Headunit and speakers for Fabia vRS

[ultra_joel88]

Hello.

I would like to recommend a Headunit and some Front Comps which will work together and sound good.

I will not be amping these front comps as I can't really be bothered with the hassle and taking up space with 2 / a 4 channel amp. I do not want volume I want decent sound quality though.

I was thinking possibly this headunit

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/pion...mp-p-5611.html

And these components

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/dyna...62-p-5523.html

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/rain...65-p-3853.html

Car Audio Direct - The UK's leading car audio and stereo resource. DLS B6A - DLS DLS-B6A

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/pion...6c-p-3265.html


Now I am a bit flexible on this but the headunit must meet the following requirements:

- Have a green display
- Be a good make
- Face off
- Have at least one pre-out for a mono amp for a sub

Speakers:

- Will NOT be amped
- Good sound quality


Headunit don't want to spend more than £150 and speakers more than £110 really.

I will eventually also be getting a monoblock amp and probably a Pioneer/RE/Focal 10" sub.

Help appreciated

[skudmissile]

muiltiple post

[skudmissile]

I have these in my fabia and they sound really good.

Car Audio Direct - The UK's leading car audio and stereo resource. Alpine SXE-1750S - Alpine ALP-SXE1750S

In my opinion theres no point getting the most powerful, most expensive speakers in the world if you dont put the right power through them. the alpines above will be better matched to any headunit as they are only 30w rms and so will sound louder and clearer.

As for headunits,

Car Audio Direct - The UK's leading car audio and stereo resource. Alpine CDE-9871R - Alpine ALP-CDE9871R

Nice looking unit, quite simple looking to match the fabia's dashboard. Easy controls Green/white backlight, good internal amp. And its an alpine so will last forever

[ultra_joel88]

does the alpine have a pre-out as im looking to hook up a sub + monobloc amp at some point

[skudmissile]

Originally Posted by ultra_joel88

does the alpine have a pre-out as im looking to hook up a sub + monobloc amp at some point

Yes i believe it has two pre-outs one being for sub control ie low frequency only

[ultra_joel88]

Will I need a facia adaptor and ariel adaptor? And an ISO harness?

[KTP]

for speakers i recommend you check out Rainbow Car Audio. IIRC the speakers are hand built and quality is awesome, i had a set of the Dreamline SLX models up front in my Octy but haven't had them installed into the Fabia as of yet (hope they will fit).

[sotonjoe]

Originally Posted by skudmissile

I have these in my fabia and they sound really good.

Car Audio Direct - The UK's leading car audio and stereo resource. Alpine SXE-1750S - Alpine ALP-SXE1750S

In my opinion theres no point getting the most powerful, most expensive speakers in the world if you dont put the right power through them. the alpines above will be better matched to any headunit as they are only 30w rms and so will sound louder and clearer.

As for headunits,

Car Audio Direct - The UK's leading car audio and stereo resource. Alpine CDE-9871R - Alpine ALP-CDE9871R

Nice looking unit, quite simple looking to match the fabia's dashboard. Easy controls Green/white backlight, good internal amp. And its an alpine so will last forever

Could you still the run the OEM Fabia ch changer through this as well? I don't think so after having read the spec. Is it possible to get a headunit to do this as well as allow ipod control???

[Wardy]

Originally Posted by skudmissile

I have these in my fabia and they sound really good.

Car Audio Direct - The UK's leading car audio and stereo resource. Alpine SXE-1750S - Alpine ALP-SXE1750S

In my opinion theres no point getting the most powerful, most expensive speakers in the world if you dont put the right power through them. the alpines above will be better matched to any headunit as they are only 30w rms and so will sound louder and clearer.

Interested in these - I presume they could just be used with the std headunit? Would it just be a case of swapping out the OEM door speakers?

Sorry, probably a daft question but I don't really 'do' ICE - just that the driver's door speaker is distorting a bit these days and I think is on its last legs...

Not interested in changing HUs either....

Cheers,
Steve

[robmawer]

Originally Posted by sotonjoe

Could you still the run the OEM Fabia ch changer through this as well? I don't think so after having read the spec. Is it possible to get a headunit to do this as well as allow ipod control???

Haven't found a headunit that will drive the Skoda changer - you can get third party changers that run with the standard head unit, but not vice versa.
If you had iPOD + a single slot CD player, would you really need a changer?


Rob.

[robmawer]

Originally Posted by Wardy

Interested in these - I presume they could just be used with the std headunit? Would it just be a case of swapping out the OEM door speakers?

Sorry, probably a daft question but I don't really 'do' ICE - just that the driver's door speaker is distorting a bit these days and I think is on its last legs...

Yes, you could run these speakers off the standard head unit...though if the reason your door speaker is distorting is because it's been underpowered by the headunit, it won't necessarily make things much better...


Rob.

