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Need advice from audiophiles re: augmenting sound system in WRX

6K views 34 replies 15 participants last post by  stanton 
#1 ·
Hi,

I've got some very concrete requirements and was wondering whether some of the more experience audiophiles on this board could offer their advice.

What I'd like to do is to get better quality sound in my WRX wagon. I'm not trying to give my car da boom or anything, just crisper sound without the horrid distortion and lack of clarity the stock WRX sound system has. I'm no audiophile, so maybe I'm lakcing the vocabulary to properly describe the aspects of the current sound system that I don't like.

I'd really like to stick with the stock head unit. I don't want a third party head unit in my dash.

I'm guessing replacing the stock speakers is the *only* thing I can do, right? Any recommendations on what to replace them with?

What sizes are the stock speakers?

thanks!

- j
 
#2 ·
I did a bit of research on this back a month or two ago because the music wasn't loud enough when the windows were open on the highway. I want better bass response and less distortion at higher volumes.

We can get line out converters for our stock head unit, run them to an amplifier, and then to the speakers. Doing just the amp will yield a decent improvement, and a decent amp will cost ~$150-200+

If the amp isn't enough, speakers can be put in, component speakers up front, and rear coax speakers are probalby fine. They will range somewhere in the 125-200 range for front speakers that are nice, and rears will be cheaper (if you do only coax).

Feel free to PM me about this, I got a lot of my info from i-club's stereo gurus. I figured for about $500 I could have a really decent setup without having a sub in place.

I eventually will do this, I've just been spending money on other things lately.

tcc
 
#3 ·
When it comes to car Audio,,then i can help a lot..
=)
If you want good bass response you will need a subwoofer..
You dont need to have a strong setup like i have in my Dakota and will be finally in my WRX.
I have a 1500Watts RMS 1 channel kicker amp for my 1000Watts rms kicker square new sub..
I think if you buy a kicker like the kx70.5 you can have plenty of power to turn one sub and 2 speakers on..
and dont put speakers in the rear..use only 1 pair of speakers at the front and a sub at your trunk,,the sealed box for a kicker sub is very very small.
Thanks
Tuca
 
#4 ·
thechickencow said:
I did a bit of research on this back a month or two ago because the music wasn't loud enough when the windows were open on the highway. I want better bass response and less distortion at higher volumes.
That's exactly what I want.

We can get line out converters for our stock head unit, run them to an amplifier, and then to the speakers. Doing just the amp will yield a decent improvement, and a decent amp will cost ~$150-200+
Interesting... how do the lineout converters attach to the head unit? Do they step down? (deamplify?) Where would you stow the amp?

If the amp isn't enough, speakers can be put in, component speakers up front, and rear coax speakers are probalby fine. They will range somewhere in the 125-200 range for front speakers that are nice, and rears will be cheaper (if you do only coax).
Sounds like a good plan.

Feel free to PM me about this, I got a lot of my info from i-club's stereo gurus. I figured for about $500 I could have a really decent setup without having a sub in place.
500 bucks sounds about right. That was my initial top-end budget.

tcc, sounds like you and I have identical goals when it comes to getting better (but not best) sound out of the WRX. Please let me know if you come up with anything and I'd be happy to participate in a group buy, etc.

cheers,

- j
 
#5 ·
Now i noticed you want a Good Clean Sound.

Take a look at this Sound System,,It is now in My dakota,,but soon it will beon my WRX..
What you guys think??
The Main HP have My NOS setup..
Browse through the Left links that are called Som,,Mais Fotos,,Fotos ,,Turbo..
Thats where it is
Tuca33
Post Replies please
Tuca
 
#11 ·
jutus,

The line out converters will just hook up to the speaker outputs on the back of the stock stereo. Basically you will put the amp under a seat (probably passenger) and run wires from the LOCs (line out converters) to the amp, then back to the speaker wires behind the stock HU.

I'm probably going to wait until spring to do this. It is cold here, and the windows aren't down very much lately. Too many other mods are on the list first!

tcc
 
#12 ·
Jutus, I was in the same place you are a few months ago. Geez, do I need an amp? Where would the subwoofer go? I eventually decided to take it a piece at a time. I knew I would be using new speakers. You can hear the deficiencies in the stock speakers and a lot of people here verify that they are a weak link. I would try just speakers, and then work from there. I already picked out the Alpine deck I would get, and was searching for amps and subs. Under the seat would be nice.

I spent many hours searching for speakers - especially what FITS - and listening to whatever I could in my area.

I ended up at the high-end of the 6 1/2 inch component lines. Where I was considering Rainbow (still never heard one), Infinity Ref./Kapp/Perfect, JL Audio XR, CDT. Everything else I listened to painful. Rockford Fosgates were a joke. Not to say there aren't others out there.

