I'm wanting to keep the OEM look and keep the FUSE system, was thinking of upgrading the speakers (maybe infinity kappas?) and add an amp under the passenger seat with an external equalizer.

Has anyone done this? How bad of an idea is this vs going completely aftermarket.

 

Have just doing the audio system and in the same boat as you... this is what Id recommend:

-4 channel amp 50x4 or more
alpine pdx or JL
Wire it into high level inputs from deck. Put amp under drivers seat

-a set of components up front
alpine, JL, hertz, focal, morel (any price range)

-2 way coaxials in rear door
any brand

-re use oem speakers and cut them out and adapt them to speakers as "rings" this way they twist onto the doors easily.

-re use oem wiring into the doors (100x easier for a DIY)

 

are there good enough components for the front and coaxials for the rear that will remove the need for the stock RF sub in the trunk?

 

you will need something to convert from high to low signal and you will need something to add the bass back into the system that the OEM head unit strips out to protect the OEM speakers.

I used an audio control LC2i, it worked quite well... I tried an MTX RE-Q, I ended up throwing it away it was so bad.

you can also use something like a JL Cleansweep or an actual processor like the Alpine Imprint or the JBL MS-8

There are obviously other options, just giving some suggestions.

-Ryan

 

I was concerned about using OEM speaker wiring being subpar for a higher quality system , no?

 

He recommended 50 watt RMS to the speakers. The stock wiring is fine for that.
It's what, 20-22 gauge? A lot of people run stock wiring with 100watts, but 75w would be my peace of mind limit.

To me, its not that much added work running new speaker wire. Your going to have everything apart anyway. Should remove the seats all the door sill panels etc...You have to remove all that stuff to run the power line already. The only added step is fishing the speaker wire through the rubber door grommet which is annoying step. Plus, if you ever upgrade the amp to something stronger the wire is already there.

 

X2 - it looks like the basis for a decent system, which typically means at some point, it will be upgraded to ferret out the weaknesses, OEM wiring is high on that list, along with sound deadening to significantly improve midbass response. Speaker wire is cheap and relatively easy to do with everything apart.

also, with everything apart - dont forget the deadening. SDS CLD tiles are going to be both your best deadening solution as well as one of the least expensive. I have SDS tiles in my doors and another brand in my trunk... SDS tiles look exactly the same as the day I put them in. The more expensive stuff in my trunk is melting and gooey on a 90-degree day with my white car in the garage/shade. So far, its my only regret with this car...

at less than 2.65 per CLD tile and 4 - 5 tiles per door, they are hard to beat. Dont believe you need 100% coverage, that's bologna. For 15.00 per door, its tough to beat
SDS CLD Tiles

undeadened Lancer/Ralliart/Evo front door

5 CLD tiles in the same car - other front door

 

CLD tiles are definitely on my list thanks! Where can I buy it?

 

i agree with that i would for sure use the hurtz speakes.

 

I just installed a system today kept it very low key because I don't want to add a ton of weight but here's what I did.

2 kicker ss56.2 components up front
2 kicker co-ax in back

Kicker dx1000.1 under the drivers seat.
And a re audio 12sx in the trunk.

I installed a high/low for the sub amp and ran it off my stock head unit for a few hours while they were getting the dash kit for the Evo and it sounded fine, then installed the head unit and it was night and day, of course the mods/highs were louder but they were also 10 times clearer and the bass had to be 3 times as loud.

Night and day, the pioneer app radio looks great in the Evo

Kicker

 

I had the Rockford system And took everything out completely dynamated the whole trunk and doors and Im running a JL Audio HD900/5, JL C5 components on all 4 doors, with a JL 10w7 sub in a sealed box in the trunk. I would never go back to having a stock system in any car I ever own. Do it. You wont regret it.