Sound Improvements (on a budget!)

Posted By: Anonymous

Sound Improvements (on a budget!) - 16/02/2006 04:49

OK Guys, some help please.

I have currently got a Sony xr-c550rds radio/tape and sony cdx-656 cd changer and original speakers. I am no audiophile, but it doesn't sound great and I want try and improve it while spending as little as possible. So my plan is:

- Cheap branded (eg £30 Alpine) replacement 6.5"s in the front and similar 6x9's in the back.
- Sound deadening in the doors (roof flashing from B&Q).

Will this make a noticeable difference and should I do anything about tweeters, crossovers and cables?

I think my headunit has an aux in, can I use this for an mp3/DAB radio?

Posted By: bockers

Re: Sound Improvements (on a budget!) - 16/02/2006 05:15

Yes it will make a massive difference. I replaced my front speakers and was a bit dissapointed until I did the sound deadening and it was amazing. If you are on a bugget you can keep the standard tweeters, they are not too bad.

Replacing the rears with 6x9s attaked to the metal panel rather than the OEs which are attached to the plastic panel, again make a big difference. Again adding sound deadening for best effect. The 6x9s do fit but it takes a bit of trial and error to ensure all four corners can be screwed to the metal, well worth the effort. Even better is to mount them to some MDF and then mount this to the bodywork.

It depend on yr budget re crossovers, a good set of components can be had for 100 quid and these will include crossovers BUT you will need to re-wire the front speakers. Best to leave this to when or if you get a power amp IMHO.

Aux in can be used for any MP3 player just buy a lead from Maplin etc for about a fiver.

Hows the car BTW?

John

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Sound Improvements (on a budget!) - 16/02/2006 05:30

Thks John, I'll go for this for now - I'm no expert so I hope this will do for me. BTW when you do the deadening is it on the outer door skin or the bit that the door card is attached too? (I can't get any of the photos from previous posts to load).

The cars going great. I keep meaning to do a "after 1 week with my coop ...." post but have never got around to it. Had no problems at all in the first 500 miles and oil pressure gauge hasn't moved from 3bar (probably broken

). I spent some time looking for the oil temp gauge.......

Brakes arent quite as sharp as I'd like although better since they've had some abuse. I've got new rear disks and pads on order but I doubt that will make much difference.

The front end doesn't feel as planted as it should but I haven't run out of grip yet. May consider a strut brace to try and sharpen that up. Although tbh I haven't even checked the tyre pressures yet.

Basically though it is pretty bang and can imagine myself keeping it for quite a while maybe with a few mild "improvements"!

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Sound Improvements (on a budget!) - 16/02/2006 19:42

Try bleeding the brakes

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Sound Improvements (on a budget!) - 16/02/2006 20:01

Quote:

- Sound deadening in the doors (roof flashing from B&Q).

What is this? Something from B&Q you can use as sound deadening?

May get soem when I get the MDF. Any more details?

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Sound Improvements (on a budget!) - 16/02/2006 20:59

Quote:

Try bleeding the brakes

Yeh - This is definately on the list as theres a lot of squish at the moment.

Quote:

Quote:

- Sound deadening in the doors (roof flashing from B&Q).

What is this? Something from B&Q you can use as sound deadening?

This is John's (Bockers) idea as a cheap alternative to Dynomat. Basically it is the stuff use to flash roofs around flues etc. Sheets or aluminium foil with stick tar on one side - I'll see if I can find a link.

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Sound Improvements (on a budget!) - 16/02/2006 21:09

I think this is the kind of stuff Clicky

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Sound Improvements (on a budget!) - 16/02/2006 21:30

Hmm. So if I'm doing the rear speakers, should I stick this against the skin of the car?

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Sound Improvements (on a budget!) - 16/02/2006 21:38

Best to wait for John to reply otherwise this will get a bit third-hand!

