Upgrading car speakers after collecting new car...

[amitanubha]

And where is amp put your car, i was referring to full active 12 units with proper enclosure ported boxes like models i mentioned above. I might lose boot space but i mostly drive within city and i can probably manage...

Edited 8 January, 2019 by amitanubha

[PetrolDave]

1 hour ago, JohnnyType2 said:

you need a wave form multi meter, its an cheap way to tune i bought this... and its excellent... waveform and bar chart so you can adjust gains and crossovers, £45 posted


 

Got a link to where I can buy that?

[JohnnyType2]

5 hours ago, PetrolDave said:

Got a link to where I can buy that?

you can get them on banggood or aliexpress

[JohnnyType2]

6 hours ago, amitanubha said:

And where is amp put your car, i was referring to full active 12 units with proper enclosure ported boxes like models i mentioned above. I might lose boot space but i mostly drive within city and i can probably manage...

 

its only 300W my 10 is 750 rms

[amitanubha]

ok please tell me which amplifier is paired and where is it installed for this

[JohnnyType2]

i think the pioneer would be fine, i just like my bass a little louder.

[amitanubha]

Anyone for or against sealed underseat subwoofers ? I am thinking 150w like blaupunkt elk 8A or Alpine 8inch. Just looks neat. Probably 2 subwoofers to act more like 3 way.

 

My installer says that they will overpower other speakers but we can always control gain and keep them low ?  I am just looking to hear and feel some beats and not a full blown sub effect but still he recommends strongly Pioneer box i showed above.Actually Pioneer box is not available so waiting for stock, still have time to decide

 

Oh and i got it tuned today by installer and he still recommends not to change stock speakers for my kind of taste which is classical indian music and i am not into techno. Now vocals are centered and beautiful and EQ is done nicely(didn't use RTA tools yet and more of experience from installer and my own taste, and he was quite good)

 

Thanks

-Amit

[Russ77]

Generally speaking, sealed subs will give a tighter, punchier bass response.  The smaller the enclosure the tighter/punchier the sound will be.

 

It really depends on the type of music & effect you're after but if you're worried about over-powering the rest of the speakers then a sealed 10"/12" would be the way to go with the gains set sensibly

 

I used to run subs in my old cars, until about 7 years ago when my wife told me "you're too old for that cr@p now"!!!!

 

As a comparison, if you're talking about what's perceivable to the ear (rather than what specs & measuring devices might say).  The single 12" sub I used to run in a ported enclosure sounds as loud (if not a little louder) than 2 12s in a sealed enclosure when run from the same amp at different points in time.  The ported enclosure dropped a lot lower and felt like it was moving a lot more air but it lost it's composure before the sealed subs did.

[amitanubha]

ok thanks i got it, but more then sealed vs ported i am trying to get  sense of 8inch sealed under seat type enclosure like Kicker11HS8 or Alpine or pioneer. Also i just now see Blaupunkt has xlf 8A which is 160w rms/320 peak , sounds pretty good on paper as specs for adding depth and a bit of punch. I know can't beat ported box in boot,

If i do decide on boot then it might be easy just to put a normal box to bass tube and done with it

 

Any further comments/suggestions please

[JohnnyType2]

there are plenty of Low profile options now in 10" that would fit under seat , alpine sundown all have shallow versions of 10" & 12" subs on offer so there's plenty of choice. under seat would normally be active so no amp needed.

Edited 10 January, 2019 by JohnnyType2

[amitanubha]

Thanks again for info. and i am trying to find something shallow pre-built active subwoofer box, yet to find something in 10inch 

Last few days sometimes i am getting a bit of thud noise when i start ignition or start engine on left hand door, sometimes it is not there or low sound, any idea what is going wrong. During music listening no issues and doesn't sound like anything broken. It is like initial current/power and weirdly sometimes only with ignition, sometimes when i start engine

I remember the connections for power and ground from HU and ACC power was taken from Battery empty point

 

Before i get time to go to installer wanted to know opinions or experience with any HU tapping in past

