 | Home > In Car Electronics > Focal Speakers, or not. |
 
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| DSC-off Member Since: 16 Oct 2014 Location: North East Posts: 1398   
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Jim, Thanks for the info and pictures. That's a great tip about the heat gun too.
It looks like I'll have to bite the bullet and go for it, to hell with not cutting the dash! 
I know 5" will sound better, and I will always be wanting more if I don't. What have I just talked myself into... 
Should I get an amp too and fit it all in one go... Stacey, yeah, this is taking me back 20 odd years to when I fitted out my Range Rover
I think it will need an amp to get the best out of it. |
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17th Mar 2017 9:12pm |
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| barbel jim Member Since: 12 Dec 2012 Location: Northants Posts: 1419 
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They'll sound better with an amp
Thats why I have the Ibus 2.1 8" active sub and Amped the fronts. It is a hard top workhorse.The acoustics of a defender isn't great. Dynamat on the wheel arches, floor and sides is well worth the effort, but its all extra £££ In the Td5 again I run 5" Focals with an 8" sub off Focal amps  (It was better with twin 10" subs, but there isnt room with the seat conversion  )
 Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge |
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17th Mar 2017 9:51pm |
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| DSC-off Member Since: 16 Oct 2014 Location: North East Posts: 1398
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More food for thought, and the need for a master plan. |
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17th Mar 2017 10:33pm |
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| datcullen Member Since: 15 Aug 2013 Location: UK & Italy Posts: 153 
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cutting the dash - scary
- for my practical skill-set anyway.
1. Recaro seats - done 2. Let's see how I do fitting the Mota-Lita wheel, and various other bits that arrived from MUD today 110 UW - '15 2.2
90 - '85 V8 soft-top RRC - '84 5 door, Option Pack C, 33k miles from new --- Elise S1 - '00 Millennium SE Elan +2 - '68 kit built by my dad Panda 4x4 - '87 in Italy |
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17th Mar 2017 10:38pm |
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| barbel jim Member Since: 12 Dec 2012 Location: Northants Posts: 1419
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If it was me - dynamat the rear wheel arches and floor upgrade speakers and add a sub  The 8" alpine bangs for a small sub,, and I have it aiming at the floor to add a bit more. The box is a perfect fit behind one of the the fold up seats Its still running in and needs setting up properly. It will go louder and sound better then an active sub
This picture gives you a guide of the trimming needed to fit a 5" (Its actually the rear panel) Click image to enlarge |
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18th Mar 2017 6:06am |
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| barbel jim Member Since: 12 Dec 2012 Location: Northants Posts: 1419
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 double post |
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18th Mar 2017 6:06am |
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| Intercept Member Since: 27 Feb 2017 Location: Suffolk Posts: 587 
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My 110 has Focal speakers in the front, driven by an amp that lives underneath the ECU. I've yet to investigate the amp - the system was fitted by the previous owner. I don't know the Focal model numbers - maybe someone can identify them from the photos - the remote passive crossovers live in the voids behind the original speakers in the aircon box.
Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge I have to say that I wasn't impressed with them until I replaced the rusty old doors. But now that the door cards are attached to something solid they sound a lot better. The Alpine head unit drives the rear speakers, which (this being a DCPU) live behind the rear seats. Fortunately they were some cheap & nasty boxes because I've recently found that both cabinets were full of water which had terminally killed one but the other was remarkably still working! As an experiment I put a pair of 5" Celestion PA speakers in their place and now the whole system has come to life! As a result they might be staying but I need to find out how the others got wet first...
Click image to enlarge I was considering the under-cubby sub from Mudstuff but now I'm not sure its necessary:) A new head unit that supports bluetooth telephony is essential though - does anyone have any recommendations? The Pioneer & Sony units from Halfords are a bit boy-racerish - I'd prefer something a bit less brash to look at. It must have green illumination though to match the dash lights... |
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20th Mar 2017 12:28am |
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| DSC-off Member Since: 16 Oct 2014 Location: North East Posts: 1398
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Speakers arrived today. For those interested, a bit of an idea of what you get for your money.
