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Wagon Sound System 200 85

Recommendations, please for

(1)ultra-thin front door speakers (to prevent marring window tint on speaker magnet

(2)rear panel speakers

(3)subwoofer (suitable for cargo area, but NOT eliminating the spare tire...i.e. tube type?)

(4)required output power for clean sound (but not for rap music)









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Re: Wagon Sound System 200 85

1) Rockford-Fosgate 4" (5's should fit also) co-axial's. These are thin enough, but I added .25" strips of wood between the door panel and the door metal to stiffen the mounting and add depth just to be sure. It's a good idea to get at least two of the mounting screws through the metal to add support. I like the R-F's because they have the clearest, most open voice of all the 4" speakers I listened to (Kenwood, Infinity, J-L, JBL, and a few others). The definition between low and high is also good. The only drawback for me is the excessively crisp treble, which I fixed by putting 1" soft foam cylinder over the tweeter before applying the stock grille*. This mutes the crisp edge perfectly, without losing definition.

2) I used J-L Audio 6" co-axials in the rear door panel. They must be placed carefully to fit, but they end up about mid-door along the bottom. I had to bend a bit of the door metal back to clear the speaker frame, but it was a moment's work with a Channellock. Again, I was able to get two opposing screws into the metal, but this time I used closed-cell foam (cut from a $3 canoe kneepad) pieces to make sure that everything fit flat between the door panel and the metal. I used caulk around the back of the speaker rim to seal. They sound good there, and blend well with the fronts, even with the seat down, which surprised me. Speaker buying tip: Even if you don't normally listen to jazz, listen to some when you compare speakers and head units. Certain equipment will stand out as being better, even when there was not much difference with other kinds of music.

4) I used very efficient speakers with sealed mounts, so my Alpine head unit powers them just adequately (rated 40 x 40, but we know better). An honest 50-60 watts all around would drive you out of the car with those speakers.

3) The rears have very adequate bass, enough to rattle the interior fittings. A sub would only be needed if one wanted to alarm one's neighbors and impress the kind of folks who live for their stereos. On a normal day I don't even get close to 10/10ths with the volume knob, 10/10ths being the edge of clipping, but if I had to have more volume I'd add an amp. before trying to engineer a sub. Those cubbyholes in the rear are too handy to throw away for some extra bass.

*To be able to use the stock grilles, I cut out a speaker outline out of thin sheet aluminum that was just slightly (2mm or so, total) oversized. I mounted this with the speaker, and the grilles snap on to the extra metal that sticks out. Cutting them out, esp. the center, is tedious, but it adds to the cheapo-owner look which might save me a broken window someday. If you don't need to be stealthy, the stock grilles will work fine.

And don't drive by at midnight with it cranked-up, y'hear? &^)








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Re: Wagon Sound System 200 85

Couldn't the subwoofer go in the "secret" well OPPOSITE the well with the spare? I always thought that would be a good place, but I never tried it.







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