Speaker Options

[Silverfox]

So I am looking to get better sound from my MP5 sound system and wonder what you all have done and would recommend to improve on the stock system? I am not looking to go with a crazy custom system in any way, I will be upgrading to a sony headunit over the stocker but wonder if there would be any improvement changing the speakers out?

Thanks all
Sean

 

[ajchxc]

I just installed Infinity kappa 682.9cf's in the doors to compliment my Basslink, and the sound stage is incredible. I'm a musician myself who listens to many different styles of music so quality sound is fairly important to me. I don't go too crazy with the bass, I prefer to just fill up the sound that normal speakers can't replicate. I've spent under $300 and I'm blown away by the difference.

 

[Bastian]

I bought a pair of $60 Pioneer speakers for the front doors, which are very good for mid-high tone, but if you don't have twin 12" subs (like me (stash) ) then you're probably going to want to go into a higher price range. My car also came with a Kenwood stereo. As of now my rear speakers are stock, cause the only people that can even tell are the people in the back seat. Who cares about them?

 

[Balls]

Most any good speaker is going to be a big improvement over the stock ones. Everybody is going to have opinions about which ones are best (I of course am the only one who is right with my focal polyglass components!), but the only one who can decide which is best for you is, well , you. Go to a few stereo shops in your area and listen to as many as you can. Bring some music you are familiar with along to listen to. Ask the salesmen what their personal favorites are. In the end, go with something you find is the best compromise between performance and price and you will be happy.

 

[njaremka]

for an inexpensive route, just get some mid-grade replacement speakers. anything will be better than the stock paper crap. $50-$100 per pair will get you decent sound, and not break the bank. no need to spend much more than that, unless you want to use an aftermarket amp to power them. you will also be very hard pressed to hear that much difference between a $50 set of speakers from a $300 set, unless you plan on running an amp. i have always had good success with pioneer speakers in my cars.

next step, would be to replace the head unit. again, anything here will be an improvement over stock. just look for one that has the features you want, that also fits into your budget. you could spend a TON of time reading and comparing specs, but they will all pretty much work the same. just find one that has a button layout and features that you want.

last, would be to add a powered sub. since the protege5 has an open hatch, nothing big is really needed. just something to fill in the low end. anything in the all-in-one category would be fine, such as the infinity basslink or the kenwood KSC-SW10 or any of the powered bazooka tubes. the kenwood unit is nice because its very small.

 

[John_1975]

Anyone know the size of the fronts? 6x8? Is there a depth limit before spacers are needed?

 

[Bastian]

I'd advise going to the crutchfield website and use the "outfit my car" option, and then either buy everything from there with a higher price but more customer support, or buy the same product elsewhere cheaper.

 

[Hank3]

Might want to check out the speaker FAQ:

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?8940-Speaker-Sizes-Harnesses-and-Kits-of-all-Mazdas

 

[hornsfan10609]

Might want to check out the speaker FAQ:

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?8940-Speaker-Sizes-Harnesses-and-Kits-of-all-Mazdas

Thank you for posting this link. These threads get posted just about every day.

 

[Silverfox]

I just installed Infinity kappa 682.9cf's in the doors to compliment my Basslink, and the sound stage is incredible. I'm a musician myself who listens to many different styles of music so quality sound is fairly important to me. I don't go too crazy with the bass, I prefer to just fill up the sound that normal speakers can't replicate. I've spent under $300 and I'm blown away by the difference.

Thank you for this answer as I have been looking at these speakers, which did you go with in the rear door?

Oh and I did see this in the speaker thread but was more interested in which speakers people found worked best for them.

2002-2003 Protege5
Front 5x7" @ 2.75"
* Can use 6x8"s, see note above.
* Can also use 5.25"s or 6.5"s with additional work, see note above.
Front seperate tweeters by mirrors. (2002.5-UP P5)
Rear 6" @ 4.25", 6" speakers fit the best and 6 1/2" can fit by cutting the rain guard, Thanks Sir Nuke.

 

[Silverfox]

I just thought I would update that I have replaced my headunit with the Sony DSX-S300BTX which I HIGHLY recommend.