[ultra_joel88]

The single most effective ICE mod you can do is get a good headunit in there.

Uprating speakers etc without uprating the headunit is like putting Bridgestones on a Daewoo Matiz.

[RichB86]

IMO i wouldnt bother upgrading the speakers if your not planning on amplifying them as pretty much all aftermarket speakers are designed to be run off an amplifier so they wont be sensitive enough for the power youd be giving them from the HU's internal amplifier.

best thing would be to get just a HU to start and then look into amps. you could get a 4 channel amp and bridge 2 channels to run a sub and the other 2 to run your components. as you said you where looking to run a sub in the future but didnt want a separate amp atm to run the speakers this does everything for you. something like the JBL 75.4 is an ideal starter amp that offers a lot of power and SQ for the money.

[Wardy]

Originally Posted by robmawer

Yes, you could run these speakers off the standard head unit...though if the reason your door speaker is distorting is because it's been underpowered by the headunit, it won't necessarily make things much better...

Rob.

Hi Rob - no, it's not distorting when any great volume or bass is being run through them. I take the point about it being far more advantageous running an aftermarket HU, but can hardly agree with some of the comparisons being offered - Bridgestones, Matiz?!

Steve

[sotonjoe]

Originally Posted by robmawer

Haven't found a headunit that will drive the Skoda changer - you can get third party changers that run with the standard head unit, but not vice versa.
If you had iPOD + a single slot CD player, would you really need a changer?


Rob.

No, I 've thought that myself. I was just trying to avoid having an obsolete changer under my passenger seat after paying £12.5 k for a brand new car!

I guess the Alpine is the way to go then. Certainly looks better vlaue than buying the Skoda oem ipod connection lead!!!! As long as the led display can be set to Skoda green of course.

[robmawer]

Originally Posted by Wardy

no, it's not distorting when any great volume or bass is being run through them. I take the point about it being far more advantageous running an aftermarket HU

It doesn't take much to damage the standard speakers (think I managed to get through about three different ones before swapping to aftermarket - though I did have a bit of help whilst it was in for a service ), so even if you buy budget they're going to be an improvement.

I also went for coax speakers, as they're easier to fit and as cars are acoustically hostile anyway, it's not like you're ever going to get a great sound...


Rob.

[skudmissile]

Originally Posted by Wardy

Interested in these - I presume they could just be used with the std headunit? Would it just be a case of swapping out the OEM door speakers?

Sorry, probably a daft question but I don't really 'do' ICE - just that the driver's door speaker is distorting a bit these days and I think is on its last legs...

Not interested in changing HUs either....

Cheers,
Steve

I fit audio for a living, I see day after day "*****" coming into work and buying stupidly powerful speakers to run off their standard headunit...... mupets!

I get fed up of telling them that the cheaper named speakers (alpine, jbl) are far better than any "mutant 1000000w" look like a spaceship speaker

If i were you i would go for somethig like the alpine components i suggested, i have these and they are very good for the money. You will also need the following with the fabia.

Car Audio Direct - The UK's leading car audio and stereo resource. VW/Seat/Skoda speaker adaptors - Maystar MAY-G451

And while youve got the door off you might as well sound insulate the window carrier as this is the single most cause of distortion and lack of bass.

10 Sq Ft eDead Original Sound Deadening (Dynamat) EDO01 on eBay, Other In-Car Ents GPS, In-Car Entertainment GPS, Cars, Parts Vehicles (item 330152485658 end time 08-Aug-07 21:10:36 BST)

I used this, its similar to dynamat but half the cost.

If the standard headunit isnt up to it i beleive blaupunkt do a nice range of tiny amps that wire direct to oem headunits.

Fancy a trip to wakefield, ill sort your audio out and you can de-swirl my car if you want

[robmawer]

Originally Posted by skudmissile

If the standard headunit isnt up to it i beleive blaupunkt do a nice range of tiny amps that wire direct to oem headunits.

Don't suppose you have any more details on these (links, model name/numbers, etc.)?


Rob.

[skudmissile]

Originally Posted by robmawer

Don't suppose you have any more details on these (links, model name/numbers, etc.)?


Rob.

Unfortunatly the only place i have seen it was in an audio mag about a month ago, its not on the blaupunkt website yet. But it is very similar to this sony in that it had hi level inputs instead so can take the inputs from the oem headunit.
Sony : XM-4S (XM4S) : United Kingdom

[robmawer]

Originally Posted by skudmissile

But it is very similar to this sony in that it had hi level inputs instead so can take the inputs from the oem headunit.

Ah...so it's not a great solution if you HU amp is prone to distorting as you'll just be sending a distorted signal to the amp? Mind you, for the £140-odd quid Sony want for that amp you'd have to be really fond of your OEM head unit to not ditch it in favour of a £140 aftermaket HU...


Rob.