Cinquecento cd/radio - help!

[spankycento]

Hi

Really want to put a new cd player into my cinq but know absolutely balls all 'bout cars let alone stereo systems. Seen a few i like but unsure what all the jargon means. Are 12V neagtive ground units suitable for cinqs?? Also are all cd players of a similar size? i mean is it likely that if i got one off the net it wouldn't fit in the hole??!!

Also, i'm pretty sure the crappy speakers in the dash are the original ones. are they easily replaceable? what size? fed up of tinny rattley sound - any simple/cheap tips to make it sound a bit better without havin amps and subs and all the rest of the stuff that i really don't even know what it does?!!

Any help would be fantastic!

 

[egor]

Hey spanky - loving the name,

12V negative ground is the standard electrical system in most cars and is definitely the system in your Cinq. A 12V negative ground stereo will work fine.

Most stereos come in a standard size, called single-DIN (dunno what DIN means) and again any single-DIN stereo will fit, you may find it's a bit tight at the rear of the stereo trying to fit all the cables in, but all it needs is lots of careful jiggling & patience to make it slot in.

Your front speakers can be upgraded with any 4" or 10cm speakers, you'll need to be careful about how deep they are though as the space behind the Cinq holes is really shallow.

To make it sound a bit better you're on the right track, the most common steps are listed below:

1. Upgrade the stereo (will improve the sound of the existing speakers)
2. Upgrade the front speakers (Fit some sound deadening material behind the speaker holes while you've got the originals out - will cut out a lot of rattles etc)
3. If you don't want amps & subs, you could fit some speakers in the rear parcel shelf, most commonly 6x9s.

Hope that helps a little

Egor

Sei SX, 1108cc MPI, Calypso Orange(!)Mods so far: Colour coded (blue) gearstick gaiter; Abarth alloy tax disk holder; Silver heater controls surround; ICE InstallProjects: New Head Unit; Interior; Exterior(a little later)Wanted: 01-on Sporting Front Bumper (PM me!)

 

[spankycento]

Thanks for your ideas Egor

am defintely gonna sort a new stereo out and may have a bash at some new speakers.

do speakers fit like stereos? i mean kind of a plug the wires in the right holes 'n' go jobby? Do you mean a proper, shop-bought, special sound deadening material or like a bit of some squidgy material to absorb vibrations etc.?

with the parcel shelf speakers, i guess i need to cut a hole and slot them in but how do i get all the necessary wires down to that end of the car?

Sorry for bein a big girl's blouse about this!:I

Thanks

Vicky

 

[custard]

you will need to cut off the standard fiat connector plug and fit spade connectors.only 2 wires though. IIRC its 10cm speakers in the fronts,get em for £10 ish on ebay

A Dog Is Not Just For Christmas
Sliced Thinly It Can Last Till Easter

 

[chrisunoman]

If you bought some new rear speakers they would come with a length of speaker wire.

You would run this from the headunit normally under the carpet to the rear.

You would probably have to get a thicker parcel shelf for 6x9 size speakers, but just putting some rear speakers in the standard rear speaker mounts works better in my opinion.

 

[spankycento]

Ta

Is putting the spade connectors on a simple thing,like wiring up a plug?

Vicky

i love my 'ickle turquoise cinq SX!!!

 

[spankycento]

I have rear speaker mounts???!!!:I

i love my 'ickle turquoise cinq SX!!!

 

[egor]

Spade connectors are straightforward, similar to a plug - you cut off the old connectors, strip off a little of the insulation sleeve to get the bare copper wire, stick it into the hole on the back of the spade connector and 'crimp' (squeeze) the hole closed. Can be done easily with a pair of pliers

If you've got rear speaker mounts you could just upgrade those speakers as well - job done!

Sound deadening - you can buy packets of the stuff (called Brown Bread, Dynamat etc) from car stores, but it is expensive. You can use alternatives - like roofing felt etc IIRC that's what Gaz_Wrexham did with his ICE install. If you look back through this forums older posts you should find his thread with pictures of his install, including the sound deadening.

Hope that helps

egor

Sei SX, 1108cc MPI, Calypso Orange(!)Mods so far: Colour coded (blue) gearstick gaiter; Abarth alloy tax disk holder; Silver heater controls surround; ICE InstallProjects: New Head Unit; Interior; Exterior(a little later)Wanted: 01-on Sporting Front Bumper (PM me!)

 

[chrisunoman]

Putting spade connectors on is easy, you just bare a bit of the end of the wire then put the spades on the end.

Its finding the wires that you have to put the spade connectors on the end of which is the tricky part.

When the wires run out of the headunit, there will be four colours of speaker wire that run into an ISO connector (looks like a plastic cube!). When youve found out which of the two colours of wire are for the front speakers youl have two colours of wire left for the rear speakers.

Cut the wires for the rear speakers just before they go into the iso plug, then put spades on the end of them. Then you put spades on the end of the lengths of wire for the rear speakers and plug them together.

Hope you got all that!

I think the rear speaker mounts in a Cinq are at either side of the parcel shelf.

 

[arseofbox]

Nope, Chris...theres no rear speaker mounts in a Cinq.

Speakers need to either go in the shelf or the 3/4 panels need moding to hold them!

Tom (AofB)

95 Cinq GTi 1242cc - GrpN Catback Exhaust, <font color="black">Buckets</font id="black"> and 3pt Harnesses,Sexy VW styleé dials (that look great, but dont work!! D)), 10" Sub and 6x9's, ETech Wing. Lots of Dirt!
boot delock soon, Induction in development!

 

[chrisunoman]

[:0]

well you learn something new every day!

 

[spankycento]

Right, think i've got it - make sure i get a manual so i know which wires are which and bung spade connectors on the right ones and bob's my uncle!

Thanks for sound deadening advice too

i love my 'ickle turquoise cinq SX!!!

 

[spankycento]

Yet another probably daft question:[?]

i've seen a few nice looking stereos cheap on ebay but they're significantly more powerful than what i've got and more than likely more than my piddly speakers will take. would it blow my speakers instantly or only if i cranked it right up?

one i've seen is a 4x45W and i've got a 4x22w at the moment

i love my 'ickle turquoise cinq SX!!!

 

[chrisunoman]

45W is the peak power output so you will be fine with your standard speakers. You will just get more clarity with replacement speakers.

 

[GhostWKD]

most stereo's you get now 'days are 4x45w output

Abarth Kitted Cinq Sporting, Sig coming soon