First impression, in the box, they're heavy. This is no bad thing, the materials haven't been scrimped on to use as little as possible. Click image to enlarge PC130 coaxial, these are going in the back. Cast alloy baskets with a machined front face, should be rigid. Big, butyl rubber mounded suspension ring around the cone. Inverted dome tweeter, supposed to be better than convex in a car. Click image to enlarge Polished, chromed rear and moulded finishing around the terminals. Attention to detail that you don't see on cheaper brands. Click image to enlarge 130 KR component set, for the front dashboard. Click image to enlarge Cast baskets for the woofers again, more ribs/strengthening on these. Polished and chromed again. Click image to enlarge Kevlar and fibre glass composite cones, big suspension ring. Click image to enlarge Tweeters and crossovers are again heavy for their size. Proper components and coils in there. The setting switches on the crossover even have a positive action for the switch position. Click image to enlarge So far I'm really impressed with the finish and build quality. I know it's the sound that really matters, but these have raised my expectations on that front too. I only have one worry now, that is the strength and rigidity of the trim panels the speakers will be fitted to. With the weight and the vibration they'll generate, I'm hoping it will be ok. Will let you know how it turns out when they're in. That could be a few weeks, I'm going to take my time cutting things! |
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21st Mar 2017 9:42pm |
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| datcullen Member Since: 15 Aug 2013 Location: UK & Italy Posts: 153
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Really looking forward to your updates. Did you go with the amp in the end or just speakers to start with?
Good luck with the cutting 110 UW - '15 2.2
90 - '85 V8 soft-top RRC - '84 5 door, Option Pack C, 33k miles from new --- Elise S1 - '00 Millennium SE Elan +2 - '68 kit built by my dad Panda 4x4 - '87 in Italy |
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21st Mar 2017 9:46pm |
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| barbel jim Member Since: 12 Dec 2012 Location: Northants Posts: 1419
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That set up looks very familiar
Mounting the crossover is fun ............ Velcro sticky pads |
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21st Mar 2017 10:10pm |
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| DSC-off Member Since: 16 Oct 2014 Location: North East Posts: 1398
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Thanks. Undecided on which amp and possibly head unit and/or sub upgrades, so will try just the speakers first.
Cheers. |
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21st Mar 2017 10:14pm |
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| meeerrrk Member Since: 12 Feb 2017 Location: Surrey Posts: 548 
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You won't be disappointed. I was very lucky to find a Defender with a nice Audio set up with the speakers you have bought for the front, powered by a 2 channel amp. Honestly they sound absolutely fantastic, I never thought audio in a Defender could sound that good.
My next thing to do is get a set of PC130 for the rear. My 90 Project : http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic52774.html |
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21st Mar 2017 10:23pm |
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| datcullen Member Since: 15 Aug 2013 Location: UK & Italy Posts: 153
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Sounds like (excuse the pun) a sensible route DSC-off - might do the same
Where did you get them from - dynamicsounds.co.uk? 110 UW - '15 2.2 90 - '85 V8 soft-top RRC - '84 5 door, Option Pack C, 33k miles from new --- Elise S1 - '00 Millennium SE Elan +2 - '68 kit built by my dad Panda 4x4 - '87 in Italy |
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21st Mar 2017 10:27pm |
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| DSC-off Member Since: 16 Oct 2014 Location: North East Posts: 1398
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Datcullen, Yes I got them from Dynamic Sounds. They were the best price I could find online and free delivery too. Total £220 for both pairs.
Knowing Jim had made them fit, he was happy with the result, and his very generous advice, all gave me the confidence to go this route.
Without that I'd have taken the easy option of 4" and probably would have been disappointed. Meeerrrk, what amp are you using for the front? |
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21st Mar 2017 10:58pm |
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