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View Full Version : URGENT STEREO HELP NEEDED......


KittyKatSmack
24-04-2004, 06:26 PM
Help Help Help

After driving the new miata around today, I have discovered the stereo is truly woeful.... :oops: :cry:

*misses her MP3 player already*

So I need URGENT URGENT help with upgrading, cheaply of course!!!

Everything is stock, double din head unit with very basic cd player and options...

4 speakers for sound, and I am pretty confident all that is referring to is the doors are splits with two speakers in each....

HEEEEELLLLLPPPPPPPPPP

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

BigMal
24-04-2004, 06:35 PM
So why didn't you put the stock Astina Stereo back in. You didn't get any extra
for having the MP3 unit in there. Most likely one of the mechanics will score it and
install another stockie in its place.

Best of luck with the new car.

Mal

Cosmo Dude
24-04-2004, 06:45 PM
I agree with Mal, answer is spend the $$$ on a new H/U and speakers cos you gave your last one away :P

Dogo
25-04-2004, 03:58 PM
any idea of stock speaker sizes ?

stock double-din stereos have a bad habit or being curved to match the dash - can u tell us if the face of the stock is curved or flat ? ie will a new stereo look kinda ... funny sitting in a recess.

KittyKatSmack
25-04-2004, 06:48 PM
Dogo: the speakers look like 5" splits... saw a nice pair of VDO Daytons today that were awesome. The double din unit is flat. I have yet to measure under the passenger seat for an amp. Doesn't look good for the rubicon fitting :cry:




Big Mal & Cosmic Rod: Helpful guys, real helpful!! :(
If I had more time, maybe I would have (and if I had the stock stereo too!)..... as it is, I am looking for advice, not reminders about how I "should" have done things....... *wipes the sh!t off face now after having it rubbed in*

JynX
25-04-2004, 07:02 PM
Take one out and measure the depth of the speaker area.

Then goto the stero shop and measure the depth from the cone to the end of the magnet on the different size speakers. Will give you a rough idea of what will fit. My guess is probably 6-6.5"

The fixing points can be changed easily enough.

Cosmo Dude
25-04-2004, 07:17 PM
Hey I've made mistakes, I have returned faulty audio stuff with tapes still inside (not 8-track, I'm not that old) and re-connected CD players just to find a CD still in them. I guess with the whole forum thing we can learn by the actions of others.

As Miss Miata is convertable and needs an area for the ragtop to reside in the down position, where are the standard rear speakers?

KittyKatSmack
25-04-2004, 07:19 PM
we have just found an article written about the older model that has mounted speakers on either side of the fuel tank, which is just behind the seats....

this car is so small everything is just next to the seats!!!

KittyKatSmack
25-04-2004, 08:35 PM
Cosmic Rod: Only door speakers, no rear speakers!!

I am dyin' here!!!

Aaron
26-04-2004, 12:12 AM
OK an update - been taking a 5 hour crash course in Miata music.....

The doors currently mount a single 6x8 (yes eight) driver with a tweeter wired in parallel up higher in the door and aimed at the headrest.

The stock head unit is 4 channel with the 'rear' channels currently 'disabled' by a switch.

It's possible to mount speakers on either side of the fuel tank under the carpet on the rear shelf. They can either face up (and support up to 8" diameter) or towards the front (for about 5" diamter).. They're sorta at ear level.

People have mounted a pair of 8" subs in these locations.

The final location is the 'windblocker' it's a panel that will take a 4" or 4x6" speaker and position it pretty much behind each seat headrest.

Drawbacks... The under carpet position requires cutting a very flimsey piece of metal (it's a non-structural piece for cosmetic shaping) and trying to get speakers solidly mounted.

The the wind blocker location is much the same and requires the speakers to be mounted, holes cut and rear covers made up.

At the moment my leaning (which does not match that of the Kitty) would be to:

Enable rear channels in stock head unit.
Make MDF rear shelf piece for under carpet install.. and mount forward facing 4" in there with a bass blocker :)
Replace door speakers with proper splits, crossovers mounted either in doors or dash.

Why do it this way? Well we know the speakers are crap.. So they need to go. The rear shelf from MDF would let us experiment with the position of the rear speakers and give us a more solid mount. Some owners claim that once they're changed the speakers and added rears the sound quality goes right up. I'd almost believe it..... It still won't play MP3, and generally still **** us... well except that in theory there's a MP3 module available to plug into the unit.....

A.

Dogo
26-04-2004, 07:50 AM
such a small cabin, i wouldnt bother with rear speakers.
i'd spend the money getting good quality front speakers, and running those 8" subs behind u.

most pros dont run rears at all, or if they do they run them off the HU for fill ( not really necessary unless u have back seats )

if u have some $$ to spare look at Morel splits. ur 'stereo-guru' Critter would back me up on that im sure.

another thing to look at may be kicker's 10" square subs. they usually fit fairly well in small spaces & put out some pretty nice doof.

Zed
26-04-2004, 10:45 AM
I wouldn't bother with rear speakers either. I'd go with a quality pair of 6.5 splits up front (Morel, Boston Acoustics, Diamond Audio, CDT - the list is endless) run off a decent amp. You'd be surprised at the amount of bass a 6.5inch woofer can put out if mounted solidly in a well sound deadened door.

If you're still after more doof, then there a quite a few 8 or 10inch subs around that work well in small enclosures (Image Dynamics, Boston Acoustics, JL Audio to name but a few).

Of course, a lot of it will come down to budget...

KittyKatSmack
26-04-2004, 11:44 AM
We will take some pictures of the cabin space, or lack thereof today!!!

Might give you a better idea of where we are coming from.....

*goes off driving again!!!*

platypus
23-05-2004, 12:41 AM
how about putting some small 4 inch drivers in the rear for mid fill? place sub facing to the side (rather than backwards) and then you can make a matching box on the opposite side which would nicely house an amp... otherwise under the seat

guys i know this goes against all that we should know... but you think it might be wise to mount the tweets near the B pillar? i was thinking for sound clarity with the top down above all....

what ever way i'm thinking 6 inch splits (nothing bigger really) but you also said the hole was 6x8?? perhaps a good mounting surface for the tweeter, and the split

anyway i'm spent...

KittyKatSmack
07-06-2004, 04:35 PM
you will see it this weekend and know my dilemma then.....

/me wants iPOD to play mp3's from now, just need better "stock" style head unit

platypus
07-06-2004, 04:48 PM
have a look at blaupunkt?