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Speakers in MK5 Polo

Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 11:15 am
by AshLeMacq
Anyone got any solutions to the front speaker problem in the MK5??? The SIPS Bars run right behind the speaker holding so the only speakers I could but in were Focal V165 Slimline and quite frankly considering I had to pay £150 for them the sound quality is CRAP!

Anyone know of any good speakers that will fit?

Thank you :)

Ash

Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 11:27 am
by AshLeMacq
I'm also very annoyed at the fact that SAS in Bolton sold me these speakers with an alpine 4x45W head unit. Talk about preying on the stupid. If only I knew now then what knew now. SAS in Boltons seriousley sold me a uncompatible system and as a result I have a Crap sound that cost me £350!

Argh, so angry lol.

Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 11:28 am
by AshLeMacq
It's even worse when my friend just paid someone £300 quid and he has a gorgeous sound from his car now!!!!!!!!!!!!

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

murder!

focal

Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 1:44 pm
by jon_poloV
i thought that focal were supposed to be very good!
have you just got the mids or what?

Re: focal

Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 4:35 pm
by AshLeMacq
jon_poloV wrote:i thought that focal were supposed to be very good!
have you just got the mids or what?
I assume you mean do I have the tweeters as well?

Yes I have the mids and the tweeters and they are positiond in the handy tweeter holder bits near the wing mirrors.

Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 5:11 pm
by zahir_213
there is nothing wrong with the equipment only the user. Try amping those front speakers and they should sound very good, unless they are broken.

Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 5:20 pm
by AshLeMacq
zahir_213 wrote:there is nothing wrong with the equipment only the user. Try amping those front speakers and they should sound very good, unless they are broken.
With all due respect I'm pitch perfect and 8 years of electric guitar playing and sound modification using all kinds of amps have given me the expirience to know good sounds.

I'm pretty sure at the moment there is just a loose connection. The sound is allright what I am saying is that it was wrong of the shop to sell me Speakers with a 150W output and a headunit that can only supply 45W

Posted: Fri May 14, 2004 11:55 pm
by zahir_213
Ok you might be pitch perfect but I don't think you understand the electronics behind it all.
First of all im assuming thats 45 watts max in which case it will actually be somewhere close to 17 watts rms(without checking out the proper figures from alpine).
The speakers you mentioned probably need at least 50-60 watts rms before they will start to sound good at moderate volumes. So as you can see they don't match very well hence "the sound quality is CRAP!"
You will find very very few headunits produce anymore than about 25 watts rms per channel at the most. Therefore how can the shop have done wrong? Eitherway I dont think the sound qaulity will be great at anythin other than low volumes without amping those speakers.

So my advice is to get an amp to run those speakers and it should sound mint. Unless you do have some big probs causing loose connections. But as for the headunit and power there is nothing you can do but amp those front speakers

Posted: Sat May 15, 2004 10:08 am
by AshLeMacq
Thanks for the advice I really appricite it!

Is it a case then of just buying the most expensive amp I can afford or is there anything you could reccomend?

Posted: Sat May 15, 2004 6:44 pm
by zahir_213
What you need to think about is if you will be buying a sub in the near furture or any other speakers as you will need more channels on the amp not just 2(for the setup you have now). You could obviously buy a 2 channel amp and then another amp for the sub later, but it just saves you space. Look for makes such as Alpine, JL, Kicker, Rockford Fosgate etc.

Have a look on www.talkaudio.co.uk , people sometimes sell 2nd hand amps cheap.

Cheers

Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 12:16 am
by KarlM
you should be looking for a mid range amp from any of the big names. about £100 to £150 should suffice. Look for something with 4 channels as well as this will give you the chance to expand your system in the future

Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 1:20 am
by Josh_PoloGTi
Right, I'm going to impart some of my wisdom, so sit in a comfy chair... You comfortable? OK, I'll begin:

Focal Speakers:

Lovelly.

You don't need the slimlines though, just tighten the screws tighter, that's what I've done and they're sweet.

Tweeters:

I've got mine in the stock location behind the OE grilles near the mirrors, but I've heard A LOT of installations using focal tweeters where the tweeters are fired across the cabin AT eachother and they sound MUCH better, much much better! If I had the time, money and could be arsed, I'd change my install, but I've found that by cutting some mid-high using my EQ, I've been able to sort the sound on mine.

Head-Unit:

Your Alpine should rock... My system is run using the standard Gamma and it s-its all over many systems I've heard, so your Alpine will be great...

YOU JUST NEED TO AMP THOSE SPEAKERS!

(sorry to shout!)

Seriously mate, get an amp.

I have a Boston Acoustics 2ch amp powering my Focal Polyflex (old Focals, not as good as even the new Focal Access Range) and bejesus it sounds good.

Sub:

If you're serious about having a nice sounding car, you NEED a sub. I'm not on about making your ears bleed here, it's just that however good your front components sound, as soon as you start driving the bass will get lost in the road-noise, so you need to reinforce it... Unless you listen to music with no basslines?

My System:

VW Gamma (Blaupunkt)
VW 6-Disc
Audibahn in-dash EQ
Boston Acoustics 2ch Amp
Focal Polyflex Components
Kicker 2ch Amp (Bridged)
Rockford Fosgate Punch XLC 12" Sub in sealed box
Dynamat in doors
Rear speakers disabled

And it sounds good imho.

Not as nice as Audioscape's Saxo that I sat in at Inters.... That had THE most beautiful sound I have EVER heard in a car system. It took SQ to a next level for me. I almost weapt when I was listening to the audiphile test CD they were playing... It was THAT good... Moving is a good word for that system. But that's mega-bucks!!!!

Anyway, I hope you've learned something through my ramblings?

Get an amp for starters, then a sub!

Boston Acoustics make some VERY nice amps. Check their stuff on the net.

Good luck mate, with the Alpine and Focals, you're halfway to getting a very nice system!

8)

Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 9:56 pm
by LAN's GTI
Just fitted a pair of Alpine SPR 176A Components in my front doors yesterday, these speakers have seriously large magnets, but like Josh said, by tightening the screws I managed to fit them in.

They sound great by the way, and only cost £99!