ICE - Idiot guide

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PokerHenman

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Thought I would start this thread for you techno's to give advice.

There are other threads with advice on ICE, but takes a lot of digging.

This could be an idiots guide to ICE (idiot meaning me lol).

I have a p1 GTi and want some advice on upgrading ICE (standard sony HU and speakers at mo).

For example :

Found advice about how to change HU already ;)

Understand front speaker replacement is not that easy (weird shape, cutting out mdf and remounting aftermarket jobbies - not looking forward to that :eek: ).

Rear ones look straight forward to replace (what size do I get ?) - Could measure them I suppose :rolleyes:

Do I really need an amp ? Maybe only for subwoofers ? Do I really need a subwoofer ?

What is a 'crossover' ? :confused:

Do I want to cut speakers (eg 6 x 9) into my parcel shelf - NO !!!!!

Hope you can all help. Nothing to technical unless you provide a dictionary !

Lets see what happens. Maybe a sticky ? How do you make a sticky anyway ? DOH !
 
PokerHenman said:
Found advice about how to change HU already ;)
Click to expand...

easy to do need a ISO lead and a new radio

PokerHenman said:
Understand front speaker replacement is not that easy (weird shape, cutting out mdf and remounting aftermarket jobbies - not looking forward to that :eek:
Click to expand...
its not really that hard if your using the standard speaker cable. you just need a mount made out of mdf im sure there is a pic of one on the site

PokerHenman said:
Rear ones look straight forward to replace (what size do I get ?) - Could measure them I suppose :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
the rear speakers are standard 6.5 (17cm)

PokerHenman said:
Do I really need an amp ? Maybe only for subwoofers ? Do I really need a subwoofer ?
Click to expand...
what are you looking to get out of music. If you wanted a subwoofer I would upgrade a amp as well for the front and rear speakers. depends what your looking to get out of your music

PokerHenman said:
What is a 'crossover' ? :confused:
Click to expand...
you don't need one just yet

PokerHenman said:
Do I want to cut speakers (eg 6 x 9) into my parcel shelf - NO !!!!!
Click to expand...
hmmmm yes and a no but I would make a MDF shelf instead the standard shelf will rattle

-----------------------------
what I would do
Upgrade head unit
Upgrade front speakers to 6.5's or 6.5" compo's
upgrade rear speakers to 6.5's or 6.5" compo's
add sub + mono amp (wired with 4 Gauge power cable)
add 4 channel amp + upgrade speaker cable (front + rear)

then onto multi media :) lol
 
cross overs make your speakers sound better, they do this by sending the right frequencys to the right speakers.
co-axial speakers are a mid with a tweeter sitting inside the mid cone, they use a resister to stop the low freqs getting to the tweeters which should only play high freqs, they work but only to a certain extent
a componant speaker is a mid and a tweeter sperate, and the cross over has the wire coming from the H/U or the amp, then goes to each componant, it sends the mid to the mid, and the tweets to the tweeter

if you want decent sounding music what you need is

1 pair of componants
1 sub
1 4 channel amp

this will sound pretty good if you get alright stuff (generally stay away from bright colours. sony explod etc and you'll be fine)
 
good idea this thread, i havent got a clue about ICE so this is great for people like me.

so with W what does it actually mean, had some cheap 200W speakers from years ago so put them in the almera to see what they were like, no louder than standard and worse quality (kind of expected that tbh) so does W which i know stands for wattage give you better quality or a louder sound? or is it a combination of the two?

what are the decent brands for speakers? want some new front and rear for the almera, what names should i be looking for and what specs should i get? i know the sizes i need but thats as far as my ICE knowledge goes.

also speaker cable, if i was to replace the cable would i notice a difference? only talking the standard layout of 4 speakers and a headunit, no amps etc.
 
Thanks Guys

So far, so good.

Some great advice, learned a couple of new things.

Keep it coming !

Will let you know what I achieve later ;)
 
sprint said:
good idea this thread, i havent got a clue about ICE so this is great for people like me.

so with W what does it actually mean, had some cheap 200W speakers from years ago so put them in the almera to see what they were like, no louder than standard and worse quality (kind of expected that tbh) so does W which i know stands for wattage give you better quality or a louder sound? or is it a combination of the two?

what are the decent brands for speakers? want some new front and rear for the almera, what names should i be looking for and what specs should i get? i know the sizes i need but thats as far as my ICE knowledge goes.

also speaker cable, if i was to replace the cable would i notice a difference? only talking the standard layout of 4 speakers and a headunit, no amps etc.
Click to expand...


w=wattage, its measured it different ways, mpo, pmpo, rms and a few others i think, its the power capacity of the product
however many brands will lie out their back teeth, including ones that people would call 'mainstream'

dls, focal, rainbow, boston, genesis, RF, Pionneer make some decent speakers too but theyre expensive for the goods ones

Ive got these in the run about running off a cheapo jvc headunit and a 10" mtx sub and amp, sounds canny too, good value for money a system like that.

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=3852

you probs wont hear a difference from changing your speaker cables if you not amping them up
 
NaylorGTI said:
you probs wont hear a difference from changing your speaker cables if you not amping them up
Click to expand...

thanks for the advice, will have to get saving then thought i would be paying maybe £40 to £50 for a pair :lol:

what i expected with the speaker cable really just got some somewhere and a weekend with nothing to do but not worthwhile if i wont notice the difference.

planning an install with the speakers in the usual places so the parcel shelf etc can be removed and the boots still useable. wouldnt mind a flip up DVD screen in the dash in the end aswell but im far off having that sort of money lying round for luxuries, just nice and basic really with nothing too heavy etc but enough for good quality sound and being able to watch DVD's in the car would be nice.
 
if you want a shelf thats been precut for 6x9s i have one sat here, its out of a PH2 GTi brake light in spoiler
 
Ummm is there any chance that Phase 1's and 2's have different sized rear speakers? Cos mine definatly look like their 5.25 not 6.5 as i've just taken one out and measured it :S
 
as a guide what size speakers are better? I've got 6x9s in the back which I'm happy with, and 13cm components up front. thinking the components are the weak point in the system right now (they're only alpine S types) so want something better. last time I didn't think about size as they were a bargain price on eBay. should I stick with 13cm or get bigger/smaller?
 
bigger is generally better until you get to certain size then the speaker can have trouble stopping moving and you get drone, like a 15" sub will go burrrrrrr burrrrr instead of bump bump
go for 6.5"s in your doors, 17cm I think it is in metric

@kaptain-k, the rear speakers are in a mounting so a smaller speaker fills a bigger hole like the front ones are
 
thanks naylor. yeah i keep forgetting the conversions from metric to inches. I think 13cm is like 5.25 inches or something, which is what I have. will go bigger :D.
 
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