Been reading LOTSSSS of posts regarding this topic. Some are confusing and conflicting. This is my story… Help will be greatly appreciated.

What I have: MCS 2009 Hatchback with 10 speakers system (which includes the HK Amplifier)

Objective: Improve sound fidelity.
- Ideally by replacing all speakers (looking at Polk db6501 component spkr for the 6.5” location, Polk db691 3-way spkr for the 6”x9”) but open to suggestions.
- Power them with Pioneer GM-D9500 4-Channel amplifier (4x75 watts), also open to suggestions.
- No subwoofer. Want to keep cargo space as it is.
- Want to do this upgrade by myself. I’m a mechanical engineer with enough tools to do the job. Just need to get advice and more details on the wiring.
Questions:
1. Where is the easiest amplifier installation, under the passenger seat or existing amp location (driver side in the trunk)?
2. The assumption is to make a cable to connect directly from x9331 to the amplifier. Some posts suggest that the car will not start if OEM amplifier is not connected to x9331. What is the truth about this? Does anyone have a diagram of this custom cable? What wire size is recommended?
3. Should re-use the tweeter post location with the new 6.5” component speaker tweeter or (as some posts suggests) use the 4” speaker space at the middle of the door?
4. Some posts suggest not replacing the 4” speaker. What do I lose?
5. If the 4” speaker is recommended to be used, with what? Mid-Range Bass Driver, 2-Way, 3-Way, or 4-Way?
6. Can the 4” spkr be connected to the same channel of the 6.5”? What would be the effect of doing this? What would be the best way to connect the 4” spkr?
7. What is the optimum wire size to be used for a 75 Watts channel feed?

Would love your feedback, support, and advice!!
Roberto

 

This is not as difficult as it may sound.

I owuld suggest using a three way system up front maybe a Focal set the speakers fit perfectly in the MINI.

good choice or maybe an Alpine
You may want to rethink this as even with the new speakers and amp the low end will still be lacking , at least in my opinion

as below you mention the X9331 connector this is the best bet

depending on size under tha passanger seat if you do not have an OEM Sat Receiver. The OEM amp need sot stay in place more on that later
The truth here is that the car will not start if 1 ground line in the X9331 is not passed thru to the other side. The amp needs to stay in place so that if you need computer upgrades they can be done. If the amp is missing when the dealer starts and up grade the upgrade will crash.
again i suggest a 3 way system up front.
Some mid range
three way such as a Focal set
if you were to do this then you would have a sever overage of mids sound
14 gauge or larger would be best.

Good luck with you upgrade. if you have any more questions please come back and ask.

 

Wow! Excellent answers. Few specific questions ...

When suggesting 3"way for the front, are you suggesting this type of speaker for both 6.5 and 4 inch? Or only for the 4 and keep the 6.5 as comp speaker?

Will look at an amp that will support a subwoofer for a future upgrade.
That pushes me to get either a 7 channel amp or two separate amps? What would be your recommendation?

Thanks a lot for all the details!

 

I'm assuming the suggestion is to get a 3 way component setup for the front, with the tweeter in the pillar, midrange in the 4" spot, and woofer in the 6.5" spot. That being the case, you'd only need 2 channels to drive it since it should include a crossover.

--Matt

 

Will definitively replace the 4" with a 3-Way speaker. As far as the number of channels, this is how I see it. I'm assuming 1 channel PER speaker. Correct my if I'm wrong.

2-Channels for the 4" / 3-Way
2-Channels for the 6.5" with Tweeter
2-Channels for the 6"x9" / 3-Way
1-Channel for the sub-woofer

Total of 7 Channels. Should I install 2 AMPs?

 

Well this would make the highs (from tweeters) so overbearing that it would not be listenable.

My suggestion is as mattkosem stated a three way set with a crossover. Something like these http://pacificstereo.com/jl-audio-c5...FUmd4Aod3gcAAQ

This would the be supplemented by a set of 6X9 2 way in the rear.

Then a 5 channel amp. left front, right front, left rear, right rear, and subwoofer.

 

WOW! This is new territory for me. I was not aware of this type of setup where the crossover would connect two speakers and a tweeter using the same amp output. Need to rethink what I'll be doing since this option is more expensive.

Thanks for the suggestion and link.

 

robertor,

Have you looked at our Soundstage?

http://www.integralaudio.com/index.p...ni-cooper.html

 

Just did, but that price is way over my budget for this project. Thanks.

 

Understood. If I may make a suggestion then: you may want to stay closer to your original plans with a 2-way system.

Schatzy's right (as usual) - a three way is overall the way to go, but doing that in anything that approaches the correct way is going to drive you up to or beyond the cost of our system AND is going to make your installation very complicated. Example: If you go with a 3 way, the crossovers will have to be mounted somewhere in the car since, unlike our system, off-the-shelf aftermarket systems don't have separate tweeter and mid-woofer networks. This is where the 14ga wire Schatzy mentions comes in - it isn't because of power loss through voltage drop, which is trivial, it is because the additional series resistance of wire AFTER the crossover affects the crossover frequencies AND increases the effective Qts of the speakers - pretty much eliminating the possibility of using the factory wires, and meaning that you'd need to run TWO sets of 14ga wires into the doors - not impossible, but not trivial either.

That's just one example, there are certainly others. With a 2 way system and a crossover that will fit in the door, you have a short run of wire from crossover to speaker, and you can use the factory wiring from amp to door.

Doing a 3-way without doing it properly is going to leave you lighter in the wallet without getting you much benefit over a simpler 2-way. You have the HiFi (not the HK), so a modest aftermarket 2-way will still get you noticeable improvement over the HiFi. You aren't going to begin to approach our Soundstage, but you'll spend a lot less also.

 

How critical will the mid-range be if I listen 75% audio podcast and the other 25% music?

 

Very important on both. Vocals - whether spoken or sung - are almost entirely in the midrange. Our ears are also most sensitive in the midrange - we can hear distortion much more easily there. When you turn up the volume, a lower quality speaker will distort more. You'll notice this with the OEM speakers - talk radio that was relatively clear and audible when parked becomes much less clear and more "muddy" when at highway speeds with the volume up to combat road noise.

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

Back in 2007 MotorMouth mentioned that he installed a 3-Way Component Speaker System into a HIFI system without crossovers. Basically did a speaker exchange. What is the problem of doing this?

 

go to sonicelectronic.com mad cheap......also I did research on a 6x9 for the rear!!!!! Geneis!!!!! u can only buy then in UK!!really nice bass without the enclouser!!!if too much go with a Rockford fosgate 6x9 2way with a low freqency response to produce bass also!!!!! focals up front. happy listening!!!

 

Something that i didn't see mentioned is Sound dampening/deadening material... that would make the best improvement as you wont have to fight to hear over the road noise, once the road noise is no longer an issue and if you still aren't satisfied then upgrade speakers amplification and so on. I feel doing this step first will bring the best benefits if done correctly.