In preparation for the beautiful head unit I am anticipating (hopefully in early August, but I doubt it), I am planning on getting a new audio system in my vehicle. I own a Honda Odyssey, and I can honestly say it's the worst system I've ever heard in a car. Awful speakers, muddy sound, and a head unit that heats up my CD's so much, they're almost too hot to touch!

I went down to a local car audio place on the 3rd. One of the installers came out and did a thorough run-down of the vehicle, analyzing possible placement for various components
like the amp and sub.

The amp, he decided, would go easily go under the driver's seat and not interfere with the power seat mechanism or anything else.

The sub was another problem, however. After taking a look in every location, he eventually took my suggestion. A new console! He's going to build a console himself, and include a down-firing 10" MTX 4000-series sub. Nothing to rattle the windows, but enough to provide some quality bass.

In order to still play CD's, I'm going to run additional RCA cables from the AUX inputs to a compartment about a foot below the head unit, where I can hook up a discman or minidisc player or anything else for that matter.

For now, I am not replacing any speakers, front or back. It is expected that these improvements will be, for now, a large improvement over the current sound quality.

------
By the way, this is an amazing vehicle. I'm only 20, so I'm sort of going against type by buying a minivan (my dad wanted me to be safe and have alot of cargo space while driving back and forth to college), but I tell you, this thing is incredible. 200HP SOHC VTEC 6-cylinder engine, same cargo capacity as the Ford Excursion, 18/25 mpg, fold-away "magic" rear seat, power sliding doors, and a navigation system!

It still has a bit of that soccer mom image, but it's a very attractive minivan, as minivans go, and I don't care about that anyway. The fact remains, I get better acceleration, capacity, and mileage than just about any SUV out there.

DiGNAN

I had a Vauxhall Chevette when I was 20. You probably don't know what that is, but it ain't what you've got. Tsk, kids today *grin*

Rob

You mean like this?


Or more like this:


Of course, you were probably a Hell's Angel:




DiGNAN

One of the installers came out and did a thorough run-down of the vehicle, analyzing possible placement for various components like the amp and sub.

Good thinking. Proactive. More people should do this.

For now, I am not replacing any speakers, front or back. It is expected that these improvements will be, for now, a large improvement over the current sound quality.

I've always been of the opinion that the speakers should be the first thing you replace, and that you have the most potential for improvement there. I won't harp on it, though, enough said.

I'm only 20, so I'm sort of going against type by buying a minivan (my dad wanted me to be safe and have alot of cargo space while driving back and forth to college), but I tell you, this thing is incredible. (...) It still has a bit of that soccer mom image, but it's a very attractive minivan, as minivans go, and I don't care about that anyway.

Don't BS us. You got a van so you could get laid in the back. Admit it.

___________
Tony Fabris

Actually mine was a more recent model, and much sexier. I once used it to claim the record for getting from Frome to Bath before the kebab house closed (in about 12 minutes). That won't mean much to most of you.

As it happens I repeated that run a few weeks ago in empeg's Mercedes A-Class demo car. It took longer and the kebab house was closed (they didn't seem to care that I'd driven over 200 miles from home for a large doner, extra chilli - well, that wasn't the SOLE reason for the journey).

Rob

For now, I am not replacing any speakers, front or back. It is expected that these improvements will be, for now, a large improvement over the current sound quality.

I'll go with Tony here too in that one of the FIRST things you should replace are the speakers:

They are not expensive, you can almost ALWAYS replace them yourself as long as you get the same size as what's installed.

You may not even need to solder the speaker wire if they've got proper clips on them. Just keep the polarity straight.

Usually factory speakers are paper cones -- tolerable for listening to talk radio, but horrible for everything else, esp. with a bit of volume behind them.

(p.s.: didn't we have a brief exchange about the Klipsch speakers? -- you know the value of good speakers)


- -- ----- -- -
Queue # 5723

Usually factory speakers are paper cones -- tolerable for listening to talk radio, but horrible for everything else, esp. with a bit of volume behind them.

My car had speakers with PLASTIC-Chassis !!!!! Hard to believe, but true. So people out there watch out for your built-in speakers! Mostly they are low quality!
And speakers aren't really that expensive. between $40 and $80 - depending on the size and quality are worth changing them!

TeeMcBee

As it happens I repeated that run a few weeks ago in empeg's Mercedes A-Class demo car. It took longer and the kebab house was closed (they didn't seem to care that I'd driven over 200 miles from home for a large doner, extra chilli - well, that wasn't the SOLE reason for the journey).


Would that be Mamaris, Bath's 'best' kebab house?

Oh happy days :-)

No, it would be the Bath Kebab House, which serves the best chilli sauce anywhere.

Rob

Old git 1: Remember the Bath kebab house flame war of 2000?
Old git 2: Yes, it was carnage... absolute carnage...
Old git 1: Didn't they have to set up alt.bath.kebabhouse.advocacy after that?
Old git 2: If they hadn't, things could have been much, much worse
Old git 1: Ah the old days... Has your empeg Mk9 arrived yet?
Old git 2: No, it's still stuck in customs in Texas....