(But from what I understand the advice is 1) attached the speakers to the metal of the car body not to plastic side planel as per standard 2) cover the metal that you are attaching the speakers to and surrounding area with the sound deadening material - if you can get to the outskin of the car as well then great.)

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Sound Improvements (on a budget!) - 16/02/2006 21:42

Anyone got an opion bewteen these 2?

JBLs

Infinities

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Sound Improvements (on a budget!) - 16/02/2006 21:53

None

I would go for a component set.
But if you choose between those 2 also think at the holes and fitting.
I would go for Infinity I think.
Usually I spend more than I can afford on sound in the cars

I would NEVER chop the rear covers to fit some 6x9 speakers.
They look BAD.
Why do people try to fit 6x9 speakers in the coop ? Do you think 6x9's sound better or what is the ideea ?

Get dome decent 6.5" speakers with filter and fit them in the back.
I am running medium and tewters in the front and I am running 2x 6.5" in the back also but something that would give a bit more beat.
I have isolated the holes with same material used in subwoofer housings and the sound is perfect.
For who wants more bass , get a bass box in the boot or get a flat active subwoofer.

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Sound Improvements (on a budget!) - 16/02/2006 22:00

Jax - I'm confused

These are both 6.5" and they are for the front.

(If I put 6x9's in the back you don't need to chop anything and I was assuming that the larger size would give better bass)

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Sound Improvements (on a budget!) - 16/02/2006 22:03

In the back are also 6.5"
If you want to keep it on the budget go for the infinity.
And to put 6x9 in the back you need to chop

For example this set P6.2 proper installed will give you more bass than most of the 6x9 out there.

Forgot link

http://cgi.ebay.de/Orion-P6-2-2-Wege-Kom...1QQcmdZViewItem

Posted By: bockers

Re: Sound Improvements (on a budget!) - 16/02/2006 23:12

I managed to get 6x9s in the rear without cutting and keep the plastic panel standard. I put 6x9s in because I had a pair of infinity ones that had been fitted in my Punto.

With the sound deadening material laid on the metal and then the speakers mounted through that to the inner car frame the sound is quite good. With the speakers that low down the sound is never going to be that great but I like it. Plenty of bass on a budget.

Agree that there are better solutions than 6x9 but as they were free they will do untill I have fixed a few other bits on the car

John

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Sound Improvements (on a budget!) - 17/02/2006 18:53

Well , he said budged

so I guess the speakers he saw on ebay will do.
If you take pannels of , put some sund dampening material there , the quality will improove a loot.

@bockers : I really don't know how you fited the 6x9 in there without cjopping the pannels.... seems quite impossible without using some adapters or something.

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Sound Improvements (on a budget!) - 22/02/2006 16:20

Quote:

- Sound deadening in the doors (roof flashing from B&Q).

Hi

Can someone please bore me with the specifics of installing this...

Where exactly do you stick it? Do you have to remove any panels or does it stick over the doors, roof, speakers? Mega confused

Posted By: bockers

Re: Sound Improvements (on a budget!) - 22/02/2006 19:09

Nazo

The stuff is basically tar backed foil. For best results it should first be applied to the door skin. I have not done this, for two reasons.
1. I have dents in my door that need fixing and think this stuff would make the job harder for a dent man.
2. It is bloody hard to acces the skin through all the gubbins in the door (window winder and cables etc).

Therefore I just covered the innerskin of the door completely. I used a hairdryer to make the stuff stick and cleaned the pvc door liner first as well.

After I had applied it and presssed it down well using a 1 inch wallpaper roller, then cut out the holes for the door card bolts and clips etc. Then the hole for the door handle and catch and finally the speaker hole.

I then mounted the speaker and replaced the door card.

It makes a fantastic difference to the sound of the stereo and also reduces road noise and boom inside the car.

John

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Sound Improvements (on a budget!) - 23/02/2006 16:41

Good man Bockers

Many thanks for the info..

Now need to find the time to get it done.. or pay someone to do it for me