I really narrowed the choices down to Infinity Kappa or Perfect (very different sounds between the two) and JL Audio. The big kicker that drove me to the JL Audio XR650csi was the base response - likened to the Kappas, but with the smooth, un-harsh clarity of the Perfects. Unfortunately, the Perfects don't go very low in frequency - almost guaranteeing a need for a sub.

I had to build spacers, of course, to fit the 6.5's in the front doors. I should post details on that - with the spacer template - to save someone else time.

I Raamatted the exterior skin of the door, with closed cell foam on top of that, then Raamat on the interior to replace the plastic, siliconed the speaker mount and WOW!!

I'm done! Only problem is now my wife wants the same thing in here Forester. :rolleyes:

I would suggest a path like this. You may surpise yourself and save a lot of money. Oh, I got the JL's locally for $260. Much cheaper on eBay, with no warrantee.
 
#15 ·
another option for you guys that are looking at retaining your stock headunit is to use AudioControl...
you can solder RCA ends directly to the outputs of the the stock radio and the use that as the input into either their Four.1 or Three.1 indash EQ's you will have to find a location for them but they will give you a better line level signal to your amplifiers then a line output converter would and will also allow you to have more adjustment of the audio then what the stock unit does....

check them out at www.audiocontrol.com
 
#16 ·
I am an audiophile---just home systems tho. Learnin the car setup slowly.

I just today had Infintiy Reference speakers put in. 6.5 in front, 4" in rear. The difference is wonderful. Not boomy, very responsive. All told, I'm out 150+/- 20 bucks for the speakers, and 80 for the install.

Next up is a 8" self-powered bazooka EL(from my old car). Then as sad as I am to do it, the factory HU is gonna get the heave-ho, in favor of a JVC Arsenal HU(it has a front MP3 input for my 5 gig player).

Then, a 4 channel amp and a EQ in the second half of the left-over DIN space. That outta be enough. Not the "boom-boom" by any means, but sharp and defined music.

Total in end...around 800-1000(the bazooka not figured in) total, install and materials. Hope that might help.
 
#18 ·
2003Platinum said:
Brembo- how was the fit? You liked the Reference better than the Kappa?
How hard is it to get 5 inch in the back? Anyone?
I dunno how hard it was. I paid to have the bits installed. I went with reference rather than Kappa due to sensitivy issues. Kinda hoping to get away without a HU swap. But I'm so anal about sound that I'll prolly get a new HU anyways. The installer had to fab up some brackets for the fronts, and I put 4"ers in the rear. Sub goes in tomorrow...w00t!

I have problems believing that you can image well in a car. Its tough enough to image well in a custom designed A/V room in a house with a multi-thousand dollar speaker setup, I just don't see it happening well in a car ya know? So the References work fine for straight up sound.

Don't get me wrong, the Kappas sound great(I like the JL Extremes better tho). But for the money, the Reference's sounded *almost* as good and the price difference was just too much.

Now if you get some custom mounts, that you can aim speakers and whatnot, Kappas make alot more sense. Friend has some Kappa components, and a Savard iso sub, and custom mounts, and its UNREAL sounding. Granted it cost him lotsa dough, but he spends many hours in the car(commutes into San Fran everyday).

I'm kinda a sound nut at home, car just has to sound good. If I wanna hear cool stuff in car, I rev it hard :D
 
#19 ·
If you guys are looking for sero=ious speakers ,,take a look at Boston Acoustics Pro Series..
Its the Nicest and loudest sound i ever heard in my life..
I have 1 pair at my Dakota R/T ,,but costed me 750 USD the pair
Its very expensive but its worth to take a look at it..
Brembo,,Also i am a Home sound Fan..
Check out my Speaker setup(i use it for my techno music parties =),,,Oh and the place where my Speakers are,,is my Home Studio and Disco (I play Drum and i like to Party)
And check out my Dakota Setup and see if you like the look..
Thanks
Tuca
WRX and Dodge Dakta Pics.
Home Setup
 
#20 ·
What are youre opinions on the polk momo series speakers.
 
#22 ·
This is why i plan to buy the momo set on ebay, save a lot of cash.
 
#23 ·
FYI, MOMO 6.5" DO NOT FIT in the fronts.... trust me.... 7 hours later and just about every creative way imaginable, they don't fit (unless you feel like cutting the door panels!) MOMO has gotten carried away with the sixe of their baskets... way to big...
 
#24 ·
dah, you went and crushed me with that one. Do any of the polk momo sets fit in the front, if not how bad is the cutting.
 
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