stereo system questions

[taco502001]

vehicle is a 97 with mach audio system non jbl i would like to be able to run an alpine component setup in front I cant afford mb quarts and the good stuff, for the rear since right rear is not working i would like to run 2 ways or full range if possible and use a midrange or woofer in middle if possible in the 6x9 opening.


now i know i have seen many attempts for an adapter for single din radio keeping the climate control functions and most come to dead end i thought about one that doesnt have openings and just cutting slots out for the climate control functions and filling in what has to be filled in.

so basically question is how can i install new speakers for best sound quality what kind of speakers can i use and will it work with stock radio or do i have to mount an aftermarket one some where and use amps, and crossovers etc... rewire whole system?

 

[Motoman991]

You can hook up a amp to the factory stereo system. I did. you will need a line convertor that you splice into the speaker wires from 2 different speakers. You will be able to put in a 6x9 or whatever size that opening is in the rear since the 96's had a speaker there.

 

[JSIL1]

you can get adapters for the car so you can use aftermarket speakers. These

As for the sub..I know some people have used inline converters

 

[SuperHO]

vehicle is a 97 with mach audio system non jbl i would like to be able to run an alpine component setup in front I cant afford mb quarts and the good stuff, for the rear since right rear is not working i would like to run 2 ways or full range if possible and use a midrange or woofer in middle if possible in the 6x9 opening.

well, last I saw, the rear speakers on a gen 3 are 5x7/6x8s....same as the gen 2. So are the fronts. But you're in luck.....Boston makes a set of 5x7" plates that fit in the holes perfectly and IIRC, they have built in crossovers. Take a gander...

http://www.bostonacoustics.com/car/car_product.aspx?category_id=14&family_id=94&product_id=264

I'm planning on replacing all four of the speakers in my wife's 98 with these.

now i know i have seen many attempts for an adapter for single din radio keeping the climate control functions and most come to dead end i thought about one that doesnt have openings and just cutting slots out for the climate control functions and filling in what has to be filled in.

Sadly enough, the electronics for the head unit (which is actually just a display/controller for the stereo, which is in the trunk) and the electronics for the climate control share a circuit board. I don't think it's possible to seperate the two in order to custom build a housing right there to mount an aftermarket CD player. I've delved DEEP into this option with a custom car audio shop in town, and they've examined every option...basically keep the stock head unit and upgrade everything else or custom mount a head unit down where the ashtray is now and bypass the factory electronics...those are the only two options that I know of, but aside from going through a great deal of hassle to convert from the EATC to manual climate controls, there's no way to get rid of the factory radio controls.

so basically question is how can i install new speakers for best sound quality what kind of speakers can i use and will it work with stock radio or do i have to mount an aftermarket one some where and use amps, and crossovers etc... rewire whole system?

The factory amp will run the abovementioned speakers with ease. However, if you'd like to run an aftermarket amp (for the speakers or maybe a sub), it's easy enough to run a set of Line Out Converters that convert speaker signal into RCA inputs for the amplifier. I've used em, and I know many other people who have with GREAT results, regardless of what you may hear.

good luck and let us know!!!

By the way, whereabouts in Michigan are ya?

 

[NebraskaSHO]

You will be able to put in a 6x9 or whatever size that opening is in the rear since the 96's had a speaker there.

Yes there is an opening back there but alot of work needs to be done to the carpet to get it to fit correctly. Best bet is to just replace the speakers with factory sized ones or do what I did and fit 6x9's in there. The alpines up front should be ok, but Boston makes pretty good speakers.

I put 6x9's out back where the 5x7/6x8's used to sit.

I used a line out put converter but was very disappointed with the sound quality. I used it to power my amp to push the subs and it really lacked power.

Now all is good

 

[SuperHO]

I guess I shoulda specified....see if you can find the kind of LOCs (line out converters) that are adjustable....they cost a lil more, but they're well worth it. It's basically like having adjustable voltage going to the amp..and the more voltage to the amp, the happier the amp will be. If you get the adjustable ones from a high end, reputable car audio shop, you'll be in business.

 

[MtlSHO]

good sound IS posible

I've modified the sound in all my Cars and the SHO is by far the hardest to modify. The Factory Football (climate & audio control) is virtualy imposible to change. That being sead, there are thing that can be done.

