Kinda had enough of the standard system - the bass units are not too bad but the tweeters are utter cack and no amount of mucking about with cap values will resolve to my satisfaction. Thinking of whipping off the door panels and fitting some Focul 165 6.5" units in the front and 5.5" in the rear. Was wondering if anybody has done this without too much butchery?

I put dynamat, upgraded cabling, amp and component speakers in my last Octy 2. You have to get the right adapter things for the mid / bass drivers to sit in in the front. It sounded pretty good, but with my warranty replaced front tweeter and Columbus instead of Stream MP3, I'm happy enough with the OEM now that I just don't think it's worth the expense and hassle again. Columbus makes a huge difference to the sound over the Stream. The speakers are not the weakest link in the chain.

Edited 21 December, 200916 yr by wega3k

I agree that changing the stream is the first thing, I changed a simillar oem headunit also to a Columbus and the sound quality from the OEM speakers is now pretty impressive compared to before. You really need to hear what they can sound like. Changing the speakers and keeping the OEM headunit wont make the system sound any better, and could make things worse if the headunit cannot drive them properly.

I replaced my speakers soon after getting the car. Unlike others I didn't think much of the OEM ones.

Didn't make a huge difference with the Stream but with Nexus and latterly Columbus it was quite a good sound.

I had DLS Reference 6.5 components in the fromnt and and some DLS coaxials in the rear and the sound was very good.

Don't put components in the rear as it is the rear tweeter that causes all the confusion.

Yeah, I had fairly cheap Alpine co-axials in the rear.

Yepp another for changing the headunit.

I went from Nexus to MFD²DVD to RNS510.

The first step was the biggest in sound, the second step was also an improvement but not as big as the step from Nexus to MFD²DVD.

This in combination with the tweeter mod (other caps) made the system good enough to listen at.

Guys

Already fitted a Columbus and yes it is better but the OEM speakers, particularly the tweeter really are not great and sticking a different value cap on them is just masking the awful resonance and poor response.

Sorry but I'm a complete and utter audiophile - valve amps, electrostatics and those funny black 12" round things that go "click" "pop" so I'm kinda picky about my audio.

Completely happy with fitting wooden rings etc but it would be nice to know how much room I have to play with as the Focul's have juicy magnets. I would ideally like to fit the 6.5" components to the front, the 5.5" compionents to the rear doors but without mounting the tweeter and fit the tweeters right back on the rear quarters for rear imaging.

I would like to fit a sub but can't find one that I like and getting line out from the Columbus appears to be almost impossible so I'm happy to live with a 50Hz cutoff on the bottom end.

You wouldn't need wooden rings as you can buy adaptors.

I still wouldn't put components in the rear but that is your choice.

Line out is freely available from the Columbus,

You wouldn't need wooden rings as you can buy adaptors.

I still wouldn't put components in the rear but that is your choice.

Line out is freely available from the Columbus,

Wouldn't rings be less prone to colouration compared to plastic adaptors? The magnet depth on these Focul drivers is 85mm so I think I might need to have lots of spacing!!

OK, why no components in the rear? I intend to replace the midbass in the rear door but relocate the tweeter much further back. Surely this will provide much improved rear fill and less congestion to the imaging due to the fact that the rear tweeters will no loger be right by my ear?!!!

Stop teasing me - line out on the Columbus? Diagram? Details?

Edited 22 December, 200916 yr by wardth

Try here. http://www.octavia-vrs.com/technical/mfd2.html

Should be the same pinouts from a Columbus.

LO-L, LO-R and LINE with the earth symbol.

Personally speaking I prefer the soundstage to be central just in front of the gearstick.

Personally speaking I prefer the soundstage to be central just in front of the gearstick.

Agreed - you just want the rears to fill out the sound - you don't want to be thinking about any sort of sound stage from the rear.

just wish skoda would charge an extra £2-300 on a new car and give us a decent system to begin with