack the thread for a second Pedro ... how did your boot lid hinges like the extra weight of the amp/components/crossovers? Did you experience any problems other than the obvious extra weight when trying to open/close it?

p fandango
Wednesday 25th May 2005, 19:53
I've heard and been suitably impressed by a lot of Maystar stuff... have yet to hear a single kenwood ICE component that I like. They do actually make some decent high end stuff - but it's all for the Asian market.
i agree, i had a demo in the Maystar sound-off car (Honda Prelude back then) which is why i had decided to go for them myself. Unfortunatley i hadn't got the £'s they had used to install them to get a sound i was happy with


[edit] Just to hijack the thread for a second Pedro ... how did your boot lid hinges like the extra weight of the amp/components/crossovers? Did you experience any problems other than the obvious extra weight when trying to open/close it?
the hinges are fine with the extra weight, obversly it is heavier to open with the stuff mounted there but even my mum still manages to open it (i have to close it because she slams it down to much, used to shutting a SAAB boot). Aslong as you cut the shape of the mounting board to fit within the rubber rain seals (which take trial & error) then it shuts fine

mulletboy2
Wednesday 25th May 2005, 20:45
Sweet, cheers mate :) You still have that stuff in there then? I didn't realise you'd done it until last weekend when Wobbly told me (or if I did, I'd forgotten).. I'm thinking of possibly putting 4 amps there... maybe on a linear actuator to get the lift it'll need. Not sure exactly how much the amps weigh yet, but I'm concerned, to put it mildly, about the structural integrity.

It'll all be fibreglassed, and shouldn't be too much trouble to get it looking nice, within the confines of the seals :)

siamblue
Wednesday 25th May 2005, 22:52
Nice set up Fraz, I bought a slimline PS2 today with 2 pads for £75, As we are taking it with us on hols, And the big PS2 we have is a bit bulky, Now the kids want me to put the PS2 in my car, So will have to buy a inverter. :slap:

p fandango
Wednesday 25th May 2005, 22:58
So will have to buy a inverter. :slap:
& i just happen to have the one spare i used for my PS2 (bit tatty but does the job, £20 plus p&p if your interested mate)

fraz13
Thursday 26th May 2005, 01:34
what you trying to say Fraz :haha:
Nufin mate, just ye change yer choons with the wind but am proud of ye mate :wink: dunno where a got the pennies before but just canny seem to find them anymore or ad be givin ye a run 4 yer money lol

Nice set up Fraz, Now the kids want me to put the PS2 in my car, So will have to buy a inverter. :slap:
Cheers mate :wink: hope that wasnt my fault :haha: Buy Duanes, sounds like a deal 2 me :D

Ian C70T5
Thursday 26th May 2005, 08:09
What are your goals for the system? Best quality possible, or do you just want to replace some blown ones with some not blown ones, or what?

The standard volvo speakers aren't much good, and are pretty easy to blow.. which is made worse by the fact that the OE headunit clips a fair bit.

Which ones do you have. The Ones in my C70 GT are amazing.. i've changed the amp to a 4x100w RMS Magnat amp and its running sweet. 13 Dynaudio speakers in the car, you cant get any better than that for factory fit speakers

d14vd_h
Thursday 26th May 2005, 12:48
Hey Fraz hanks for the offer but mine are 5" and im not up for the cutting!!
....
decided i want kenwood components, mid/bass 5" in the front and tweeters in the dash,
want to do this really cos kenwoods are lookin quite cheap and it matches my back speakers and im prob bein sucked in by the name a bit.
the only ones i can see on the wb seem to be specific renault fitting!!?? whats the deal?
anyone got a good source or a product number - want to sepnd 50 -70 max

d14vd_h
Thursday 26th May 2005, 13:10
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5776795359

what about these????

mulletboy2
Thursday 26th May 2005, 22:55
Which ones do you have.
I have an 850.. so whatever comes in that.. and I assumed, based on Pedro's first response, that he knew that the poster of the thread had an 850 too. I wasn't commenting on the C70's speakers... but since you asked...

Yep, they're not bad... but there's far too many of them (a good system needs only 5, or 7 speakers), and they're in the wrong places. The system is good for a stock system, but it doesn't hold a candle to a well installed and setup aftermarket one.