Replacement of existing car 8 speakers sound system

[shutterbox]

Hi all,

After driving Forester XT a few years, decided to upgrade the sound system.

Factory setup is Harman Kardon audio system. Only info I can find about the set up is as seen + a factory head unit. Don't have specs of amp other than it being a 8 channel DSP amp with 440W output.

Usual music types, classical, vocal, Jazz. Not really into EDM. Fat Boy Slim is far as I go.

Thinking of 3 options to upgrade:

Option 1 - Keep factory HU, Harmon Kardon 8 channel DSP amp, wiring, and replace the 8 drivers at:

1. Front L/R door 6x9" woofers
2. Front L/R 80mm midrange below windscreen window
3. Rear L/R 80mm midrange at the door
4. Rear L/R door 160mm woofers 

 + add basic sound proofing.

For this, would need recommendations on what to replace, and at where.

Option 2 - Keep wiring (where possible), replace all HU, amps, drivers in a passive setup + basic sound proofing. Need recommendations on what to change to for a set up to support Android Auto and Apple Carply.

Option 3 - Do Option 2, but in an active setup. I'm just being playful where, but how much more are we looking at to go for a 2 Way active setup.

What kind of money are we looking at for Options 1 and 2 for a 2 way setup?

1k to 2k+ (depending on parts to change and their quality?), I think i can 😀. Not prepared to dump more than 3.5k though 😏

PS; I did some background searching here, hwz ICE thread, sgcarmart, FB, etc  but so many brands and setups it gets very confusing 🤣

Edited January 13, 2021 by shutterbox
mistakes

[Sdf4786k]

Must be careful that the speaker depth fits the window else cannot wind down window.. the glass contact with the speaker magnet 

[Jamesc]

The DSP amp is tuned exactly to match the position of the speakers, the power output and tonality of the speakers.

There is no way you can improve the sound by changing the speakers without retuning your dsp.

Tuning is a hassle.

My advice is don't change.

[shutterbox]

51 minutes ago, Jamesc said:

The DSP amp is tuned exactly to match the position of the speakers, the power output and tonality of the speakers.

There is no way you can improve the sound by changing the speakers without retuning your dsp.

Tuning is a hassle.

My advice is don't change.

Position/power output an position, I think DSP tunes this to set the sound for Forester's cabin.

Tone, I think DSP doesn't know how to measure right?

[Jamesc]

24 minutes ago, shutterbox said:

Position/power output an position, I think DSP tunes this to set the sound for Forester's cabin.

Tone, I think DSP doesn't know how to measure right?

DSP do tone also.

The DSP can sent say music that is 3k Hz and above to the tweeter sounds like a man singing

or it can high pass higher and send say only music that is 4k Hz to the tweeter

and sound like a man signing with his balls being squeezed. 

Very clearly it will be a very different tone.

If anyone needs a demo I can also call my MIL along to help with the squeezing.

[shutterbox]

2 hours ago, Jamesc said:

The DSP amp is tuned exactly to match the position of the speakers, the power output and tonality of the speakers.

There is no way you can improve the sound by changing the speakers without retuning your dsp.

Tuning is a hassle.

My advice is don't change.

like that, then stay stock ?

thought at least change out to better component speakers to replace current ones.

[Mustank]

I also want to Tao speakers in my Musso like those Yishun dam vans with big ass giant speakers

 

[Jamesc]

28 minutes ago, shutterbox said:

like that, then stay stock ?

thought at least change out to better component speakers to replace current ones.

I will never stop anyone spending money on car audio as I also love spending money on car audio

until my wife says I spend toooooo much money on car audio.

You can certainly change to better conponent speakers but you will have to retune your dsp

unless the speakers you change have exactly the same specs as your current speakers.

Now if they have the same specs then they will well sound exactly the same and no improvement.

The dsp is tuned to make your existing speakers sound the best it can be. 

So you cannot get a better sound but you can tune your dsp to get a sound that you like more!

What is it you don't like? More bass, a sweeter treble?

More bass add a subwoofer, a sweeter treble rolls off the high frequncy on the dsp.

If you want to change all your speakers you can. If you like the new sound then job done.

If you don't like the way the new speakers sound then you have to retune your dsp.

If you retune and still don't like it then you have to change to a better dsp and or change the head unit.

And after all that its not guaranteed that you will get a sound you like more.

The existing dsp is tuned to get the best sound from your speakers and the shape of the cabin.

