STR8BALLIN - R

after trying to research how to make some descent sound in my 88; Vert for a while and not finding much information ( except big buck installs) I have descided to try one more time. Originally I wanted to maintain my stock Pioneer (cd/tape) head unit but now i realize that is unrealistic so.....
I have descided that i will pick up a decent cd head unit (Best Buy, Future Shop etc.) and was wondering what was necessary to replace the head unit but maintain stock if i felt like changing back. I know i need the double DIN adapter but where do i get it. (In Canada preferably) also is there a wiring harness I will need??

I have replaced stock speakers with 4" Rockford fosgates up front and 5.25's in the doors. I just spliced in these speakers. How do i go about rewiring the speakers to cancel out the amp ( presuming that is what i have to do, I think)???? Do I wire my new speakers directley to the head unit?
I would like to see what the result is without getting into a sub but i think that will be the next step so is there a way to set it up so an addition of a sub would be easy?
Presuming i descide i want to add a sub, probably a 10 what would i go with ( Best Buy etc) that is descent quality but not too pricey. I am Poor!!!!!
What amp/sub combo?? Would i run the sub and speakers off of the amp or just the sub? 2 channel or 4?

Lastly I would tackle the job of building a custom enclosure for the sub under the rear spare tire cover, probably behind the driver seat with the amp in the other side. Anyone built an enclosure in there> I need instructions on how to do that! How do i figure out the dimensions of the box i make (MDF board) so that it breathes properly ( for a 10" sub)
Lastly would the sub be too overpowering with just these stock size speaker replacements? Would i have to go bigger in the door? I just replaced what was there sizes....
i know its a lot of questions but any help or all would be awsome, i need to get better sound out of this beauty.

STR8BALLIN - R

going to bed, not letting this one get away!
happened too many times

Icemark

On the 88, the door speaker's amp is located behind the driver's dash speaker. You can wire the door speakers there. This amp is a subwoofer amp only.

The dash speakers are driven right off of the factory headunit in the dash. No amp.

My system right now is the head units 50 watts peak a channel is running to Alpine 4 inch dash speakers, while a small 35 watt/ch RMS amp is driving 160mm (6 inch) Alpine door speakers. No head rest speakers or anything else. I have a 120 watt RMS sub amp and 8" sub in a fiberglass single reflex band pass enclosure in the under spare area, but the spare and a full size tire can still fit in.

I personally would recommend getting the factory radio brackets off of a coupe, so that you didn't have to mess with some lame kit or filing the radio surround. Of course make sure you get the radio adapter plugs, so you can plug the stock deck back in if you want to down the road.

This one is done that way:


as well as this:


It sounds like you are right on for your direction on the sub-woofer, but remember MDF is pretty heavy. Now might be the time to learn how to fiberglass.

wankel jr.

On a side note, to get a more bass sound out of your component speakers, make mdf mounts for them and screw them up tight to it, youcan also buy sound deadening material you can put behind the speakers which will stop that tinny cheap sound that they sometimes have. For the speaker enclosure, when you buy the sub, it will have general guidelines about the cub.inch of the box, or check their website for porting etc. 10" subs are great if you shell out and get a good brand name one, look in mags for reviews. Thats all I can help ya with!

DigitalSynthesis

I'm running a similar setup to Icemark's:

Head Unit :: 35W (probably peak) x4 running 2x4" coax speakers in dash and 2x5.25 coaxial in the door...

2x10" subs in box in trunk running off a 100W (RMS) x4 amp (2 channels bridged into each sub).

The 4-channel speaker is actually going up front as soon as I buy a good solid mono sub amp that can handle 2 ohms properly.

Overall opinion: a good system waiting for the perfect sub amp. Yes, components up front would be nicer, but I worked with what I had at the time (pulled from my old car). But the 2 10's kick butt and cover up all the problems from the weaker front setup. And as wankel jr. said there are a number of ways to make better sound out of the smaller components which I have yet to do (engine swap taking all my time). Just choose quality over price up front and you'll be glad you did.

BTW: Personal favorite subs are either Rockford Fosgate Punch series (my friend has these), Kicker 10" solo-barics, or JL 10's or 12's. One good 12 is plenty for these cars, or a set of 10's. Depending on the size of the speaker and the volume it needs, you can mount them either in a custom enclosure behind the seats (remove the windblocker and its plate to access that area) OR do what I did and forgo the trunk space for better sound.

Save a hundred or two for a good dynamat knock-off (parts express has a number of good but not so ghastly-expensive alternatives) to cure the inevitable rattles, too.

ThaDon

installing 4 kicker L7 12's in the hatch in fiberglass chamber, powered by 4 jl1000/1 's, custom installing all new mids and highs, filling every other hole and empty spot in the car with *dynomat*.....im sorry but for the money...kicker is SO MUCH better than fosgate....i would suggest Kicker C-10 or C-12 's for cheaper subs.....around 50$ for 2 on ebay.....dont take a lot of power to make them rock

NZConvertible

Wise decision.
You DO NOT need to spend any money on wiring harnesses. I have no idea why people think you do. The harness that is supplied with the head unit only needs to have the relevant bare wires terminated with male spade connectors and they'll plug straight into the factory stereo plugs. This is what I did and it works perfectly. The only complication is the addition of a relay to the antenna wire to change it from switched power to switched ground.
The best way is to simply run new wires from the head unit to the speakers. That way you eliminate any chance of getting it wrong, and you can install better wires. Personally I think you should run an external amp for the main speakers, in which case you'll be running speaker wires to the amp and the stock amps and speaker wires are redundant. If you're doing this as money allows, I'd consider amp'ing the main speakers before you add the sub (unless all you listen to is doof-doof music). Quality sound needs power for all frequencies, not just sub-bass.