So at this moment these are on the top of the list:
Front: Infinity 682.9cf

Rear: Infinity 652.9

 

[Bastian]

on crutchfield it says you need to "Unbolt or cut out the factory stereo's rear support bracket to make room for your new receiver.".... is this true/difficult? and let us know how well the bluetooth works, i wouldn't mind having that especially with the 5 speed

 

[Silverfox]

Not true at all as I had no issues at all getting it in with ease, as for the blue tooth it is AMAZING!!!!! I highly recommend this headunit as it is both sleak and very easy to use. I am not a fan of cheesy setup's which is what I see many of the times with some other companies (in my view) but Sony to me has always done a great job keeping there finish top shelf. I will post a pic later of it installed to show the finish. Also I must note that it is very cool that you can change the color to Red to match the dash colors at night

Sean

 

[Hank3]

Bluetooth in aftermarket units are getting better and better. I had a JVC one and it was excellent. Eventually settled with one w/o BT since it was $90 instead of $160. Didn't need BT that badly

 

[Silverfox]

Looks great hank

 

[lurven]

Just put the Sony deck in and LOVE it! The hardest part of the install was getting the stock stereo out. Putting the new one in was a breeze (thanks to Crutchfield's instructions and kit).

Has anyone tried putting Infinity 529i speakers in the rear doors? Crutchfield says they don't fit, but all they list for the back doors are 5 1/4 speakers, which these are. Any thoughts?

 

[brokenpath]

If you go on craigslist you can probably find a good amp for extremely cheap.

Look for any basic 4 channel amplifier i wouldn't be surprsied if you found it for $35-50.

Then just take a real good peek on craigslist and find some 6 1/2" and 5x7 or 6x8 speakers that have a good RMS of 100watts or more If you see them selling brand new for less than $60 i wouldn't buy them, they would be a slight improvement over your system at best.

But you WILL find someone parting out their stereo and probably find used quality speakers for $60

Altogether, you would find a LARGE improvement over stock sound for less than what you would pay for all 4 speakers at a retail store. This would be better than just buying some 50 watt RMS bulls*** at w/e electronics store. don't get me wrong, these will definately be an improvement over stock just not as much as you can really get for your money.

once again DO NOT go to the retail stores for your speakers they are at Full MSRP and that is ridiculous. Also, avoid car audio shops.

THen you can find someone to install them for probably $30-$40 wires included (You can poke around a shop and find out if anyone does side work, they would take the wires from the shop so you wouldn't pay for them or look on craigslist for car audio installer)

If you're patient enough you'll have much more sound system than you would need for less than $200 (Which is what you'd pay for just basic replacement speakers in your doors) It will be LOUD and extremely ClEAR. amplified speakers are no joke and you'll probably rarely have them at full volume and they wont distort at those ranges either.

The more expensive the speaker, the more they will probably NEED an amplifier otherwise they will distort. Remember you need to power these speakers with more than the 50wattx4 peak that your head unit will be throwing.

Infinities are good but in my opinion you are paying a little extra for the name.
I wouldn't worry too much about brand names in your amplifier because anything you buy will be an improvement over stock. Just try to get something that at least throws out 50x4 RMS not peak. to find out RMS power just type in the model number into google with RMS after it.

Unless you're competing or you're an audiophile a basic no name amplifier will do the trick. Some people are brand snobs when it comes to this stuff.Just like anything else, you pay for quality. With amplifiers, it's power, and how smooth it can constantly hold, deliver, distribute, and how precisely it can interpret the signal that it is recieving. If you can't even really tell the difference between these things then you don't need to shell out the extra cash just for a name. All a speaker is is a huge magnet with a large copper coil that recieves electricity It's really more about how much electricity it can recieve and how much it can use to move air.

I'll throw pretty much whatever used crap in my car because the more expensive it is the more you have to worry about it getting stolen as well. It's almost like having a laptop in your car in plain sight., stereo systems are that easy to steal.

Just be brand snobby to a certain degree. Obviously avoid EXTREMELY cheap stuff but you don't need to fret about wether or not infinities are better than pioneers

Alpine type R's wouldn't be a bad choice.

Good luck

 

[Suicide Bobb]

Good choice on the JVC unit. They are reliable and simple to use, although they lack the sound quality of better headunits from the likes of Eclipse, Alpine, etc. I had a very similar model, it did the job. I'd take it over a comparable Sony any day.

