Improving sound quality out of my car stereo

[Qwaz]

Hi, I've got a mk3 Seat Ibiza and I'm looking to upgrade my stereo system, but i don't know much about ICE. I want to keep the current head unit that i have and I'm probably going to get a CD changer put in. The bit I'm having problems with, is what should i do to improve the sound quality, i don't want some Bass heavy house music pumping monster system or a big sub in the boot or anything, just a bit of a richer clearer slightly more solid sound. My budget is anything from £50-300. What stuff could i do for this money and what kind of effect would it have?

Some of my current thoughts/questions are...

My current head unit says that it outputs 4x20 watts, now for me this is loud enough, but is the sound quality the built in amp outputs actually reasonable, ei, would just getting new speakers be enough?

If i get 2 way speakers do i need some kind of box to send different signals to the woofer part and the tweeter part, or does the speaker some how sort this out?

How much would it be to get this kind of stuff fitted?

 

[itsadubthing]

Hi,

The common mis-coseption people have is that Power ,means everything has got to be loud. This is not the case..........

If you think about it like this. Just because a car has a 5litre engine and does 200mph, is that all you can do with it is there no happy medium, obviously there is.

A good quality hifi system is only as good as its weakest link. For me and I've currently got a Leon running standard speakers with just the head unit changed this sounds great, really clear with enough midrange bass to make everything sound like it should.

I would recom that you first change the head unit, I know you didn't want to but it's the best opition on your budget.

I had a 52reg ibiza before the leon and did the same in that with not quite as good reults as the leon but still a 1000 times better thatn running the standard head unit.

Failing that get yourself a not bad 4 channel amp something like the bottom of the range Planet Audio or Genesis Compact series either of these 2 fitted youll be looking at just over your budget say around 350-400. but that is fitted with all the relevent cables and setting up thats required.

 

[sssstew]

from the sounds of it you want what i wanted, and have acheived. For £60 i got a 2nd hand stealth shelf with 2 6x9s in, pulled the plugs from tyhe standard rear speakers and plugged into the new ones in the solid shelf and it makes a world of difference. very happy with, and can use the Loudness button now with good effect. All hooked up to the rest is standard inc headunit.

 

[Icecavern]

with a budget like that personally I'd spend about £150 on a set of half decent front components speakers, £20 on a roll of dynamat extreme to deaden the doors, and then the rest on an amp and cables.

Then you'll have something that sounds great and doesn't eat up your boot space much.

Pete

 

[Qwaz]

Thanks guys for all the advice so far

would getting an amp actually increase the quality of the sound or just the volume, because if the sound is generated by the headunit surely that would be the weak link.... unless the amp can somehow get the sound before it is amplified by the headunit... is this what a "pre-out" is for?

Even if this is a case, the sound quality out of the head unit cant be that bad, and definatly not the weakest link. This seems to be the case from what stew has said.

would i be needing an amp to sort out the crossover frequency for the different part of the component speakers if i where to go for that?

deadening the doors sounds like a great idea, ive always thought a good part of the distorition was down the the platic interior near the speakers vibrating a lot.

A stealth shelf with 6x9s in sounds like a great idea aswell, especially to handle bass, if i want to carry big objects with the shelf out though, can this be problematic?

if i where to spend 90-150 on deadening the doors, some 6.5" speakers, stealth shelf, 6x9s should this do a good job? as im hesitant to spend much more than 150 even though i have the money.

 

[sssstew]

the quality of the output of the standard head unit is fine in my opinion, im not really an ICE person jsut wanted to improve it a bit and add some bass, like you i think. Didnt want all the extra amp etc etc and hastle of installing.

My stealth shelf is in and out all the time as i transport PCs etc for my work, it havent permanantly fixed the connectors, they are just slide in and out ones which connecto back into the original speakers in the back corners for when the shelf is out. I just unplug the standard lead out the back of the standard speakers then plug the small spade connectors from the stealth shelf speakers into the original plug end.

 

[Icecavern]

Thanks guys for all the advice so far

would getting an amp actually increase the quality of the sound or just the volume, because if the sound is generated by the headunit surely that would be the weak link.... unless the amp can somehow get the sound before it is amplified by the headunit... is this what a "pre-out" is for?

