MK1 MX5 door speakers

[Petrolhead]

I currently have ALPINE-SXE-1725S speakers in the door but have just upgraded the head Unit to an Alpine CDE-113BT from an Alba!

The sound is ok but feel sure the speakers will now be lettering the head unit down plus they lack base.

I was thinking about component speakers, Focal: http://caraudiosecurity.com/shop/product/products_... or Hertz: http://caraudiosecurity.com/shop/product/products_...

Does anyone have any reccomendations? I have approx £100 to spend

Edited by Petrolhead on Thursday 26th April 14:13

[MX-5 Lazza]

Biggest you can fit in a Mk1 without cutting metal is 17cm. You'll never get a lot of bass out of them even with decent components. You can improve it a bit with an amp but really, if you want a decent stereo an MX5 isn't a good starting point.

[Digby]

Slap some of that Dynamat stuff in the doors.Have heard people say that can transform the sound/bass.

[Petrolhead]

Digby said:

Slap some of that Dynamat stuff in the doors.Have heard people say that can transform the sound/bass.

Just out of interest, would this stuff help - http://www.screwfix.com/p/flashing-tape-225mm-x-10...

[MX-5 Lazza]

Petrolhead said:

Just out of interest, would this stuff help - http://www.screwfix.com/p/flashing-tape-225mm-x-10...

Yes. That's what I use. Not quite as good as Dynamat but in an MX5 it's makes almost no difference. You won't get any real bass either way (unless the car is stationary with the engine off). They just aren't the right shape for good hifi i.e. thin doors, even thinner roof, hood drain tubes into the cabin, noisy gearbox etc...

[Digby]

For the record, I tried fitting a sub in the boot (had heard conflicting reports on how good it was) and it was rubbish.It now gets slapped in the passenger footwell if I have no guests

I upgraded the door and headrest speakers and with the easily removed sub, it's not too bad.Very bodge-it-and-leg-it though.

[furtive]

MX-5 Lazza said:

Yes. That's what I use. Not quite as good as Dynamat but in an MX5 it's makes almost no difference. You won't get any real bass either way (unless the car is stationary with the engine off). They just aren't the right shape for good hifi i.e. thin doors, even thinner roof, hood drain tubes into the cabin, noisy gearbox etc...

What do you do with that stuff? Just take the door cards off and stick it into the door cavity? Does it really make a big difference?

[MX-5 Lazza]

furtive said:

What do you do with that stuff? Just take the door cards off and stick it into the door cavity? Does it really make a big difference?

All that's needed is to stick some on the door skin behind the speakers. It just kills some of the resonances in the door cavity. In mine I covered the whole of the inside of the door skins with the stuff (all that can be reached anyway).
To be honest, I'm not sure I can tell the difference though.

Mine has 8" JBL 2ohm speakers running from a 150W amp and does kick out some pretty beefy bass but once on the move it still loses a good chunk of bass, especially with the top down.

[vrsmxtb]

I just fitted the JVC speakers from MX5parts with a dynamat speaker kit. They sound pretty good, but no dramatic improvements.

[Petrolhead]

MX-5 Lazza said:

Mine has 8" JBL 2ohm speakers running from a 150W amp and does kick out some pretty beefy bass but once on the move it still loses a good chunk of bass, especially with the top down.

How did you fit the 8" Speakers? Any phots so I get some ideas please

[MX-5 Lazza]

Mk2 doors have 8" speaker holes

[Petrolhead]

MX-5 Lazza said:

Mk2 doors have 8" speaker holes

Realy, I though the max size was only 6.5"

So, I would assume an 8" speaker is going to produce better base?

[MX-5 Lazza]

Petrolhead said:

MX-5 Lazza said:

Mk2 doors have 8" speaker holes

Realy, I though the max size was only 6.5"

So, I would assume an 8" speaker is going to produce better base?

6.5" on Mk1. 8" on Mk2. A bigger cone will have better bass assuming all else was equal. Bass is all about moving a lot of air.

[Petrolhead]

MX-5 Lazza said:

6.5" on Mk1. 8" on Mk2. A bigger cone will have better bass assuming all else was equal. Bass is all about moving a lot of air.

Ah right, mine is a MK1.

I have narrowed it down to Focal or Hetrz and at a later date an under seat sub

[MX-5 Lazza]

Under seat? Have you checked to see how much space there is under the seat? Bugger all!
Might get something behind the seat.

[Petrolhead]

MX-5 Lazza said:

Under seat? Have you checked to see how much space there is under the seat? Bugger all!
Might get something behind the seat.

Good point however car is in garage getting water pump replaced

[furtive]

Petrolhead said:

h right, mine is a MK1.

I have narrowed it down to Focal or Hetrz and at a later date an under seat sub

I had Focal speakers and tweeters with crossovers in the doors of my old Mk1 and it sounded great.

Edited by furtive on Thursday 26th April 15:10

[Petrolhead]

furtive said:

I had Focal speakers and tweeters with crossovers in the doors of my old Mk1 and it sounded great.

Edited by furtive on Thursday 26th April 15:10

Can you remember which ones

[furtive]

No idea I'm afraid. They were in the car already when I bought it

[cwinterb]

I've got Focal Polyglass 165CVXs in the doors of my mk1, with 100CVXs in the rear deck.

I used a Dynamat Xtreme speaker kit on each door which definitely helped with the low end response.

I am also running an Alpine head unit, a CDE 126-BT (because it had switchable green illumination) with a KTP-445 Power Pack which fitted behind the centre console.

It's not the last word in bass but it's good enough for me and more importantly goes comfortably loud enough to be heard, even at motorway speeds with the roof down.