Stereo Upgrade finished!
Discussion
Ok i know that a Tuscan doesnt NEED a good stereo, it has its own wonderful soundtrack! But, sometimes when stuck in traffic, or just bumbling along its a nice to have! 
Also thought a thread may help anyone else thinking of doing it!
So, i changed the standard head unit to the Alpine IDA X305s which allows full ipod control and it really is great quality with a really easy ipod style user interface. Ipod sits next to headunit so dead easy to take out to update.
I then installed the mid range, which, without cutting things up (didnt want to start that) went in the standard locations. But, i had to beef up the fibre glass - as the way TVR did it isnt really a good way of achieveing sound quality - i.e. by screwing straight to a piece of fibreglass!! So made up some MDF boxes and sealed them trim against them. I also made up to adaptor rings in MDF as they were smaller than the standard co-axials.
excuse the rough egdes but the box is behind trim
Tight squeeze but they are in...
Then the tweeters, tricky to get the position right so you didnt hear the separation from the mids, just above the door pocket about halfway across it was the best compromise, may yet sink them into the door card but im going to see how it sounds for a while before i make it permanent! I used some MB Quart crossovers in the footwell to separate the frequencies for mids and tweeters.
Next bit was the rears, i decided not to go down the sub route, but instead installed some deicated midrange /midbass, which do the job amazingly well. I made up an MDF board, sound deadened behind and filled with wadding to help dampen the enclosure. Covered the board with faux suede to match the black lamonta.
left over sound deadening added rather than thrown in the bin...
Speakers installed...
Decided the head unit wasnt really up to powering this lot so i purchased a Genesis P2 amp for the front and tweeters (also had some MB Quart crossovers). So 2 x 50 w going to the front. I installed a JL Audio e4300 for the rears - 2 x 200w. All hidden in the passenger footwell behind a false panel. I have lost a bit of legroom, maybe 3 inches, but that isnt the end of the world as im 6" 1 and can still sit comfortably with legs outstretched!
Its all done now and it is 3000% better than previously, with the roof on the quality and detail is fabulous, it really is. With the roof off, well, its never going to be for the audiophile! But the volume is more than adequate to listen to music as a fair old speed Speakers for those interested are from CDT, they are American origin high end speakers, the tweeters are called DRT 125's , the mids are HD3 and the rears are ES-06's. They are the best speakers i have ever heard, genuinely! I am also running whats called 3-way, with high frequency to the tweeters, then obviuosly midrange to the mids and just midbass / bass to the rears. I had lots of help from the guys on Talkaudio, friendly bunch, and much of the hardware came from there too.
Also thought a thread may help anyone else thinking of doing it!
So, i changed the standard head unit to the Alpine IDA X305s which allows full ipod control and it really is great quality with a really easy ipod style user interface. Ipod sits next to headunit so dead easy to take out to update.
I then installed the mid range, which, without cutting things up (didnt want to start that) went in the standard locations. But, i had to beef up the fibre glass - as the way TVR did it isnt really a good way of achieveing sound quality - i.e. by screwing straight to a piece of fibreglass!! So made up some MDF boxes and sealed them trim against them. I also made up to adaptor rings in MDF as they were smaller than the standard co-axials.
excuse the rough egdes but the box is behind trim
Tight squeeze but they are in...
Then the tweeters, tricky to get the position right so you didnt hear the separation from the mids, just above the door pocket about halfway across it was the best compromise, may yet sink them into the door card but im going to see how it sounds for a while before i make it permanent! I used some MB Quart crossovers in the footwell to separate the frequencies for mids and tweeters.
Next bit was the rears, i decided not to go down the sub route, but instead installed some deicated midrange /midbass, which do the job amazingly well. I made up an MDF board, sound deadened behind and filled with wadding to help dampen the enclosure. Covered the board with faux suede to match the black lamonta.
left over sound deadening added rather than thrown in the bin...
Speakers installed...
Decided the head unit wasnt really up to powering this lot so i purchased a Genesis P2 amp for the front and tweeters (also had some MB Quart crossovers). So 2 x 50 w going to the front. I installed a JL Audio e4300 for the rears - 2 x 200w. All hidden in the passenger footwell behind a false panel. I have lost a bit of legroom, maybe 3 inches, but that isnt the end of the world as im 6" 1 and can still sit comfortably with legs outstretched!
Its all done now and it is 3000% better than previously, with the roof on the quality and detail is fabulous, it really is. With the roof off, well, its never going to be for the audiophile! But the volume is more than adequate to listen to music as a fair old speed
Speakers for those interested are from CDT, they are American origin high end speakers, the tweeters are called DRT 125's , the mids are HD3 and the rears are ES-06's. They are the best speakers i have ever heard, genuinely! I am also running whats called 3-way, with high frequency to the tweeters, then obviuosly midrange to the mids and just midbass / bass to the rears. I had lots of help from the guys on Talkaudio, friendly bunch, and much of the hardware came from there too. 1PMA said:
Looks like a good job. I'd never attempt anything like this myself but I would certainly like to try and upgrade my sound system in a similar vein. Does anyone know a place I could get something like this done? I'm in North Yorkshire. I actually contacted these guys http://www.icehouseaudio.co.uk/projects/tvr-tuscan... a couple of months ago but they didn't email me back, which I found a bit strange because I'm guessing that this kind of install would be seriously expensive.
