[XtremeRevolution]

I'm also very interested in buying the kits! I think I'll purchase first only the speakers, and in a later date, the sub. I'll be following this thread to try and buy one kit as soon as it's ready!

That is a perfectly good approach. I would recommend getting the 5CH amplifier so you can just add the sub and sub box at a later date. This will still give you excellent results but will cut a few hundred dollars off of the initial cost of getting the system installed while leaving room for the sub later.

I am interested in some kind of audio kit as well. I am ready for an upgrade and I thank Xtreme for paving the way.

Glad to hear it. I should be able to make a lot of progress this weekend.

 

[Chainringtattoo]

That is a perfectly good approach. I would recommend getting the 5CH amplifier so you can just add the sub and sub box at a later date. This will still give you excellent results but will cut a few hundred dollars off of the initial cost of getting the system installed while leaving room for the sub later.




Glad to hear it. I should be able to make a lot of progress this weekend.

I'm with @Brett67. I'm interested in an upgrade also but I believe both of us have the Bose system and think I remember you saying there are some differences you'd have to work with. Is that correct?

 

[XtremeRevolution]

I'm with @Brett67. I'm interested in an upgrade also but I believe both of us have the Bose system and think I remember you saying there are some differences you'd have to work with. Is that correct?

Yes, I would have to go back through the service manual and check the wire colors you'll need to splice into for the BOSE system, and I'd also need to have a BOSE car to tune as I'm sure there is some processing done by the amplifier.

You'll be able to adapt my whole design with the BOSE system but it will take a bit of extra work.

 

[mig_akira]

That is a perfectly good approach. I would recommend getting the 5CH amplifier so you can just add the sub and sub box at a later date. This will still give you excellent results but will cut a few hundred dollars off of the initial cost of getting the system installed while leaving room for the sub later.




Glad to hear it. I should be able to make a lot of progress this weekend.

Oh yes, sorry, I meant purchasing the speakers and the 5CH amplifier! Hopefully it won't be long until I'm able to purchase the sub as well! Thanks, can't wait until the project is finished =D

 

[Brett67]

I'm with @Brett67. I'm interested in an upgrade also but I believe both of us have the Bose system and think I remember you saying there are some differences you'd have to work with. Is that correct?

I actually do not have the Bose. When I got my car, it was the choice of Recaro or Bose, I chose the Recaro option. Now I need to get the sounds improved.

 

[Corpus]

I've been tracking this thread for a while now and I reviewed it briefly to see if this question has been asked but couldn't find anything. There has been a lot of discussion about changing out the door/pillar speakers and leaving the sub for later. I'm not super keen on getting into the door or pillar because I have been known to break the plastic tabs of the panels in other cars past when doing this. Is there any thought or discussion to adding a sub (I have the most basic sound system, no sub) and leaving the other speakers stock?

 

[XtremeRevolution]

I've been tracking this thread for a while now and I reviewed it briefly to see if this question has been asked but couldn't find anything. There has been a lot of discussion about changing out the door/pillar speakers and leaving the sub for later. I'm not super keen on getting into the door or pillar because I have been known to break the plastic tabs of the panels in other cars past when doing this. Is there any thought or discussion to adding a sub (I have the most basic sound system, no sub) and leaving the other speakers stock?

If you're not willing to pull the door panels or trim, don't bother with this upgrade at all. That is the absolute minimum you should do, and it's not anywhere near as bad as it sounds. Absolute worst case, you replace a few trim retainers on the door panel. I didn't and it has held on fine.

 

[BBadger]

If you're not willing to pull the door panels or trim, don't bother with this upgrade at all. That is the absolute minimum you should do, and it's not anywhere near as bad as it sounds. Absolute worst case, you replace a few trim retainers on the door panel. I didn't and it has held on fine.

XR - for someone who doesn't want to get too deep in the wood$ what are you're thoughts on just swapping out the 6.5" door panel speakers with some 2 way coaxials? Would you need crossovers too? Would the pillar tweeters fight the coax ones? It seems that you can get some significant improvements just by replacing the door speakers with better quality ones. Thanks - half deaf in one ear anyway.

