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1979-1993 & 94 Conv [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Hooking up an aftermarket amp to the stock stereo is not very easy (many shops will just say they can't do it). The only easy way to do it is to use the speaker level lines to the amp. Not good sounding.
Replacing your 10 year old very tired and not good to start with factory speakers will make a big difference. Speakers generally fall into four categories (speaking very broadly)
- The ones that cost $20-$50 (depending on size)
- The ones that cost $60-100
- The ones over $100 but not ridiculously expensive
- The ridiculously expensive (like $350 for 4" separates)
I would strongly recommend against the first category. If you listen to them side by side with just slightly better speakers you can hear the difference. Get at least ones in the second category, but you will be able to tell the difference each category up. If you are pushing them with the stock stereo, the 2nd category makes the most sense.
If you you are just looking for a little better sound, then disregard the rest of my post. I'm kind of an audio quality nut (not a "louder is better" but a "sound quality" guy). I also like to use the stock speaker locations in a c900 for cleanliness.
In general, for really good sound, your soundstage must be comming primarily from in front of you. This is a challenge on our cars due to the 4" front speakers. Many people pop 6x9s in the back either with adapters or by cutting into the rear deck (ugh!). The problem with this is your 6x9s usually overpower your front 4" speakers thereby giving you the unpleasant experience of all your sound coming from behind you. This is necessary because you can't get any bass out of the 4" dash speakers, so when you turn the rear speakers up enough to hear the bass, the mids and highs overpower the front mids and highs.
In general, the rear speakers should be used for fill and to give depth to the music. They are your lease important speakers. Given the problem I outlined above, the key to good sound in the c900 is good 4" speakers in front and a sub. All of course powered by clean power (preferably an amp to power not just the sub but also the 4" speakers). If you set the system up correctly, your car will sound pretty good with just the front 4" speakers and the sub turned on. The only problem is it will not sound very "full". For that, you just need to throw a set of decent 4x10s in the rear (there are two made Kenwood and Pioneer).
I do not have a loud thumping system (only 30 watts to the speakers and 100 to the sub), but I constantly get compiments about the sound quality in my car. My system is:
- Blaupunkt CD head unit
- Alpine V12 5 channel amp pushing all the speakers
- Soundstream Exact 4" separates
- Kenwood 4x10s
- Soundstream Reference 12" in a sealed (non ported) box
I almost always buy my head units and amps used (ebay) because you get great deals. I don't buy speakers used, because they could have been abused and end up sounding poor.
Good luck,
Dave D
90 SPG
03 9-5
posted by 64.105.16...
, Sun, 29 Dec 2002 22:49:33
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