Stereo options and opinions
Discussion
Given that the standard Tuscan stereo is very poor, has anyone got any comments on the following advice I have had, from different sources?
I have already told the factory not to put in the standard speakers at all. My reasoning is simple - They are in the wrong place, too small, sound dreadful, and apart from anything else, look badly fitted, and one can be heard a lot louder than the other as a result of bad positioning). Every car audio person I speak to has agreed with this, even TVR's audio man Ray hinted his agreement quietly)
I don't often listen to the radio (nothing worth listening too), so the reception issue isn't a problem.
Anyway, with that as a given, here is the advice I have had so far...
1. The factory upgrade to the Pioneer E-Motion speakers will make a huge difference, even with the standard head unit.
2. An upgraded head unit, such as a mid to top end Sony will make a huge difference even with the "standard" upgraded rear speakers (Pioneer 6" E-Motions).
3. Tweeters must be added to the front of the car since the soundstage is bad with only rear speakers.
4. Tweeters must NOT be added to the front of the car since the Tuscan will sap bass and the resulting "all tweeter and no bass" effect will sound tinny.
5. New head unti, new rear speakers, seperate amp, new front speakers in custom encosures, etc. etc. etc. (often driven by the opinion that since I can affor a Tuscan I can obvioulsy afford a couple of grands worth of ICE)
My plan is to have a Sony head unti fitted, a CDx-MP80, and see how it sounds with the 6" rear Pioneer E-Motion speakers that the factory are putting in. If it isn't good enough I'll take it from there.
Just wondered what others have done / are thinking of doing.
I have already told the factory not to put in the standard speakers at all. My reasoning is simple - They are in the wrong place, too small, sound dreadful, and apart from anything else, look badly fitted, and one can be heard a lot louder than the other as a result of bad positioning). Every car audio person I speak to has agreed with this, even TVR's audio man Ray hinted his agreement quietly)
I don't often listen to the radio (nothing worth listening too), so the reception issue isn't a problem.
Anyway, with that as a given, here is the advice I have had so far...
1. The factory upgrade to the Pioneer E-Motion speakers will make a huge difference, even with the standard head unit.
2. An upgraded head unit, such as a mid to top end Sony will make a huge difference even with the "standard" upgraded rear speakers (Pioneer 6" E-Motions).
3. Tweeters must be added to the front of the car since the soundstage is bad with only rear speakers.
4. Tweeters must NOT be added to the front of the car since the Tuscan will sap bass and the resulting "all tweeter and no bass" effect will sound tinny.
5. New head unti, new rear speakers, seperate amp, new front speakers in custom encosures, etc. etc. etc. (often driven by the opinion that since I can affor a Tuscan I can obvioulsy afford a couple of grands worth of ICE)
My plan is to have a Sony head unti fitted, a CDx-MP80, and see how it sounds with the 6" rear Pioneer E-Motion speakers that the factory are putting in. If it isn't good enough I'll take it from there.
Just wondered what others have done / are thinking of doing.
I had the factory speaker upgrade plus a multicd in the boot (suspension settings wrong of course!)
Speakers probably still aren't bedded in yet, but they sound pretty poor with no bass. I'm a home hi-fi buff first and foremost so a car system, with the poor enviroment it has to work in, is never going to do it for me. I like a clear transparent sound, so for me to say it has no bass means it has no bass. I have even used the equaliser, sacrilege!
I hope in beds in better, but I suspect it really needs a subwoofer. Missing tweeters in the front/soundstaging doesn't bother me.
Maf
Speakers probably still aren't bedded in yet, but they sound pretty poor with no bass. I'm a home hi-fi buff first and foremost so a car system, with the poor enviroment it has to work in, is never going to do it for me. I like a clear transparent sound, so for me to say it has no bass means it has no bass. I have even used the equaliser, sacrilege!
I hope in beds in better, but I suspect it really needs a subwoofer. Missing tweeters in the front/soundstaging doesn't bother me.
Maf
Just use the search facility, under 'Stereo'-Tuscan Speed Six Forum- there are loads of threads about this
I seem to remember a huge discussion with pics that I now have on my hard drive of al kinds of mods
To be honest I have big rear speakers and a Nakamitchi head unit, but with the overall noise and squeaks etc it's not worth bothering with. I have installed front tweeters to the left and right of the glove tray thingy (very sublet little 50p sized things) and two 4" speakers under the dash above the footwell which has brought the sound stage right forward - but IMHO the Carbon Cans are better than £2500 on stereo!
simon
I seem to remember a huge discussion with pics that I now have on my hard drive of al kinds of mods
To be honest I have big rear speakers and a Nakamitchi head unit, but with the overall noise and squeaks etc it's not worth bothering with. I have installed front tweeters to the left and right of the glove tray thingy (very sublet little 50p sized things) and two 4" speakers under the dash above the footwell which has brought the sound stage right forward - but IMHO the Carbon Cans are better than £2500 on stereo!
simon
I decided to upgrade a step at a time and I've been pleasantly suprised.
