15 replies to this topic

[Steelic]

Please note due to pictures this Post is in two parts.


Having had the car garaged for the last 2 weeks due to the snow, I thought I'd try fitting some 5.25" (13cm) speakers in the dash vents, similar to the Exige for a better soundstage.



Once fitted it totally transforms the sound as previously I'd only replaced the rears with some new Vibes. With the engine in the back there was no way you were ever going to get good sound from the rears.

Heres my 'How to' with pics:

The speakers I chose are Inphase xtc 520, not too expensive but decent quality, you can use a deeper speaker also.


Two 9mm deep MDF (155x120, these are speaker dependant) rings were bought off Ebay for £8


Position where you want the speakers to go, mine were futher out than the vent holes but still covered it.


Mark round the rings.


Cut the dash material inside and outside the ring.


Remove the inner material.


There is a Ali ring under the vent edges, remove this.



Continued in Part Two. . .

[Steelic]

Cut through the inner circle of foam, I used a tile saw.



With a sharp knife trim a step for the MDF ring in the outer circle.



Cut it to the depth you want for yours speakers and MDF ring, you can always pack it out later.


Put down a good bead of glue and fit the rings, I used Tiger Seal, allow to cure overnight.



Fit the speakers into the rings with screws, I used some double sided foam for dampening.



Lastly don't forget to fit the wires as you may not be able to when fitted in the car.

[MWS]

Looks Great. Thought about getting something like this done myself but now the dash is wrapped in alcantara, i don't think it would be done tidily.

[D3YMO]

Matt i can help you fit 4" speakers in the dash, will require very little cutting of the alcantara and will be very neat i can assure you...the speakers are only marginally bigger than the vents and the surround which fits over the top hides everything

[fezzasus]

3.5" speakers fit in the existing vent:

Edited by fezzasus, 31 January 2013 - 11:47 AM.

[D3YMO]

3.5" speakers fit in the existing vent:

looks good, although for that little bit extra you get a lot more range with the 4" and there more widely avaliable

[fezzasus]

looks good, although for that little bit extra you get a lot more range with the 4" and there more widely avaliable

TBH there's not much in it, I used rockford fosgate 3.5" which are oversized to about 3.8" anyway. Anything low frequency is taken care of with my sub and small drivers can easily take care of the higher frequencies.

Edited by fezzasus, 31 January 2013 - 11:51 AM.

[D3YMO]

looks good, although for that little bit extra you get a lot more range with the 4" and there more widely avaliable

TBH there's not much in it, I used rockford fosgate 3.5" which are oversized to about 3.8" anyway. Anything low frequency is taken care of with my sub and small drivers can easily take care of the higher frequencies.

i agree...was just pointing out that most shops stock 4" and there more easily sourced

what system are you running in yours? picture of your sub build?

[Mangham54]

3.5" speakers fit in the existing vent:

looks good, although for that little bit extra you get a lot more range with the 4" and there more widely avaliable

Now that was how I had planned mine to be... I actually have a set of the correct sized 'in-phase' speakers sat in the garage that never got fitted.

[fezzasus]

i agree...was just pointing out that most shops stock 4" and there more easily sourced

what system are you running in yours? picture of your sub build?

I agree with that, it's a pain in the arse getting the 3.5" rockfords, well worth it though.

The sub is just a stand alone unit, I didn't want to take up space on the parcel shelf so I made a new seat runner for the passenger seat and moved it forward 2cm to fit the sub behind: http://www.vx220.org...40#entry1471235

The rest of the system is made up of an alpine mechless head unit and alpine imprint processor - best thing i've done to the sound, it's like wearing high quality headphones now.

Edited by fezzasus, 31 January 2013 - 01:35 PM.

[fezzasus]

Now that was how I had planned mine to be... I actually have a set of the correct sized 'in-phase' speakers sat in the garage that never got fitted.

It doesn't actually take much work.

I reused the outer part of the dash vents as the grille surround, then cut down the grille provided with the speakers so it would fit into the dash vent surround, a couple of blobs of tiger seal hold it in place. The speakers were mounted like OP's, but by cutting the wooden disks into the underside of the dash rather than top.

The only other thing you need to do is source the ISO harness plugs to connect the speakers to the head unit.

[Mangham54]

Now that was how I had planned mine to be... I actually have a set of the correct sized 'in-phase' speakers sat in the garage that never got fitted.

It doesn't actually take much work.

I reused the outer part of the dash vents as the grille surround, then cut down the grille provided with the speakers so it would fit into the dash vent surround, a couple of blobs of tiger seal hold it in place. The speakers were mounted like OP's, but by cutting the wooden disks into the underside of the dash rather than top.

The only other thing you need to do is source the ISO harness plugs to connect the speakers to the head unit.

Got most of the way tbrough doing it on my spare dash, but before I got to finish it, I sold the car.

[Hark]

Fezz I really like that install. Any chance I can look at that when I'm down for that heater.

[fezzasus]

Fezz I really like that install. Any chance I can look at that when I'm down for that heater.

Of course, any idea when you'll be free yet?

[D3YMO]

And just for reference these are the 4" option

[Hark]

Fezz I really like that install. Any chance I can look at that when I'm down for that heater.

Of course, any idea when you'll be free yet?

Dunno I'll have a think. Didn't get a bloody interview so I could have worked on the car interior rather than that bloody application form.