Step 1. Audio Upgrade begun

I actually like the stock head unit in my Scion. It has more features than
any of the aftermarket units I have hanging around, and it plays MP3s.

But, the speakers lose it at any kind of volume. They're OK, but they
break up at the levels I like.

Someone posted something in a Scion 'Forum' about making speaker baffles
for larger speakers. It can't be all that bad, can it?


Oh, yes it can!

THe speakers are one piece with the 'adapter'! So, you can't just pull the
baffle, remove the speaker and install a new speaker! I was going to order
something from either Crutchfield or EBay, but someone posted instructions
for making adapters, so I'll get some 3/4" MDX and make them. But, I don't
have a jigsaw!

So, I got the back panels out and made my discovery. I have three sets of
MB Quart 5.25", and one set of 6.5". I figured I'd remove the 5's from the
rears and install the MB Quarts.

Time was running out; it was approaching 5:00 and we don't have any decent
"Big Box" stores arond here, so while looking for a fan in the cellar, I
found some 6" 'adapters' I had yanked from a Honda to use in my Supra for
the front doors. I had them modified for my Quarts, so, I stuffed them in
the Scion, but only one bolt would hold, so I modified the basket and
mounted them.

It was tight getting my large frame in there, but I got them in, and it
sounded GOOD! I figured I'd try the fronts.

Same speaker set up: the adapter IS the speaker. And besides, WHO THE HECK
RIVETS SPEAKERS INTO THE DOORS?!?!? Damn!!!

Project for another day...

On Mon, 09 Oct 2006 03:02:17 GMT, Hachiroku <Trueno@ae86.gts> wrote:

[color=blue]
>Same speaker set up: the adapter IS the speaker. And besides, WHO THE HECK
>RIVETS SPEAKERS INTO THE DOORS?!?!? Damn!!!
>
>Project for another day...
>[/color]

"Car stereo" is a bit of an oxymoron, so maybe they figured the
speakers they supplied were good enough. :-)

On Mon, 09 Oct 2006 18:45:54 -0400, Stuart Krivis wrote:
[color=blue]
> On Mon, 09 Oct 2006 03:02:17 GMT, Hachiroku <Trueno@ae86.gts> wrote:
>
>[color=green]
>>Same speaker set up: the adapter IS the speaker. And besides, WHO THE HECK
>>RIVETS SPEAKERS INTO THE DOORS?!?!? Damn!!!
>>
>>Project for another day...
>>[/color]
>
> "Car stereo" is a bit of an oxymoron, so maybe they figured the
> speakers they supplied were good enough. :-)[/color]

LOL! Not mine! I can hear my "car Stereo" in my Supra, roof off, 3 Litres
in Full Tilt Boogie on the highway, No Problem! What road noise?!

All it takes is wattage! ;)

On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 01:57:18 GMT, Hachiroku <Trueno@ae86.gts> wrote:
[color=blue]
>On Mon, 09 Oct 2006 18:45:54 -0400, Stuart Krivis wrote:
>[color=green]
>> On Mon, 09 Oct 2006 03:02:17 GMT, Hachiroku <Trueno@ae86.gts> wrote:
>>
>>[color=darkred]
>>>Same speaker set up: the adapter IS the speaker. And besides, WHO THE HECK
>>>RIVETS SPEAKERS INTO THE DOORS?!?!? Damn!!!
>>>
>>>Project for another day...
>>>[/color]
>>
>> "Car stereo" is a bit of an oxymoron, so maybe they figured the
>> speakers they supplied were good enough. :-)[/color]
>
>LOL! Not mine! I can hear my "car Stereo" in my Supra, roof off, 3 Litres
>in Full Tilt Boogie on the highway, No Problem! What road noise?!
>
>All it takes is wattage! ;)[/color]

You're not really listening in stereo though, unless you somehow sit
equidistant between the speakers, like on the console between the
seats. :-)

I guess you'd also be ok if you had a McLaren F1.

On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 13:10:33 -0400, Stuart Krivis wrote:
[color=blue]
> On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 01:57:18 GMT, Hachiroku <Trueno@ae86.gts> wrote:
>[color=green]
>>On Mon, 09 Oct 2006 18:45:54 -0400, Stuart Krivis wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>>> On Mon, 09 Oct 2006 03:02:17 GMT, Hachiroku <Trueno@ae86.gts> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Same speaker set up: the adapter IS the speaker. And besides, WHO THE HECK
>>>>RIVETS SPEAKERS INTO THE DOORS?!?!? Damn!!!
>>>>
>>>>Project for another day...
>>>>
>>>
>>> "Car stereo" is a bit of an oxymoron, so maybe they figured the
>>> speakers they supplied were good enough. :-)[/color]
>>
>>LOL! Not mine! I can hear my "car Stereo" in my Supra, roof off, 3 Litres
>>in Full Tilt Boogie on the highway, No Problem! What road noise?!
>>
>>All it takes is wattage! ;)[/color]
>
> You're not really listening in stereo though, unless you somehow sit
> equidistant between the speakers, like on the console between the
> seats. :-)
>
> I guess you'd also be ok if you had a McLaren F1.[/color]


LOL! Again! I know a fair amount about Audio. Sometimes, it sounds like
4-channel!!!

