Bravo/Brava/Marea fronts

[ts86net]

I'm thinking about upgrading the sound in my Marea. Nothing OTT, probably spend no more than £500 (including Dynamatt). I've already got the HU and some ideas...

The tweeters on the top dash and the speakers in the doors, how are they wired as standard? I think they are in parallel, but can someone confirm? I assume parallel is safe from an amp as tweeters don't affect the impendence matching issues?

My plan for the front is to Dyanmatt the doors, replace OEs with 5x7's, replace tweeters on the top-dash with better ones and wire them to an amp from behind the HU. Will use capacitors as high pass filters for both. Currently the idea for speakers are the Infinity Ref. ones.

Amp will probably be a JBL GTO4000, which I'm picking up soon very cheaply. I'll probably use the other two channels from that amp to either power coax/tweeter combo in the back (replace OEs, behind light clusters) or 6x9's on home made parcel shelf.

Sub will come way after with its own seperate amp. I wanna basically get the wiring and fronts done first, along with laying Dynamatt anywhere I should. Do I need to remove the passenger side front seat to easily get underneath the carpet to lay the wires down?? So far I'm thinking of laying from the front to back: 4awg power from battery, and single pair of RCA phonos and two pairs of speaker wire from behind HU. Maybe also a changer wire, but that's all.

Thoughts and advice otherwise on the whole lot please?

<font face="Verdana">--
<font color="maroon">'98 Marea Weekend ELX (1.8 16v).</font id="maroon">
- Kenwood MP3 head unit
- De-Restricted standard air box
- NGK VX Platinum spark plugs (BKR7EVX)
- Toyo Proxes T1-S (205/45) tyres on Stilo 7-twin-spoke 16" alloys
- Quad LED blue sidelights
- Type-VR Aluminum Red tax disc holder
- Richbrook Aluminium Red Uni-Hex gear knob with FIAT logo and silver/grey gaiter</font id="Verdana">

 

[wimmy]

I managed to get a nice set up for £300.

JBL GTO6000 amp £150 (has been seen for £110 on net)
JBL 6x9 in shelf £40
JBL components up front £50
2 x 10" JBL subs (£30 each)

The sound is bloody amazing for the money spent.


Instead of replacing the 5x7's and the tweeters seperatly, why not replace them with a good set of components. 13cm will go in the doors with an adaptor. Someone I know also managed to cram some 17cm pols in there too with a bit of hacking at the door and trim

 

[ts86net]

Thanks for your reply Wimmy.

5x7's would give a better bass response than the component main drivers. It's a long car and, even with a sub in the boot, chances are the upfront 'high' bass may be required.

13cm's in doors though is still an option, I just won't buy components 'cos capacitors do the same thing as high pass filters.

For £300 I'm impressed What HU are you running that with to get the sound quality?
For me, Dynamatt is the single most expensive item - about £150 for 9 rolls. I plan on doing the front doors, then the boot (it's an estate - huge!) and then anything else depending on how much is left over.

What's the ideal max depth for the speakers in the front door anyway? And the OE wiring does have the tweeters and door fronts in parallel, yeah?

How have you routed the wires to the boot? Did you have to take the dash off to route phono cable from HU into amp?

<font face="Verdana">--
<font color="maroon">'98 Marea Weekend ELX (1.8 16v).</font id="maroon">
- Kenwood MP3 head unit
- De-Restricted standard air box
- NGK VX Platinum spark plugs (BKR7EVX)
- Toyo Proxes T1-S (205/45) tyres on Stilo 7-twin-spoke 16" alloys
- Quad LED blue sidelights
- Type-VR Aluminum Red tax disc holder
- Richbrook Aluminium Red Uni-Hex gear knob with FIAT logo and silver/grey gaiter</font id="Verdana">

 

[wimmy]

5x7's would give a better bass response than the component main drivers. - Long running argument with ICE experts. Some say 5x7's and 6x9's are the wrong shape for a speaker. All down to personal choice

13cm's in doors though is still an option, I just won't buy components 'cos capacitors do the same thing as high pass filters - Bass seems good enogh to me on my likkle 13's

What HU are you running that with to get the sound quality? - Its a Sony MDX C6500r. An oldish MiniDisc Unit with 10 disc cd changer in the boot

Dynamatt is the single most expensive item - about £150 for 9 rolls. I plan on doing the front doors, then the boot (it's an estate - huge!) and then anything else depending on how much is left over. - cant afford it. It will prob sound a lot better with it in but I aint grumbling at the sound I have now

What's the ideal max depth for the speakers in the front door anyway? - No idea, sorry

OE wiring does have the tweeters and door fronts in parallel, yeah? - Again - pass. Mine are disconnected

How have you routed the wires to the boot? Did you have to take the dash off to route phono cable from HU into amp? - No. Just acted like a contortionist (spelling) wrapping my arms with 6 joints right behind the dash from the passenger footwell. Be ready to take some skin off your knuckles

 

[gaz.d]

JBL GTO 6000 £100 from bass-junkies.com, u will have to wait a while cause they aint got any in stock

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Check out my site: http://badboygaz.mysite.freeserve.com​

 

[ts86net]

Thanks for that gaz. £100 is a good price I think. Good web site too.

Cheers!

<font face="Verdana">--
<font color="maroon">'98 Marea Weekend ELX (1.8 16v).</font id="maroon">
- Kenwood MP3 head unit
- De-Restricted standard air box
- NGK VX Platinum spark plugs (BKR7EVX)
- Toyo Proxes T1-S (205/45) tyres on Stilo 7-twin-spoke 16" alloys
- Quad LED blue sidelights
- Type-VR Aluminum Red tax disc holder
- Richbrook Aluminium Red Uni-Hex gear knob with FIAT logo and silver/grey gaiter</font id="Verdana">

 

[ts86net]

Another Q please Wimmy...

How are the front speakers from the amp wired up? Are you basically utilising the OE wiring from behind of the HU?

Fresh cable into the doors from the boot doesn't seem workable. [?]

<font face="Verdana">--
<font color="maroon">'98 Marea Weekend ELX (1.8 16v).</font id="maroon">
- Kenwood MP3 head unit
- De-Restricted standard air box
- NGK VX Platinum spark plugs (BKR7EVX)
- Toyo Proxes T1-S (205/45) tyres on Stilo 7-twin-spoke 16" alloys
- Quad LED blue sidelights
- Type-VR Aluminum Red tax disc holder
- Richbrook Aluminium Red Uni-Hex gear knob with FIAT logo and silver/grey gaiter</font id="Verdana">

 

[wimmy]

Using fresh cable from the speakers all the way to my crossovers in the boot then the amp. Its a pain to get the wiring from in the dor down the side of the car. Some have drilled but I just put the cable through the side of the existing grommets