ICE Noob

Scarfacé

Scarfacé

Scarfacé

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Joined
14 Dec 2002
Posts
2,405
Hi,

I've got a Focus Ghia with the standard sound system... now I'm not after a super loud chavvy esque sound system, but more of a quality, with a bit more sound/bass type system.


Now, I'm a complete noob when it comes to ICE so I'd be very happy if someone could answer a few of my questions...



If I get a new aftermarket headunit, can I connect some aftermarket 13cm coax speakers to it (to replace the standard ones in door) then connect a sub with built in amp to another connector? Will all a/m headunits have the correct outputs to do this?


If not, shall I get a 4 channel amp and run a sub off 2 of the channels and then a front speaker off each of the other channels? Which 13cm speakers shall I get for that? Coax? I want them to go in the door (with the 13cm adapter).


Also, apart from the obvious speakers/sub/headunit/amp? What else do I need?


Eg cables? wiring kits? Do I need sound deadening?


I want to do this as cheap as possible really... a kind of "value" way...


Any help/advice/suggesstions etc etc would be of great help. :D


PS How do you guys route the wires? Eg to the battery? Through the door frame? How do you route the wires from the back of the head unit? How do you access them?


Thanks again.
 
Last edited:
Check out the focus forums....

www.ffoc.co.uk

there's some great guides in the FAQ section.

I've got a 1.8 zetec. waiting for my kit to be delivered today! :-)

I've gone for the following

Alpine 9853 HU
Rainbow 265SLX Delux 16.5cm componants (with a mondeo speaker adaptor to make them fit in the door)
JBL 75.4 amp (budget but ok)
ARC audio KAR12 sub with 12" box

not gone for sound deadening....will see how the panels hold up first. Many people will say you need it for optimum sound, but i'm skint at the moment. The door panels are pretty good in the focus.

You will need an ISO cable to connect an after market HU and a blanking plate to cover the hole where a single din HU goes into a double din factory unit. flea bay is your friend for these. Paid £4 for the ISO and £3.20 for a silver blanking plate.
 
Cheers mate.


I'm a member of FFOC too and I've read the ICE forum a lot, but it's hard to find the very basics... the FAQ is for a quite complex system.


I'd rather be even more budget to be honest, eg you're spending £200 on a head unit... I could afford it but I'd much prefere to spend less...

If I got a fairly cheap MP3 HU (£100 pioneer one or something), a set of 13cm Coax front speakers, 4channel amp, sub, ISO adapter, facia... what else would I require?


How worse are subs with a built in amp?


How worse would it be to run front speakers off the HU?


Just want a better quality system with more bass without spending £600. :D


Budget I say would be about £350-400?


Cheers.
 
No I have the standard HU + speakers with a CD changer under the passenger seat.


If I got a MP3 HU, 2 front speakers then I ran the fronts/rears off HU and did the line out to an amped sub... would this be ok or would the quality really suffer because the fronts are not amped?


Just thinking this might be best because it would be cheaper and I could use existing wiring... all that I'd have to do put sub in boot and connect it to HU under the carpet?


Or is it not quite that simple? I could even then save up for another amp at a later date maybe?


Thanks for your help again. :)
 
you would def need an amp for the sub.

if budget is real tight, you could get the HU, AMP and front speakers now and save up for the sub later.

I'm running a 4 channel amp for everything. 2 channels for the fronts and 2 bridged for the sub.

another option would be to run the fronts off the HU and get an amp/sub kit. Depends which way you wanna go.

You should be able to get a HU (£120ish), amp (£95), sub + box (£100), fronts (£75) cables etc (£25) within your budget.

the JBL amp i've gone for is an ideal budget amp. for HU's, look at alpine and pioneer. not too sure on budget subs and fronts, but FFOC can recommend some decent speakers.
 
Here's some bits i've seen....

HU ... £133
http://caraudiosecurity.com/shop/product/products_id/3224.html

Sub and Box £99
http://caraudiosecurity.com/shop/product/products_id/4290.html

Amp £95
http://caraudiosecurity.com/shop/product/products_id/2911.html

Coax fronts £60
http://caraudiosecurity.com/shop/product/products_id/3970.html

Comp fronts £75
http://caraudiosecurity.com/shop/product/products_id/1555.html

obviously you can go lower....this would be top end of your budget. you'd also need a wiring kits which will be about £40.

speaker size in the doors is up to you. They are 5x7 as standard. The coax would mean an easier install, but the comps would prob sound much better. you would need the mondeo speaker adaptor to fit 16.5cm speakers in there. the 16.5cm speakers would sound much better than the 13cm
 
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