Last weekend I installed a new Kenwood head unit and it's really highlighting how bad the stock speakers are, so I've just ordered these for the front doors of my 2003 L&K: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/370371541188?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I got these for the rear: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150676625244?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I've also ordered speaker wire adaptors so I can easily put the stock ones back in should I sell the car and want to keep hold of the new ones. My question is: Will I need anything else (like adaptor rings), or will they go straight in?

I went for these partly because they say they can be run from any head unit. That seems an odd thing to say about a speaker but I once had an amazing deal on some high-end Blaupunkts that died within minutes! When discussing a warranty claim the Blaupunkt techie said that high-end speakers need to run off an amp (for filtering or somesuch), and that the distortion from a direct head-unit setup had killed them. Sounded like bull to me and I got my money back, but it's made me wary now.

I also like the option of being able to adjust the tweeter level. I'm thinking about disconnecting the stock ones and it'd be good to be able to mess about with it.

So does anyone have experience of Infinity speakers or these models in particular?

I would buy components instead as the speakers you linked to will sound great if you drive with your head down in the front footwells, but then you may want to see where you're going!

Yeah, not the right speakers to buy...

Well I'm happy to concede to your audio knowledge. I really have none beyond liking a sound when I hear it.

So I'm off to try and cancel these, I assume that'll be no problem if they haven't been despatched yet. All being well I'll start a new thread looking for other recommendations within my budget.

Cheers for the comments guys

I had similar infinitys and I thought they sounded decent. I now have Focal components and they sound much nicer.

I recommend dynamat in the doors for improved bass.

Infinity are great value for money, and do provide an excellent sound. The Kappa range is particularly good.

You will need the 2-piece components, you just don't need to install the tweeters- unless you want to replace the standard tweeters?

I know exactly what you mean by the stock speakers being absolute mince now too- I've had to put the bass up to +5 on my Alpine head unit, and then the speakers just vibrate in the doors. Sounds like my doors are farting.

I'll be following this closely- fully intend on upgrading my audio when the first paycheque clears...

I would personally recommend, for a smaller budget, the Infinity 5010 5.25" component speakers for the rear, and Infinity 6510 6.5" component speakers for the front. That's what I'll be going for. There's usually tonnes of Infinity stuff on eBay, some used-but-new-in-box sets up there at the moment (hint hint!).

I used to have some infinity 6x9's in my old corsa and they were fantastic for money and they looked more expensive than they were,

Just bought some cheap second hand ones off ebay and going to build a shelf so i can hide them under shelf out of sight

You will need the 2-piece components, you just don't need to install the tweeters- unless you want to replace the standard tweeters?

I know exactly what you mean by the stock speakers being absolute mince now too- I've had to put the bass up to +5 on my Alpine head unit, and then the speakers just vibrate in the doors. Sounds like my doors are farting.

Thanks for the advice people. Vlad, my system sounds a lot like yours at the moment. I have to run it very quietly to avoid driving with a constant cringe on my face

I had considered getting components, install the woofers and then just eBay the tweeters (and the crossovers if the car has some), but I'm trying to get the hang of this stuff and wouldn't mind installing the lot. I imagine the stock tweeters are technically as gash as the rest. DynaMatting may be a step too far for a technical noob like me, but I can just add that later if I'm really keen.

I successfully canceled one pair of 2-ways that I ordered yesterday, soon as the others are refunded I'll be on the hunt. I might be able to stretch to Vibe Black Air 5 & 6 components at £125 the lot from eBay. I emailed Vibe yesterday to ensure I can run them happily direct from the head unit. See what they say as I don't want a amps.

I'll be sure to get your opinions on my options BEFORE I hit the buy-it-now this time!

If it all goes in okay, maybe for Christmas I'll ask Santa for an under-seat subwoofer too :p

Love it, love everything about it.

I'll be joining you as soon as possible. Feel free to take photos along the way so I have some frame of theft/reference.

More good ones to consider: JBL, Focal, Rainbow, etc.

Underseat subwoofer sounds like a great idea. Although us estate'uns do have a massive boot... tempting to pop it where the CD changer is currently!

The vRS seats have a low horizontal bar across them so under seat subwoofers won't fit :(

I did this:

Lots of details:

http://www.pimpmyskoda.co.uk/Sub.htm

A dog under the seat- a true sub-woofer!

EDIT: Just read that. Awesome, on so many levels. Please come visit the UK and do this for me.

Edited 13 November, 201114 yr by VladSoilerOfCarpets

i have a set of hertz in the front and will be sorting the rears out at some point and altho the fronts ideally need an amp i am running them off a alpine headunit and have no problem sound wise aslong as i dont go beyond vol 18 depending on the song. The vibe speakers i reakon our your best bet as my m8 has a set in his bmw and they sound very very good just off the headunit and again his speakers adeally need running on an amp but has givin no problems on the headunit at all.

Underseat subwoofer sounds like a great idea. Although us estate'uns do have a massive boot... tempting to pop it where the CD changer is currently!