Geoff
---- -------
Got one of the first Mark 2 empegs...

The great thing about the installer is that he's installed an empeg before. He put a Mark 1 into a corvette a while back.

As for the speakers, well, as I've said before I don't have much money. I really have to watch my finances right now, and $1000 even is about all I can spend. He's suggested a pair of mbquart RKC116 speaker for the front. No matter what I won't be replacing the rears on this trip. The only reason I wouldn't replace any at all is that for now, the amp and sub will add so much for now. I can always add new speakers later. (fogduck- I briefly thought of putting the pro's in the van ).


And as for the "purpose" of the van...well...let's just say that the floor in the back is 4x8. That's what, a double?

DiGNAN

I'm also with Tony on this one. I realize the you are laying out a bunch of money on the amp and sub, but as you already said, your sound is muddy now.

After installing just a sub, it will be muddy...with good bass.

MB Quart are great speakers, so if you can afford them, it will make quite a difference.

As far as the purpose of the van, just promise you won't get a bumper-sticker like my brother had on his van: "If the van is a rockin' don't come a knockin'"

-Trevor

hehe, no, the only bumper sticker that might go on this thing would be the empeg logo.

I understand the reasoning behind the new speakers, and I honestly want to upgrade them, just not now. In the future I will, but not now. Another factor that I failed to mention, was that as a birthday (July 16th) present, my father agreed to put up the cost of the sub enclosure (the new console). So I'm not really paying for that. This doesn't mean that now I have enough to buy the speakers, just that because he's paying for the sub installation, it would cost me more to just get the speakers instead of the sub.

Trust me, I really want the speakers, and if I find a way, I'll get them. But at the moment, unless I find I'm making more than I thought (unlikely), I can't afford them. Maybe I'll put a kidney up on ebay...

Anyway, here's the run-down of stuff I'm getting and the price.

install empeg
$75.00
Alpine MRPF356 amp
$249.95
-amp installation
$75.00
"Lightning 8 Gauge Powerlink Kit" (what is this?)
$29.95
cables and wires
$38.35
MTX T4104 10" 4 OHM sub
$79.95
Custom sub console
$400.00
--------------------------
Total without speakers
$978.72
--------------------------
MBQuart RKC116 6.5" speakers
$279.95
Speaker installation
$45.00
--------------------------
Total with speakers
$1303.67
-------------------------

Just too steep for me right now.

DiGNAN

The amp looks good for your application, and it's nice that you've got all 5 channels covered in one amp.

In reply to:

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"Lightning 8 Gauge Powerlink Kit" (what is this?)
$29.95

---

This is the wiring kit for your amp. It uses 8 guage power wire (great for one amp installation). It includes the power and ground wires, RCA cable (1), fuse, etc.

In reply to:

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cables and wires
$38.35

---

With the Lightning kit, you get all the wiring you need except for speaker wire from between your amp and speakers, and two RCA cables to go to your front/rear outputs. I assume that's what this is for, and is actually quite reasonable for all that wiring.

Where are the mounting the amp? In your trunk, or are they putting it into your custom console? Just wondering why they are charging you for the same amount of time to install the amp as the empeg?

-Trevor

Under the driver's seat. It's going to be a tricky install because the surface isn't flat.

Yeah, that's what the wiring is for, I just wrote it up here as one thing. That's for the RCA cables for the empeg and the AUX cables that will go to the compartment on the bottom where I can hook up a portable CD/MD player.

DiGNAN

Dignan --

I don't usually jump in and recommend specific brands and models of stereo equipment.... but I have first-hand knowledge of one component that I just can't keep quiet about: If there is any way to do it, add a pair of MB-Quart RKB-100 four-inch coaxial speakers. (These are 4" mid-range speakers with built-in tweeters)

These speakers will do more to clear up "muddy" mid-range sound than anything else I know of. If you can possibly do it, try and mount them in the top corners of the dash right at the base of the windshield. It will pull your sound stage up, and give you great left-right imaging, and the brightness and clarity of sound will be beyond anything you can imagine.

The downside? They are not cheap. You'll pay close to $300 for the speakers -- and the installation cost might be considerable depending on what you have to do to your dash.

See if you can't get your stereo shop to just set a pair of them on top of your dash and then play your stereo, and see what it sounds like. You might be very impressed.

tanstaafl.



"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"

Woah. Well, thanks for the suggestion. No really, I might very much consider that for future expansion. Next time I have money (hell, I'm in college, who knows when that will be), I plan to do the speakers and I'll consider those. I would like to move the soundfield forward a bit (right now they're in the doors--not the best place--but that sounds like a good solution.

Does anyone know of good (reasonably priced) regular 4" speakers. I eventually might replace the rears (again, if I have the money).

DiGNAN