HAILERS

doof, doof???? That's a new one.

MaxJenius211

Okay, time for the idiot parade...Me first.

If I install a new head unit, are the headrest speakers still going to work? (i'm gonna get flammed, I can feel it)

Also, anyone tried to cut up that piece that covers the spare tire in the vert and mount additional speakers and a sub there???

-Max

STR8BALLIN - R

this is some great info to get started with.....a few other questions however...

1. Where do i pick up one of these stock coupe stereo brackets from? Just search classifieds till one pops up or the junkers?? Anybody have a spare one laying around?
2. Where do u guys get the wirirng harnesses??? and the double DIN mounting kits????

anybody have instructions or pics on how they made their sub enclosure under the hatch?

is there a big difference between 5.25's and 6's in the door???

What i plan on doing right now is simply picking up a headunit with the braket or doublidin adapter and some quality wire and wiring the new h/u directly to my speakers? I can run both dash and door off of a new head unit??
i will see what i get from that and go from there into subs and amps i think. What do u think.
I have like NO money so this is going to be a step by step process!
PIcs I want PIcs!
thanks

dmyers

Check out this link.

http://v8rx7.com/sound.htm

I hope to do something like this in the near future.

NZConvertible

No flames, it's a good question. The short answer is no, because if you feed 15W RMS per channel into the headrest speaker amp (which any decent new head unit will do) you'll probably fry it. To do it properly you need to bypass the amp (which means the headrest speaker controls will no longer work) and run the two left speakers in series and the two right speakers in series from two channels on the head unit. Of course if you're running four main speakers off the head unit you won't be able to do that. I'm running my main speakers off an external amp, so it'd be easy for me to do, but I haven't bothered because I'm not sure if it'll be worth the effort. One day maybe.

Leave the cover in tact and mount the subs in a box underneath. See the excellent system in the link above. I emailed that guy about his system and he said the cover had little to no effect on the sub's output when in place.

Didn't you read my post?
Yes, dash speakers off the front channels; door speakers off the rear channels.

sub9lulu

iTrader: (7)

question on radio brackets, i just changed my stereo surround from S4 to S5, the aftermarket stereo system wouldnt fit right, do i need to get a radio bracket from a S5 coupe or any other S4 bracket would work ?

mine is a 88 vert btw

STR8BALLIN - R

yes i read your post..... just not sure i fully understood it...regardless i would like to know where to pick a harness adapter up....seems that they are cheap and may as well have it incase problems arise


any word on the coupe brackets, Double DIN kits???

STR8BALLIN - R

on rear spare cover.....

anybody think about mounting additional speakers from the inside of the spare cover facing out? Was thinking about maybe additional 6"ers or perhaps 6x9's facing forward towards th cockpit with grills on the outside of the spare tire cover. Then wiring a 10"sub and these additional speakers to a 4 channel amp?

Only probelm i can think of with this set up is that the rear cover may be not rigid enough and it would be a pain in the *** to remove to do maintenance or get at the spare, amp or sub.....

is there any problems with the rear cover rattling from the sub underneith?

STR8BALLIN - R

on rear spare cover.....

anybody think about mounting additional speakers from the inside of the spare cover facing out? Was thinking about maybe additional 6"ers or perhaps 6x9's facing forward towards th cockpit with grills on the outside of the spare tire cover. Then wiring a 10"sub and these additional speakers to a 4 channel amp?

Only probelm i can think of with this set up is that the rear cover may be not rigid enough and it would be a pain in the *** to remove to do maintenance or get at the spare, amp or sub.....

is there any problems with the rear cover rattling from the sub underneith?

BLKTOPTRVL

I can't supply any technical information, as I know nothing about stereo installs. But I do know that when my original head unit expired, I had Circuit City install a single din Kenwood unit.

It was installed by bypassing all the original supplemental amplifiers. It works great and I can use all the original speakers including the headrests. The headrests are installed to run from the rear channels of the head unit. The only thing different from the stock system is that the left and right seat headrests cannot be controlled individually.

If anyone needs them, I have never removed the OEM amplifiers. So, if anyone needs them, send me a message.

BLKTOPTRVL

I like the coin holder and cup holders (although the finish does not quite look right). Where did you get them?

mwpayne

I just picked up the cupholders from a 94 ford taurus that was about to be crushed. I think any taurus/sable from the 90's are the same.

STR8BALLIN - R

seems vert stero applications are a bit more difficult than the coupes, lets keep this thread alive!
post pics, setups ans advice!
thanks

STR8BALLIN - R

seems vert stero applications are a bit more difficult than the coupes, lets keep this thread alive!
post pics, setups ans advice!
thanks

STR8BALLIN - R

seems vert stero applications are a bit more difficult than the coupes, lets keep this thread alive!
post pics, setups ans advice!
thanks

STR8BALLIN - R

seems vert stero applications are a bit more difficult than the coupes, lets keep this thread alive!
post pics, setups ans advice!
thanks

STR8BALLIN - R

seems vert stero applications are a bit more difficult than the coupes, lets keep this thread alive!
post pics, setups ans advice!
thanks

NZConvertible

There will be an unterminated harness supplied with the head unit. One end plugs into the head unit and the other end is just bare wires. The ones that need to be plugged into the factory wires (constant power, switched power, illumination and antenna) can be terminated with male spade terminals, and plugged straight into the factory plugs. No additional harness needed! Even if you choose to use the factory speaker wires (which I don't recommend), the same method applies.
The rear deck is made from heavy cardboard. It is totally unsuitable for mounting speakers. If you wanted speaker mounted on this deck, you'd need to make a box to support the speakers and sandwich the deck between the grilles and the box, with the speakers screwed rigidly into the box. I wouldn't put speakers that big back there anyway. It'll totally overpower the front speakers and sound terrible.

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