 

[XtremeRevolution]

XR - for someone who doesn't want to get too deep in the wood$ what are you're thoughts on just swapping out the 6.5" door panel speakers with some 2 way coaxials? Would you need crossovers too? Would the pillar tweeters fight the coax ones? It seems that you can get some significant improvements just by replacing the door speakers with better quality ones. Thanks - half deaf in one ear anyway.

The tweeter pillars would cause some issues with the coaxials. You can get away with a pair of good door speakers like what I've been doing for a while without too much issue but running two tweeters up front doesn't work very well. Your results will be consistent with the effort invested in the project, bottom line.

I'd throw in a good set of door speakers to replace the current ones. Something with a strong motor, but I wouldn't run coaxials.

 

[BBadger]

Will you offer a door only kit? I’ll wait as I’m in no hurry to do this. Thinking winter project

 

[XtremeRevolution]

Will you offer a door only kit? I’ll wait as I’m in no hurry to do this. Thinking winter project

Yeah, if you wanted just the door upgrade (that's all I have working on my car right now), I can certainly get you just door speakers. Big upgrade over the stock door speakers.

Sent from my BlackBerry Key2 using Tapatalk

 

[DCYeahThatsMe]

What's the recommended 6.5" speakers that seems to be the consensus of replacement for the Bose system - keeping everything else (tweeter, sub) in tact.

 

[Santtu]

Unfortunately the speaker and amplifier brands (Symphony, Phantom etc) selected here are not available in EU, and ordering from US will often include inhuman freight costs (sometimes up over 300 USD for sending to EU, insane). I have a good selection of Autohifi available locally but my problem is that the selection is too good, very difficult to pick similar / matching parts. Also, as in global trade, exactly same stuff can be for sale under different brand and you just need to know that. Pioneer, Alpine, JBL, Gladen, SBL, Hertz, Ground Zero, Kenwood etc few dozen more but no Symphony or Phantom.

The new thread for @XtremeRevolution FITS install is here https://www.124spider.org/threads/fits-fun-in-the-sun-sound-system-upgrade-installation.33064/ but it is still missing order details for door speakers, tweeters, DSP + Amplifier and base. Seems there is also life getting away on this hobby as the thread has been quiet already for some time. I am hungry to get this started... I do not need the whole kit, I have plenty of manufacturing capability, wiring, tools etc at my possession. I.e. looking to get the correct speakers and amp at my hands and then swing it from there.

Also, not keen on using the passanger footwell for space, rather utilize the space under the hood / behind the seats for amps and base itself. For what I can see there should be plenty of room but it may need cutting in to the trims.

While impatiently waiting... To begin with and to have a sensible discussion with local Auto Hifi vendors I am looking for the specs of the factory Lusso non-bose Audio system. I collected these from few sources and think they are like this:

Factory Lusso non-bose amplifier (TAU):

• max output: 25x4 watts
• output impedance: 4 ohms
• Location and wiring http://www.billavista.com/spider/Articles/Tapping_Into_TAU/

Factory Lusso non-bose door speakers:

• 3,4 - 4,6 ohms
• No clue or RMS values for these
• Diameter 6,5"
• Door space with max 2,5" depth

Factory Lusso non-bose A-pillar tweeters:

• 3,4 - 4,6 ohms
• Diameter 1", can fit up to 2" but will need cutting in to trims

Headrest speakers: 3,4 - 4,6 ohms (dont touch), keep them as is

Can anyone verify or add to the factory specs?

 

[XtremeRevolution]

Unfortunately the speaker and amplifier brands (Symphony, Phantom etc) selected here are not available in EU, and ordering from US will often include inhuman freight costs (sometimes up over 300 USD for sending to EU, insane). I have a good selection of Autohifi available locally but my problem is that the selection is too good, very difficult to pick similar / matching parts. Also, as in global trade, exactly same stuff can be for sale under different brand and you just need to know that. Pioneer, Alpine, JBL, Gladen, SBL, Hertz, Ground Zero, Kenwood etc few dozen more but no Symphony or Phantom.

The new thread for @XtremeRevolution FITS install is here https://www.124spider.org/threads/fits-fun-in-the-sun-sound-system-upgrade-installation.33064/ but it is still missing order details for door speakers, tweeters, DSP + Amplifier and base. Seems there is also life getting away on this hobby as the thread has been quiet already for some time. I am hungry to get this started... I do not need the whole kit, I have plenty of manufacturing capability, wiring, tools etc at my possession. I.e. looking to get the correct speakers and amp at my hands and then swing it from there.

