850 ice upgrade

[Ettienne]

I'm driving the olive a lot more but I must say the stereo is well past it especially the speakers, they are not liking my hair bands or anything else.

I've got a new head unit to stick in but what do people do to upgrade the speakers, apart from buy a p2 lol

[MaxTS]

Have you looked at S70/V70 speakers as the ones in mine R are really good, as good as the brand new Volvo's I drive at work. Failing that the C70 are said to have good speakers.

[Ettienne]

Have you looked at S70/V70 speakers as the ones in mine R are really good, as good as the brand new Volvo's I drive at work. Failing that the C70 are said to have good speakers.

C70 don't fit, not sure about the s70r ones, I didn't know if there were off the shelf up grades.

[p fandango]

i'm sure 5.25"s fit straight in the front doors, but need new holes drilling for the screws. & Autoleads used to make adapters for the rear doors

[Ettienne]

i'm sure 5.25"s fit straight in the front doors, but need new holes drilling for the screws. & Autoleads used to make adapters for the rear doors

Are we talking c70 duane? If so that's what I'll go for I just thought only the tweeters fitted.

[Dangerous Dave]

The rear door speakers are wierd they have a flat part on the speaker frame so they fit within space available (being at the bottom of the door).

I've found my 850 seems a to have a lot more bass from the rear speakers than my V70 does.

I remember seeing an adapter for the front speakers (as they sit in some sort of offset frame) but can't remember seeing anything about the rears.

May be a case of DIY it :/

[Ettienne]

Found these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VOLVO-850-92-97-Front-ALPINE-Car-Speakers-Speaker-Adaptors-SAK-3204-/171970769036?hash=item280a41b08c:g:2s0AAOxyLm9TCSs G

[Ettienne]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volvo-850-91-96-130mm-Car-Speaker-Adaptors-/360860452015?hash=item5404f584af:g:NFUAAOxyLm9S~km V

[Ettienne]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volvo-850-Front-Dash-speakers-Mac-Audio-3-5-87mm-car-speaker-kit-140W-/181215677226?hash=item2a314bcb2a:g:XrkAAOSwo0JWG5x 6

[Ettienne]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volvo-850-Front-Dash-speakers-Alpine-3-5-87cm-car-speaker-kit-150W-Max-/111572471822?fits=Car+Make%3AVolvo%7CModel%3A850&hash=item19fa3cd00e:g:pxAAAOSw8d9Us8MO

Can someone have a look at the links and offer opinion and what exactly is needed

[p fandango]

Are we talking c70 duane? If so that's what I'll go for I just thought only the tweeters fitted.
no aftermarket universal speakers

[Dangerous Dave]

Can someone have a look at the links and offer opinion and what exactly is needed

I like that front door kit, though only 35 watts RMS.

The front dash speakers are really only tweeters, so probably not worth swapping out.

Those rear door adapters with the flat bits on will reduce the speaker size to 5.25". Not sure if the size difference will affect the sound output, depends on what speaker you put in there I suppose.

Then you'll need to amplify any upgraded speakers to get any good gains (depending on what quality speaker you use), plus possibly upgrade the speaker wiring as Volvo used thin stuff.

[Ettienne]

I'd like hassle free as much as possible, I have the original Volvo amp or the new head unit built in amp, is either any good?

[p fandango]

The front dash speakers are really only tweeters, so probably not worth swapping out.

Those rear door adapters with the flat bits on will reduce the speaker size to 5.25". Not sure if the size difference will affect the sound output, depends on what speaker you put in there I suppose.
i had 2 sets of 5.25" components, mids in the door with the tweeters under the factory dash grills to start (then moved to the top of A pillar). With the rears copying, ie 5.25" in the door with the tweeters on the B-pillar. I used the factory wiring into the doors as couldn't be bothered to mess. Being a saloon I removed the rear parcel shelve speakers & just left the grills. Then had 3x15's in the boot

[Ettienne]

I think 3 15 subs in the bot a bit much for me lol, doors speakers sound ok idea.

Is there anywhere to put a small sub and would it run off the original amp and where would it be wired into

[p fandango]

i've seen some people use the spare wheel well for a sub, but think you'll need a separate amp

[500tie]

If you don't want a ridiculous amount of bass and you just want a reasonable sound I'd go for. An aftermarket head unit, an under seat or a pair of under seat subwoofers. That way you can turn all the bass off from the standard speakers they would essentially just be mids and tweeters, and all the bass through the small subwoofers. That should give a sound that would rival most newer cars

[p fandango]

i miss my stereo :(

http://i791.photobucket.com/albums/yy196/pedro-fandango/Volvo/mine/BT/Stereo/nys15.jpg

http://i791.photobucket.com/albums/yy196/pedro-fandango/Volvo/mine/BT/Stereo/nys12.jpg

[Ettienne]

i miss my stereo :(

http://i791.photobucket.com/albums/yy196/pedro-fandango/Volvo/mine/BT/Stereo/nys15.jpg

http://i791.photobucket.com/albums/yy196/pedro-fandango/Volvo/mine/BT/Stereo/nys12.jpg

That's a very nice looking install, especially for you Duane, you sure it's not a google library pic lol.

[Ettienne]

If you don't want a ridiculous amount of bass and you just want a reasonable sound I'd go for. An aftermarket head unit, an under seat or a pair of under seat subwoofers. That way you can turn all the bass off from the standard speakers they would essentially just be mids and tweeters, and all the bass through the small subwoofers. That should give a sound that would rival most newer cars

That's sounds perfect for me but you'd have to show me how to wire it up.

I have found a cheap standard fit spare wheel well sub with built in amp a bit like the p2r ones just in the wheel well, I think it's a Bose one.

[500tie]

Etienne. If it's made by Bose it'll be a very good piece of kit they don't make rubbish, pre- amped is also the easiest and most simplistic way. No dramas helping you wire it up mate it's quite easy really, it's the tidying of wires etc that takes the real time.

Pfandango that's a beautiful vibe set up mate with a ported ski hatch too nice work.

[Ettienne]

Etienne. If it's made by Bose it'll be a very good piece of kit they don't make rubbish, pre- amped is also the easiest and most simplistic way. No dramas helping you wire it up mate it's quite easy really, it's the tidying of wires etc that takes the real time.

Pfandango that's a beautiful vibe set up mate with a ported ski hatch too nice work.

I'll have a look for one of the bose after I've done the door speakers.

I know pedro's car looks a nice bit of kit and clean install, hardly believable, doesn't look like that now it's been apart for a good few years.

How far are you away from finishing Pedro

[p fandango]

That's a very nice looking install, especially for you Duane, you sure it's not a google library pic lol.
lol i enjoy doing stereo installs so always take my time & make them neat, even on what little wiring is left on BT now even the cable ties have to be in the same direction & equally spaced

[p fandango]

Pfandango that's a beautiful vibe set up mate with a ported ski hatch too nice work.
thanks, the ski hatch was the only rattle i had out of the system which the port solved

what i liked was except for a few giveaways, most of the system hid away.

http://i791.photobucket.com/albums/yy196/pedro-fandango/Volvo/mine/BT/Stereo/nys18.jpg

http://i791.photobucket.com/albums/yy196/pedro-fandango/Volvo/mine/BT/Stereo/current3.jpg

[p fandango]

I know pedro's car looks a nice bit of kit and clean install, hardly believable, doesn't look like that now it's been apart for a good few years.
she has changed a bit, just the sound of the engine to listen too now lol


How far are you away from finishing Pedro
i really want to get her back on the road for my 40th in March, but we've got alot going on at the minute