Mike B

I picked up a Nakamichi CD400 from another Rennlist member to replace a Blau CD Monteray (I think). The difference...well..., night and day are a close comparison.

Very happy. I know the CD is exceptional but at the same time I replaced the rear 4x6's with a set of Nakamichi 6.5 speakers. I moved the rears to the fronts until I could figire out a mounting system for the Nak 5.25 I have...for the doors.

All I can say is WoW!

Bill Lucas

I put Boston Acoustic 4X6 in the front and 6.5" Boston Acoustics in the rear about two weeks ago. This weekend I'll be installing an Alpine PDX-4.150 amp to drive them. I won't play it to ear-splitting levels but I do want clean power and this Alpine amp will provide that. Head units are simply too underpowered to drive today's speakers. I own a company that installs home theaters and home audio setups and I refuse to listen to distortion from underpowered speakers.

What I'd really like to do is to put Dynaudio speakers in all locations (simply amazing speakers) but I'd prefer to keep the interior as a "stock" look so component speakers are out for the time being.

Drewsifer

In my last car I had a Pioneer HU, and I loved it. It was a snap to use, and while sometimes it got bitchy and didn't read CD's, it normally worked perfectly. Plus it didnt hurt my wallet to much either. A big down side though, it was very basic in what you could adjust on it. I was thinking about using another one of those.

Which would be a better place to start, with the head unit or with the speakers? Right now I can afford to do one or the other (depending on the price). Is there a speaker that works well on all four spots?

jeeper31

How did you get 6.5 in the rear?

Bill Lucas

1989 S2. It already had cutouts for 6.5" speakers in the rear. Of course, the hole patterns didn't line up but that was pretty easy to overcome.

UDPride

Cant speak for Eclipse head units but I love my Eclipse speakers. They are 6-7yrs old and still magnificent. As good as the Focals and Phoenix Golds I spent a lot more on for the other car.

924RACR

My setup (in my 82) just got the Blaupunkt 4x6's added to the doors; adding these to the 6.5" JBLs in the rear (stock location, hogged out for the 6.5's) and the 10" Polk sub (homemade box in the spare tire well), I'm very happy with the sound quality. Well, at least, when parked - our old 2.0L cars don't have near as much sound insulation as your later, nicer cars!

All the same, I still find it kinda aggravating the way the (stock) front speaker covers don't fit flat; I think I'm going to upgrade the fronts to the Alpines, and move these Blaus to the rear of my 924S (which isn't getting a sub, don't expect it to have the excellent sound, so that's OK). If I'm happy with the Alpines, I'll likely put another pair up front in the S. They seem to have a little better low-end response than the Blaus, per the specs.

If I'm still unsatisfied with the sound in the S, I think I will go for that small sub box from KLA...

White Pony

I've seen your setup, the small sub box from KLA is probably not going to help. I'd suggest cutting the resonance back there, stuff around the box with polyfill (available at craft stores) Your current sub setup is probably the nicest owner-made one ive seen running. A little sound deadening, (not hard, but takes effort and time) thosebetter speakers (NOT Blahpunkt) and a good headunit will set you ahead of the game, IDK waht headunit you had...

These cars ARE MISERABLE to get good sound in, mostly because of the 4x6 speaks and the bad sound deadening.

I HOPE I'm putting in 3 8" Kicker S8L7 subs in a fiberglass box where the backseat is (taking it out), and making custom fiberglass doorpods to hold a custom 7" Dayton Audio component set, run on an active x-over on an Eclipse 8454 HU. Once I become a Rennlist member I hope to sell replicants of the doorpods made custom to the needs fellow rennlisters.

Yabo

Hm.. PM robby with speaker ideas.. He's looked alot into all this stuff and could write a book from what I've seen. I've sent PM's back and forth with him a bit. I'm surprised he hasn't chimed in by now, maybe he doesnt watch the board that much anymore.

Serge944

Don't know how useful this is, but I would stay away from component speakers with 944s, unless you're planning on adding a subwoofer, or using 6x9 rear speakers.

