ICE Advice ?

[Rusty]

Are "Boss Audio" made in Liverpool

[MikeLarwood]

Well to start you off on a source unit, this is a fantastic unit:

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/alpine-dva9861ri-ipod-full-speed-p-5140.html

I've got one second hand you could offer me reasonable money for!

As for not wanting a sub, you're limiting your stereo there because whilst the standard mount speakers can be improved upon vastly, there's only so much you can pull from 4" (or 6" in a fairly shallow fit). Get yourself a small enclosure made out of 15mm MDF and this:

http://www.incarexpress.co.uk/view_product.php?partno=12W1V2

Use a small amplifier:

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/blaupunkt-gta460-p-6460.html

Bridging two of the four channels to run the subwoofer, and using the other two to run the front components:

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/dynamics-sd42-p-5521.html

Use the head unit to run the rears, possibly swapping them for Coaxials just to offer more 'rear fill' to balance with the fronts. Not sure on dimensions for these, but anything will do of a reasonable quality.

[Fat Audi 80]

"Sound" advice. (See what I did there?)

[MikeLarwood]

"Sound" advice. (See what I did there?)

They closed down their car audio department, which was a massive shame. They're still top dog for home cinema though!

[maddagent]

I have to say, I love my becker grand prix, and I teamed it up with some MB quart 4" speakers up front in the factory locations and an MB Quart 5 channel amp in the boot.

I've also got the iPod kit for the becker and its spot on - full control of the ipod from the headunit, iPod only leaves the glovebox to get new songs put on it!

As others have said, you're on a hiding to nothing without a sub of some sort - thats next on my list (I've got a spare channel on the amp still). Though the amped MB quart fronts are much much better than the standard speakers, a sub really is neccessary.

If you ever want to see/hear mine and you're about the south belfast area give me a shout, you're more than welcome!

D

[S2central.net]

That Alpine unit suggested by Mike is total overkill for my needs - there will never be a TV screen in any of my cars so paying £350 for a box that plays DVDs just isn't on the wish list.

I have been thinking about speakers... Looks like these MB quarts get the general thumbs up - I'll keep with standard sizes as I don't need anything radical. Taking the rear 'door' cards off the Coupe is a bit of a PITA but not horrific - done them before.

As to subwoofers - somebody can fit one of those MDF enclosures to any of my cars immediately after I am dead. Meanwhile I am open to suggestions for good alternatives in a much more compact format... Like in the rear tray where the CD player currently lives - or under the drivers seat.

That CDE-9874 has preamp outputs that I can steer to a sub.

Talking of that head-unit, it claims 4 x 45W which I expect is 'peak power'... Without getting into a sweat about the technical audio details of how to best measure 'average power' - heres the simple method I used.

1 - Assume the head unit can deliver 45W into a 4 ohm load (pure resistance but close enough)

2 - Using P=V^2/R that derives a peak value for V of approx 13.4 (which is curiously battery voltage)

3 - Assuming sine wave signal then the average value for V is (13.4 x 0.707) and one gets approx 22W

4 - So when selecting speakers, am I safe enough working on 25W average power capability ?

Paul

[MikeLarwood]

Has to be said I've never used it for DVDs, I bought it because of the iPod connectivity and phenomenal clarity!

[Lloyd]

Well to start you off on a source unit, this is a fantastic unit:
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/alpi...ed-p-5140.html

This is the unit I've got and I think it's great. Fast iPod control and the blue goes nicely with the blue alcantara and paint work!

It's also a VERY good sounding CD unit - IF you will still use the CD bit with an iPod plugged in!

[MikeLarwood]

Talking of that head-unit, it claims 4 x 45W which I expect is 'peak power'... Without getting into a sweat about the technical audio details of how to best measure 'average power' - heres the simple method I used.

1 - Assume the head unit can deliver 45W into a 4 ohm load (pure resistance but close enough)

2 - Using P=V^2/R that derives a peak value for V of approx 13.4 (which is curiously battery voltage)

3 - Assuming sine wave signal then the average value for V is (13.4 x 0.707) and one gets approx 22W

4 - So when selecting speakers, am I safe enough working on 25W average power capability ?

Paul

No.

Various manufacturers cheat the power rating systems and give numbers which are utterly unobtainable even as peak figures in the real world - kind of like a car manufacturer saying that some of their cars can produce up to 300bhp, when the published power output is 240bhp. We all know there can be a bit of give for a 'good' engine, particularly handbuilt, but not to such an extent.

Look for RMS figures at 12v, and at 14v. Aim for for an amplifier that produces your speaker's recommended RMS power at 12v - that way you'll never over-stress the amplifier, as there's a little wheel to turn amplifiers up and down, but you can't turn a speakers power handling characteristics up and down in the same fashion!

Manufacturers should make those numbers available to you - certainly at 14v - so go by that. If a manufacturer doesn't publish it's RMS power, typically it's not worth wasting your time with as it'll be a Max Power type system with very little in the way of clarity and a lot in the way of distortion.

I still think you're thinking of something completely different when you're flat refusing subwoofers. Do you not have one on your home cinema system? Unplug that and see how shallow your music sounds... You can put something very discrete in if you like - whilst I think the space where the changer is is optimistic, I think you could probably use that space as a foundation for a well-made box - have it protrude *up* from there, with the speaker facing towards the car - and give the top a *shade* more depth and you could mount a fairly hefty 8" driver in there with little fuss, and that would give you a load more depth.

[S2central.net]

I know about the audio benefits of a sub OK - its just the often huge amount of space I see wasted when I find photos of them... Isn't there some alternative packaging that can be tucked away ?

As for 'RMS figures' - they are pretty meaningless too - pity the industry hasn't agreed on a proper standard for this.

My requirements are pretty simple - I don't need complex, expensive, over-featured and heavy systems... Just a good quality sound that is nice and clear at high volumes when I take the urge.

[Jonas_R]

Then you should get a small amplifier like Audison Srx2 to power the front system. It will sound much better then using a radio IMO.

[RustyNut]

Hi Paul

I've got an Alpine CDA 9835R with the KCA 420i Interface if you like? Brand new and only fitted to check it works. Paid 195 for it and open to offers?

Russ

[S2central.net]

I'll have a look and a think, but that CDE unit I spotted seems to do all I need for about 100 quid brand new etc etc... That one of ours is maybe higher power, more features...

I did find this sub-woofer which looks like a candidate for living in the big cubby hole in the Coupe boot. Has its own amp as well... Pioneer TS-WX77A - thats the kind of alternative approach I'm looking for. I see Pioneer have another compact sub (TS-WX11A) which could go under the driver seat but I like that WX77A better.

Struggling to find anything like this from other vendors so far.

[S2central.net]

Phook - looks like ~100 quid for the 11A and 200-250 for the 77A - I don't want this getting silly expensive. See how my notion for a cheap and cheerful upgrade is looking like costing best part of £500. and nearly half of that is the firkin sub... I'll do this in a few stages to spread the pain - might be an interesting project to get a good handle on the gains along the way.

[HPmuirt]

I did find this sub-woofer which looks like a candidate for living in the big cubby hole in the Coupe boot. Has its own amp as well... Pioneer TS-WX77A - thats the kind of alternative approach I'm looking for. I see Pioneer have another compact sub (TS-WX11A) which could go under the driver seat but I like that WX77A better.

f e c k me, have you seen the size of that WX77A Paul?

Compact it is not! The picture below is from the pioneer website. It is nearly a metre long and barely fits in the boot of a 4x4. Where the hell would you put that in an S2? 'coz the only place I can think of is on the roof rack?

ts_wx77a.jpg

Cheers n

Si