Thanks for the comments guys, For something similar i think Google Carl Baker, Car and Bike Installations, he is renowned for good quality installs on TVR's. It is expensive though
No problem, I have had work done by Carl before on my alarm and keys, he was great. Was going to go for him to get my stereo done but fancied a go myself. Its good to see him being recommended.
Also, I think my install has probably cost around £800 with the new Head Unit and the remainder from guys on Talkaudio and eBay. With the cost in ths range for the gear alone it completely blew any ideas of having it installed by someone else, but even then i dont think a professional would have approahced it much differently, so im happy i did it myself anyway.
Just note it really isnt a cheap thing to do, i tried to keep the weight to a minimum and the Genesis amps are great for this. I got a steal with the Genesis P2 on eBay, £20 for a £200 amp, and it's in perfect working order. The rear drivers take serious power through so the JL amp is a fairly chunky beast.
If i had bought all this gear new it would have cost well over £1400...
Also, I think my install has probably cost around £800 with the new Head Unit and the remainder from guys on Talkaudio and eBay. With the cost in ths range for the gear alone it completely blew any ideas of having it installed by someone else, but even then i dont think a professional would have approahced it much differently, so im happy i did it myself anyway.
Just note it really isnt a cheap thing to do, i tried to keep the weight to a minimum and the Genesis amps are great for this. I got a steal with the Genesis P2 on eBay, £20 for a £200 amp, and it's in perfect working order. The rear drivers take serious power through so the JL amp is a fairly chunky beast.
If i had bought all this gear new it would have cost well over £1400...
Holy thread resurrection batman
The whole conversion costs? Well, i would guess about £900 but then i didnt buy brand new amps, which would push the price up further. It is WELL worth doing IMHO, at least makes it worth listening too, the old one certainly wasnt so i understand why people wouldnt bother!! It has taken several days - so if you paid someone to do it i would guess it would cost at least half that again in labour!
The way i first bolted the MDF panel it didnt work well, i.e with brackets screwed to the bulkhead. Too much flex in the board, allowing air to escape and ruining sound quality.
Since doing this first time round the board has come out again, i have installed two 6.5" JL 6W3 subs, and then sealed the rear bulkhead with some ply, and then sealed the whole enclosure, and then lined with sound deadening as i was getting some rattles. The MDF was then bolted back through the (now ply) rear bulkhead with 4 x M8 coach bolts. Absolutely no movement in it now, airtight seal (the board itself isnt 'sealed' its merely a very good fit - and i cant feel any air escaping anywhere).
Quality is improved a step above where it was (and it was 'good' then). The little subs are incredible and you have a system thats capable of eye watering (and shaking) bass if you really want - wouldnt advise it though I just find that now with the roof off i can still use it and get great sound
p.s. thanks for the comments on the interior, its easily taken for granted! Have fitted a Momo Trek R since too - for extra
appeal!!!
sorry misunderstood the question re costs - you meant the head unit.
Its this one...
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/alpine-ida-x305s.h...
rear speakers have been changed to two of these beautiful little subs...
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/jl-audio-6w3v3-8.h...
Have also installed the tweeters in the doors, which neatens the whole thing up
The whole conversion costs? Well, i would guess about £900 but then i didnt buy brand new amps, which would push the price up further. It is WELL worth doing IMHO, at least makes it worth listening too, the old one certainly wasnt so i understand why people wouldnt bother!! It has taken several days - so if you paid someone to do it i would guess it would cost at least half that again in labour!
The way i first bolted the MDF panel it didnt work well, i.e with brackets screwed to the bulkhead. Too much flex in the board, allowing air to escape and ruining sound quality.
Since doing this first time round the board has come out again, i have installed two 6.5" JL 6W3 subs, and then sealed the rear bulkhead with some ply, and then sealed the whole enclosure, and then lined with sound deadening as i was getting some rattles. The MDF was then bolted back through the (now ply) rear bulkhead with 4 x M8 coach bolts. Absolutely no movement in it now, airtight seal (the board itself isnt 'sealed' its merely a very good fit - and i cant feel any air escaping anywhere).
Quality is improved a step above where it was (and it was 'good' then). The little subs are incredible and you have a system thats capable of eye watering (and shaking) bass if you really want - wouldnt advise it though
I just find that now with the roof off i can still use it and get great sound p.s. thanks for the comments on the interior, its easily taken for granted! Have fitted a Momo Trek R since too - for extra
appeal!!!sorry misunderstood the question re costs - you meant the head unit.
Its this one...
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/alpine-ida-x305s.h...
rear speakers have been changed to two of these beautiful little subs...
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/jl-audio-6w3v3-8.h...
Have also installed the tweeters in the doors, which neatens the whole thing up
Edited by Robertjp on Wednesday 21st December 22:04
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