The <4" cone found on plate components is terrible on bass, although the high frequencies will be crisper.

White Pony

The pinnacle of audio performance right there.

Robby

I would say just the opposite- the 944 series cars have horrible imaging & components seem to be the only way to combat this- if you've ever heard the factory M490 w/speakers in decent condition, all of them working, etc, it sounds really good- much better than most early 90's stuff & this from a 1989 Turbo S. The last of the 968's did something even different... i'm going to post some pics that are pretty much self-explanatory here- several here have probably never seen the upgraded speakers from the 968, as well as the cut-out in the rear- BTW- a 6x8 Infinity component will fit w/out cutting ANY METAL from the rear openings & give good bass- this asssuming you have the factory cut-out 6.5" as opposed to the 4x6. BUT, IF you're going to pull those rear panels (often meaning you'll have to remove the 1/4 window) then do yourself a favor & cut the metal if you have too- ANYTHING to get AT LEAST a 6.5" back there- the 6x8 is slightly better... These pics have been taken from all over the place, so please don't be offended if you see one of your own car here... not trying to not give credit, but many of these, I've picked up from the RL.... Hopefully some of these will help someone- the stereo situation in these cars is about the depth of an encyclopeadia....


#1- Turbo S M490 speakers
#2- early 968 M490
#3- 94/95 968 M490 speakers
#4- 94/95 968 M490
#5- 6.5" in front
#6 & 7- modded S2 cab- would love to find out who's this is...
#8- Turbo S M490 rear
#9- Kappa 6.5 in rear
#10- rear speakerr opening

Serge944

You missed a critical point - I was referring to 4x6 component plates. They're not the best solution the woofer has to be less than 4" to fit.

Of course a properly setup component system is going to be better, but it requires custom fabrication on standard 944 door panels.

Robby

DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SON OF A BIT**!!!!!!

I just typed a BOOK & the screen disappeared just as I was finishing it.... I can;t go through that again....

Serge- sorry- I misunderstood- I completely understand now though- hey, my PO cut holes in my hatch carpet to mount plate speakers- 4" cones w/seperate tweeters in 4x6 plates- can you imagine? Cutting holes in $500 hatch carpet for THAT???

Devon- how have you been? Anything cool going on your way?

Yes, I've tried quite a few things... Enough to figure out what does NOT work... I think the best thing I've done so far is to mount 6x8 components in the rear under the 1/4 windows... 6x9's will go, but would require a bit of precision metal cutting. I have 6x8 Kappa comps going in now... mounting stuff up front can be trickier, but you CAN get 6.5's at the front lower corner of the door, where the 4x6 used to be, but you have to go shallow & you have to buy spacers... Let me take this time to dog MJM Auto- do NOT buy from them... they sold me 1/8" spacers when I ordered 1/4" spacers- no big deal, but i've sent countless e-mails politely asking about it & they wont even respond, when it was THEIR mistake to begin with... I now need to find some 1/4" spacers for some 6.5's I've got going up front.... I am going back to a 3-way component set-up... I finally found a slightly affordable option w/6.5" woofers shallow enough to fit... Many will not... I'd be glad to help in any way possible, but I'm definately not an authority.... I have tried quite a few things in the last few years though while trying to get around running subs & amps... I've relented on the amp thing- now running a simple 4-ch amp- still wont go to subs though b/c of weight & wiring, etc... I just don't need it for the types of music I listen too...

924RACR

Sorry, I think you've got my many cars confused... the KLA box would be for the '87 924S; all the setup you've seen is in my 82 931, and I wouldn't change any of it except the door speakers - as mentioned, ditching the Blaus for Alpines. That car, the 82 931, has an Aiwa head unit; again, suffiicent for how loud the inside of the car is.

The 924S has the Blau head unit, will get Blaus (probably) in the rear, maybe a pair of Alpines for the front, and that'll be it; just not likely to bother with a sub, got other things to worry about.