Another speaker thread

[Stuart83]

Hey guys, Im getting my Leon in a week or so, and want to replace the speakers after hearing they're a bit pants. I'm after some advice as I'm a total newbie!!!

I dont want to spend a hell of a lot of money...and dont know what to do about them.

Here's the proper newbie part - can I replace the front and rear speakers with coaxial speakers and still use the tweeters, or do I need to buy new component speakers and wire up the exisiting tweeters to these, or even disconnect them? If so, how do i do this?

Please help, I want to buy the speakers before I get my car next week so that I have plenty of time to install them before I start using it properly.

 

[Rob GTI]

Check post #58 out on this thread before you fit your alu trim.

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=102783&page=3

 

[Stuart83]

Check post #58 out on this thread before you fit your alu trim.

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=102783&page=3

Yup, another reason why I want to get them sorted ASAP. I'd ideally like to fit them next Sunday and then fit the aluminium trim over the top.

Anyone able to give me some advice / info?

 

[loadswine]

I have coaxial speakers in my Altea ,which is very similar, and they have better stereo imaging than the components that were standard and are many times better in terms of sound quality. The existing tweeters are disconnected.
There are a couple of threads on the Altea section that detail exactly whats needed. Have a bit of a search and you should find all the info easily.

 

[Stuart83]

Cheers, I've had a read through them already, and got a few tips from it. It's a shame to disconnect the existing tweeters, but the general concensus is that the sound is far superior with different speakers as you said. Think I'll have to have a think when I get my car, and prob buy some new coaxials -cant be bothered with the hassle of components.

Thanks!

Stu

 

[EdwardNR]

Hi Stuart83,

I'm doing exactly the same thing with my Leon - only had it a week and couldn't stand the pants sound from the standard speakers.

I followed the excellent advice of the guys in the Altea forum and have gone for a set of 4 Infinity Kappa 652.7i's which have cost £114 including postage from Car Audio Security (but via eBay) http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....MEWN:IT&viewitem=&item=330088747016&rd=1&rd=1

I also got the Autoleads 3103 Adaptors for the Golf Mk4 as suggested which need the flanges cut off with a saw to fit the Leon.

Planning to do the lot tomorrow night using the pics from loadswine and it involves no soldering or complicated stuff! Just popping the covers off, unscrew the old speakers, pop in the modified adaptors and connect the new speakers.

Hoping for WAY better sound very soon...

Good luck

Cheers

Edd

 

[Stuart83]

Cool, let me know how it goes! I might be tempted to do the same...

 

[Rob GTI]

I'll let you all know how I get on next weekend with my components only reason I'm using them is cos I got them from my Mini and they were a decent upgrade over the originals in there.

Although if that proves too difficuly the Phoenix Gold components will go on ebay and I'll get some Infinitys.

 

[Stuart83]

I also got the Autoleads 3103 Adaptors for the Golf Mk4 as suggested which need the flanges cut off with a saw to fit the Leon.

Do you need to buy 4 of these, or just 2 for the fronts? How much were they?

 

[EdwardNR]

You need 1 pack per pair of speakers (e.g. they come in 2's!) which include the plug adaptors to save any cutting of the original wires.

Think you have to cut wire 2 (on the plug adaptors) to disable the onboard tweeters - which I will be doing as the Infinity's will be way better as they come with proper crossover boxes.

I got 2 packs from a local ICE place (ICE Direct in Peterborough) which they did a deal of £35 for the pair - normally £25 each! You can get them for £14.99 plus postage from www.caraudiosecurity.com or I found them on eBay at approx £11.99 I think.

 

[Rob GTI]

You need 1 pack per pair of speakers (e.g. they come in 2's!) which include the plug adaptors to save any cutting of the original wires.

Think you have to cut wire 2 (on the plug adaptors) to disable the onboard tweeters - which I will be doing as the Infinity's will be way better as they come with proper crossover boxes.

I got 2 packs from a local ICE place (ICE Direct in Peterborough) which they did a deal of £35 for the pair - normally £25 each! You can get them for £14.99 plus postage from www.caraudiosecurity.com or I found them on eBay at approx £11.99 I think.

How do you get the crossover box with a coaxial it should all be built into the speaker surely??

 

[EdwardNR]

Not sure of the technicalities but you definitely get a crossover box. It's got 1 set of wires going in and 2 sets going out to the speaker, I assume 1 to the bass/mid driver and 1 to the tweeter.

Apparently the standard component setup in the Leon is all wired without a crossover so not so good.

Getting the hacksaw out tonight so hopefully can report on it later on or tomorrow.

Edd

 

[Rob GTI]

Not sure of the technicalities but you definitely get a crossover box. It's got 1 set of wires going in and 2 sets going out to the speaker, I assume 1 to the bass/mid driver and 1 to the tweeter.

Apparently the standard component setup in the Leon is all wired without a crossover so not so good.

Getting the hacksaw out tonight so hopefully can report on it later on or tomorrow.

Edd

Post some pics of you can?

Also I assume to change the speakers all you need to do is remove the speaker cover rather than the whole door.

 

[EdwardNR]

Yeah, will try to remember the camera when I'm doing it!

Just need to remove the grills and unscrew the speakers. I wouldn't go near trying to remove door trim!!

 

[Rob GTI]

Yeah, will try to remember the camera when I'm doing it!

Just need to remove the grills and unscrew the speakers. I wouldn't go near trying to remove door trim!!

Well at least the main driver is easy to change hope I can just pop off the tweater cover and do the same there as well.

 

[Eddy Gein]

Let us know asap how it goes especialy with the whole tweeter issue. I'd much rather have comps than co-ax's, always had them and dont think I could live with co axials.
Cheers

P.s i know its probably already been asked before but from the threads iv read didnt get a definate answer. What size are the standard front speakers? 6.5 inch?

 

[loadswine]

165mm or 6 1/2" speaker sizes.
I don't think you can remove the standard tweeter without taking the door panel off. At least , that is as far as I know. Certainly the stereo imaging on the Infinity coaxials is better than some components, miles better than standard! The Infinity coaxials have adjustable tweeter direction and level. The outboard crossover shows that these are pretty decent speakers.
I don't know how many people have changed the tweeters as well.

 

[Rob GTI]

Let us know asap how it goes especialy with the whole tweeter issue. I'd much rather have comps than co-ax's, always had them and dont think I could live with co axials.
Cheers

P.s i know its probably already been asked before but from the threads iv read didnt get a definate answer. What size are the standard front speakers? 6.5 inch?

I get the car March 2nd so by March 3rd I'll post back.

 

[Rob GTI]

165mm or 6 1/2" speaker sizes.
I don't think you can remove the standard tweeter without taking the door panel off. At least , that is as far as I know. Certainly the stereo imaging on the Infinity coaxials is better than some components, miles better than standard! The Infinity coaxials have adjustable tweeter direction and level. The outboard crossover shows that these are pretty decent speakers.
I don't know how many people have changed the tweeters as well.

I'm not to worried about taking the door panels off as I've had to do in on every other car I've had, although suppose I will have some anticipation as the car will only be a day old.

 

[ALT54]

The tweeters are a door panel off job and not an easy one i was originally quoted 2 hours per door. (It's the main reason a lot of us have put coaxials in) unscrewing the panels is easy but actually seperating it so you can get at the tweeters is apparently tricky.) there was mention somewhere that the tweeters were moulded in as well but i can't confirm that. I had the same thoughts of putting a spare set of decent components in but with the labour involved it was cheaper to fit a decent pair of coaxials. Thats not to say it can't be done but don't expect it to be a simple procedure.

Paul