Car audio

[Legacywr]

Is it possible to replicate anywhere near the quality of the modern high-end systems like Bose, B&O etc?

My personal application would be a Subaru, with 6.5in speaker locations.

[defblade]

Yes, of course. How much would sir like to spend?

Of course, some of the OE installations of the "good" stuff leaves quite a lot to be desired...

Get over to uklegacy.com where you'll find lots of specific info, including what I did in mine.

(ETA: I assumed you have a Leggy from your username, but maybe not, from your garage? The basics are the same, anyway )

[kingston12]

Legacywr said:

Is it possible to replicate anywhere near the quality of the modern high-end systems like Bose, B&O etc?

My personal application would be a Subaru, with 6.5in speaker locations.

It’s definitely possible. I’ve got a Bose system in my Boxster and it’s fine, but I’m convinced that I could have done much better myself with mid-range speakers and amps and bit of dynamat. It would have cost a lot less too.

I just replaced the HU in the end as the Bose sound is good enough and I didn’t want to pull the car apart too much.

Edited by kingston12 on Wednesday 21st October 13:38

[oilslick]

Adding to the above, don't underestimate the importance of some sound deadening. Quality speakers driven through a quality amp still have huge potential to sound rubbish when they're put into a flexing, vibrating metal enclosure such as a door.

[SonicHedgeHog]

I’m in the process of doing this now with my Outback. Rear 6.5s arrived today with door components to follow. I’m expecting a big improvement. After that it’ll be a choice between a very good headunit or a mid range headunit and an amp. It’s fun once you get into it.

[Legacywr]

Yes, I did have a Legacy, well, 2 in fact

I now have a WRX STI saloon, so I still have 6.5in figments.

I currently have an old Alpine head unit (I don’t think upgrading that is going to make any difference?)

I have a 4ch Alpine amp, which was a good piece of kit 9 years ago? Not sure of the model number though.

I have some Infinity 2ways in the back doors, and Infinity Kappa 6.1 Perfects in the front doors. I’m probably not powering the fronts up enough, as I don’t listen to music really loud?

Another problem, most of my music is from the 70’s, which can tend to be a bit flat

[SonicHedgeHog]

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MUSIC FROM THE SEVENTIES !!!!!

[stargazer30]

I find older music has a bigger dynamic range than modern stuff. Indeed it’s the modern stuff that’s flat. It just sounds louder at normal volume.

Anyway back on topic. Sound deaden. Then sound deaden and then sound deaden some more. Then think about speakers and a good quality amp, subs often aren’t even needed once that lots done. Be thankful it’s an older car too so you don’t need to worry about built in volume based eq roll off on the stock head unit.

[TEKNOPUG]

You need a DSP if you want it to sound appreciably better than typical car audio.