How Much Better Can it Get?

[Soixantaine]

I replaced the old Blaupunkt door speakers in the Super with new Pioneer coaxials. Big improvment and the change made even the old worn out cassettes I was using sound pretty good. Next I changed the cassette player for a Sony CDX-GT200. Even better, I could stop right there and be happy with the quality of the sound I'm getting.

The question is: how much better can it get if I sound-deaden the doors and change the Pioneers for, say, DLS Classic B6 component speakers and put the Pioneers in the back? I don't need, or care, about a thumping great bass. The stuff I listen to, The Doobie Brothers, Fleetwood Mac, etc. wouldn't warrant it anyway.

Opinions?

S

 

[Antony]

change the head unit to another brand... either alpine or one of the kd-SH series of jvc...something with a graphic equiliser... then you may be able to tune where abouts you want the sound to be aimed at....like my head unit you can select what seat your sat in and what size of car your in...

it will sound so much better...

but you will notice with dynamatting your doors.. not only will they not deform when at hight levels, the road noise will be minimilised also...

 

[Retepetsir]

A lot better........DLS would own the Pioneer's, but ideally you'd want to amplify them as they like lots of power.

Ignore the bit about the changing of the headunit, its good enough for what you want. Oh and graphic EQ'ing has nothing to do with seat positions, etc, thats down to time alignment and other magical things. Although time alignment is also evil........and if everything is setup properly you shouldnt need it anyway!

The Sony will already have a basic EQ if needed.

So yes, definately upgrade to components, with the mid's in the doors and the tweeters in the corners of the dash firing up and slightly towards each other. Then ideally amp the front components, and fade the sound towards the front so it pulls the soundstage forward.

And Dynamat doesnt dampen road noise, its not the right kind of material. You need Second Skin Roadkill or something similar for that. Dynamat is a butyl deamplifier, not a road noise killer.

If you can go through with it, go for component speakers, small amp plus wiring kit. You could always sell the coaxials to fund the other bits as they really shouldnt be needed with an amped frontend.

 

[Soixantaine]

Thanks for the suggestions, Antony and Retepetsir. Antony, as I have only had the Sony for about a month I expect I'll be keeping it for a while yet. As I said, the sound, at least to me, is pretty good. It doesn't seem to come from any particular direction, unless I lean forward towards the new door speakers, but just sort of surrounds you.

I am definitely going to do the doors next. After reading up on the various products on www.sounddeadenershowdown.com, I'm going to go with Second Skin Damplifier. I'll block off the access cut-outs with 3mm MDF and do the whole door with the Damplifier.

Doing these upgrades in stages adds to the pleasure of the whole project.
Interesting, also, to hear which upgrade gives you more bang for your buck, so to speak. The Pioneers (TS_G1749) really made a difference, as you can imagine. The Sony just added to the pleasure, and I could finally rid my glovebox of those worn-out cassettes.

One thing, though, Retepetsir, is, I like the rear speakers. I've read all the comments about facing the source of the music at a concert etc., but without them something seems missing. Besides, at a proper concert hall, the acoustics are such that the music comes at you from all sides. Not at all like sitting in a muddy field facing a mega sound stage.

So, I'm thinking, I'll do the doors first and then the DLSes (I've got a set of A pillar trims with the tweeter grilles). I'll put the Pioneers in my wife's LX and then maybe just a nice pair of 6 x 9s for the rear. Can't imagine I'd want anything more than that. I mean, it's not just about volume, is it? It's about clarity and nuance in the music. Still open to suggestions, however.

Incidentally, I remember when anyone that had a rear speaker for his tinny AM radio really had something. If you had two, well, then, you really had bragging rights.

Sorry to be so long winded.

S