NA Radio/Speaker Upgrade
Discussion
Hi all,
I am looking to upgrade the Radio and Speakers in my NA 1.8 Merlot and was looking for some advice please!
I am thinking for a Pioneer DEH-X8700DAB and some Alpine 6.5" speakers - I am a self-confessed Audiophile but not expecting the world from a car, obvs, but the current speakers are a bit naff and the JVC unit in the car ATM has no aux input or DAB which as my main car is gonna annoy the flip outta me... so anyone's suggestions are welcome please! I use an Android phone but may go to iPhone, run TIDAL and have a dedicated SatNav so not sooo fussed for a screen but being able to control the media on my centre console to be useful. Anyone got any experience on this way?
I am looking to upgrade the Radio and Speakers in my NA 1.8 Merlot and was looking for some advice please!
I am thinking for a Pioneer DEH-X8700DAB and some Alpine 6.5" speakers - I am a self-confessed Audiophile but not expecting the world from a car, obvs, but the current speakers are a bit naff and the JVC unit in the car ATM has no aux input or DAB which as my main car is gonna annoy the flip outta me... so anyone's suggestions are welcome please! I use an Android phone but may go to iPhone, run TIDAL and have a dedicated SatNav so not sooo fussed for a screen but being able to control the media on my centre console to be useful. Anyone got any experience on this way?
When I lived in NYC, I got a Pioneer AVH-3300NEX which I acquired refurb quite cheap that I brought back in a suitcase (now lives in my TVR)... Apple CarPlay/Bluetooth on the cheap. I had it mounted in a Jass performance cage. TomTom Go was great at the time for the adventures across the M25.
I got some Pioneers for the doors and put some Pioneers in the headrest speakers. Result was a club with the roof down at 80mph. I recall a friend and I antisocially speeding through the city centre of Penrith in an M reg 1.8 blasting very specific 90s dance tracks with great audience retention. Maybe it was the IL exhaust and decat. Maybe it was the head skim. Maybe it was two grown blokes blasting 90s dance!!!!
Pioneer TS-A1733Ci in the doors (probably better stuff avail now).
Pioneer TS-G400 in the headrests of the seats.
Not the worlds best in terms of low end but certainly way more acceptable than blown headrest speakers and door speakers with more water than a bottle of volvic in them!
I got some Pioneers for the doors and put some Pioneers in the headrest speakers. Result was a club with the roof down at 80mph. I recall a friend and I antisocially speeding through the city centre of Penrith in an M reg 1.8 blasting very specific 90s dance tracks with great audience retention. Maybe it was the IL exhaust and decat. Maybe it was the head skim. Maybe it was two grown blokes blasting 90s dance!!!!
Pioneer TS-A1733Ci in the doors (probably better stuff avail now).
Pioneer TS-G400 in the headrests of the seats.
Not the worlds best in terms of low end but certainly way more acceptable than blown headrest speakers and door speakers with more water than a bottle of volvic in them!
Edited by geordiepingu on Saturday 14th November 23:05
I finally upgraded after 8yrs of abysmal sounds from what i think was the original Clarion unit - something was jammed in the cd player and most days the radio only came out of one speaker....
Cheap-ish answer was Pioneer DEH-X7800DAB, plus adaptor and some 16cm Alpine SXE-1725S (220W Peak/40 RMS) to replace the originals in the doors. I've got a transparent dab antenna that sits behind the rear view mirror with wiring under the header rail and behind the a pillar.
All in, about 200quid i think.
The difference is vast, obvs, the quality is good, given the price and the listening environment of an open topped car!
The only place it struggled was on an epic drive to the west country - Late summer, sun setting, top-down over Bodmin moor
Since then i've fitted a noisy ebay intake (50quid) and I'm about to fit a free-er breathing back-box so i may need to also buy a sub/amp, ideally a slimline one i can fit behind the passenger seat with quick connectors for theft prevention (take it with me!)
Cheap-ish answer was Pioneer DEH-X7800DAB, plus adaptor and some 16cm Alpine SXE-1725S (220W Peak/40 RMS) to replace the originals in the doors. I've got a transparent dab antenna that sits behind the rear view mirror with wiring under the header rail and behind the a pillar.
All in, about 200quid i think.
The difference is vast, obvs, the quality is good, given the price and the listening environment of an open topped car!
The only place it struggled was on an epic drive to the west country - Late summer, sun setting, top-down over Bodmin moor
Since then i've fitted a noisy ebay intake (50quid) and I'm about to fit a free-er breathing back-box so i may need to also buy a sub/amp, ideally a slimline one i can fit behind the passenger seat with quick connectors for theft prevention (take it with me!)
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