Upgrading the sound system in my 05 MCS - MINI Cooper Forum

DCM · #1 (**permalink**) Sep 17th, 2004, 08:32 PM

One of the things I have on my wish list is to upgrade the stock sound system in my MCS, other than the optional sony MP3 player head unit all other speakers are standard fit.

The first thing that i am looking to do is to purchase a JL audio stealth box, I need advise on firstly where to obtain one from in the UK, secondly what speaker do you guys recomend fitting into the stealth box and thirdly what kinf of amplifier should I be looking for (as you may have guessed I don`t know too much about this stuff !) and fourthly how do i go about installing the setup (anyone done a similar install ?)

The second thing I wish to do is to replace the stock speakers for higher quality ones, can you guys point me in the right direction as for possible replacements and how to go about installing them, is it difficult for a novice to do.

Any advice appreciated

Regards

Dan

SteveM3 · #2 (**permalink**) Sep 17th, 2004, 11:30 PM

The stealthbox comes with a 10W3v2-D2 speaker in it, I'd recommend a Genesis Profile
Sub to power it. For front speakers you'll need an adaptor so you may as well get 16.5cm
speakers and you don't need to be experienced to do this yourself it's in the FAQ section.
There is so much choice but Focal, MB Quart, Infinity are but a few that I can recommend.

Nicholasp27 · #3 (**permalink**) Sep 18th, 2004, 01:21 AM

don't replace the rears...just disconnect them and leave them unplugged

get a set of 6.5" components...some of the good brands:

adire
a/d/s
cdt
crystal
dynaudio
focal
idq
jl xr's (only normal store-brand that i'd recommend)

go to caraudioforum.com to get the best answers, websites, prices, info, etc

as for the sub, jl is a nice sub so u can just go with that, otherwise go for adire, blueprint, elemental designs...all nice price and great performance

us acoustics amps are great and won't break the bank, even at somewhere like crutchfield.com ... get a 100x2 us acoustics amp or a 50x4 (u can bridge em to around 150x2)

for the sub, a jbl 300.1 is a nice priced amp (<200)...or u can get by with getting just one 100x4 amp and using the front 2 for the speakers and the rears bridged for the sub (but i'd recommend getting more for the fronts for headroom and clarity...)

for install, caraudioforum.com

DCM · #4 (**permalink**) Sep 18th, 2004, 08:35 AM

Thanks for the replys guys, time to start looking into it in more detail i think.

paco · #5 (**permalink**) Sep 18th, 2004, 10:49 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Nicholasp27

don't replace the rears...just disconnect them and leave them unplugged

get a set of 6.5" components...some of the good brands:

Hey Nicholasp27,

Why do you recommend not replacing the rears ? (I, too am looking into going aftermarket...)

Thanks,

--
paco

Nicholasp27 · #6 (**permalink**) Sep 20th, 2004, 07:54 PM

cd/radio/etc is in stereo, ie 2 channels: left and right

so ideally, u want only 2 speakers: one for the left, one for the right

in actuality, u can't get a good full-range speaker, so u use multiple speakers...but u wanna use just one per frequency range

so u use a tweeter for highs and a midwoofer for mediums...which is ur component set up front...

then u use a sub for the lows, thus covering the full spectrum from 20hz-3khz+ with only 1 speaker for each frequency range

however, if u add in rears, then u are duplicating the ranges of the fronts...and sound is like a sine wave _/-\_/-\_ going up and down...so as the fronts travel the 3ft to ur ears, the wave for a particular frequency may be at the peak of the sine wave...and the rears that traveled 6ft may be at the low of the sine wave...so they will cancel each other out...and some otehr frequencies may have both at the peak, so they get boosted, etc etc etc

so u get an uneven response and decreased clarity

now, if u have weak front speakers, then rears act as a 'band-aid' and help fill in the sound and make it sound fuller (ie factory systems sound better with rears than just fronts)...but if u get a decent set of components and amplify them properly, then u have no need for the rear band-aids and want to just have the fronts delivering crystal-clear music that doesn't get garbled by redundant rears

if u aren't convinced, then go ahead and get a 4-channel amp and front components...install the fronts to the amp and then set the balance on the hu to only do the fronts...see how it sounds...if u don't like it, then balance it more to the rear until u can hear the rears and if u like that sound better (less clear and accurate, but maybe a more "filling" sound, then go ahead and either just run the rears off ur hu like that or upgrade the rears and run them off the amp as well)...if u stick with just the fronts, then bridge the 4-channel into just 2 and turn down the gains and u'll get even better sound than ur original test when just 2 channels...

when i get my s in november, i'm going to replace the fronts and then i'm considering trying either the tang-band(sp?) 6x9 drivers (get down to 35hz) or the genesis 6x9 "subs" instead of putting a big box in the boot...but those will only play 60hz and below, so won't be redundant....i'll post how they are and if they are a reasonable substitution for a sub in the mini (gonna be tough going from a 12" shiva to 6x9 'subs' but maybe they will provide enough bass, we'll see)

SteveM3 · #7 (**permalink**) Sep 21st, 2004, 10:46 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Nicholasp27

when i get my s in november, i'm going to replace the fronts and then i'm considering trying either the tang-band(sp?) 6x9 drivers (get down to 35hz) or the genesis 6x9 "subs" instead of putting a big box in the boot...but those will only play 60hz and below, so won't be redundant....i'll post how they are and if they are a reasonable substitution for a sub in the mini (gonna be tough going from a 12" shiva to 6x9 'subs' but maybe they will provide enough bass, we'll see)

As you are obviously an enthusiast on the subject I doubt you will be happy with the
Genesis 6x9's. I tried them as subs and found them disappointing, they don't go much
deeper than a good pair of fronts. In my case they are Focal Polyglass 165V2's. Can't
speak for any other 6x9's but Genesis have a good reputation so the problem is more
likely to be the format than the execution. I made the smallest recommended box for an
old JL 10W6 and it easily outperforms the 6x9's. Obviously you may want to try this out
for yourself but if you are starting from scratch I'd look to the best amplification for the
front's you can afford and investigate which subs use the smallest box. I suspect a single
8 in a small box will outperform 6x9's. I hope you enjoy finding out the answer to these
questions as much as I do

.

DCM · #8 (**permalink**) Sep 26th, 2004, 01:57 AM

Ok heres what I plan to buy and install for my new setup, bear i mind im a novice at this so if there is any obvious errors please point them out (an save me some time and money !).

Front Speakers - Infinity -KAPPA-60.5cs Component Speakers (from www.caraudiosecurity.com)

Rears - Think I will simply disconnect them

Amp I- nfinity REF-7540A 4 Channel (from www.caraudiosecurity.com)

Sub - JL audio Stealth box and Infinity 10" sub speaker

In addition I will also get two speaker adapters kits and a wiring kit.

I plan to use a channel each for the fronts and 2 bridged channels for the sub.

Does this seem like an ok setup to you guys, like I say I know very little about this and fitting it should be fun !!!

Thanks

SteveM3 · #9 (**permalink**) Sep 26th, 2004, 09:41 PM