I previously owned the 2015 cx5 and didnt mind the bass in that vehicle, however the first thing i noticed in the new 2017-18 was the bass was not as deep. hence was wondering if you can replace the current speakers with the older model?
CX-5 2016 vs 2017-18 sound system
- Thread starter jpserret65
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- Mazda
Sound is subjective to the individual lessening. In my experience having once owning a auto stereo business is that more then 1/2 my customers were sort of tone deaf. No offence to anyone. But it easy to catch those that are by looking at how they set the a sound adjustments. In the past the "V" pattern on equalizers was the dead give away. 
Most sound systems in vehicles are designed with neutral setting projecting the best quality sounds. Adjusting from the center or neutral settings is more to cancel out road and engine noise. I always suggest that if a specific frequency is not what you like than that should be your "personal" preference to target either by changing the speaker or adding a speaker to fill the missing sounds you are looking for. BASS (frequencies below 250-500 HZ) is highly personal and subjective and also the hardest to gain a complete acceptable improvement because most people do not listen to just one type of music.
Most sound systems in vehicles are designed with neutral setting projecting the best quality sounds. Adjusting from the center or neutral settings is more to cancel out road and engine noise. I always suggest that if a specific frequency is not what you like than that should be your "personal" preference to target either by changing the speaker or adding a speaker to fill the missing sounds you are looking for. BASS (frequencies below 250-500 HZ) is highly personal and subjective and also the hardest to gain a complete acceptable improvement because most people do not listen to just one type of music.
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- 16 CX-5 Tour'ngAWD
first, car doors are the worst possible place to make good bass as they have too many holes or places for air to escape and the bass waves cannot be captures, directed or focused to where you want them. Think of the door as an open baffle "enclosure".
before you go out and buy new speakers; take some time apply sound deadener to your door and /or door panels. You don't need a lot and 25-50% of coverage is more than plenty. Again, this is deadener and it will lessen the resonance of the panel to which it is affixed. Plenty f videos on how to apply it, but 100% coverage is not needed as many videos will show.
Other products like closed cell foam and mass loaded vinyl, called sound blockers, will actually block certain sound frequencies. The CCF and MLV are usually used in conjunction with each other and there are 100s of debates across the internet on how they are used (same goes for the deadener mentioned above).
Because even great new speakers may not sound good because there is too much other noise in the car from panel resonance and road/wind.
Then there is the argument about factory head units not providing enough RMS power for aftermarket speakers.
Also, how much bass is supposed to come from a 6-6.5" speaker? If you have the optional sub, how big is that and what is it tuned for?
As said above, a near flat EQ setting will have the best sound, but of course, that might not appeal to our soul.
Just add an 8" powered bass tube and call it a day, unless you want to go more complex with amps, sound processors, new HU (and steering wheel controller), custom boxes, etc.
This is my $0.04 (inflation). Your thoughts might vary. Happy bass hunting.
before you go out and buy new speakers; take some time apply sound deadener to your door and /or door panels. You don't need a lot and 25-50% of coverage is more than plenty. Again, this is deadener and it will lessen the resonance of the panel to which it is affixed. Plenty f videos on how to apply it, but 100% coverage is not needed as many videos will show.
Other products like closed cell foam and mass loaded vinyl, called sound blockers, will actually block certain sound frequencies. The CCF and MLV are usually used in conjunction with each other and there are 100s of debates across the internet on how they are used (same goes for the deadener mentioned above).
Because even great new speakers may not sound good because there is too much other noise in the car from panel resonance and road/wind.
Then there is the argument about factory head units not providing enough RMS power for aftermarket speakers.
Also, how much bass is supposed to come from a 6-6.5" speaker? If you have the optional sub, how big is that and what is it tuned for?
As said above, a near flat EQ setting will have the best sound, but of course, that might not appeal to our soul.
Just add an 8" powered bass tube and call it a day, unless you want to go more complex with amps, sound processors, new HU (and steering wheel controller), custom boxes, etc.
This is my $0.04 (inflation). Your thoughts might vary. Happy bass hunting.
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- Mazda
GoFrogs I guess I shouldn't mention I have a full sets front rear of Focal Elite ES 165 KX3 in my MAZDA doors and while the sub frequency below 250Hz was not the goal the Lower mid-range is extremely complex and I like to think competition worthy. 
Ya I 100% agree that stereo systems and what people think the best sound generated can be highly subjective, and *everyone is a self proclaimed expert. Not an Audiophile. Until you install *what they ask for and then beeeeeech about how it sounds.
Ya I 100% agree that stereo systems and what people think the best sound generated can be highly subjective, and *everyone is a self proclaimed expert. Not an Audiophile. Until you install *what they ask for and then beeeeeech about how it sounds.
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- 16 CX-5 Tour'ngAWD
GoFrogs I guess I shouldn't mention I have a full sets front rear of Focal Elite ES 165 KX3 in my MAZDA doors and while the sub frequency below 250Hz was not the goal the Lower mid-range is extremely complex and I like to think competition worthy.
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nice. cool frog. if only (big IF ONLY) our cars could be our living rooms...
until car manufactures take speakers out of the door, or at least put them in their own enclosure separate from the door cavity, car sound/infotainment systems will never sound great. (Note: isn't mazda already putting front speakers in their own kick panel cubby???)