Also, not keen on using the passanger footwell for space, rather utilize the space under the hood / behind the seats for amps and base itself. For what I can see there should be plenty of room but it may need cutting in to the trims.

While impatiently waiting... To begin with and to have a sensible discussion with local Auto Hifi vendors I am looking for the specs of the factory Lusso non-bose Audio system. I collected these from few sources and think they are like this:

Factory Lusso non-bose amplifier (TAU):

• max output: 25x4 watts
• output impedance: 4 ohms
• Location and wiring http://www.billavista.com/spider/Articles/Tapping_Into_TAU/

Factory Lusso non-bose door speakers:

• 3,4 - 4,6 ohms
• No clue or RMS values for these
• Diameter 6,5"
• Door space with max 2,5" depth

Factory Lusso non-bose A-pillar tweeters:

• 3,4 - 4,6 ohms
• Diameter 1", can fit up to 2" but will need cutting in to trims

Headrest speakers: 3,4 - 4,6 ohms (dont touch), keep them as is

Can anyone verify or add to the factory specs?

Hang in there, this will get done. I made a commitment to this community and I will see it through. The result will be worth the wait. Life did get in the way, in many ways. A personal injury that kept me indoors, an exceptionally rainy Spring season, an exceptionally hot beginning of summer, having to move my entire office, and a family. I still have an EC tune I got 9 months ago that I haven't yet installed. This is coming as soon as I can get it.

BTW, thank you for posting the impedance of the drivers.That will help us.

 

[Santtu]

Hang in there, this will get done.

Holding my breath.

Back to the question of locations: I am seriously thinking of this space under the hood / roll bars and behind the seats for he base and amplifier:

Not yet sure if this hole can fit a 10" base there but for the perspective or various pictures that I can see it should be close. Been googling around so see if Miata MK4 owners would have implemented this already in their cars but failed to find a good project log (except for this image). Is there a reason I fail to see why this location would not fit the amp and base?

 

[azzura]

In the centre you've got the storage compartment that you would have to lose, but then you would have a nice access door to reach in. Also at the sides I guess that space is partly filled by the storage "pouch" behind the seats.

That looks like a serious amount of dismantling, I thought that was your car @Santtu for a minute!

 

[Santtu]

In the centre you've got the storage compartment that you would have to lose, but then you would have a nice access door to reach in. Also at the sides I guess that space is partly filled by the storage "pouch" behind the seats.

Those pouches I am ok to loose, not the glove box in center. But looking at it there should be plenty of space.

That looks like a serious amount of dismantling, I thought that was your car @Santtu for a minute!

Nope, that is just a random but related picture I found from the depths of Internet

 

[nemesis]

Any progress on this? I started reading this post for the first time, and read all the way through, all the while becoming more and more committed to the idea... looking forward to completion and availability... thanks for all your efforts!

 

[XtremeRevolution]

Any progress on this? I started reading this post for the first time, and read all the way through, all the while becoming more and more committed to the idea... looking forward to completion and availability... thanks for all your efforts!

Too much going on with life to make any significant progress here this season. The project is still moving forward though!

 

[nemesis]

I apologize if I missed it somewhere in the thread, but did you address how the rear channels will be handled? Obviously someone with as much experience in audio as you have understands how most modern audio is split front/rear. Are we depending on the headrest speakers for the rear channels? I’m sure (if that’s the case) that your “tune” for the soundstage will be set up with that in mind. And, I’m sure those outside the vehicle when you’re in top-down mode won’t notice the reduced output on the rear channels. I personally would be willing to build enclosures for the cubbies behind the seats for mid drivers, but that would really expand your tuning endeavor, and would require determining the best location for tweeters, massively reducing power to them, adding another four channel amp (or using components), another processor, etc., etc.... sorry, not trying to further complicate things, just thinking out loud. Then of course the distance from speakers to listener would be different, and I don’t know that you could compensate for that if you’re running separate processors... never mind, I’m going way down the rabbit hole here!