when idiots fit stereo's! - and upgrade suggestions

[smiffy]

I've been meaning to swap out the head unit for a spare bluetooth Kenwood I have for some time now. As she's remaining SORNed due to the virus, now seemed like an ideal time.

Also wanted to pull the centre console out for a couple of minor repairs and to investigate two little tweeters screwed to the hockey sticks.

This is what I found!

As an electronics engineer, if there is anything that makes my blood boil, it is twisted joints and sellotape!

The tweeters? el cheapo brand with nasty little crossover networks, and the usual mile of cable!

Not sure if they changed the footwell speakers yet, although the tweeters and crossovers were supplied in a pack with a mid range.

While I've got it all in bits, any recommendations for replacement speakers or upgrades?

 

[Nodzed]

Looks like something I would do That's why I don't mess with the electric....coz I suck at it

 

[petecossie]

What a mess, you've got plenty of time to sort though. We need a before and after picture when you have completed the job.

 

[smiffy]

What a mess, you've got plenty of time to sort though. We need a before and after picture when you have completed the job.

hmm, I'd have to do a really proper job if I did that!

 

[Rudyrov]

No offence meant here but sometimes web sites such as this encourage folks to DIY, I think if you have to ask you aren't qualified to DIY.
Some people think they can look it up and instantly become mechanics and stereo installers and that is a real shame.
On the bright side, it does give real professionals work to do!

 

[Shelly]

My goodness what a mess to sort through
My son have a beautiful Scirocco , it was a head turner
But after awhile one of the headlights started flickering , he took it to the garage to see what was causing it to do that , you should of seen the mess of the wires in the car , it took the garage 4 days to sort it out and a lot of money too
He sold the car 5 months later

 

[Redline]

Got some nice photos of a comms room separately serving many businesses and several hundred people. The gap between these racks is the way to other racks behind the one on the right. This is only the bottom half of the rack. It was equally as bad at the top along with hundreds of CAT6 cables and fibres routed directly into the roof space without any support.
It took many weeks to safely unravel this mess.



An example why businesses should not DIY.

 

[Shelly]

My goodness @Redline I can’t believe what I’ve just seen with all those wires

 

[t-tony]

No wonder people ring the Wong number when they want the Mandarin.

Tony.

 

[g8jka]

While I've got it all in bits, any recommendations for replacement speakers or upgrades?

I replaced mine with Vibe Slicks. Have the front speakers along with tweeters on the dash plus the rear speakers. Sound quality is much better. I do have a slim sub behind the seat though which made an even bigger improvement. @Sean d also runs Vibe Slicks in his, which I'm sure he would give another thumbs up for them. They are nicely priced also.

 

[Sean d]

I replaced mine with Vibe Slicks. Have the front speakers along with tweeters on the dash plus the rear speakers. Sound quality is much better. I do have a slim sub behind the seat though which made an even bigger improvement. @Sean d also runs Vibe Slicks in his, which I'm sure he would give another thumbs up for them. They are nicely priced also.

Yep, vibe slicks are just too good for the price, they are so cheap you really don't want to use them but they are amazing especially when used with a sub and amp

 

[Dino D]

Looks like something I would do That's why I don't mess with the electric....coz I suck at it

It doesn’t stop me having a go but even I’ll bodge it with black insulation tape (high quality stuff) and the odd cable tie...
Sellotape is just

 

[t-tony]

You think you have a wiring issue mate, Nathan surely has,

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR-roIJVKmA


Tony.

 

[TheBoatDude]

I've been meaning to swap out the head unit for a spare bluetooth Kenwood I have for some time now. As she's remaining SORNed due to the virus, now seemed like an ideal time.

Also wanted to pull the centre console out for a couple of minor repairs and to investigate two little tweeters screwed to the hockey sticks.

This is what I found!

View attachment 138041

As an electronics engineer, if there is anything that makes my blood boil, it is twisted joints and sellotape!

The tweeters? el cheapo brand with nasty little crossover networks, and the usual mile of cable!

Not sure if they changed the footwell speakers yet, although the tweeters and crossovers were supplied in a pack with a mid range.

While I've got it all in bits, any recommendations for replacement speakers or upgrades?

No no! Looks fine...what's the problem here?

Admittedly, it was years - years! - until I learned that wasn't the way to do it, as I learned the twist and tape way from my father...a good man, well-versed in Okie Engineering. I was in my 20's when I discovered wire nuts. Soon after: Soldering and shrink tubing.

About 6 months ago, someone in one of our labs got a piece of equipment shipped over from china. There was a janky voltage converter that came with the machine that had a Chinese voltage plug...which had been cut off and replaced with a US plug...using the twist and tape method. My quote: "Let's unplug this before we set the building on fire..." Oy vey.

 

[smiffy]

And, the power connections!

Before stripping it out, I decided to just test what was in.

The two cheapo tweeters, squeaked like asthmatic mice.
The footwell speakers connected through the crossovers were, well, very mid range and dull, the filters were working!
Neither door tweeters working.
The rear speakers were swapped left and right, and one of them the polarity was reversed!
Also found the antenna disconnected, and a windscreen stick on antenna behind the glovebox!

Rewired back to standard and apart from one dead door tweeter, it actually sounds so much better! Their day of fitting all that rubbish must have been so disappointing!

 

[t-tony]

WOW, if that wasn't a recipe for disaster mate I don't know what would be. You're lucky to still have a car.

Tony.

 

[smiffy]

WOW, if that wasn't a recipe for disaster mate I don't know what would be. You're lucky to still have a car.

Tony.

Good job someone invented fuses!

 

[t-tony]

Hell yeah. and then fitted the right ones eh? Instead of a 1/4 bolt.

Tony.

 

[smiffy]

Soldering iron, heat shrink and a few cable ties. Not perfect but a damn sight better!

 

[Patryk]

When I bought mine, I had 4 extra 6.5 inch subwoofers installed with aftermarket amp, but no radio. One I bought one I released all sound-system is even worse than stock. The problem was that subwoofers were attached to extra cover on door cards (wooden piece with faux leather on). The sound was pretty rubbish and doors used to rattle a lot when audio was a bit louder. The speakers were too heavy and they were pulling the door cards down, so the handle frames were popping out all the time.

It drove me crazy, so I bought some shallow subs and installed them directly into the doors with proper soundending, so doors now behave like a sub cabinet. I removed some bits from the extra cover which I had and put it back together. So far I did just one side, but I have to say it was worth it sound wise. Base is very deep and i can't here any rattles from the side which is done.

Now I'll be doing new cover from fibre glass to fit and look better.

I don't have much photos, as it's not finished yet.

On the other side I just put new speakers.