Its designed to make the best of everything it has.

[Jamesc]

42 minutes ago, Mustank said:

I also want to Tao speakers in my Musso like those Yishun dam vans with big ass giant speakers

 

Now Pandemic no more concerts try to get some big concert speakers on the cheap and put it in your Musso.

Maybe something like these speakers would be good.

 

[Mkl22]

20 minutes ago, Jamesc said:

I will never stop anyone spending money on car audio as I also love spending money on car audio

until my wife says I spend toooooo much money on car audio.

You can certainly change to better conponent speakers but you will have to retune your dsp

unless the speakers you change have exactly the same specs as your current speakers.

Now if they have the same specs then they will well sound exactly the same and no improvement.

The dsp is tuned to make your existing speakers sound the best it can be. 

So you cannot get a better sound but you can tune your dsp to get a sound that you like more!

What is it you don't like? More bass, a sweeter treble?

More bass add a subwoofer, a sweeter treble rolls off the high frequncy on the dsp.

If you want to change all your speakers you can. If you like the new sound then job done.

If you don't like the way the new speakers sound then you have to retune your dsp.

If you retune and still don't like it then you have to change to a better dsp and or change the head unit.

And after all that its not guaranteed that you will get a sound you like more.

The existing dsp is tuned to get the best sound from your speakers and the shape of the cabin.

Its designed to make the best of everything it has.

And once you get everything done the way you want. It’s time to change car.😂. And then the whole process starts again.  To some it a hobby. 

[shutterbox]

After spending sometime checking stock speakers specs, I think I'll try to go for a FR for front dash n 6.5" mid that goes to around 50hz.

So far seems like audible physics has a FR driver that physically will fit front dash with minimum mod. 

Anyone has recommendations for other FR drivers around 2.5"?

[Sarion]

On 1/16/2021 at 8:17 AM, shutterbox said:

After spending sometime checking stock speakers specs, I think I'll try to go for a FR for front dash n 6.5" mid that goes to around 50hz.

So far seems like audible physics has a FR driver that physically will fit front dash with minimum mod. 

Anyone has recommendations for other FR drivers around 2.5"?

i did my 3way active mixed Morel+Focal setup in XV (upgraded from initial 2way passive Morel with GroundZero DSP amp) at Dimension Audio, maybe see what Roy can do for you.

he's good at tuning and carries multiple brands to suit budget and setup and most importantly, what sounds good to your ears (cos different brands really sound differently). 

Hear it at his showroom to believe. he's not pushy also.

[Dannyub]

I have changed my head unit to a android player.. surprisingly it sounds better. The original head unit may read harman kardon, but it is clarion and the sound quality is surprisingly quite bad. The android player comes is a plug and play which can play for any Subaru be it XV or forester or fxt.. one of the advantage of the head unit is i have more freedom over the equalizer and sound stage.. I find that the dsp setting is kinda flat.. and the crossover point is rather standard, nothing really rocket science.

Android player comes with plug and play plug which I can plug to the dsp. It also have additional RCA output which I have used for a sub. I am using the JBL S3-1224 and infinity ref551a amp. Very nice sounding. I have owned a set of 3 way focal and infi kappa 60.11cs sets.. comparing them, the sound system in my fxt is kinda muddle in it mid range and high. It plays ok if the volume is low. When u crank it up, then it sounds kinda muddled..  the original dash full range speaker is 6ohm 5 watt which explains why it breaks if u crank it up.. thought of replacing to a alpine 30mc also at 6ohm.. instead went for audison ap4 mid bass that plays up till 8khz . It runs on 30w so I thought the additional 20plus watt shouldn't strain the 440 watt amp so much... so far sounds kinda good.. very clear..

So that's what I did to the system so far.. might change to another 6 × 9 speaker, but they sound ok for now with plenty of mid bass.. might go for kappa 93ix .. but kinda worried that I may screw up the amp.. 

I have also do the sound deadening for the doors .. 2 layers each door.. sound quality improve quite a bit there.. 

Edited June 7, 2021 by Dannyub

[shutterbox]

itchy again

now thinking of changing all 8 speakes to 2 sets of components of the same make, so as to get more homogenously sounding amp.

am looking at change full Steg components, and HU.

just not sure if I can keep the existing HK DSP amp 🤨

[snakers]

thank you for the information I wish you a good day

location voiture casablanca , location range rover evoque marrakech

Edited November 15, 2022 by snakers