Sound system recconmendations

[Green1995SVX]

Originally Posted by redlightningsvx

I've had good results with JL Audio speakers and the TMA speakers (owned by JL Audio).

In my green SVX I had JL VR 6x9s in the rear. they were incredible speakers. That said, I also had MB Quart speakers in the front which were excellent. I installed them around 2001, though, so I believe they were the good ones.

Mike

[VICSVX]

i hav pioneer all the way around and its good....not top of the line but works great for the money

i spent about 200 for the deck, 100 for 6x9s and 70 for 6.5

sounds good and has lots of adjustments

i also hav 2 10"subs @ 600w (40 at walmart) powered by 1200w amp (200)

it sounds good, not too much boom boom, and pretty afforatble

[subbieatnz]

A Guy on here ran McIntosh system in his SVX. If i remember right it wasnt brand new and it came out of a LGT.

[Tim]

Originally Posted by subbieatnz

A Guy on here ran McIntosh system in his SVX. If i remember right it wasnt brand new and it came out of a LGT.

That would be Mike621.

[Green1995SVX]

Originally Posted by subbieatnz

A Guy on here ran McIntosh system in his SVX. If i remember right it wasnt brand new and it came out of a LGT.

They only came in the Outback VDC in the USA.

[Mike621]

Originally Posted by Tim

That would be Mike621.

Tim,

I never got around to installing the system fully. It's on my to-do list.

Shimmersky, who has a Polo 97 for sale out west, installed the McIntosh system into his car successfully.

[NiftySVX]

I wonder what that would sound like, as i assume it is equilized for the VDC interior. I may try and pick up a set of the dynaudio components for the front and try and get some decent 6x9 woofers for the rear, (maybe infinity), I might be able to do that for around 1000.

[Green1995SVX]

Originally Posted by NiftySVX

I wonder what that would sound like, as i assume it is equilized for the VDC interior. I may try and pick up a set of the dynaudio components for the front and try and get some decent 6x9 woofers for the rear, (maybe infinity), I might be able to do that for around 1000.

I used to own a Volvo V70R which had the upgraded dynaudio speakers from Volvo. Absoultey amazing sound. The factory stereo in that car was better than many aftermarkets i've heard.

[BoxerFanatic]

Originally Posted by Green1995SVX

They only came in the Outback VDC in the USA.

Actually, that isn't correct.

The McIntosh did not come to the USA at all. The 2005+ Outback VDC had an upgraded stock unit, made by Panasonic IIRC... (same manufacturer as the rest of the Legacy lineup's built in head-units for the US)

The VDC upgraded head unit could play MP3 CDs in it's 6-disc changer, where my Legacy GT Limited will not, only standard file format CDs. 2007 and later gained an auxiliary connection, which mine also sorely lacks, and a satellite receiver input.

Legacy Spec B also added steering wheel mounted redundant control buttons, through the steering wheel's wiring harness, at first because Spec B is a manual-only, and doesn't have the automatic trans sport shift buttons on the steering wheel in their place. I think 2009 Legacys/Outbacks either changed over to audio controls and paddle shift switches for the auto, or both sets of controls on the steering wheels.

The JDM/Rest-of-world cars that were built in Japan were different. The circuit board behind the console face was separate between the auto climate controls, and the stock stereo, and other stereo options, including aftermarket, can be fitted to those cars. The McIntosh head unit is a factory upgrade option, which I imagine could also be dealer-installed, fitted after the sale.

The US-built Legacy/Outback lineup, (maybe the Tribeca as well, I don't know) have the stereo head unit display board, and the Auto Climate control display board as one unified circuit board behind the console face. They cannot be easily separated, and no aftermarket system can be installed. The optical drive in the VDC units were an upgraded piece, which could decode MP3 files from optical discs, and later units had the alternate inputs integrated into the "guts" of the head units, but the console face panels are still integrated with the ACC. There was no option for the US cars to get a McIntosh head unit at all.

