Replacement Speakers

[MikeVR6 0]

So the paper cones fitted by Volkswagen in 1995 have now been surpassed by my Justin Bieber collection,

What do you recommend? I Prefer not to cut the parcel shelf or fit boot room hogging subs. Focal, Dynadio, Technics? What's the best bang for buck?

[MikeVR6 0]

Big speakers whilst retaining the OEM look

[fonzooorooo 10]

You'll struggle to fit anything BIGGER in the stock locations (especially behind stock grilles)

 

I've just fitted some JBL plate speakers in the back of ours, but it wasa real pig of a job - I wouldn't recommend it!

 

I'd go for good quality components and 4x6"s in the standard size, then consider a active compact sub hidden in the cabin or built in to the boot.

 

Recommended brands? I'm a low budget kind of guy - I always buy 2nd hand mid range brands - but can't fault Alpine, and have recently had some good results from Kenwood stuff.

Most commonly recommended for a higher budget seems to be Focal.

[VR6 Gar 10]

I just got some 2nd hand Focal components off eBay along with an Alpine amp. Before I saw them I was going to buy some Hertz components which are under £80 delivered.

Add some sound deadening to the doors and speaker pods and you will get a much better sound.

An amp will also help at louder volumes as headunits alone aren't powerful enough, giving a distorted signal which is what destroys speakers.

[MikeVR6 0]

Thanks chaps. Some good pointers there

[fonzooorooo 10]

A little while ago, I was reading on one of the audio forums about fake Hertz speakers on ebay etc... Not the obvious item to expect to find fakes of, so may be worth being a bit wary!

[Jim 2]

I've casually tinkered with changing my car audio in the various Corrado's I've owned over the years, but have always avoided going too hardcore and wiring in amplifiers, etc.

 

Two best things ever were fitting some Infinity Kappa speakers in the dash, instead of the crappy tiny things in there by default.. they didn't really want to fit and I'm ashamed to say I did have to bodge them in by ripping off a bit of the plastic used in the speaker design, but they did sound many orders of magnitude better.. and I suspect someone with some more DIY skills could have implemented them in a nicer, neater way. I'd tried to work out if it was possible to raise the speaker grilles somehow but as usual lost interest.

 

The best other thing was an Infinity Basslink active subwoofer in the boot - you didn't have to have it thumping the bass out, just make the sound much much warmer. This came fitted to my Corrado G60 and it was a brilliant piece of kit - I would like to pick up another some day!

[MikeVR6 0]

I've casually tinkered with changing my car audio in the various Corrado's I've owned over the years, but have always avoided going too hardcore and wiring in amplifiers, etc.

 

Two best things ever were fitting some Infinity Kappa speakers in the dash, instead of the crappy tiny things in there by default.. they didn't really want to fit and I'm ashamed to say I did have to bodge them in by ripping off a bit of the plastic used in the speaker design, but they did sound many orders of magnitude better.. and I suspect someone with some more DIY skills could have implemented them in a nicer, neater way. I'd tried to work out if it was possible to raise the speaker grilles somehow but as usual lost interest.

 

The best other thing was an Infinity Basslink active subwoofer in the boot - you didn't have to have it thumping the bass out, just make the sound much much warmer. This came fitted to my Corrado G60 and it was a brilliant piece of kit - I would like to pick up another some day!

 

That's pretty much what I want to do with mine. I'm not into big sounds and fancy installs. I just want to "OEM Plus" the current setup. The old 1995 paper coned speakers aren't the greatest. So I'm thinking Focal or some other similar mid-budget components in the front and a small sub. But I don't want something that's going to take up too much room or slide around in the boot. I found this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/251332793080?lpid=83&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=83 Blitz Audio jobbie. Has anyone tried these? I'll get the install done professionally and have a bit of Dynamat sound deadening done too. It's a Storm so deserves the best! :)

[VR6 Gar 10]

Fitted my Focals now (Focal 130 A1) and they sound brilliant and just fit in the standard holes without modification. Lots of mid range but as you would expect from a 13cm speaker not much bass, this is taken care of by my pioneer 6x9s in the parcel shelf. Now it is amped it is very easy to get too much bass so no need for a sub and I have faded the system a long way forward.

You should take a look at Silent coat sound deadening. Just as good as Dynamat but a bit cheaper. Comes in 2mm and 4mm and can be bought in bulk packs for £90 ish. Piece of pi** to install.

[MikeVR6 0]

Focals it is! :)

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

MikeVR6 - if you want the best you cant go wrong with Infinity Kappa range.

 

The 5.25" will fit in the door pods, check the depth of the new models tho just to be sure, & the 6*9's can go in the parcel shelf or i think you can get a size to fit in the factory rear positions but im not sure off the top of my head.

 

Supply those via a nice head unit, i currently have a sony DSX-S100 ipod unit for example [and i purchased another one for the gf's storm for £50 off amazon last month ;) ], & you will have awesome sound & no need for a sub as the bass & mid range & clarity of Kappa's are fantastic

 

I have used Kappa range speakers in all my cars for over 15 years & they are very difficult to beat :D

[MikeVR6 0]

MikeVR6 - if you want the best you cant go wrong with Infinity Kappa range.

 

The 5.25" will fit in the door pods, check the depth of the new models tho just to be sure, & the 6*9's can go in the parcel shelf or i think you can get a size to fit in the factory rear positions but im not sure off the top of my head.

 

Supply those via a nice head unit, i currently have a sony DSX-S100 ipod unit for example [and i purchased another one for the gf's storm for £50 off amazon last month ;) ], & you will have awesome sound & no need for a sub as the bass & mid range & clarity of Kappa's are fantastic

 

I have used Kappa range speakers in all my cars for over 15 years & they are very difficult to beat :D

 

I've an Alpine CDE-136BT DAB in mine http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/head-units/players-inc-ipod-control/alp-cde136bt-alpine-cde-136bt-dab

Do you think that's powerful enough to drive the Infinities without an Amp?