Even if this is a case, the sound quality out of the head unit cant be that bad, and definatly not the weakest link. This seems to be the case from what stew has said.

would i be needing an amp to sort out the crossover frequency for the different part of the component speakers if i where to go for that?

deadening the doors sounds like a great idea, ive always thought a good part of the distorition was down the the platic interior near the speakers vibrating a lot.

A stealth shelf with 6x9s in sounds like a great idea aswell, especially to handle bass, if i want to carry big objects with the shelf out though, can this be problematic?

if i where to spend 90-150 on deadening the doors, some 6.5" speakers, stealth shelf, 6x9s should this do a good job? as im hesitant to spend much more than 150 even though i have the money.

the reason I suggested what I did was down to previous experience with the Ibiza HU. OK it's not the best SQ in he world but by using an amp and better front speakers there's a much better sound. Using an amp doesn't mean it's just louder, the amp isn't working as hard at a gven volume and so distorts less.

 

[Qwaz]

ah right ok kool,

if i got an amp would it need seperate contorls for volume to the hu?

also is there any point in upgrading the rear 6x4s if i spend like 30-40 quid on new speakers and avoid getting a stealth shelf, or are 6x4s just not that good, with the stealth shelf also offering better "setting" for the speaker?

 

[Icecavern]

Personally I'd just upgrade the fronts and forget rears. Spend the money on better front kit.

The volume would be controlled by the HU.

 

[Qwaz]

yeah thats a great shout, even if the rear speakers arnt that great i can fade the sound to the front. Its where ill be sitting anyways . if i want to i could always do the rear speakers later.

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/blaupunkt-gta475-p-4800.html
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/kenwood-kfcp707-p-4792.html
http://caraudiosecurity.com/shop/product/products_id/3051.html

what do you think of this selection of bits n peices and where would you reccomend i got this stuff supplied and fitted... just choose a place i like the sound of in the yellow pages?

im near birmingham and coventry.

PS.... if i change volume on the headunit, does this mean that the headunit controls the amp directly though some kind of connection? and with a loud amp is there any was i can set i limit on how high the volume will go so i dont defen myself or blow my speakers lol.

 

[merlin051]

When you wire an amp into your car you take the high level output wires and connect them straight to the amp. The amp then does it bit with this signal, then you wire your new speakers to the amp.

So altering the volume/balance/trebble/bass settings on the head unit will effect the speakers. Just think of the amp as a signal booster fits inbetween the wires from your head unit to your speakers.

hope this helps.

 

[itsadubthing]

Although the above r gud posts. The only thing you really need to do is upgrade the head unit. the one I would recommend is Alpine CDA 9852RR
This goes perfect with the Seats red dashboard lights and will inprove the all round sound quality, it is also pretty much future proof with MP3 and Windows media compatable. this is the quickest and easiest way to make evreything sound betterand for around 200.00 its in your budget so you may still even stretch to the 6x9 in your parcel shelf which is ithe second thing I wound do in your situation. have fun

 

[Icecavern]

Although not within budget is somewhere to put the HU. The Mk3 Ibiza has a built in HU that is VERY difficult to replace. Unless you want a HU in the glovebox or under the stearing wheel ( which are dangerous places for them IMO ) then you can't replace the HU without spending a lot of cash.

 

[Qwaz]

fact, the HU would be a right hassle to replace. i dont think it would actually give much of and improvement either, surely the weakest link at the moment is the speakers.

 

[tbc]

Sorry to dig up a reasonably old thread, but I'm thinking of doing the exact same with regards to new speakers and so on.

What did you end up doing with yours in the end? Where abouts did you put the amp if you got one, and how easy are those speakers to install at home?

 

[RichieRich]

tbc, i got a 07 plate ibiza i got a kenwood hu, new JL audio speakers in the front, 2 Kenwood amps and one loud Vibe 10" sub so in the matter of me having my car for 2 weeks this can be achived lol what car do u have tbc?

 

[tbc]

I've got a mk3 Ibiza.

I've sorted a new amp now, just looking to get front components when there's some cash knocking around.

Where would I put the crossover boxes?

 

[RichieRich]

ok, i dynamated to the inside of the door very simple.... never come off or viabrate...

 

[tbc]

Cool, is there room behind the trim then?

 

[RichieRich]

im not 100% sure on the mk3's but i know there is on the mk4's ... there should be enough for a crossover...