Do other cars (that cost way more) B&O, Mark Levinson, Mcintosh, and others sound better; sure.
Is Bose stuff bad; not necessarily, but that is debatable...however, for any system to sound better than good takes a lot of tuning and sound processing, especially in a car with all kinds of reflective surfaces and the weird positioning for the listener to the speaker(s).
I don't think car manufactures take the time necessary to tune their sound systems. they probably spend more time on door and warning chimes than they do on the sound of the speakers. Plus, each and every car would need its own special tuning; it is not a one size fits all; and leather seat cars would sound different from cloth seat cars.
Again, nice noise makers you have there. As for me, I'll start with the sound deadener (in both the CX-5 and WRX) before swapping out speakers. Well, I take that back, I've already swapped out the dash speakers in the CX-5 for some 3" Kicker 2-ways; which was more painful than it needed to be. I think the sound stage improved, but at least it didn't get worse....
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- Mazda
Agree, my system was a lot of trial and error to build, and road noise is still only somewhat controllable. But I will say static parked in the garage engine off it's like having a SeSennheiser head set lessening to my music and relaxing. It is the only legal time I can be in my car and have glass of wine !
Currently I have been experimenting with a custom bult rear placement for the head rest Right and Left speaker channel system to help reduce and somewhat cancel a higher degree of road noise at highway speeds 65-85mph. This way I can easily remove them when not on a road trip but when I know I will be on a long trip just pop them into the factory head rest holes and turn on system which will also have its own amp.
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- 16 CX-5 Tour'ngAWD
to quell (notice I did not say eliminate) road noise, I want to cover the entire underside of my 2016 Touring with truck bed liner; from the start of the firewall all the way to the rear diff (and maybe even the spare tire well).
yes, lots of cleaning, and possibly scuffing the surface, but I think covering the entire underside of the CX-5's floor will go a long way; longer than the plastic aero panels that are under there, to really knocking down the road noise.
I've even thought about doing the wheel wells too, but again, lots of cleaning and scuffing (and more bed liner to buy)
The spray stuff (in a can) would be okay, but the cost would add up quick. Then there is the roll on stuff, which would cover more area quickly and could go on thicker...
however, the biggest limiting factor in either method is time. The time the it takes to prep and paint just one area is time the car is immobile.
Even after applying the bed lines material, I think the plastic stuff will fit back on easily.
It would be bed liner stuff; or stick on sound deadener. I feel more comfortable applying bed liner to the outside of the car.
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- Mazda
Your head is in the right thought process but in the real world the bed liner does little to deaden most road noise except for impact of foreign material or objects. It does do a great job at protecting exposed areas of any vehicle.
The tires chosen I have found has greater sound reducing qualities then painted rubberized or sprayed on bedliner type material used as a chassis undercoating.
I don't guess at this information but use a simple hand held DB Digital Meter.
The tires chosen I have found has greater sound reducing qualities then painted rubberized or sprayed on bedliner type material used as a chassis undercoating.
I don't guess at this information but use a simple hand held DB Digital Meter.
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- 16 CX-5 Tour'ngAWD
over on the vwvortex (before it turned into an ad dump for AutoGuide), there was a guy, "A1 German" or something similar out of Arizona that covered his entire Audi A4 in (silver) truck bed liner.
One of the things he mentioned, other than adding a lot of weight to the car, was that noise was greatly reduced.
I found the thread here . Most of the pictures are gone, but the words are still there.
I would not do the body exterior, just the underside of the floor.
There are also other products like Lizard Skin, but I think those are to be applied on the interior, not the exterior.
And if bed liner won't work, maybe just closed cell foam and mass loaded vinyl tucked into the aero panels.
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- Mazda
Over the years in my Stereo shop we often received samples to test. FAT MAT by far was the best sound reducing material, the best cost effective materteral and the easiest to apply.
I use it on undercarriage on anything with the exception of vehicles used off road.
The density of bed liner coating would have to be approx. 10 times thicker to have the same sound absorption as FAT Mat or Dyno Mat.
The thread you provided was interesting for entertainment value only. Very little information to support much of the OPs claims made by the OP about the bedliner as a sound reducer. Not even a before and after not even a simple dB test? He even gets the dried weight incorrect? Does not know what his car weight was before and then after? Only guessing.
Let me be clear about bed liner spray on products I use them and they work very well for their designed intend use. But not as a primary Auto Stereo Sound reducing materiel.
Lizard Skin is great product but its not designed nor do they advertise to enhance stereo reproduction by road noise reduction. Big difference is saying it reduces road noise due to impact and control vibrations.
I use it on undercarriage on anything with the exception of vehicles used off road.
The density of bed liner coating would have to be approx. 10 times thicker to have the same sound absorption as FAT Mat or Dyno Mat.
The thread you provided was interesting for entertainment value only. Very little information to support much of the OPs claims made by the OP about the bedliner as a sound reducer. Not even a before and after not even a simple dB test? He even gets the dried weight incorrect? Does not know what his car weight was before and then after? Only guessing.
Let me be clear about bed liner spray on products I use them and they work very well for their designed intend use. But not as a primary Auto Stereo Sound reducing materiel.
Lizard Skin is great product but its not designed nor do they advertise to enhance stereo reproduction by road noise reduction. Big difference is saying it reduces road noise due to impact and control vibrations.
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