Mid priced easy insall speakers for 147?

I've been reading in the forums about how certain vendor speaskrs are different size, so 160 - 170mm sized speaskers may fit dependent on manufacturer.

Also, that spaker depth can be a problem.

Anyone recommend a not too expensive set of component speakers that will fit into existing mounting (i.e. easy DIY install), and where to buy them from.

I've seen Focal Access and K2Power range recommended - but canb't find them for sale anywhere, also don;t know if too deep?

anyone can recommend a decent (don't expect high end) easy to install set of component speakers, woudl appreciate it!!

are the doors on the 147 like the GT? basically, the whole door trim requires removal to access the speakers cos the grill is 'fixed' to the trim.

it also means you may as well replace the plastic speaker holder with a simple mdf wood spacer ring. do you have tools - drill, jigsaw? new spacers = virtually any speakers you want will fit.

focal 165K2P are excellent from all reports, but quite costly, and double that of 165A1. so determine your budget!

UK$200 should buy you:
*boston acoustics SX60
*focal 165V1
*hertz HSK165
*mb quart DSG-216
*morel pulse 6

any of which are very good. try and audition what you can. and i don't know if they will simply drop-in, but a new spacer will certainly ensure they fit.

there is no point spending more (incl on K2P) UNLESS you add an amplifier to run them. powered off just the headunit, keep to the above budget at most.

thanks for the reply.

yeah, will only be running off a new head unit, no amp install.

cool. i wouldn't go with the K2P then. you won't have anywhere near their potential; it would be like paying for racing slick tyres for the car which you only drive to the local shops with.

also, worth checking the 'sensitivity' spec of the speakers. the headunit doesn't provide much power (maybe 15WRMS per channel?). the more 'sensitive' (efficient) the speakers, the louder they will be, for the given power.

some speakers may have a sensitivity spec of 90dB/W/m. compared with speakers having 93dB/W/m. the second set will go as loud as the first but with HALF the power. second set will be 3dB louder for the given power (note, this is NOT 'twice as loud'; it requires a 10dB increase in volume to be perceived as about twice as loud).

that is:
feeding 10WRMS to speaker A (90) = 5WRMS to speaker B (93)
feeding 10WRMS to both speakers = speaker B is significantly louder

factory speakers happen to be designed with high sensitivity, and therefore can go quite loudly. higher quality speakers have higher moving mass (better cone/voicecoil = heavier), and inherently become less sensitive. that's just how it is (excluding other clever engineering designs).

still, at the end of the day, the specs do NOT tell you how they sound. so you should still choose the speakers that sound best to you. just that those i've listed above will be better suited to running off the headunit than the K2P. also consider the models below them for this very reason: focal 165A1, boston S60, hertz ESK165.

thanks for the info shiny_car - much appreciated!!

I'm getting a Blaupunky Hamburg MP68 head unit, rated for 50W, so prob about 15-20W rms.

think I'll go for focal 165V1 as I've heard several good reviews. now to try and get a demo of them...

I'm also trying to figure out if these speakers will slot into existing holders/mounts in front door. If so, I can install myself.

Other problem I'm having with factory speakers is that the driver door one is not working so well, volume much reduced that passenger side. I intend to measure difference with SPL meter later (no battery for it yesterday when went to check.

unsure if this is a head unit issue (as teh display is starting to malfunction occasionally, so head unit channels may be dodgy too) or speaker is damaged.

Is there an easy way to swap left & right channel (e.g.g wiring swap at back of head unit). If the problem moves to left side speaker, then head unit is problem. If problem stays with driver speaker then speaker or loose wiring issue??

Originally Posted by poolfan

Is there an easy way to swap left & right channel (e.g.g wiring swap at back of head unit). If the problem moves to left side speaker, then head unit is problem. If problem stays with driver speaker then speaker or loose wiring issue??

that is the right way to test, but unfortunately there is no easy way to swap the wiring behind the headunit. you would have to cut and change wires.

probably easier to physically swap the speakers over after removing the door trims.

anyone know if you can buy Focal speakers online anywhere?

They are for sale in Ireland, PM sent.

Edit, it would be if your in box had space lol

inbox emptied - space now

just don't buy 'new' off ebay - there are fakes floating around.

cheers - don't trust Ebay for anything technical really - too many chancers out there!!!

Originally Posted by shiny_car

are the doors on the 147 like the GT? basically, the whole door trim requires removal to access the speakers cos the grill is 'fixed' to the trim.

it also means you may as well replace the plastic speaker holder with a simple mdf wood spacer ring. do you have tools - drill, jigsaw? new spacers = virtually any speakers you want will fit.

focal 165K2P are excellent from all reports, but quite costly, and double that of 165A1. so determine your budget!

UK$200 should buy you:
*boston acoustics SX60
*focal 165V1
*hertz HSK165
*mb quart DSG-216
*morel pulse 6

any of which are very good. try and audition what you can. and i don't know if they will simply drop-in, but a new spacer will certainly ensure they fit.

there is no point spending more (incl on K2P) UNLESS you add an amplifier to run them. powered off just the headunit, keep to the above budget at most.

how does the Focal 165 V3 compare to thos eyou quoted before??

3-way components have the potential to sound better, BUT, optimal installation can be a nightmare. it takes a LOT of work/experimentation to find the best compromise in terms of position/angle of each driver, especially the midrange and tweeters. this typically means customised pods to hold the mids/tweeters in positions, whether that be modified door trims or kickpanel pods or whatever.

in my 156, i built some pods for the mids/tweeters in the kickpanels:
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL97/.../120610424.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL97/.../120610515.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL97/.../120649753.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL97/.../120650032.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL97/.../120650096.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL97/.../120650193.jpg

if you cannot do this yourself, are you happy to pay what it costs to have built? could easily be a UK$200+ just for the installation. which is fair enough for the amount of time required if you want a high quality finish. if you can DIY, no probs.

compared with what i had in the 156, i have simplified the setup for my GT, and gone with a 2-way setup. by using top/higher quality drivers, i am confident i can achieve BETTER overall sound quality. it is particularly easier to optimise accurate imaging/cohesion with fewer drivers; ultimately, a set of 'point source' or even 'coaxial' speakers can be excellent, but heavily angling the woofer is an obstable in most cars unless you competely rebuild the door trims accordingly.

so, whilst the potential is there, it takes a LOT more work to make them sound as good as they can. i would only recommend it if you have the experience, or are willing to pay a suitably experienced installer to do the work. alternatively, a higher quality set of 2-way components is easier to install, and WILL sound better IF these are properly installed.

of those i've listed, there are higher models for most, which may suit you better, including:
*focal 165VR or 165K2P i also mentioned
*boston acoustics SL60 or Pro60
*mb quart RVF-216 or PVF-216
*morel elate 6

you could also look into more esoteric brands like Seas, Phass, etc.

Cheers shiny car,

only asked as I saw them on special on the internet, hadn't realised that they were 3-way speakers, thought they were just a higher spec that V1 or VR.

I'll be sticking to the two way speakers then!!

cool.