Still considering audio upgrades

[bradktn]

i have to admit the stock system is sounding better. I have about 2000k on the car, and the speakers are breaking in some, and some fine tuning has helped, (setting fade slightly to the rear and setting treble and midrange down while leaving bass about midway), But here are still times it doesn't sound right. Sometimes the bass sounds not just weak but, “Far away,” if that makes any sense. And the mid range can still sound mushy or muffled. Maybe it’s the source, I don't know. All I want is a good, not great, sounding system. I've considered an underseat sub but I’m worried about the size. I carry my grandkids a good bit who are all feet these days and even the smaller subs seem to stick out the back a little. I also don't like how the non-Recaros in my car funnel loose change directly under the seat. Copper pennies and electrical connections worry me a bit. I've also considered just changing the factory speakers out for new ones but some of the things I’ve read say this won't make much of a difference without adding an equalizer. I've also thought about going the component route, putting dedicated bass speakers in the rear doors with mid and tweeter in the fronts, but have heard this isn't very practical. So basically this a noob wanting a decent sound system without dropping a thousand bucks. Help!

 

[jmrtsus]

If you are using any source other than CD to try to evaluate your system you are wasting your time. All other sources are so sonic challenged they are good for in car Karaoke and background music only. The bass in the system is OK for what it is. Only a powered sub will help and it will be feed a signal processed for the door woofer. In other words strongly rolled off. So a compact under seat sub will clean up some of the lower bass and reduce the mid range mud when over-driving the door speakers. Due to normal age related high frequency hearing loss I boost the treble but the factory tweeter makes me crazy. Someday ($$) I will do my car as was another I heard with the sub, good two-way door speakers with the factory tweeter disconnected and 100hz "bass blockers" on the the door speakers. Made a significant difference in his and my opinion. Total cost was $4-500 depending on sales prices and DIY. Not much can be done for the poor quality of the other sources like mp3 and radio. Want a HQ play list? Burn CD to CD without conversion. I carry CD's for a long trip, mp3 and radio are fine as DD.

 

[bradktn]

Good advice. Ooltewah, huh? I'm just up the road a bit near Knoxville.

 

[Intuit]

These aren't Bugatti Veron quiet and we aren't wearing headphones. MP3, WMA, AAC or M4A sound great. Same as bootleg DVD vs store bought BluRay, it just depends on the source. Junk source, junk picture. Junk source, junk sound. Taking a bootleg MP3/WMA/M4A/AAC and burning it to CD isn't going to magically produce better sound. Neither is taking a bootleg CD and burning it to MP3/WMA/M4A/AAC going to improve sound.

http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/...er-ever-use-it?p=197328&viewfull=1#post197328

More discussed above.

More discussed below.
https://www.google.com/search?q=site:fiestastforum.com+subwoofer

The original radio limits our options for clean sound with a high dynamic range. It doesn't matter what you stick on the other end of that radio, those are still going to be limitations. So I just say stick a sub on it and be done with it.

 

[TyphoonFiST]

These aren't Bugatti Veron quiet and we aren't wearing headphones. MP3, WMA, AAC or M4A sound great. Same as bootleg DVD vs store bought BluRay, it just depends on the source. Junk source, junk picture. Junk source, junk sound. Taking a bootleg MP3/WMA/M4A/AAC and burning it to CD isn't going to magically produce better sound. Neither is taking a bootleg CD and burning it to MP3/WMA/M4A/AAC going to improve sound.

http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/...er-ever-use-it?p=197328&viewfull=1#post197328

More discussed above.

More discussed below.
https://www.google.com/search?q=site:fiestastforum.com+subwoofer

The original radio limits our options for clean sound with a high dynamic range. It doesn't matter what you stick on the other end of that radio, those are still going to be limitations. So I just say stick a sub on it and be done with it.

So you..Yourself have done just the under the seat sub? If so what brand was it? I have bought new tweeters and front door speakers. now wondering if they will even help. I'm not much of a stereo person!

 

[Intuit]

Not much on feeling sound. Would rather hear it. Sub is in the rear.

But the person posting doesn't want to compromise "trunk" space. An under-floor sub, covered in some of those other threads would be the better option.

I added the key word, "shallow" to the search phrase here...
https://www.google.com/search?q=site:fiestastforum.com+subwoofer+shallow