Upgrading the Stock Audio System
 

I am looking to upgrade the speakers in my 06 CGT and would really like some advice please.

I have been out of touch with new products and haven't done any audio upgrades since putting Focals in my F430 almost 5 years ago.

Budget is flexible but I am looking to spend around $5k all in.

I have a pretty diverse taste in music:
Classic Rock (Pink Floyd, Santana...)
House
Hip Hop

Detail, clarity and an open soundstage are very important for me.

Any recommendations for speaker replacements?

Can someone please advise the largest speaker sizes that will fit without having to modify the doors...?


I am considering:
- Audison Bit One http://www.audison.eu/index_main.php?Section=BITONEPROD
- JL Audio HD900/5 http://mobile.jlaudio.com/products_amps.php?amp_id=537
- JL Audio ZR Series Speakers (I am not sure how great these are or what sizes I need) http://mobile.jlaudio.com/products_c...php?page_id=31
- JL Audio 13w6v2 http://mobile.jlaudio.com/products_s...p?series_id=18

How do JL components stack up against the likes of Focal, MB Quart...?
I will happily take opinions and recommendations for better system components as I openly admit I am not that knowledgeable.

Thanks for the help!

Been out of the 'modern' car audio market for a few years, yet Audison amplification was amongst the best for quite some time. Nakamichi also does a very nice job. If you can get Audison's older amplifiers... which will be large and need a lot of power and heat dissipation. The good thing is that the Bentley has a very substantial alternator as standard.

As for speakers, i do my best to avoid metal domes at any/all costs. This is especially true in a 'hard environment' like an automobile. Try and find silk soft domes.

Of course i am a bit 'old school', so if you can find Class A amplifiers... ESPECIALLY for the midrange and tweeter drivers (Class D for bass should be ok). Yes i know Class D 'is the new thing', is efficient, etc.

Wish i knew more. Of course the real trick is finding an installer not just of quality and substance, but one that has proper measurement gear AND GOOD SET OF EARS to 'fine-tune' the system.

The Audison Bit One looks VERY interesting and may be an excellent processor with proper adjustment capabilities. The Bentley WILL need something along those lines due to speaker placements and quantity of drivers.

Ok, did some looking around. First, i hate MB Quartz for speakers as they have always been far too bright. Focals are nice. Never tried the JLs for mid/highs. i see that Nakamichi still makes separates, and nice ones at that. Used the Nak speaker separates in my previous two vehicles with very good results. The SPS2-650 look very nice.

www.nakamichi.com/pdf/spc_sps.pdf


Odds are you'll want two or three Nak PA-4100 4-channel amplifier uses high current MOSFETS (very nice).

www.nakamichi.com/pdf/PA-1500_2100_4100%20Brochure.pdf


Woofers can be very personal preference. Many deliver QUANTITY of bass yet QUALITY can vary widely. You're call there.

Stay with the Bit One.

JMHO of course and to be clear, am a LONGTIME audiohpile who has also been a studio/touring musician. For me, QUALITY always trumps quantity.

The stock system in my 05 (minus the whole ipod deal) I think is great.. Clear..

I would not hassle with changing it out.

Just wondering, is the current system that bad to you?

The stock system is not bad by any means. I just find the stock system lacks low end oumph and the detail of higher quality components.

Thanks for the help!

A few questions for you please:
- Would you say Nakamichi tops the Focals?
- What are the best speaker sizes for each location?
- is there a more detailed sub in your opinion than the JLs?

Farris,
First, all generalizations are wrong (per se) PLUS there are always personal preferences... PLUS we have to deal with the way the drivers will integrate not just with the car's inside acoustics', but the way the rear of the speaker driver are 'loaded' by the 'enclosure' behind them.
With that all said...

- Would you say Nakamichi tops the Focals?
Focals are nice, really they are. Just that my preference has been the very smooth yet detailed 'sound' of the Naks. Not many Americans really remember much of Nakamichi, yet for decades they truly have been manufacturing some impressive car audio products. Ok, in the mid-90's they had a few problems with their CD changer, yet the single disc CD unit was amazing sounding and beat the then fave Apline (i owned the cult classic Alpine, did not have the $$$ for the Nak head unit with the truly aamazing sounding 4x oversampling Philips DAC when putting that system together). Getting to sound quality, MY EARS feel the Focal are very extended and nice, yet there is *something* in the resonance or ???? that may be slightly... whereas there is something about a high quality silk soft dome that sounds *right* to my ears PLUS there is no listener fatigue. Perhaps my ears are a bit more sensitive to the uppermost frequencies that guys who abuse their eardrums with iPods at high SPL and the like. Still, the Focals are truly nice... Me? i'd get the Naks. Either one is a great choice.

