17 replies to this topic

[HARBER07]

First off, this is completely non-mini, but I know a lot of people mess about with this kinda stuff on here.

I need to upgrade the speakers in my Astra, as the 17 YO ones are getting a bit tired. The rear ones are about 5", and the fronts are about 6.5". There are a couple of tweeters on the door covers, but I'm not worried about them right now. I'm not really looking to chop stuff about and bolt in any subs either.

What can you guys recommend me?. I'd like some fairly decent sound from them, preferably without running an amp, but if you think I need to then please point me in the right direction. Preferably one that can be hidden up as I'm not really into the "look at me phat ampz isn't it bruv" scene.

Ta.

Edited by HARBER07, 15 January 2011 - 09:10 PM.

[mini.30]

I have always used pioneer stuff and been really happy with it. It is not the cheapest but also not mega expensive, around £35 for a set of two way 17cm speakers.

Have a look on www.caraudiosecurity.co.uk

If you are ordering off them check out their ebay shop as you can normally get the same prices as the website but with free P&P

Mark

[minisam92]

would these be any good mate just seen them and seen your post
http://www.theminifo...howtopic=176626

[mini_mad69]

If you've got tweeters up front, you've got a component setup.
So buy yourself some component speakers, a little bit more wiring but sound a lot better.



As for the back, go for something like Alpine or infinity or something.

I go to halfords, press all the buttons to decide which speakers I like the most, then go and buy them online for half the price somewhere else.
I would also recomend an amplifier running the components, as im sure whatever speakers you buy, your headunit will never run them to their potential.
Depends how far you want to go though.

[HARBER07]

I'm just looking for ideas and planning ahead really. I don't want to spend crazy money on a system, just want to have something nice to listen to in the car. Pressing buttons in Halfords sounds like fun. Not done that in a while .

I don't mine buying an amp either, I just really don't want it to be on show. If I could shove one behind the dash or something then thats ideal.

On another note, I'm looking to possibly go back to a standard head unit. I always think these aftermarket ones look a bit gash in some dashes. Does that affect how I can run an amp?. It'll be a CDR500

I really have no idea about this ICE If I'm honest .

[mini_mad69]

You need to have a look on the back of the unit and see if there is a pair of phono lead outputs.



They look like those. If so you can run an amp. You can run an amp through a small device which converts the speaker output of the unit to a lower voltage to run the RCA type (phono) leads. But they're not much good and can cause a lot of itnerference. Some amps take the high power cables straight from the speaker wires out of the headunit but again quality isn't great.

[HARBER07]

30 Second Google says no .

Obviously if I'm running a standard headunit quality is never going to be amazing. Currently our work van has better sound quality. It's a Fiat with 2 speakers!!. Not really looking to win any awards in sound offs here

[mini_mad69]

Fair enough. I'd still recomend a component speaker setup for the front. Then some good branded coaxial speakers for the back.
Probably bes tto go to halfords, as you can hear what you like and know your budget etc











Orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr you could get some baaaaare sick subs bluuuuuuud, fit some buff neons so people can see them and ting, and not bother upgrading the rest of the system as bass is everyting init.







I'll stop doing this eventualy.





Saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaafe

[HARBER07]

LMAO. Think I'll do that to be honest (Halfords not the baaare sickkk subs) and have a play. Budget wise £150 really, which would probably include the standard HU too.


Faaaaaaanks bluuuuuuuud

[M44K TS]

What year Astra is it?

Only reason for asking is my dad has a mk4 Astra van, (2002) the standard fit speakers, (2 door and 2 mirror cover tweeters) are very very good with a decent head unit. I put one of my old Sony ones in and it sounds fantastic. The standard fit Vauxhall headunit is ok, not brilliant though.

You can run an amp off a head unit that has no pre-out's too, you will need a line level converter, you will lose either the front or rear speakers but you can fit one of these in their place to run an amp..

http://www.halfords....yId_165626#dtab

[HARBER07]

Mk3 Astra. Our MK4 Astra sounded good, and our Vectra CDX Sounded amazing. It probably sounded alright in its day, but 17 years and 130K miles later has knackered up the speakers .

[M44K TS]

Late 90's Vauxhall's had quite good sound systems, I remember my mate "upgrading" the speakers in his Primera with some out of a Vectra.

[se_juggles]

shove one of these in your boot lol did the job when i put it in my mates punto haha

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[mini_mad69]

What year Astra is it?

Only reason for asking is my dad has a mk4 Astra van, (2002) the standard fit speakers, (2 door and 2 mirror cover tweeters) are very very good with a decent head unit. I put one of my old Sony ones in and it sounds fantastic. The standard fit Vauxhall headunit is ok, not brilliant though.

You can run an amp off a head unit that has no pre-out's too, you will need a line level converter, you will lose either the front or rear speakers but you can fit one of these in their place to run an amp..

http://www.halfords....yId_165626#dtab

They get the job done, but one of my mates back in sixth form fitted one in his saxo. No matter where he routed power lines, and this device. Suppression devices etc he could not get rid of the interverence from the charging system of the car. In the end used some philips RCA splitters the same that I was using in my sub setup which worked perfectly. Another person I know of tried using one of those in a golf with similar results.

As I said though, some amps have this level converter built in to run off the higher level of the speaker cables, but I have no experience using these.


But as m44k ts said, a decent head unit it the ideal place to start with a decent sound system, something with a brand name idealy. I seem to remember seeing a good kenwood unit in your astra thread? don't you like it?

[HARBER07]

It's a good headunit (Kenwood), I just think it looks a bit gash personally. It had an iPod input, but selecting songs/artists is a mission on it, and the aux input obviously won't charge it. I was thinking of using the CDR500, which is a standard Vaux headunit, it will use the MFD in the dashboard, and maybe use a Dension iPod dock. Dad has one and it works really well.

Just a personal thing more than anything, I'm just not a fan of aftermarket head units in dashboards as they never seem to fit in properly.