 

Thanks

-Amit

[amitanubha]

Hello everyone

 

I am really excited and happy to report my final install of subwoofer and sub amplifier is completed yday(yup got a holiday) as well as final tuning done. And WOW what a great improvements and results overall in tonal quality, balance, separation and clarity. Got a premade MDF box and installed in boot. Installer suggested a 10" Polk audio sub with brazo amp(from Polk audio), and it was tuned very nicely. Stock speakers are signing very well and he recommends no need to change  and i agree

 

Please suggest me songs or send me any songs which are further helpful to listen to check setup. I did with many songs  including hotel California, and i am mostly listening my Hindi songs, a lot of vocals, drums and bells in Hindi music. Some legendary voices from Indian cinema both female and male are coming thru great, almost as good as home Hifi, and perception wise better as nicely cocooned from noise inside car(hard to do in Home :-))

 

I totally suggest this is a good approach to improve Octavia III music quality and DSP plus Sub makes a huge difference itself.

Total cost DSP - 170 USD, Sub +box+install+wiring = 250 USD. Grand Total = 420 USD/30k INR

 

And one more thing i was impressed by how installer took the wire from battery using left side fender and body piece and not thru tunnel/firewall. He told me he has done similar installs in many VW group cars and they is space given for such things including hole to take wire inside dash. Also a nice GND point is there just below passenger seat . And all wires nicely hidden . I forgot to take final install pics as it was late in evening

 

[JohnnyType2]

where did you pull the power through the firewall at?

[amitanubha]

Nope not thru firewall but left side/passenger door and fender and then to bonnet(mine is RHS in India)

If you look at first photo with blue wire , it is power from battery 

[Russ77]

2 minutes ago, amitanubha said:

Nope not thru firewall but left side/passenger door and fender and then to bonnet(mine is RHS in India)

If you look at first photo with blue wire , it is power from battery 

How does it get into the cabin after it comes through the fender?  Do you have any photos of this?

[amitanubha]

Somewhere on side there is a rubber hole/plastic port marked i red, i will take pics later to show if i can

[Russ77]

So is there anything protecting the cable when the door is shut?

[amitanubha]

same plastic ring type cladding 

[amitanubha]

These photos are when he really started and put first pass thru but in the end all was properly covered, tightly snugged and laid very well, i will take pics of final job around bonnet, battery and door later in evening or tomorrow

[Guest]

If you don't mind me saying, that looks like a poor way of routing the cable. Better make sure the grommets he uses are water tight. He's routing the cable in to an area where water drains - the cable is starting off at a high point near the battery and I guess he's routing into the car behind the kick panel? That means water will be running down your power cable and quite possibly find it's way in to your car. It's even worse if he uses a plastic cable sheath (which you should use to protect cables) because then you create a natural tunnel directly into the interior of the car. On top of that, there's no way of securing that cable so you'll have a power cable dangling (rattling?) beneath the front wing.  The cable should pass in to the car via the bulkhead - it comes over to me that your installer is taking a lazy option. Sorry if that offends anyone.

 

You mention above about thud when you turn on ignition? Most likely caused by a poor electrical connection. Usually get this if something you've added isn't earthed properly. If you turn the volume down on the headunit, before you turn the ignition, then the thud shouldn't sound so bad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

 

Edited 16 January, 2019 by Guest

[amitanubha]

Hello Scot

 

I will ask him again about water drainage and getting water in dash especially thru power cable, but he seems to know what he is doing and mentioned did in many cars of VW group. Y'day to take pics i opened my door and wanted to see where is cable going but i can't see myself and  i dont remember if he had opened side kick panel and anything else but i can't figure out and take a pic, and yes we wanted to avoid going thru firewall as it is painful and very tight and more wires, he made this clear but i feel he knew what he is doing, still i am gonna give your feedback and check over weekend. Not lazy kind of guy as took a lot of time to finish and seal neatly so that i can't see anything or any sign of installation. Almost took 3 hours for just install and 1 hours of tuning

About thud i did check with 2 installers and both seem to suggest not a problem and sometimes when processor turn and draws current it might happen, but while running music i dont hear even a hiss or thud, i am convinced this is more of transient problem during inrush current(yup i am in electronics engineer as well ha..., sorry for bad joke)

 

Finally coming to quality of music , i am really impressed with how tuning and stage is set and let me explain

Today while coming to office i almost drove for 1.5 hours and listened to a specific genre of Hindi/Indian music and i could focus and pinpoint each every instrument on stage as if stage is set with instruments and singers coming and using it.

