I.C.E in your cars... lets see em!

[-Scott-]

Well, iv decided its about time to get my car kitted out.

I already have a pair of Vibe 6x9 slicks and a 350w amp (came with the car)
I want to run another pair of 6x9s and a sub.. might put a pair of tweeters some where.
Now this would be easy in a normal sized car, but I have a mini and I don't want them to get in the way.
Ill replace the amp with something bigger.

Anyway, I'm in need of inspiration.. lets see your set up!!!

[Soopahfly]

Don't use 6x9's. They sound horrible. All they are really for is adding loudness.

You want a nice set of components up front, an amplifier and small subwoofer in the boot.
If you need bootspace, then Genesis did some 6x9" Subs. Would go nicely under the back seats.

Also, if you have 6x9's in the parcel shelf, then the air from the sub is going to be forcing them the wrong way. Making them sound even worse.

[g40jon]

the best systems are the ones you cant see. in a mini the most i would fit is a set of components mounted in the doors using metro door pockets and a sub in the boot or maybe just a set of 6x9s under the rear seats.
i think it would be very silly to post pics up of your install on the internet so everyone knows where your expensive ice is hidden.

[-Scott-]

Sorry, should have said, the 6x9s i have atm are under the rear seats

[popuptoaster]

6x9's are fine in the majority of cars, its snobbish to think they'll destroy the sound in an old retro that already suffers from wind and tyre noise, let alone the creaks and groans of 20+ years on the road.

I've run components in the front, 6x9's in the shelf and subs in the boot for years and decent gear will sound decent as long as its mounted well.

Different matter if your in a competition or you drive something silent like a bentley or a lexus, absolutely pointless worrying about things like what shape your speakers are otherwise, buy good gear thats well reviewed and make sure its fitted solidly with no gaps and it'll sound fine.

[LowStandards]

Agreeing with Soopahfly here, 6x9's are awful, brash affairs, don't be fooled into thinking an expensive set will make them better either.

I've had many, i did the whole ice thing years back - I was even in max power - and i learnt!

I agree there'll be better than anything your retro ever came with, but if your going through the effort of fitting speakers, why not make it sound as good as it can?

Grab yourself some components, even a cheaper set will sound better than 6x9's...

[guz]

...and if you want a set of mk1 metro door pockets
i should have a pair tucked away.

[-Scott-]

so, the 6x9s iv already got
a set of componants
sub
amp
tweeters..

sorted?

[cobblers]

In a mini you are curse word into the wind trying to get brilliant sound. Good 6x9s are fine to provide general loudness. Vibe 6x9s on the other hand, aren't all that brilliant in my experience.

A nice set of 17cm components mounted properly in the front doors would provide most of the kick that the 6x9s do, but with much higher SQ. You could then keep the 6x9s under the rear seat and use a low pass filter on the amp (or sub output on the head unit) and effectively use them as a subwoofer. This would bring the sound stage forward and probably provide enough bass to overcome the general noise of a mini.

Even a pair of 17cm JBL coaxial speakers in the front doors would work quite well, for about £80 the pair. If you have the money to spend, a set of 17cm Focal component speakers would be around £170, but they would be wasted in a mini.

Lets not be elitists and wave our willies in the air and pretend we are all mega audiophiles. It's a mini, and it'll be rattly, noisy and tinny. A £250 set of component speakers is a complete waste of money.

[LowStandards]

I'm not being elitist at all, they sound awful and I really do believe a set of £50 components/coaxial's will sound a million times better.

I guess it depends wether or not you enjoy listening to every song you own with wallowing bass and harsh, trashy mids!

Oh and just cause its a mini doesn't mean it needs to sound curse word!!!

[popuptoaster]

Not all 6x9's sound bad and not all components sound good, same as not all blondes are stupid and not all roads lead to Rome.

I would however chuck most Vibe speakers straight in the bin or give them to someone i don't like.

[akku]

I have to agree with popuptoaster on the subject of both 6x9s and Vibe speakers.

I also agree that putting 6x9s through a shelf with a sub underneath it will generally sound worse than either (a) sub in the boot and no 6x9s or (b) 6x9s and no sub.... I'd high pass the 6x9s though.

Nothing wrong with 6x9s in principal, KEF used to make some quite high end speakers based on 6x9 oval format...

However many of the 6x9s on the market are more about marketting than sound quality...

I have no photos of any of my installs in previous retros or classics. I generally don't publicise what I have. This is the internet and old cars are well easy to break into.

FWIW sound deadening is the biggest thing you can do to improve the sound on most old cars...

[yantorsen]

mine

[akku]

oh and, you don't need extra tweeters with components. You get a set with them. I'd be tempted just to put a set of decent coaxials in pods under the front shelf, you can get a kit from Mini suppliers or make your own.

[skoda_norman]

I had some 6x9s fitted to the rear doorcards of my Rapid. They are Alpine speakers and were £100 including fitment. I have some Sony X-plod 10cm speakers in the front and a Sony head unit.
Total cost is around £250 (headunit was quite expensive). The sound is significantly better and perfectly adequate for my needs.

Obviously much better installs are available, but it depends on your budget.

[Deleted]

not overly bothered by how loud my stereo is but it has to sound good to me in the car people outside might not want to listen to my music . the stuff i have at the mo is nothing special i have a jvc head unit a set of Boston acoustics components in the front doors and a Sony active 8" sub in the boot sound quality is good and the car is sound proof enough for it to not be to loud outside

[kapri]

Big boot, pair of household speakers , £50 s/h 40watt per channel ,stereo sorted . Used that sort of set up in loads of retros. When you are on a budget spend the money on lowering ,wheels ,paint etc etc instead.

[MrSpeedy]

Did the ice thing years ago, and still doing it.
I disagree with the generalization that all 6x9's are curse word. It's horses for courses. I'm running them in the merc atm and I've run components too. It depends as much on the setting of head unit, amp, crossovers etc as well as background noise.
In your average retro 6x9's are the most cost effective method.

My current system is a kenwood mask head unit, 4" vibe coax in the dash fed by a 2 x 30watt panasonic amp. Vibe 6x9's in rear shelf fed by infinity 2 x 200watt amp, 10" 1600watt infinity sub fed by 800watt sony monoblock, 2off 15" x 1400watt jbl subs fed by 1500watt crunch amp. Both sub amps are controlled by stand alone crossover to ensure clear frequency seperation.
Yes it's loud as hell, but it also has clarity!

[surprisingskoda]

Oct 22, 2010 21:50:56 GMT MrSpeedy said:

Did the ice thing years ago, and still doing it.
I disagree with the generalization that all 6x9's are curse word. It's horses for courses. I'm running them in the merc atm and I've run components too. It depends as much on the setting of head unit, amp, crossovers etc as well as background noise.
In your average retro 6x9's are the most cost effective method.

that's not it at all.
It's as simple as soundwaves like to move in smooth motion, and can be projected best from a uniform* shape. An oval is not uniform.




*I say uniform because in the case of Sony Xplod and Kicker Solobaric subwoofers uniform non-circular shapes have proven to be effective

[LowStandards]

I give up...