Hi Peeps,
I got the base model and love it but for the Audio system.
I want to upgrade but am limited to the amount i can spend, actually let me put it this way im married.

Does the vase model allready have a AMP?

If I install a subwoofer (back of drivers seat) do i need a amp to drive it?

Whats up with the rear speakers? Someone hear said thy just there to Fill the car with sound???

Whats the best upgrade i can start off with?

im thinking a subwoofer as i like bass music. but maybe just 2 new speakers in the back. hell I dont know......Any advice Appreciated, as i said im a idiot when it comes to Audio

 

oh and by the way i dont require the village to hear me just good sound and bass in the car

 

If you don't have the Bose System, then it has no Amp. If you opted for the Bose, it has an amp that SUCKS royally.

I wouldn't recommend putting a sub behind the driver's seat in that stock location. It's too close for a sub. Others will agree with me on this. It's probably the cheapest compromise since there's no custom box to be built. If you're gonna go with that spot because of saving trunk space, then at least have an installer build a fiberglass enclosure in there. Bare minimum, Dynamat that location.

As for rear speakers, they are used as "rear fill" to fill out the rest of the sound in the car. I have Focal 165K2 components in the front run by a separate PPI (150x2) amp and had the FACTORY REARS running off the head unit. However, the FACTORY REARS sounded absolutely horrible as "fill", they added high pitched sound that makes it sound like distorted noise, even when setting the Fader to F2. So I decided to power off the rears and not run them at all.

Best upgrade depends on your budget. At a bare minimum, buy a new headunit, component speakers for the fronts, and a 2-Channel amp to run the fronts.

 

Give us your budget so we can help you a little better.

But for starter, get rid of the stock speakers. Either way.. you need to upgrade them anyway. Be careful what you buy, components or good coaxials require an amp, might put you over your budget..

 

ok, so what I understand is, i can wait with the sub and change out the stock speakers first. (get a amp later too)

Will that alone be a big improvement?

lets say $300 for now for new speakers.....ill get it done by some car audio place.

As for an amp wich i will get later, do i need 4 channel or 2 channel??

will all my speakers and subwoofer all run off the amp?

I really dont want to change the head unit unless its really required for good sound.

i can allways do that way later down the line...

need a valentine and might need a suspension kit or new tires from what i been reading here so i got to watch the money

Thans for info

 

oh ja and from what ive read here The fronts are 4 ohm and the rears are 32 ohm do i need to buy speakers that correspond with the ohm rating???????

Im starting to get embarresed

 

$300 buys you a good set of component speakers.
Most of us likes JLs, MBs, Focals..

As for the amp, get a good POWERful amp. It may cost a little more but you can't beat the versatile on it. You can use 2 channels to drive the front and back and bridge the last two channels to drive a sub later on.

If you going with 4 speakers (all 4 ohm), then 4 channels amp it is.


Here is my thought,
Get yourself some a set of decent speakers mentioned above (about $150) and an Alpine 7894 (about $300) head unit. Use the Alpine to drive your new speakers (better with amp though) for now until you can cream up a story to your wife why you need to buy an amp. When that times comes, you can buy the new amp to drive your fronts and a sub if you want. The sound will be much much better than stock, and when you do purchase an amp, will will sound much better than that.

 

kk thanks Cintel
im gonna buy 2 JBL for the front for now and the alpine will upgrade on amp and sub later thanks for help

 

Hey Guys,

I'm in the same boat as Dutchy. I've got the Base Z with only one complaint... the stereo needs some help.

I don't want to go over $300 either, but I've got some other constraints as well...

1. I don't want to add a subwofer (I don't want a box in the cargo area, and I want to keep all of the 'limited' storage space intact.

2. I don't want to replace the stereo unit itself since I want to keep the clean look it gives on the center consol.

3. I'd be willing to add an amp, but not if it requires any kind of modification or cutting to the interior.

Basically, what size are the stock speakers, and what are my best choices for upgrades (within the $300 cap).

Thanks

 

its not a pretty boat is it

 

Sure isn't.

Surprising thing about the base audio system.......(to me) the sound is fine when the radio is running, its only when I'm playing CD's that it sounds like the speakers are being muffled....like they are at the bottom of a pool.

Other than that the car is just about perfect!

 

I should probably also mention that I'm mostly interested in having a nice, crisp sound from the speakers. I don't play the stereo very loud (usually I drive with it off and listen to the engine anyway...), nor do I need an abundance of base.

Hope this helps.

 

I have a BASE too and I just upgraded the audio. I went with a 10-inch sub which was installed in the compartment behind the driver's seat. Plus a 600 watt Kenwood amp to power the sub. Now I have lots of STRONG bass and it sounds great in my opinion. I also ordered from Courtesyparts.com the sub enclosure w/ Bose grill (only $5). The Kenwood amp is installed underneath the driver's seat and is not visible at all. It's a clean factory-look install. Total cost involved including installation & taxes came to $425.

If the weather in HOU should clear up by the weekend I'll take some pics and post them. Also waiting for my Zaino to arrive any day now.

 

I'm upgrading mine... spending alot more than $300...
But I plan on moving the sub behind the PASSANGER seat.

1) the passanger seat tends to sit father forward than my drivers seat so I can see out the small back window
2) 99% of the time it's empty
3) I don't like the idea of heavy bass hitting me right in the back. I figure it will give the sound more time to develop farther away.


I'm not saying Bose didn't know what they where doing when they put in the system in the Touring model, but, well, ok yes I am saying that...

 

Shemp & Noahbuddy:

A question about your installs.....

Did either of you replace the stereo, or just the speakers (plus adding an amp)?

If you didn't replace the stereo, then how much did the sound improve?

I've read in other threads where people have replaced the speakers and still not gotten decent sound until they finally replaced the stereo too. However, I think I'm correct in saying that they were upgrading the Bose system and not the base Z stereo.