The Rockford system is OK, but not great. I'm not going to upgrade the head and amp yet, but I wanted to start with better speakers.

I pulled the tweeter cover on the front door and then pulled one of the tweeters. To say they are cheap is a bit of an understatement. So I ordered some 6.5" Focal Polyglass components that I will put in the stock door and tweeter locations. I don't like that the mid and high speakers are physically located so far away from each other, but I'm gonna try it anyway.

When I get them installed, I'll post impressions.

 

Been following your posts in the Audio section for a while now.

Can't wait to "hear" the results from you.

 

Thanks man, I'll let you know. We'll make this sucker sound good yet!

 

I'm planning on picking up the X this month but my only concern
is which packages to get. Your inputs on the audio will have a big impact
on what I'm going to do. Thanks!

 

Now that I've owned an X for a few days, I haven't been able to setup the system to make it sound good. It just sounds ok. I can live with them for now.

I'm not sure what is with the RF but my previous car had MB Quartz components and it sounded so much better.

 

Any update with the speaker install Noize?

 

Yeah, sorry to make you wait. I finished the install last night, and wanted to drive the car in to work and listen to a bunch of different types of music before I put a review up.

The install was pretty simple and the door panels are easier to remove then the IX. The only problem was that the OEM midranges were made into a screw and lock type ring that meant installation of the new ones would require a plate and a good amount of drilling. I decided to forego that and just destroyed the stock speakers with a dremel since they sound like crap anyway. I cut through the surround of the cone, separated it, then removed the voice coil section. Then I cut the magnet section out of the basket and used the screw and lock type ring as a carrier for the new speaker. You can drill a couple holes into the new ring you place your new speakers on and then just secure it all up with automotive grade window weld so it will seal very tight and have plenty of midbass.

Removal of the OEM tweeters was cake. The cover pulls out and then up and inside, there is a little release notch in the harness clip, and they come free. They are some type of silk dome and they really, really suck. IMO, they are the worst part of the stock system by a pretty decent margin. If you want a completely painless installation and still a good upgrade, consider upgrading only the tweeters.

The crossover network for the entire system is handled at the amplifier. I took an old full range three way speaker and tested the tweeter location. They were crossed pretty high. So I decided instead of running all new wire from the amp, I would just use the factory wiring and leave out the Focal crossovers until I get a new head and amp someday.

In the end, it worked out great. The factory speakers are 2 ohm, and this concerned me since most all aftermarket ones are 4 ohm, but the efficiency is so much better on the new speakers, you can't really tell a difference.

With an OEM on the left and a Focal on the right, the Focal's highs just dominated the factory one. Obviously I didn't want to leave it like that, so I set to work on the driver's door.

One slight problem with not using the Focal crossovers is that I have to run the Focals at reference and not -3 decibels, which I would probably do in this situation as the tweeters are so high up and the mid drivers are so far down by the bottom of your legs. I figured out pretty quickly that I could just control that with the 3 band EQ in the factory deck. I had to turn my treble way down. My current settings with the Focals are normal on all the sound fields, Sub +3, Bass +3, Mid +3, and Treble 0.

Impressions? This was a very worthwhile upgrade! The aluminum tweeters just blaze, and I am hearing parts of in the music that I could not hear in the stock system.

The Focals are much more dynamic, the only downside of this is that they make the rear door speakers sound like utter crap. So I fade away from them at about -5 so they are just slight filler.

Everything sounds much better through these Focals, percussion, strings, and vocals. I think any person that likes good car audio would be very pleased with the upgrade and know that is a good stepping stone. In the future, rear Focal coaxial door speakers then eventually a solid 4 channel amp and good head unit will be added to my car. Maybe a better sub at some point too, but that's way off. I'm happy for now.

I hope you guys find this info useful.



Sky, I love your sig, by the way!

 

Nice writeup. I will consider at least the tweeter upgrades for starters.

One day when I am feelin destructive I will take an axe to my door speakers.

 

how much were those tweeters and where did you get them from?

 

I got the Focal Polyglass 165-V1 components on sale at Woofers Etc. for $219. You get crossovers, tweeters, 6.5" woofers, grills, and some wire.

http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?...roduct_ID=3111

 

hmm I might just have to put tweeters on my list.

 

Nice! Been waiting for this review.
Been wrestling with the idea of to go SSS or not to go SSS.

Noize, I want to have a great system in the car and by reading your review
it seems like upgrading the factory speakers alone should make the quality
of the system a lot better.

I honestly don't know much about audio systems, but I don't want to take my
brand new car to a place where the installer will probably jack things up. Been
in the tint, tuning, and many other types of automotive trades including jiffy lube
and I know there are times the employees treat the cars like trash.

I don't want to take the risk of them tearing up my car and routing wires all over the place.
I guess the point I'm trying to get at is; Is it easier to get the base and upgrade the stock
system, or get the RF and upgrade the speakers?

I'm going to get the factory Navi, does that factor into the equation at all?

Thanks for all the help. I appreciate it.

 

Thank you so much for this writeup. I actually went to get my laptop just so I could ask if anyone had any luck upgrading the speakers. I hate the way the factory system sounds.

 

If you're getting factory Navi, definitely get the Rockford system. It will be a lot better, and the speaker upgrade will help you out.

As far as an installer, you need to find someone local you can trust if you don't want to tackle it yourself.

 

Congrats Noize, sounds like you did a great job... did you snap any pics?

-Chris