I'm a new 06 tC owner and am planning for audio upgrades. I want to keep the stock HU (has iPod upgrade) and add new component speakers in the front, a 4-channel amp, and a sub. Is it a bad idea to eliminate the rear speakers and only use fronts and a sub? I would like to devote my budget to higher quality equipment in lieu of also upgrading the rear speakers (along with amplification).

 

not a bad idea... if your going to compete in SQ comps...

but you can get really nice components and decent coaxs for the rear and it wont hurt your budget...

 

I upgraded my fronts and rears then had the fronts powered with a 2 channel amp. The amp overpowered the rears to the point when they were practically nonexistant. I bought a 4 channel amp and it brought my system to a whole new level. IMO... amp everything... that will give you the control you need to tune your system the way you like it. A friend of my went to lunch with me the other day and commented that mine was the best audio he had ever heard in a car, period!!!!

Check my profile to see what I have. :D

 

Well, if your gonna do away with the rears, just get a 2ch amp. And to be honest with you, if you're wanting REAL sound quality, you're not gonna get it with the factory HU. Sure it may sound ok, but you are not gonna be able to get the adjustment and tweaking ability that you can w/ aftermarket. Aftermarket stuff is going to give you many many more options and will let you dial in the exact sound you like. With the factory, you got to deal with all that "hear" "feel" crap...whatever that means...

Just my .02...Either way, amping is a must...the stock HU will not push a nice set of components alone.

 

hey if you need help ,, pm me and i can get your questions answered .... best sound is going to be all around sound ... contact me when you are ready ..

 

My plan for the 4-channel amp is to allocate 2 channels for the front components and 2 channels for the sub. So if I decide to use rear speakers (which I would also upgrade), I would use the 4-channel amp for the fronts and rears, and would need another amp to power the sub. So, my budget would get hit with rear speakers, an additional amp (1 or 2 channel), and additional wiring.

I hear what you are saying about the HU, but I really like how it interfaces with the iPod and I'm hoping that the addition of an amp will make up for it's poor sound quality. I'm also hoping to get some tweakability of the system through the amp and crossovers.

 

does anyone know about these speaker upgrades, and amp.

http://www.trdsparks.com/displaypart...5&parts_id=355

 

They're Crap!!! If you're on a budget... they'll give you some improvement but nothing that anyone will walk away saying "Wow... that's a kick butt system".

For under $250... you can get some eDi 6000s comp's for the front and EU-600's for the rear from Elemental Designs. That IMO would be money well spent.

 

Your plan is fine, and that's a common upgrade path. I suggest you proceed, with the 4ch amp with two channels in stereo to power the fronts, and the other two bridged to drive a sub, just as you described. No need at all for rear speakers, and from a sound quality perspective, I feel they'd detract from your front soundstage. You could still do an upgrade by driving the mids & tweeters off the 4ch amp (using an active crossover, whether integrated with the amp or using an outboard component).

Unless you plan on seriously competing in one of the organizations judging sound quality, your stock head unit will be fine. The majority of people on this planet aren't going to notice the difference anyway (although they'll swear otherwise) and will still be very impressed with the system.

If you're really serious about SQ, you'll also want to consider the front speaker positions, as the stock door locations will NOT impress any competition SQ judges, even if you used a $1,000 component set. Appropriately aimed kick panels and other tricks are called for in this scenario, but I get the feeling you're not interested in taking it that far, or at least not yet.

 

I suggest going with the 4 channel with front components and a substage being the only speakers.... I've got my stock rears ran off the HU, can't even hear them...