Speaker upgrade advice please

[nav456]

Need some advice. I have a seat tarrraco 2021.

It has standard amp and speakers and a MIB3 headunit.

The sound is crap.

I want to change door speakers for component speakers.

Can i do this by connecting to the original speaker wiring and amp etc?

Or will i need to add a aftermarket amplifier

Not looking for crazy expensive system.

Any advice will be great thanks.

[nav456]

Or shall i ditch component speakers idea and just get some good replacement ones

[MattsCar]

Unless you have a couple of grand spare and want to add a. Processor, amplifier, component speakers and subwoofer, don't.

Changing speakers is pointless without upgrading the amplifier, despite what people will tell you. They might sound a bit more crisp, but won't go any louder as this is limited by the amplification.

[stevemcs]

Focal usually have a aftermarket custom fit range, if not it’s the likes of Audison, Match, Hertz, Elton etc

[nav456]

Looks like i will need a DSP amp then and then upgrade the speakers. Bloody pain these new car sound systems are.

[defblade]

You could change the speakers, and buying speakers with a higher sensitivity rating will generate more volume from the same amplifier wattage. But you will likely run into clipping issues turning up the standard HU, and your nice speakers will die rapidly.

Otherwise, yes, a DSP, a set of fronts plus sub, and 2 2-channel or one 4-channel amp would see you happy. It's what I did in my Skoda, but tbf I had most of the kit already and just needed to add the DSP. You could save a lot of money buying most of this second hand, although I'd always buy speakers new.

[nav456]

What year was your skoda? That sounds like prob best option i have.

Just now researching a bit more i dont think my ca even has a amp. Normally they under the seat but there is nothing there

[Bobberoo]

Look at JBL or Infinity speakers, they're 3ohm resistance which means they use more of the power available from the stock amp.
Fitting components in a non component car car be time consuming and difficult due to the cross overs.
Don't expect miracles from the new speakers.

[ingenieur]

Check the settings available on the head unit to see if the audio is configurable. On a lot of older stereos you would have a 'loud' setting which instantly jazzed up the sound coming from the speakers. That's the easiest. Even more common is settings for bass and treble. You can configure those to sound better. I've been pleased enough with nearly every stereo I've had in most cars I've owned with a few exceptions.

[nav456]

Yh i have a equalizer and bluetooth set to loud. Just on hihh volume sounds crap and not clear. I had a vw touran before which had HK set up that was great. This car seema like it has some bog standard speaker set up.

[nav456]

Any way of knowing if my car has a factory amplifier. I searched under the seats etc i cant spot anything.

[ingenieur]

Any car stereo must have an amplifier. Just it is usually inside the head unit. It's less common for the amplifier to be external.

Maybe you could look into the possibility of an aftermarket head unit? I know that's increasingly difficult to achieve with the levels of integration they have these days but the aftermarket industry likes to keep up so maybe they make a facia panel and connector for your car?

[nav456]

Not possible get aftermarket my car. It is used to switch things on and off for most the car. And dont really want to change it tbh.

I will look at adding a amplifier and then upgrade the speakers

[Bobberoo]

Most amps will run from the standard headunit output, it's how mine is powered, there will be a decent 4 channel amp that will power all 4 doors of your car, find yourself a decent local car audio supplier and talk to them, they'll put a package together for you and install it.

For reference have a look at my install here:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

It goes on after the initial install.

[nav456]

Bobberoo said:

Most amps will run from the standard headunit output, it's how mine is powered, there will be a decent 4 channel amp that will power all 4 doors of your car, find yourself a decent local car audio supplier and talk to them, they'll put a package together for you and install it.

For reference have a look at my install here:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

It goes on after the initial install.

Nice one will take a look now. Im just on ebay looking for a used amp then will try it out

[MC Bodge]

nav456 said:

Need some advice. I have a seat tarrraco 2021.

It has standard amp and speakers and a MIB3 headunit.

The sound is crap.

I want to change door speakers for component speakers.

Can i do this by connecting to the original speaker wiring and amp etc?

Or will i need to add a aftermarket amplifier

Not looking for crazy expensive system.

Any advice will be great thanks.

Despite what has been posted, better speakers can make an improvement to the sound if the OEM speakers are poor quality. They probably don't need to be louder.

Whilst you are at it, a bit of sealing and sound deadening in the doors can also help.

Edited by MC Bodge on Wednesday 8th January 20:05

[nav456]

MC Bodge said:

nav456 said:

Need some advice. I have a seat tarrraco 2021.

It has standard amp and speakers and a MIB3 headunit.

The sound is crap.

I want to change door speakers for component speakers.

Can i do this by connecting to the original speaker wiring and amp etc?

Or will i need to add a aftermarket amplifier

Not looking for crazy expensive system.

Any advice will be great thanks.

Despite what has been posted, better speakers can make an improvement to the sound.

Whilst you are at it, a bit of sealing and sound deadening in the doors can also help.

Yh i find there a split out there on if just doing speakers improves sound. In old cars it did but we never had these silly infotainment systems we have now. So not so sure now thats why thought ask the forum.

I will defo be using sound deading sheets in doors too (while i am fixing the rattles lol)

Just looking for cheap amp for now and will get new speakers and take it from there and see if it makes any difference.

Will check aliexpress too see they have a plug and play iso loom so i dont need to splice into anything. I see them for vw tiguan which is basically what my car is based on si may be same loom.

[defblade]

nav456 said:

What year was your skoda? That sounds like prob best option i have.

2016. Mine has the bulk of the standard HU actually mounted in the glovebox - the screen is just a screen - but the process would be much the same either way. Basically, you interrupt the speaker wires coming out of the standard HU, run them to the DSP, then DSP signal to the amps, then amp signal back to the wires you first cut to go to the speakers.

Install starts about halfway down the first page here: https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/473175-proje...

[nav456]

defblade said:

nav456 said:

What year was your skoda? That sounds like prob best option i have.

2016. Mine has the bulk of the standard HU actually mounted in the glovebox - the screen is just a screen - but the process would be much the same either way. Basically, you interrupt the speaker wires coming out of the standard HU, run them to the DSP, then DSP signal to the amps, then amp signal back to the wires you first cut to go to the speakers.

Install starts about halfway down the first page here: https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/473175-proje...

That is same as mine. The actual wiring etc is all in the glovebox on the MIB3 headunit. I managed to find a iso adapter for it. Had a look at the install above. That makes more sense to me now. Looks like it will be a pricey install tho then. Ill have to do it in bits then in one go.

Ill start with a DSP.

[MC Bodge]

nav456 said:

That is same as mine. The actual wiring etc is all in the glovebox on the MIB3 headunit. I managed to find a iso adapter for it. Had a look at the install above. That makes more sense to me now. Looks like it will be a pricey install tho then. Ill have to do it in bits then in one go.

Ill start with a DSP.

I would just start with the speakers.

I fitted Sony/Ford speakers to a Focus and to a Mondeo. The Focus was particularly improved.