Doesn't look like a lot of room under the seat and if a sub does fit it might limit the fore-aft adjustment. I'm thinking the cd-changer spot might be the best although I really wanted it in the cabin.

I'm thinking one of these would be a good plan: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Phase-USW10-Ultra-Compact-Active-Subwoofer-/260752298954?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item3cb60c53ca

Ive stuck a slimline subwoofer in the mesh pocket on the other side, works quite well.

Ive stuck a slimline subwoofer in the mesh pocket on the other side, works quite well.

What make / model have you got? I had a little Blaupunkt in my Prelude but it wasn't really loud enough to be effective from the boot.

It was http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lanzar-VCTBS8-Super-Slim-High-Power-Subwoofer/dp/B001RJMN5S

It wont shake the car to death, but definitely does help with the low end response. Maybe the 10 inch one would be a better option. Comes with a remote lead too.

Edited 13 November, 201114 yr by Liverpool-Lad

Ive got vibe black death componets in mine and have replaced the standard tweeters all running through the headunit. But the bass is set right the way down because the 18" sub in the boot is more than loud enough lol.

WooHoo! Refunds are done and the Vibe Black Air components are ordered, should be here tomorrow

I'm like a kid at Christmas with anything I buy so I'll probably whack in the rears straight away. Seems easy enough, even for an audio noob like me. Just hoping the speaker adaptor cables arrive too :wonder:

I've never had the door cards off so I'll leave that until the weekend and some daylight. Am I likely to need replacement clips to refit the door card or should it come off without busting any? If it's likely I'll need some, what's the best source when your local main stealer's a duffer?

There aren't really any clips, just take care with it and you'll be all good.

Front door comes apart in a similar way to the rear: http://www.pimpmyskoda.co.uk/RearDoor.htm

do you need to remove the front door card if just changing the woofer?

Thanks RobClubly, I suppose it's only to be expected that I'll break something but hopefully nothing expensive. That PimpMySkoda is a real lifesaver!

do you need to remove the front door card if just changing the woofer?

No idea, never tried it, but I will this weekend! I'm installing the whole component set now so it'll have to come off I think.

So I've been emailing the Vibe techies and they say many customers run these speakers straight from the head unit without problems, they prefer to be amped but if I run the head unit with Loudness off and minimum bass boost they'll be sweet.

What they DO recommend is not to just connect them to the stock wiring but to use the crossovers to filter the sound to the correct frequencies per speaker, so I won't just be whacking in the woofers on spade connectors via the adaptors I ordered. That's a nice pile of unused bits I've built up since I started :p

Oh well, do it properly and you should only do it once (or thrice).

My next noob question regards connecting the stock speaker cabling (at the rear shelf and front door), to the crossovers. Is this sensible or should I REALLY run RCAs right from the head unit to the crossovers? It's got 3 pre-outs so I'm afraid the answer will be yes :S

Edited 14 November, 201114 yr by ExHondaMan

Please take snaps as you go, Ive been wanting to do this for a while but havent had the balls yet.

My next noob question regards connecting the stock speaker cabling (at the rear shelf and front door), to the crossovers. Is this sensible or should I REALLY run RCAs right from the head unit to the crossovers? It's got 3 pre-outs so I'm afraid the answer will be yes :S

RCA's are for amps mainly and will not connect to the cross over. the cross over is simply a spliter for frequencies, this is fed by speak cable either from your head unit or an amp.

I used black air's in my old BMW and they were fine from my headunit.

Thanks for that, it helps to have someone with a clue to pass on!

Not sure about taking pics along the way, I got a nice new Panasonic Lumix TZ-18 for holidays this year, and last week I put it in the washing machine in my trouser pocket

I'll try the phone camera, see how it goes!

Once the speakers arrive (hopefully tomorrow), I'll lay the whole lot out and position it as I see it in the car, see if it makes sense :p

So the Vibe component sets just arrived and I'm massively impressed. Everything is heavy metal and looks seriously well made and finished, can't wait to hear them now! So now to the wiring

I need to get something clear in my mind before I start, using the rear speakers for this example. Here's the plan as I see it right now:

Attach the speaker cable adaptor (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140543367855?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649), where the stock woofer is attached now (to avoid messing with the stock cabling). That adaptor ends in 2 spade connectors so I'll remove the spades and wind the wire onto the crossover inputs. From the crossover there will be 2 outputs, one to the woofer and one to the tweeter. Simples

Now, questions I still have assuming the above isn't total lunacy. Disclaimer: Some questions may be laughable to those that understand these things:

1. Has the stock woofer cable previously been through a crossover elsewhere in the car? If not I think I'm on target

2. Are the 4 wires that arrive at the rear speaker all inputs? It seems weird, even to me. Or a there 2 inputs with the other 2 going back to the tweeter after passing straight through the woofer or somesuch? :S

As ever I'm very grateful for any clarity I can gain before I start plugging stuff in and blowing fuses or damaging my new speakers. When replying, please remember to keep your replies in clearest NOOBspeak

Edited 16 November, 201114 yr by ExHondaMan