Audio upgrade, leave stock radio?
October-1st-2002, 06:12 PM
#1
Protege Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Boca Raton, Florida
Posts: 10
Audio upgrade, leave stock radio?
I'm told that the stock radio is OK as long as it has a cd player. The shop is recommending that I just add an amp and new speakers.
Are they full of it?
Are they full of it?
October-1st-2002, 09:05 PM
#4
Master of All Things :{D
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: southeast texas, near houston
Posts: 4,118
I am currently in the middle of doing EXACTLY that....and at the recommendation of a highly skilled installer too. the speakers have been replaced in the doors....the sub is sitting in the back...NOW all I have to do is start on the amp install.
October-2nd-2002, 10:18 AM
#5
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Atlanta, formerly Calgary
Posts: 363
I also kept the stock deck and added an amp and a powered sub (see thread below). I am very happy with it so far.
Space Saving Bass
Space Saving Bass
October-2nd-2002, 12:04 PM
#6
Protege Newbie
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 28
I think depending on what you're looking for, yes the shop monkies are correct. It is not necessasry to replace the head unit and/or factory speakers for halfway decent decent sound. Adding power to the front and rear and a separate sub works well.
I kept the stock deck and put 50w/ch front and rear, and a 10" sub, and it sounds 100xs better than before. The front and rear speakers do well if you limit the low frequencies sent to them.
I kept the stock deck and put 50w/ch front and rear, and a 10" sub, and it sounds 100xs better than before. The front and rear speakers do well if you limit the low frequencies sent to them.
October-2nd-2002, 01:54 PM
#7
Protege Newbie
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 14
I am thinking of doing something similar. I have a 50X4 and and a 200X2 amp and I am either going to use the 200X2 and bridge it to an Infinity Kappa perfect 10, or use the 50X4 and send 50 to the each front and bridge the other two channels to the sub. I am leaning towards just installing the sub and two channel amp. Either way, Im keeping the stock speakers and h/u. I just want to beef up the bass and take a little strain off the factory speakers.
October-2nd-2002, 02:05 PM
#8
Protege Newbie
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 28
The only problem with simply adding a sub is that the sub will out play the fronts and rears -it won't be a ballanced system, no matter how much you drop the gain on the sub's amp. The factory deck simply can't put out enough power to match a amplified speaker system.
I was thinking along the same lines of adding a sub only, but changed my mind and added amps for the front and rear too, and I'm glad I did.
I was thinking along the same lines of adding a sub only, but changed my mind and added amps for the front and rear too, and I'm glad I did.
October-3rd-2002, 08:26 AM
#10
Protege Newbie
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 28
it must depend on the sub and amp. I have a 10" infinity kappa sub and a 2x100 kenwood amp bridged to 300 continuous. Even with the gain on the amp set to minimum, w/o the fronts and rears amplified, all I heard was the sub. I tested it out before adding the amps for the front and rear. but like I said, it probably depends on the sub and amp (and musical taste).
October-3rd-2002, 09:17 AM
#12
Protege Newbie
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 28
Its a kenwood KAC-729S. The x-over is fixed at 80Hz. I don't have any problems with the set up now.
Just wanted people to keep in mind that the stock deck doesn't play very loud and simply adding a sub, especially over 10", might overpower the fronts and rears. Just a consideration. I know I wasn't pleased until lI added more power front and back.
Just wanted people to keep in mind that the stock deck doesn't play very loud and simply adding a sub, especially over 10", might overpower the fronts and rears. Just a consideration. I know I wasn't pleased until lI added more power front and back.
October-3rd-2002, 09:26 AM
#13
Protege Owner
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 720
The reason I asked is alot of time the high to lo convert has a gain on it and it can cuase the sub to be too loud at minimum gain. Also some amps have input selection switches that compensate for a higher input voltage.
October-7th-2002, 04:41 PM
#14
Protege Enthusiast
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Troy, Michigan
Posts: 186
For those out there who are amping the stock head unit, Are you having to cut wires in the dash harness to do this? I've been looking for someone who makes both sides (male & female) for the P5 but have only seen the female part. This would be great if I were replacing the HU, but I want the male side so I can plug that into the stock HU, do the connections and then plug the female into the car's harness without any cutting/splicing of the factory harness in the dash. Is this part available? How have you guys done it? TIA.