As far as speakers go, stay away from all Infinity speakers. They have some of the harshest/brightest treble and midrange of any car speakers on the market, and that's no exaggeration. They also are severely lacking in the midbass department. You can attenuate the s*** out of them, but you will never be able to attenuate all the s*** out of them. From someone who spends their life buying/selling/trading/installing/building car and home audio equipment, you can trust my opinion.

What you should do is set a max price to spend on speakers. Not a "I want a $100 pair of speakers, but I could spend a little more" type of price. Tell me what the extent of your speaker budget is. I also need to know if you plan on modifying the enclosures they reside in, and if you NEED a rear soundstage (which you don't).

But assuming you plan on mocking up adapters for the doors and only want a proper front soundstage, here's some good options:

$100, Vibe Audio Black Air - http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_28066_VIBE-Audio-Black-Air-6-V2-BA6-V2.html
Yes, these look cheesy, but if they build their speakers like their amps (which uses Arc Audio design with different components), you can expect great results.

$160, Image Dynamics CTX - https://www.amazon.com (commissions earned)
These are quite popular amongst those who stray from the "mainstream" brands like JL, Focal, etc. They will also kill any comparably priced speakers from any mainstream brand, which is why they are so popular.

$250, Hybrid Audio Imagine - http://store.12velectronics.com/products/Imagine-I61%2d2-Component-{47}-Coaxial-Speaker-Set.html
Hybrid is sweeping the nation by snatching up all of the sound quality trophies at the big competitions. These will s*** on any comparably priced speaker set from Hertz or Focal.

$350, Hybrid Audio Unity - http://store.12velectronics.com/unity-u61-2-2-way-speaker-system/
A step up from the Imagine's

$550, Hybrid Audio Clarus - http://store.12velectronics.com/products/Clarus-C61%2d2-2%2dway-Speaker-System-.html
If you really want to get serious about your speakers, look no further

Just so you know, I'm not paid to advertise for Hybrid, or any of these brands. I also suggest you look into the speaker offerings from Digital Designs. They don't just win SPL competitions, DD is known for making some killer sound quality equipment as well!

Keep in mind that none of these speakers will mean anything if you don't separately amplify them. For that, I suggest you browse craigslist and ebay for some pre-2000 Sony amps. The reason being is that the current Xplod line has ruined the great reputation that Sony once had for building some of the best sound quality amps at the time (including the XM-2000R). Thus, you can find them for dirt cheap right now. Don't worry about power ratings, focus on everything else.

I know it sounds cliche, but they don't make amps like they used to. Pre-millenium, most companies focused on sound quality and build quality. Nowadays, they focus on power/dollar and Class-D amps. I will always choose an old school amp from the likes of Sony, Zapco, Hifonics, MMats, Phoenix Gold, Eclipse, etc. over any brand new speaker amp. Conversely, unless my focus is pure sound quality, I will choose a newer Class-D sub amp over an old Class A/B amp.

Hope that helps give you some direction! Remember that your end result is 90% installation, 5% equipment, and 5% beer. The installation part includes the size/quality of the wires and the enclosure the speakers/sub are in. If you neglect the installation, you are throwing money away.

 

[Suicide Bobb]

Oh, and for wiring, look no further than Knukonceptz.com for 1/0ga, and Monoprice.com for interconnects (RCA cables and such). I mean that, look no further. You will not find better prices on quality wires than those two sites, I can guarantee it. I HIGHLY suggest going with the Knukonceptz KCA 1/0ga power/ground wire. It's some of the cheapest wire you can buy at $1.95/ft, but it's also arguably the most flexible wire you can buy. Both the cost and flexibility are a result of using CCA, or copper clad aluminum wire. As it sounds, it's an aluminum center of wire surrounded by copper wire. It's more cost effective and increases flexibility. That, combined with the super flexible jacket they used leads to shoe-string maneuverability.

I should add that all Knu wire is over-sized

 

[pkane]

Front: Infinity 682.9cf

Rear: Infinity 652.9

According to Crutchfield the Fronts fit, but the rear 652.9 do not fit. Did you have any issues installing?