To all you I.C.E experts, im after upgrading my MY99 system.

Im pretty much an ice numpty so...

I've got a Sony CD HU with a dash interface being made, im now looking at upgrading the stock speakers.

Preferring to go with Sony equipment, so whats a good set of fronts and rears.

Where should i put the Tweeters if i go for components
Do they come with cross overs or do i have to buy them seperate
Where do the cross overs go
Is a set of fronts and rears better than fronts with a sub

Thanks in advance fella's

 

I have got a programmable DCU dash interface for a Sony that I don't need.

I bought it from AUS2000 last year for

 

ADE

You can't use a decent sub with out an amplifier. First step is to buy a 6.5" set of components these will come with mids, tweeters and crossovers. Put the mids in place of the OEM cones, tweeters either where the 02 OEM ones go or on top of the A pillar. My cross overs are wedged in the bottom of the door.

I'd go for fronts and backs only because I know they work well in mine, but they are amplified

Hope that helps!

 

I'd just go for fronts, powered by a decent amp, and a sub. I wouldn't bother with rears of any description. I removed my rears after installing my fronts and amp

 

Ditch the Sony speaker plan - Xplod speakers are meant to be truly cack. I agree with Mikey's recommendations, save the rear speakers.

I think a good cost effective route, following on from your HU replacement, is a two channel amp pushing 75W+ RMS per channel and a decent pair of components - Mikey's Bostons are good and I really like Budgie's Alpines. EDIT: You want a sub too - either a separate sub amp or get a 5 channel amp like mine

I assume the Sony HU has got pre-outs to go to the amp? (RCA connectors hanging off the back of the HU).

 

about the xplod's!

Also agree on 5 channel amp Craig has (I have the same!) It can do 2 fronts and a sub or fronts, rears and a sub.

Disagree with Craig and AE on rears. I can hear my tunes as 120 km/h with the rears set up right. There is a lot of debate about a compromised sound stage with rears. No such problem with mine!

Craig love the addition to the bottom of the sig

 

OK guys...

StevenM i already have the interface being made and paid for but thanks for the offer.

Craig yeah its got pre-outs

Why do i need an amp if im only using fronts and rears when the HU is rated at 50W X 4?

Can i run a set of front comps from the HU and a sub box with built in amp from the pre-out?

Are those sub boxes with an amp and speaker built in any good or is a custom job way better?

Not interested in stupid boy racer BOOM BOOM systems, I-pod's or MP3's

Just decent music at decent speeds.

Any chance of a picture of your Tweeter positioning Mikey

 

Ade

The internal amp will not drive the speakers hard enough to get the best sound quality. THough you could go for a decent set of speakers that will take an amp at a later date. My front Boston's were installed like that and then amped up!

You can run a set of fronts and an "active" sub from the head unit. I'm not an advocate of active subs they - don't move enough air and are not as "tuneable" as seperates. Other problem is where to put it I tried one under the passenger seat - it was $hite! IIRC Jamie has one rattling around in the tool well


Decent music @ decent speeds = component fronts with A post tweeters & amp

A couple of pics for you! Have a look in my Stereo Stuff gallery for loads more

 

Because I guarantee that figure quoted by Sony is 50W PMPO rather than 50W RMS - PMPO is what manufacturers use to sell cheap kit - it refers to the top of the sine wave rather than RMS (root mean square), which is average power delivery. Bascially the best RMS outputs on a HU (bear in mind that the internal amp has to be very small hence its inability to deliver big wattage) is about 25W RMS (See Alpine's V series of head units).


Mikey, you have one speaker of a stereo set up inches from your head, the other speaker almost three foot away - you can't defy physics like that Admittedly the Alpine head units have time correction but I doubt they can compensate for that kind of disparity. I'm surprised you live with Mikey, you have a keener eye than me on the home cinema stuff - maybe I have the younger ears

 

It's not a problem Craig it just need setting up correctly (high front bias)
You must try it when we next meet up!