Simple audio setup required for Vauxhall Astra plus Alpine Head Unit query

[Kua]

iya

So I'm sick of the stock speakers in my Astra. I'm just looking for a very simple speaker setup. I have never fitted my own speakers and am sure I don't have the patience to learn so I could do with getting them from somewhere that fits for cheap or for free. I've no need for a sub, that's a bit excessive. Also in my old car I had some Kenwood 16*9s on the thing that goes over a boot and it was a real pain whenever I wanted to put something big in the boot, so I want to avoid that... I guess I'm just looking to replace the speakers in the seats...

Let's say the budget for speakers, wire and fitting is £150... I'm sure that won't go very far.

Also I currently have this head unit. I bought it for its ipod compatibility. But the interface is poorly designed. It takes forever to get through the artists for example. Is there an Alpine (or other) head unit, for not too much more money (ideally ~£100 second hand --- I've no issue going second hand with any of this kit, its never failed me in the past) with a better designed interface for the ipod?

Thanks for the excellent advice I will undoubtedly receive!
Matt

 

[BinnsY]

Your certainly thinking down the right track, a good headunit and good set of components up front will give you a nice upgrade. If you have some change it may also be worth doing the rear speakers but its lower down on the list imo.

The site im using for prices is car audio centre, I dont think its a competitor? But i wont link just in case.

The head unit I would go for is the Alpine IDA-X311 at £150 new, its basically ipod only but has a decent 2 line display and a big jog wheel for full speed scrolling through artists / playlists etc as I understand it its about as good as you can get for an ipod interface on a normal head unit.

I'm also assuming the astra will fit 6.5" speakers in its front doors, if you take a look on the same site for the In Phase SXT6.1C speakers they actually do them in a package with the mounting kits for vauxhalls, coming in at £125.

I appreciate this is a bit over budget already, and fitting would probably be in the region of another £50, busting your budget by about £75.

As you have said though, you may be able to find them cheaper second hand. Hope this gives you a decent starting point

 

[haz_pro]

Im going to have to disagree slightly with BinnsY.

I agree an alpine head unit would be good, i was going to get one but couldnt live without CD (although i havent used a CD since i bought my new one, DOH), so i got a kenwood, which has been great. HOWEVER i would still reccomend an alpine, maybe the x311 as said, or a CDE-112Ri (a bit cheaper, plays CD's, but is ugly as sin!).

I wouldnt go for in phase speakers, personally i believe JBL to be king of budget speakers, for this reason i would choose CS-6C for about 40, or maybe GTO-6507C for about 60.

You should notice a good improvement over stock, how ever in the future you may want to invest in a small 2/4 channel amp which will improve the audio in your car substantially.

I would also disagree with replacing the rear speakers, if anything disconnect them. Personally i like the soundstage to be in front of me, being in friends cars with rear speakers (sometimes louder then the front), isnt as nice of an experience IMO.

Just realised i reccomended components, if you dont want a sub you may want to get coaxials, as the crossovers with components will usually eliminate nearly 100% of bass frequencies.

 

[Paul. W]

You need to decide wether you want to go for componant speakers, or coaxial speakers. Componants have a mid range speaker and a tweeter, with a crossover box (sometimes called a mini amp) to send the signals to the correct speakers. Pro's of these are better sound quality, better sound staging with positions of speakers, less clarity loss at louder levels.

Coaxial speakers deal with both the mid range and high range within the same speaker. There's no seperate crossover. The main positives about these are the installation. You will be able to pick up some mounting plates for your car. Speaker then simply screws into the same place your old speaker was, and connects via the same connections with some wiring adaptors. You really wouldnt need to pay for fitting, its a piece of p***

Downside to coaxials are they wont sound as good, soundstage is limited etc.

Coaxials will be cheaper, and if you arnt running your upgraded speakers off an amp then this will probably be the way to go.

 

[haz_pro]

Coaxial speakers deal with both the mid range and high range within the same speaker.

They also deal with low range im sure? Since unless the headunit is told not to send the lower frequencies to the speaker, and there is no crossover. I have only ever dealt with components so i could be wrong :S

 

[Firestar_3x]

Really depends on the HU, you can't always expect a huge improvement by simply fitting new speakers and doing nowt else, sometimes they can sound worse than stock, simply because the HU can't provide the new speakers with enough power.

 

[Kua]

Im going to have to disagree slightly with BinnsY.

I agree an alpine head unit would be good, i was going to get one but couldnt live without CD (although i havent used a CD since i bought my new one, DOH), so i got a kenwood, which has been great. HOWEVER i would still reccomend an alpine, maybe the x311 as said, or a CDE-112Ri (a bit cheaper, plays CD's, but is ugly as sin!).

I should be writing an essay right now but ho-hum... I thought about getting a second hand ipod just for the car. The only reason I ever use CDs is because I've forgotten my ipod or it was such a short journey it wasn't worth bothering to get it.

I wouldnt go for in phase speakers, personally i believe JBL to be king of budget speakers, for this reason i would choose CS-6C for about 40, or maybe GTO-6507C for about 60.

You should notice a good improvement over stock, how ever in the future you may want to invest in a small 2/4 channel amp which will improve the audio in your car substantially.

As far as I understand it a head unit already has an amp. But I guess you're suggesting a dedicated amp... where would it go and how much would a basic one be (but one good enough to make a significant difference)?

I would also disagree with replacing the rear speakers, if anything disconnect them. Personally i like the soundstage to be in front of me, being in friends cars with rear speakers (sometimes louder then the front), isnt as nice of an experience IMO.

Agreed.

Just realised i reccomended components, if you dont want a sub you may want to get coaxials, as the crossovers with components will usually eliminate nearly 100% of bass frequencies.

Yep, sounds like coaxials is very much the way to go.

 

[Kua]

The head unit I would go for is the Alpine IDA-X311 at £150 new, its basically ipod only but has a decent 2 line display and a big jog wheel for full speed scrolling through artists / playlists etc as I understand it its about as good as you can get for an ipod interface on a normal head unit.

Cheers... It doesn't look like any real improvement over the Sony I've got. Wouldn't be worth the hassle of replacing. I'll stick with the one I've got.

 

[haz_pro]

I should be writing an essay right now but ho-hum... I thought about getting a second hand ipod just for the car. The only reason I ever use CDs is because I've forgotten my ipod or it was such a short journey it wasn't worth bothering to get it.


As far as I understand it a head unit already has an amp. But I guess you're suggesting a dedicated amp... where would it go and how much would a basic one be (but one good enough to make a significant difference)?

I bought a cheap second hand ipod nano (chode edition), as using the iphone was very slow on the head unit, much faster with the nano (although may be because its half the storage!)

Yeah a head unit will have some form of internal amp, usually very low in power though!

To be honest by the sounds of it your best getting some coaxials to begin with, then if you decide you want better & louder sound (without possible distortion), then consider a dedicated amp.

My reason for saying this now is that it is quite expensive (wireing, amp itself), and could be even more expensive due to if your headunit doesnt have preouts(rca, red and white), then it makes the setup a little more difficult!

 

[Stormster]

If you go Alpine, you can buy a little box which is a 4x40w RMS amp, plugs in line of your ISO loom, nice little boost that, double the power really