Facing to stage/dashboard, it sound drums,tablas and orchestra kind of instruments on right side of stage(or from my drivers position left side of stage and henceforth.. ). Bass heavy guitar and orchestra drums were on right side mostly taking 1/3 stage. Then center left is mostly female vocals  and a bit to its right is male vocals(yes i heard both solo and duets and i can point left , right singers), moving to right side of stage Piano and string instruments like violin, flute other thin string instrument i dont know, bells also far right side. Also height wise drums are low, vocals almost high and chorus in a song almost taking center to right side but a bit backwards or far away. Finally reverb from clapping and live performances cues coming further thin and back from both sides of stage but seems far off, like in Hotel California. Especially in Hotel California i can feel as if full orchestra is in front and moved a bit closer to me and guitar is coming from right mostly but i can hear different size drums hit at different locations on center and left/right side. Maybe i am dreaming or psychological effect too much...., but hey this is what illusion of music is all about .... Finally high pitch voices and songs are beautifully going up and down with clear vocals or husky voices. Overall a nice weight in voices

 

Hope this encourages more people to try out

 

Regards and Thanks to all

-Amit

 

[amitanubha]

Just got to talk with installer over phone, and he confirms that no chance of water coming thru as left side already has a hole and rubber cladding and typically Skoda group cars are built so well no water creeps and he doesn't see any water on fender side of things. In-fact he suggested that if i take it thru rubber on firewall, engine noise may creep in if not properly sealed etc.., I think i am good with his knowledge and expertise.

Lets hope for best and he is there to help me cover me if i fell any issues later after few weeks i can get it checked or after few months to see any traces of water close to that hole or anywhere in power cable

 

Thanks once again

-Amit

[JohnnyType2]

12 hours ago, amitanubha said:

Just got to talk with installer over phone, and he confirms that no chance of water coming thru as left side already has a hole and rubber cladding and typically Skoda group cars are built so well no water creeps and he doesn't see any water on fender side of things. In-fact he suggested that if i take it thru rubber on firewall, engine noise may creep in if not properly sealed etc.., I think i am good with his knowledge and expertise.

Lets hope for best and he is there to help me cover me if i fell any issues later after few weeks i can get it checked or after few months to see any traces of water close to that hole or anywhere in power cable

 

Thanks once again

-Amit

 

hes taken it though the main grommet as i did and just fed it up and to the left, its a safe spot as the grommet has a long sleeve into the engine bay its its a really snug fit. its actually around the middle of the glove box not at the door jambe as highlighted.

Edited 17 January, 2019 by JohnnyType2

[amitanubha]

One more thing in general i wanted to clarify while on this topic and seems a big confusion for me in general

If i decide to replace stock speakers on any car but dont want to install a full amplifier. What are best known high sensitivity and low rms requirement good component speakers. I dont know whenever i talk to anyone including my installers they recommend that for any aftermarket speakers i need amp. and i dont know since my current speakers are really good enough and driven well from simple 20 rms amp on DSP. 

I do know what high current/high rms amp will bring, but i am looking a suggestion for high quality but not without amp. 
This is not for my Octavia but in general and might be needed for my wife car which VW Vento/Polo. The advantage is always less wire laying/cutting/installing extra electronics

I am really happy with my current setup and love the music again.....

 

Regards,

-Amit

 

 

[JohnnyType2]

the output will be less than 50W per channel from the head unit so find a 4 ohm rated speaker at 50W rms and you will be fine. alpine type r are great value for money.