Ferdinand

I'd like to upgrade the sound in my 99 Boxster (it's always disappointed me, even my Celica sounds better). I'm putting in a CDR-220 to replace my 210 (for iPod compatibility), and it has a four channel amp in the front trunk (does anyone have the specs on that amp?) which I'd like to upgrade with a six channel from the 996. With the extra two channels, I'd like to control the rear speakers, which I plan to get as an upgrade from that guy on eBay.

Has anyone this, and how do you like having rears? I have an audiophile friend who told me it's a waste of time because the speakers are behind the seats, so all you get is more volume not quality, and that I'd be far better off upgrading the front speakers and maybe the door ones instead. Any thoughts?

Also, assuming I go through with the upgrade with rears, does anyone know which Porsche amps will fit into the front trunk slots of Boxsters? I've heard that any 996 six-channel fits, as well as one from Becker which is yet unidentified. Any thoughts?

Ray S

Your friend is wrong. I had only the fronts and I added the rears about a year after I purchased my car.

It makes a HUGE difference in my opinion.

Irishdriver

Buy the kit and fit the rear speakers.

Most of us are used to well distributed sound and I find that just having front speakers is always going to sound wrong. Your friend has missed the point - better speakers will leave you with a higher quality wrong sound.

Now, how can I get one of those PCNA kits sent to Germany. Suncoast want $91 dollars for shipping.

Anyone know where else they are available?

chuckd94

I went to a local car stereo store looking to upgrade the front speakers. He told me that the speakers in the Boxster are made by MB Quart and that the cost of upgrading the front speakers would not justify the small improvement I would gain.

I've been looking at that rear speaker replacement myself. If you do it, pls let us know how you like it.

I also saw that Clarion makes a small subwoofer that I believe would fit under the driver's seat. Anyone know anything about that. I'm not looking to turn my ride into a ghetto sled or anything, but my speakers tend to break up under heavy bass.

Tool Pants

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=3389

Ferdinand

I tracked down Jamey, formerly of Paris Audio in Beverly Hills, who specializes in Porsche audio. I told him I wanted to buy the rear speaker kit from that guy selling them on eBay, and wanted to know how much he'd charge for doing the installation.

He said that for a little more than what it would cost me to get the kit and having it installed, he recommends instead that I add an amplifier (a second one to the one in my trunk) with an electronic crossover, which would greatly improve the power and efficiency of the four speakers already in the Boxster. Claims this sounds better than the rear speaker kit, which only adds volume. The next best upgrade after that for the money is to get better speakers (but still not the rear speaker kit).

Has anyone done such an install, i.e. a second amp (so basically the speakers are bi-amped) with an electronic crossover?

Master Deep

Personally, I think having only 2 nice component fronts with an amp and possibly a small sub is better. Rear speakers mess up all of the imaging and phasing. Especially since the box is small, this setup should sound really good. I heard a nice setup of Focal's with a sub in a s2000 and it sounded awesome.

Ray S

That's the difference between guessing and experiencing.

The rears add more than just "volume". Drive a Boxster with and without them and you will understand.

Ferdinand

Jamey's installed a lot of sound systems on Boxsters, including the rears and the crossover with additional amplifier setup. He says the crossover plus additional amp sounds better than rears, and is more upgradeable later on because all you'd need to do is swap door and dash speakers. I think I'm going to go with that option over the rears. I also don't like the timing issue with the rears, especially since they need to be hooked up to the radio head directly for power, since the Boxster amps are 4-channel.

Moogle

the boxster is one of the worst places in which to be **** about audio

the engine is 2 inches from your back.

JFScheck

And when that top is down at speeds over 80mph....