I also have a Stealth Shelf lying in my garage unused. So 6x9's with a quick release connection setup would be ideal. I think the standard rears are 6x4 and normally aftermarket speakers don't fit into the enclosures without a bit of fettling.

[MikeVR6 0]

Are these overkill?

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/speakers/component-systems/5-inch-comp-13cm/infinity-kappa-50-11cs-13cm-255w-components

[VR6 Gar 10]

Careful with the Infinitys, that is what were in mine when I bought it and they were too big, the rubber around the speaker was overlapping the edge of the pods. Also Focal speakers are miles better than Infinity. Same goes for Hertz and JL audio. Have a google to see for yourself.

 

Infinty has no 'edge' so catches on the pod mounting point. Sorry for the crap picture, can't find a bigger one

 

Focal has just enough flat so the rubber isn't squashed by the pod.

Edited December 5, 2013 by VR6 Gar

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

I've an Alpine CDE-136BT DAB in mine http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/head-units/players-inc-ipod-control/alp-cde136bt-alpine-cde-136bt-dab

Do you think that's powerful enough to drive the Infinities without an Amp?

I also have a Stealth Shelf lying in my garage unused. So 6x9's with a quick release connection setup would be ideal. I think the standard rears are 6x4 and normally aftermarket speakers don't fit into the enclosures without a bit of fettling.

 

Hi m8

yeah that head unit looks fine, it states 'Power Output: 4 x 50 W High Power Amplifier'.

My sony is 4*52w RMS & drives the 6*9's brilliantly. BUT as the Kappa's are 110W RMS they can take an awful lot more if required.

Always look at the RMS when viewing speakers & head units as that is the true power......rather than all the 'peak power' & other terms they use.

I had a stealth shelf in my old valver rado, again with 6*9 kappa's, & you will benefit from the additional sturdiness of the shelf as it will aid sound quality

[MikeVR6 0]

Went with Hertz in the front and Focal's in the back stock shelves. Dynomatted the doors a bit too. Very happy with the sound although I have the Fader moved almost all the way to the front now. I have a Stealth shelf in the garage but it weighs way more than the standard shelf and 6x9s and their wiring intrude a lot into the boot. Ideally I'd like a small sub and amp in a box around the rear wheel arch. Audioscape used to make these I think.

[Guest petercabrio]

anyone tried these?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ALPINE-VW-CORRADO-88-95-5-25-13cm-2-Way-400-Watts-Coaxial-Front-Door-Speakers-/351126529529?hash=item51c0c5a5f9:g:VxgAAOSwRLZT0OQv

 

or these

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111537852656?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649

[massbad69 10]

Yes I've just bought both sets and the other 2 Alpines to change all 6 in the car.

 

I've only fitted the rear 2 so far and the quality is excellent.

 

I got the little wiring adapters of eBay as well so it's just plug and play.

[Guest petercabrio]

Do the front ones fit in the doors ok?

[massbad69 10]

Do the front ones fit in the doors ok?

 

 

Not fitted them yet but they are all OEM fitment so should be a straight swap, the tears were.

[Guest petercabrio]

Bought the door ones so will find out soon enough

[Jim Bowen 1]

Are these overkill?

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/speakers/component-systems/5-inch-comp-13cm/infinity-kappa-50-11cs-13cm-255w-components

 

I just fitted those to mine.

 

They are ok, but i'm not overly impressed and feel i could of achieved the same with speakers costing half that. Really need some larger rear speakers, (i might go back to fitting some 6x9's)

[kdub 10]

Gents, back in the 90's when ICE was huge I was particular to the odd 2-3000W install here and there (cracked the odd rear window or 3).

 

Forget your 6x9's. Also forget that your head unit is say a 4x50W unit as it will have a continuous output of maybe 5-10W before the head units amp signal starts to degregate and the speakers start to flutter. Usually it is not the speakers that give out. It's the signal they are getting that causes the distortion. More expensive speakers have a little more control and mask the problem a little better hence the higher volume and fuller sound.

 

Always focus on Front for clarity mid/treble and concentrate bass (anywhere in the car) to fill it out.

 

Ideally a matched pair of front speakers/Class D 4 channel amp setup and a small sub will blow high end MODERN car sound systems out the water. It also doesn't cost too much to have a very very decent setup that will fill the car even at low volumes.

 

4 Channel amp with 2 channels bridged. Ideally Class D 4 x75-100W which will give you 2 x 35-50W clean continuous (blow your ears off) and a bridged mono channel of around 100W continuous which will rattle your bones bass wise if so required.

 

There are other ways such as a small 2 channel amp to feed some 6x9's and using your head unit to power the front. This will give you similar quality to high end Audi or Mercedes level sound systems. Its not the speakers in the car that does this, it is usually a higher grade head unit which puts out a much higher continuous sound with a multitude of speakers to give a fullness.

 

 

 

Even something like this would be a major improvement with a decent set of front speakers connected just to the head unit with the bass set at 0 and treble 50% or above. No rear speakers connected and an RCA lead and power supply to the small under seat sub will sound just fine for the average guy wanting a full sound in the car.

http://www.caraudiocentre.co.uk/product_m-in-phase-usw10_p-25817.htm

[Guest petercabrio]

My speakers arrived today and they are OEM replacement, I bought some wiring adapter for £3, so plug and play

 

 

 

Old vs New

 

 

Old before removal

 

 

New one in place

 

 

Wired in

 

Front view

[MikeVR6 0]

Look good. Especially for around £70 all in.