The 2009 Legacy GT Limited, Spec B, and other high-line Legacys and Outbacks have a Harmon Kardon amplifier, and speaker system behind the same head unit that the 2007 and 2008 cars have. The HK system replaces the under-seat 6.5 inch optional sub with a rear-deck mounted mandatory unit, more like the McIntosh system has used overseas since the inception of the model.

The Legacy and Outback are not very modification friendly, when it comes to the main stereo unit, pretty much all you can do is upgrade the system behind it, or make it redundant by mounting something else in the dash cubby above the stock stereo.

There is a kit made by a privateer which adds a line level input between the optical drive and the amplification section of the 05-06 head units, and will play an aux input over the top of an "empty" CD signal from the CD changer, but that does require removal and modification of the stock head unit, and insertion of a blank CD into the changer, as a proxy for the aux in signal. I wish I had that for my iphone, but I haven't broken down, and purchased it yet, nor hacked into my factory stereo.

[NiftySVX]

Originally Posted by BoxerFanatic

Actually, that isn't correct.

The McIntosh did not come to the USA at all. The 2005+ Outback VDC had an upgraded stock unit, made by Panasonic IIRC... (same manufacturer as the rest of the Legacy lineup's built in head-units for the US)

I have personally seen/heard the McIntosh system in an outback, the vdc model, they never made a VDC in the current bodystyle. It was like a 2003 or so.

Anyone like/dislike JL?

[Tim]

Originally Posted by NiftySVX

I have personally seen/heard the McIntosh system in an outback, the vdc model, they never made a VDC in the current bodystyle. It was like a 2003 or so.

Anyone like/dislike JL?

The XR 650Csi components are supposed to be highly rated. They are a metal dome tweeter but reviews say they are not very harsh sounding.

[1986nate]

Originally Posted by NiftySVX

I have personally seen/heard the McIntosh system in an outback, the vdc model, they never made a VDC in the current bodystyle. It was like a 2003 or so.

Anyone like/dislike JL?

JL is good but not worth the price IMO. I had a set of 5.25" components in my Cutlass and sounded great but if I hadn't gotten them used at a great price, I never would have had them. You can find speakers just as good for about half-3/4 the price.

[RoughSilver92]

100% agreed on the JL stuff. They do make really good stuff, but it's like they say, you're paying for the name.

[BoxerFanatic]

Originally Posted by NiftySVX

I have personally seen/heard the McIntosh system in an outback, the vdc model, they never made a VDC in the current bodystyle. It was like a 2003 or so.

Anyone like/dislike JL?

Ah, I didn't realize you were referring to the 2000-2004 us model, which I know much less about, and would make sense to have a DIN-shaped stereo unit in the dash... Sorry for the confusion.

The top of the line Outback wagon for 2005 was a "VDC", above the LLBean edition.

After 2006, they dropped some of that naming convention, and most were either 2.5i, 2.5XT, or 3.0R.

I have heard very good things about JL Audio. One of the engineers at JL Audio made a custom show-quality system within a BP Legacy GT Wagon, (2005 or 2006, I don't remember off hand.) when the JL Audio CleanSweep came out, to adapt built-in head units like 05+ Legacys and Outbacks, to aftermarket downstream components. He posted a lot of info about it at LegacyGT.com, in the forums.

I have also heard good things, second hand, about Memphis Audio equipment. I don't have much exposure to the aftermarket car audio scene, though. With the Legacy being so integrated, I haven't seen the positive side of spending a bunch of money on the audio in it. I have spent more on my home theater system in my home, instead.

I wish I knew of a good company like NHT, but for cars. A company that doesn't do a lot of flashy stuff, not a lot of marketing hype, but makes good simple stuff, that performs well above it's price point. But unfortunately NHT itself went out of business a few months back...

If I were to get an SVX or something that I wanted to do an aftermarket system in, I would want to go with a nicely featured, and clean design HU, and simple, affordable, but high-value back end components. Not a lot of custom fitment or flash, just good sound from a portable digital music storage source, like my iPhone or my wife's sansa MP3 player. I don't even have a lot of use for moving optical drives in the car... I don't handle optical discs much anymore.

[Tim]

If you guys are heading out to Reading I'm sure you can listen to everyone's setups.