[thatryan]

Originally Posted by Larry Chijner

Change out the front stage speakers with Bavsound,Focal,or Hybrid-Audio. Focal makes underneath subs or Earthquake makes direct replacement. Better yet if you can give up a littl of your trunk space add a Jl audio 12 Thin line Sub and small Dedicated amp for the sub.
It will sound great but the sub is a must if you want it to sound best. If you can't do it all do the sub and amp .

Larry Chijner. IASCA Sound Quality Pro Class
1995-2005 World Champion

Thanks Larry, though I really like this sub setup that takes up no usable space.. http://musicarnw.com/oe-look-subwoof...-sedan-f30f80/

Anyone make something similar?

[Technic]

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...91&postcount=1

Originally Posted by thatryan

Thanks Larry, though I really like this sub setup that takes up no usable space.. http://musicarnw.com/oe-look-subwoof...-sedan-f30f80/

Anyone make something similar?

[thatryan]

Thanks man, never heard of Ark subs...are they good?

I would still need an amp, harness and signal processor (or whatever?) to move bass notes from under seat woofers yeah?

[Larry Chijner]

Arc Audio is a very good company. They also make great amps.
High end quality and reasonably priced. Good luck!

[mathematics]

Originally Posted by instalher

I would just install a ms-8 and be done with it. the hk speakes are pretty damn good. ,

MS-8 is trash. PP82DSP or Helix P Six DSP are the way to go.

[mathematics]

Originally Posted by Larry Chijner

Arc Audio is a very good company. They also make great amps.
High end quality and reasonably priced. Good luck!

`

[thatryan]

Been looking around for quality speakers to upgrade, anyone seen these? Look like right sizing... With a true crossover yeah? Is there room in the door panels to mount it?

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-e2FYZlb...er-100KRS.html

[thatryan]

Though I guess you would need 3 sets of those yeah? Front doors, rear doors and rear deck? Then a single 4" woofer to replace center channel. Focal it looks like makes underseat sub replacements too, anyone used those before?

Dang expensive though, just speakers ha.

[Gingerkid]

Originally Posted by thatryan

Though I guess you would need 3 sets of those yeah? Front doors, rear doors and rear deck? Then a single 4" woofer to replace center channel. Focal it looks like makes underseat sub replacements too, anyone used those before?

Dang expensive though, just speakers ha.

My shop is recommending one pair and disabling the center. Powered by a JL XD600/6.

[thatryan]

Originally Posted by Gingerkid

My shop is recommending one pair and disabling the center. Powered by a JL XD600/6.

So the rear doors and rear deck remain OEM?

[mathematics]

don't use rear speakers. rear speakers are for communists. so is a center channel.

[thatryan]

Originally Posted by mathematics

don't use rear speakers. rear speakers are for communists. so is a center channel.

Lol I keep seeing this "communist plot" pop up around center and rear speakers... Why is that? If no rear speaker any passengers would be SOL for tunes..

Just occurred to me, if I play most of my music through Spotify connected via cable, will I even notice a quality bump if I upgrade system components?

[thatryan]

Is there a place that sells quality speaker adapters/spacers for doors and under seats?

[bri1042]

Originally Posted by thatryan

Lol I keep seeing this "communist plot" pop up around center and rear speakers... Why is that? If no rear speaker any passengers would be SOL for tunes..

Just occurred to me, if I play most of my music through Spotify connected via cable, will I even notice a quality bump if I upgrade system components?

Since no one is chiming in and I'm working from home on something boring, I'll hit the first question. Note, this was something I was not really in agreement with a couple of years ago but mostly agree with now.

Center Speakers are a communist plot because the music we are playing in our cars is mastered to two channels. Proper imaging of 2-channel sources is best done with two speakers (and a subwoofer) to avoid damaging the stereo separation and the oddness that comes with artificial surround sound processing. Even in a car where you are sitting really close to one of the two primary audio sources, with proper speaker timing and tuning you can achieve a proper stereo balance (though probably just for the driver).

I'd be willing to try a center again with a DSP that has good and proper Center imaging, but I'm guessing I'd end up disconnecting it again.

Center Speakers on two channel just mask the difficulty of tuning it well enough and generally just muck up the sound. Some DSP's apparently do a relatively decent job of it, but it's still not really "proper" for two-channel music. It's just a cheat. Some people like the cheat. I did until I experienced a system balanced by a professional.

Rear Speakers: This is the subject that took the longest time for me to give in on. In previous cars, I would fade the sound stage to right by my ears. I liked it that way. The pro that I work with was very against it. He sets things for a forward sound stage...so it's more like you're at a concert. I went with his settings, got used to it and now really like it that way. It's the same way I, and most folk, listen to music at home and after a while I can't figure out why I ever wanted it another way. My rear speakers are still there (PDC...need em!) but they aren't set very loud compared to my fronts. They give a little rear-fill but not a ton.

Opinion on question 2: If your source is crappy, might as well give the crappy source as much of a chance of sounding less crappy that you can? I only do CD's and high bit rate MP3's, I don't do streamed music so I actually have no idea what affect better speakers will have on streamed music.

[thatryan]

Thanks for that explanation, helps understand it

Guess it confuses me because why put so many speaker in the car? Ideal for movies? Lol

My car has what, 16 speakers (mids+tweets+woofers) so why put so many?

I am (kinda) talking with Ken from musicarnw lol, sporadic but I think I'm just gonna drop the coin and have them build and send me a complete system of awesome I can install.

I just orders about 20 CDs also now to find a damn CD player to rip with

[bri1042]

I tossed a query to the group mind about the millions of speakers in cars on here a while ago. There are, I think, two reasons for it:

1. The artificial surround processing of the Logic7, Acura ELS, and other systems use it. Some folk like it, some don't.

2. To deal with multiple listening positions within the very audio-stage compromised environment of a car. If the sound is coming from many points, the rear-right passenger is less likely to feel like they are sitting on the right-side speaker.

I am in Portland...MusicarNW is who takes care of my car. Ken knows his stuff and weaned me off of the middle-of-the-car sound stage thing.

[thatryan]

So if you set up epic audio in the car, and take a road trip with 3 friends, will it sound like crap to them? Lol

[6spdcoupe]

Originally Posted by thatryan

So if you set up epic audio in the car, and take a road trip with 3 friends, will it sound like crap to them? Lol

No, because it is still coming from in front of them, as it should be.
Ever been to a concert with musicians or instruments behind you ? Neither have I.


Stereo is Left/Right, not front/rear/center/top/bottom and whatever other crap manufacturers wanna throw out there.

[thatryan]

Originally Posted by 6spdcoupe

No, because it is still coming from in front of them, as it should be.
Ever been to a concert with musicians or instruments behind you ? Neither have I.


Stereo is Left/Right, not front/rear/center/top/bottom and whatever other crap manufacturers wanna throw out there.

Good points

Making me feel better about the recommendations to kill center speaker and only upgrade the fronts.

I was worrying that would make not sound well for anyone but driver/front seats.

[bri1042]

It sounds best from the driver's seat, but you can always tick the balance over a notch to even it out when you have passengers. Rear seat passengers are just fine since they are further away from the primary speakers and aren't as affected by the tuning for the driver's seat.

[thatryan]

So when properly setup, what speakers actually produce sound during music?

- Front doors
- Underseats
- Trunk Sub

Center, rear doors and rear deck produce no music?

[bri1042]

My center is disconnected. My rear door speakers (I don't have rear deck...my car started with HiFi, not HK) produce music, but not very loudly. They are there for a subtle "fill"...and PDC beeps.