"Hachiroku" <Trueno@ae86.gts> wrote in message news:ZYiWg.1848$WD1.1028@trndny04...[color=blue]
>I actually like the stock head unit in my Scion. It has more features than
> any of the aftermarket units I have hanging around, and it plays MP3s.
>
> But, the speakers lose it at any kind of volume. They're OK, but they
> break up at the levels I like.
>
> Someone posted something in a Scion 'Forum' about making speaker baffles
> for larger speakers. It can't be all that bad, can it?
>
>
> Oh, yes it can!
>
> THe speakers are one piece with the 'adapter'! So, you can't just pull the
> baffle, remove the speaker and install a new speaker! I was going to order
> something from either Crutchfield or EBay, but someone posted instructions
> for making adapters, so I'll get some 3/4" MDX and make them. But, I don't
> have a jigsaw!
>
> So, I got the back panels out and made my discovery. I have three sets of
> MB Quart 5.25", and one set of 6.5". I figured I'd remove the 5's from the
> rears and install the MB Quarts.
>
> Time was running out; it was approaching 5:00 and we don't have any decent
> "Big Box" stores arond here, so while looking for a fan in the cellar, I
> found some 6" 'adapters' I had yanked from a Honda to use in my Supra for
> the front doors. I had them modified for my Quarts, so, I stuffed them in
> the Scion, but only one bolt would hold, so I modified the basket and
> mounted them.
>
> It was tight getting my large frame in there, but I got them in, and it
> sounded GOOD! I figured I'd try the fronts.
>
> Same speaker set up: the adapter IS the speaker. And besides, WHO THE HECK
> RIVETS SPEAKERS INTO THE DOORS?!?!? Damn!!!
>
> Project for another day...
>
>
>[/color]

Wow Hachiroku, You made a 6" speaker fit inside of your Supra's door box? That had to be
a tricky job. Do you happen to have a photo or two so I can do the same?


Wonder how the Scion audio would sound if it just had a good amp that's output was better.


Dan

On Wed, 11 Oct 2006 21:58:05 +0000, Danny G. wrote:
[color=blue]
>
> "Hachiroku" <Trueno@ae86.gts> wrote in message news:ZYiWg.1848$WD1.1028@trndny04...[color=green]
>>I actually like the stock head unit in my Scion. It has more features than
>> any of the aftermarket units I have hanging around, and it plays MP3s.
>>
>> But, the speakers lose it at any kind of volume. They're OK, but they
>> break up at the levels I like.
>>
>> Someone posted something in a Scion 'Forum' about making speaker baffles
>> for larger speakers. It can't be all that bad, can it?
>>
>>
>> Oh, yes it can!
>>
>> THe speakers are one piece with the 'adapter'! So, you can't just pull the
>> baffle, remove the speaker and install a new speaker! I was going to order
>> something from either Crutchfield or EBay, but someone posted instructions
>> for making adapters, so I'll get some 3/4" MDX and make them. But, I don't
>> have a jigsaw!
>>
>> So, I got the back panels out and made my discovery. I have three sets of
>> MB Quart 5.25", and one set of 6.5". I figured I'd remove the 5's from the
>> rears and install the MB Quarts.
>>
>> Time was running out; it was approaching 5:00 and we don't have any decent
>> "Big Box" stores arond here, so while looking for a fan in the cellar, I
>> found some 6" 'adapters' I had yanked from a Honda to use in my Supra for
>> the front doors. I had them modified for my Quarts, so, I stuffed them in
>> the Scion, but only one bolt would hold, so I modified the basket and
>> mounted them.
>>
>> It was tight getting my large frame in there, but I got them in, and it
>> sounded GOOD! I figured I'd try the fronts.
>>
>> Same speaker set up: the adapter IS the speaker. And besides, WHO THE HECK
>> RIVETS SPEAKERS INTO THE DOORS?!?!? Damn!!!
>>
>> Project for another day...
>>
>>
>>[/color]
>
> Wow Hachiroku, You made a 6" speaker fit inside of your Supra's door box? That had to be
> a tricky job. Do you happen to have a photo or two so I can do the same?
>
>
> Wonder how the Scion audio would sound if it just had a good amp that's output was better.
>
>
> Dan[/color]


I need to get a pinout of the radio to figure out how to tap into the line
outs they use for the factory sub. If it's a two-channel sub and it is not
'equalized' then that could be used to feed a series of amps for the
speakers and a sub.

As far as 6.5" Quarts in the door of a Supra?

Throw that damn factory box away, get a new, longer screw (and a bigger
diameter) and use one hole in the speaker to mount it to the door!

The plastic behind it gets stretched a tiny bit, so it doesn't rattle,
acts like a baffle, and keeps the speaker from getting wet, and the screw
forces the angle of the speaker to the same angle the factory boxes place
the speaker so it is aimed the same as the factory speaker. The size of
the speaker also holds it tight to the dorr frame, so there is no buzzing.

I have a 4-channel, 100 watt per channel amp; I have 5" Quarts in the rear
(THAT was a CHORE!) and the 6.5s in the doors, and I can pop the roof out
and CRANK it and get nothing but nice, clean sound!

Oh, and I have a 12" sub (really more of a 'bass' speaker) mounted in an
old Pignose amp box in the rear for clean bass. I'm not into 'thump', but
I like bass and this set up works great!

[url]http://www.guitarnuts.com/amps/g40v/index.php[/url]

we put a solid back on it and a vented 'port' where the amp was. Like I
say, it doesn't THUMP, but you can hear the bass at 75 with the roof off!