I bought a Pioneer DEH-P77MP MP3 / CD head unit (a bargain at just over £200) and plugged it in to see what it was like with the upgraded Pioneer E-Motion speakers in the rear. It genuinely gives a nice clear and balanced sound. Sure, it can't compete with a "Max power Nova special", but it is very listenable.
The big difference is the abscence of the standard speakers that are normally fitted in the side of the car behind the roll bar. The reason I had them not fitted was a) because they spoil the lines of the interior, and b) they ruin the sound being that close to the ears. On their own, the upgraded speakers can do a pretty reasonable job.
Plus, the Pioneer looks the part, unlike some of the more garish units which seem to be a little bit at odds with the cars interior.
I bought a Pioneer DEH-P77MP MP3 / CD head unit (a bargain at just over £200) and plugged it in to see what it was like with the upgraded Pioneer E-Motion speakers in the rear. It genuinely gives a nice clear and balanced sound. Sure, it can't compete with a "Max power Nova special", but it is very listenable.
The big difference is the abscence of the standard speakers that are normally fitted in the side of the car behind the roll bar. The reason I had them not fitted was a) because they spoil the lines of the interior, and b) they ruin the sound being that close to the ears. On their own, the upgraded speakers can do a pretty reasonable job.
Plus, the Pioneer looks the part, unlike some of the more garish units which seem to be a little bit at odds with the cars interior.
I just did a simple upgrade by adding some front tweeters sounds much better see www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=49639&f=5&h=0,
I would not go to far with ICE in a Tuscan or any TVR for that matter as you just can't hear them properly even when you have got rid of all the squeaks & rattles.
Nick
I would not go to far with ICE in a Tuscan or any TVR for that matter as you just can't hear them properly even when you have got rid of all the squeaks & rattles.
Nick
bw1ch said:
Ever seen this?!?:
www.tvrcc.com/home/home_tuscan_tunes.htm
I phoned up the company that did this. The guy told me that they had the car for 6 weeks and it cost the guy about £12K for the work. phew!
Excellent job though.
The best price I could find was at www.caraudiodirect.com.
I then found a local dealer that would match the price. I fitted the unit myself and was amazed at how easy it is to fit one of these things.
The next step will have to be some tweeters in the front (probably the tiny little Pioneer ones) and then maybe a sub in the boot and an amp in the boot.
The look was always going to be important for me and the Pioneer DEH-P77MP3 blends in perfectly, and so much better than the standard Pioneer.
I then found a local dealer that would match the price. I fitted the unit myself and was amazed at how easy it is to fit one of these things.
The next step will have to be some tweeters in the front (probably the tiny little Pioneer ones) and then maybe a sub in the boot and an amp in the boot.
The look was always going to be important for me and the Pioneer DEH-P77MP3 blends in perfectly, and so much better than the standard Pioneer.
stuh said:Indeed, as is the standard set up in a Volvo superb these days. I think some manufacturers have finally realised it is important. Rich...
I always believed that home hi-fi quality levels were unattainable in a car UNTIL i listened to the "standard" install in a Lexus - Absolutely superb
Just had my audio upgraded. I fitted an Alpine Head Unit...Can't remember which one as I haven't got the Manual hear and they custom built a panel to perfectly fit the recess. This gives you ample space for decent size rear speakers. They also nearly perfectly matched the leather and trimmed the whole panel. Looks great. Also fitted two front tweeters which improve dramatically the sounnd. I am thinking of fitting a small sub between the speakers just for some extra depth.
P.S. I only use when I am stuck in traffic otherwise I just listen to the screemin cans!!!
P.S. I only use when I am stuck in traffic otherwise I just listen to the screemin cans!!!
bw1ch, I didn't put the speakers in, I have stuck with the factory upgrade ones that TVR put in the back for me.
The most important thing is to remove the standard factory speakers. Their position will spoil any attempt at getting a good sound. I told TVR not to fit them in the first place, they really are a very nasty sounding speaker, made a lot worse by their position (too close to the ear).
The most important thing is to remove the standard factory speakers. Their position will spoil any attempt at getting a good sound. I told TVR not to fit them in the first place, they really are a very nasty sounding speaker, made a lot worse by their position (too close to the ear).
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