Let me describe what i've done to my '98:

1st: I conected a Adjustable Line-Out Converter to the rear speaker out from the factory radio.
2nd: I conected the LOC to a Graphic Equalizer w/ crosover control
3rd: Then I conected the EQ to 2 amps, 75+75 watts for the rear and 800 watts for the subs
4th: To fit 6X9 Boston's in the rear deck, I had to do a litle cutting w/ a jig-saw and dermel
5th: Made a Box for the 2 12" JL audio subs and put them in the trunk
6th: Conected everything and Cranked it!
P.S. Front Speakers are stock

IMHO the Addition of the EQ is the most important, because the sound from the factory radio is not a flat signal. It is tuned to the factory speakers and the car.
Simply changing the speakers will in some cases sound worse then the stock setup.
The EQ will permit you to corect for this and tune the sound to your ears.

This might sound like a lot of work (and $$$), but the end result is a very clear sound system.

 

[taco502001]

ok so i am looking for options now i was either going type x os 5 1/4 components up front, and 5x7 or 6x8 2 ways for rear and installing a 10" eclipse aluminum cone subwoofer and box which i already have. I am open to suggestions on speakers to use for front doors as mounting depth will be an issue there but not for rear. as far as what products to buy and their prices i am always open to suggestion i dont want to spend a fortune on this stuff

 

[taco502001]

i was going to use an audiobahn 4 way for the speakers as its small and packs quite a punch, as far as speakers i am undecided then i was going to do a 500x1 amp for the sub what do i need and how much will this likely cost to do properly

 

[loosenut]

You know I have given some thought to the whole football problem myself when my original one died, off and on.
I know there have been a couple of attempts at filling the face in and keeping the AC controls and display. I think one even said that it worked except for blowing out constantly of the defrost.
When mine failed, it got stuck blowing out hot air at full speed. I was able to smack it around enough to get it to turn off, and then unplugged it. I checked it out by starting the car and all seemed to be off, until a few hundred yards down the road.
So here is the thought. Maybe it just needs the connector to be plugged in to terminate so to speak and say "yeah the radio is still there" to itself. I say this because when I put the broken one back in it stopped blowing out the hot air and all. I know for a fact that the radio was dead when this occured because I had cut and unplugged all the ribbon cables in an attempt to find out how to take it all the way apart to fix a loose wire. I found out after the fact that there are little locks on the ribbon cables which keep the two halves from coming apart all the way.
After the deed was done I plugged it back up, one set of connectors at a time (my 99 has two). The set by the volume **** was the one that turned off my blower and the hot air. So if there was a way to fix a faceplate for an after market radio with the AC controls, and keep that connector set I wonder if it would work. Just a thought based on my observation with my broken one.

 

[NebraskaSHO]

That was me. Here is a mock up, and it installed. Would have worked if I could have made some new ribbon cables, or extended the old ones. Kind of hard when the wire is printed on a plastic sheet. There has to be someway to get it to work.





I keep saying it, but screw adding it in with the EATC. Just cut up the ashtray and stick it down there. So much simpler.

 

[MtlSHO]

First off, you need a Line Out Converter to conect any kind of Amplifier or Subwoffer to the existing football. This is your first step for a good sounding system. They can be found fot about 20$-100$ in any car-audio shop. As with most things in life, quality comes at a price. But even the cheepest LOC are beater then the speaker level input found on most amps.

As for what speakers to install, there is the posibility that they will sound worse then the factory ones because the factory radio is tuned to the factory speakers. When I installed my Boston Accustics 6X9 in the rear they did not sound good until in installed the Equalizer, despite the fact that Boston makes a Very good 6X9.

The only way to change the Head Unit is leave the football in place and install a 2nd head unit in an diferent location. Ford realy F--ked us over with that one.

 

[sirrocket1975]

I have thought about it and I will settle for nothing but a head unit were the factory radio is, I think that the radio were the ashtry looks terible. Although untill I figure it out I instaled a 5 channel amp 4 infinity kappa 6x8's and kept the factory tweeters. I installed the lineoutput converters for the amp.

 

[NebraskaSHO]

I think the radio in the football now looks TERRIBLE, oval plus a rectangle does not equal something nice to look at.

Plus the ashtray radio is hidden, and the shifter helps deter theft as it's locked while parked. Although I'm sure it could be loped off if a a**hole theif really wanted my Eclipse.

My. 02. Just tear apart the radio and you'll see what I mean when I say good luck.

 

[SuperHO]

I have thought about it and I will settle for nothing but a head unit were the factory radio is, I think that the radio were the ashtry looks terible.

Yeah...good luck wif all that....