- What are the best speaker sizes for each location?
The ones you take out. The size/placement seems good to me... unless you want to go crazy and install custom cabinets on the front floor corners and perhaps horns or ??? where the defroster vents are. You could customize the top dash and have tweeter pods come up from there and mid/bass units there as well thus outdoing that B&O has done in the ??Lexus?? (seriously, DO NOT go that far). Know when to say when, as the possibilities are nearly endless.

i really, very much, highly do like the way in the stock 2006 system they kept the midbass on up 'up front'. What i mean by that is, everything but deep bass can be handled by the speakers in front of your ears (and on the doors). So just do a 1:1 swap with same size in same location. Keep it simple.

- is there a more detailed sub in your opinion than the JLs?
Alas, last time i was a basshead in a car was waaaaay back in 1990 or so when DJ Magic Mike and Techmaster P.E.B. were the up and coming shiznit. Heck, "shiznet" probably dates me too (LOL). Back then it was MTX subs i liked the most, built in a totally custom cabinet in an isobaric configuration. Fast forward to today, beats me yet yes JL are considered by many to be very good.

And before someone asks, my opinion of the stock Bose system is that it IS quite good BUT my main complaint iss that the highs are lacking... or it could be that the head unit lacks a 7 band EQ (with Q/centering adjustment would be nice too). Either i get slightly rolled off 10k and above (which i prefer over...) or i get this hideously annoying too bright sound. Midrange is quite good and the bass is VERY impressive **for a stock system**.

What also is lacking ONLY WHEN HIGH SPL LEVELS are desired is that 300 watts is simply not enough oomph. At higher volume levels you can hear the amplifier gasping for its life as dynamic compression sets in with the usual distortion all the while the clarity of sounds becomes muddled. This is why, if you can and as i will for the next bentley, choose the Naim Audio option. The Bentley/Naim system 'solves' many of the older stock Bose system problems while also giving higher-end sound quality... as one would expect from Naim Audio.

Again, this is all my opinion and preferences. Yours might vary from mine. Also note i would rather have a system that is all-day listenable while grand touring to one where they tweak up the upper-midrange to give that 'faux' feeling of higher resolution... which gets annoying FAST.

And, seriously, for God sake don’t make me list all the audio gear i have enjoyed over the years... please, pretty please with sugar on top and a cherry, suffice to say the total cost could easily buy over 10 brand new Bentley cars (not a typo). have also been an ISACA sound quality judge and have given highly critical 'reviews' during competition of some of the best systems in the world over the years back in the day.

Still, high price DOES NOT ALWAYS equal higher sound quality. Of course going too cheap generally guarantees lackluster performance.

Remember at the beginning of this i said all generalizations (per se) are wrong. Find your own path. Will end this post with....

"It is unwise to pay too much, but it is unwise to pay too little. When you pay too much, you loose a little money; that is all. When you pay too little you sometimes lose everything. Because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing you bought it to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot.

It cannot be done.

If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run and if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better.

There is hardly anything in the world that someone can’t make a little worse and sell a little cheaper – and people who consider price alone are this man’s lawful prey.”

- John Ruskin 1819-1900

PS: i'll come clean.... as am sure a few seconds with any search engine and you'd find this about me....

www.enjoythemusic.com/about.htm

So as you can see, am not the 'normal' type of guy who just loves good tunes. It goes a bit deeper.

Hey, interesting site there Steven.

But then, interesting cars make for interesting people!

A most humble thanks. Just don't get me going on how great Patek Philippe watches are and the fun one can enjoy with Hasselblads/Leicas and we'll be fine :)

How great are Patek Philippe watchs?

Wow... You sure know your stuff

I'm not a watch or music guy - I actually haven't turned on ANY of my car audio systems in the last 20 years, and don't like it when others do - but I'm a musician too... though not as highbrow as yourself :)

As for Hasselblads and the like, I used them extensively 40 years ago as an aerial photographer in our country's air force.

As the saying goes, fine things attract fine folk.

Oh... well... just ask around the watch forums :) IMHO, if you love the art, science and technology of the best in timekeeping and sky/astro... Perhaps take a few moments to learn about Patek Philippe.

Very nice!

Hmm.you planing leave the stock headunit?If so,dsp cboice will be limited to zapco,audison or jbl ms8.
You can run your speaker system pasive and there is no need for dsp.
Focals are ok but i would get utopia line with berylium tweeter.Krx are option too but tweeters are too bright.
There is alot of speakers to chose from.Remember to spend more and get the good stuff make you happy long run.I would look on dynaudio esotar 2 if money are no object.Very smooth sound.Also rainbow platinum,micro precision 7 series or z series,morel supremo or hat legatia.
Install is very important for end result as well sound deadening and cables.
Where you located?