Quality of Euro incar audio

[xframe88]

Hi Guys,

Im about to purchase a Euro Luxury and havent had a good chance to check out the qualtty of the incar audio system. Id prefer not to replace the head unit for aesthetic reasons, but should I be budgeting on replacing the speakers, and perhaps adding a power amp?
Im too old now to be into the ear splitting doof doof decibels, but I spend a fortune on home hifi and love quality sound.

Cheers.

[stephen8512]

yeah stock system is ok in the luxury. its pretty decent for the average person but of course u can always change it for more clarity/bass. im using stock atm but plan to upgrade the headunit and add a sub later.

just to clear up any confusions, if u didnt know, u can add a headunit in the compartment under the original headunit and use the original headunit's 6 stacker as ur CD holder. and also, u would be able to use the CH + - and volume controls on ur steering wheel as well but u'll have to get somethin to make it work with the afermarket headunit (cant remember what it was but i remember someone on this forum was selling it)

[nav12c]

yes, as stephen has said, i am fairly sure you can use all those functions if you use a device called SHOND3 (correct me if i am wrong). I am also about to purchase a Euro and have been looking at installing a single din dvd player and retractable screen in the compartment below. I have also seen on ebay you can buy a unit that replaces the compartment below to cater for additional din units and looks almost like from the factory.

[xframe88]

Im actually more interested in using a portable mp3 player as my music source than the head unit, in my case its a pocket pc, same sort of connection requirements as the ipod. Im assuiming the head unit does have some sort of line input on its rear i can run a cable from.
This is why I am more thinking along the lines of replacing the default speakers, thinking this may bring some gains in sound quality.
Id prefer to keep the covered compartment where you can place additional din decks, as this will be a good place to conceal my pocket pc in the car.

[cheerful_ppl]

I have a Std Euro. I replaced the rear 6 x 9 by a 3-way Pioneer and wished to have a better sound quality. The overall quality improved, but I was a bit disappointing that it has sszzz.... noise between tracks. Maybe I choose a wrong type of speaker.... Does anyone have the same experience?

Regarding to the Soundgate product (SNHOND3), does anyone know if we can find it in Australia?

[albii]

i have a euro and i am very impressed with overall clarity and bass for a stock system....no buzzing at all....its better sounding than a lot of aftermarket systems i have heard

[albii]

Hi Guys,

Im about to purchase a Euro Luxury and havent had a good chance to check out the qualtty of the incar audio system. Id prefer not to replace the head unit for aesthetic reasons, but should I be budgeting on replacing the speakers, and perhaps adding a power amp?
Im too old now to be into the ear splitting doof doof decibels, but I spend a fortune on home hifi and love quality sound.

Cheers.
replace the speakers and thats it.....dont do what someone on this forum did and change the head unit for a single din as it looked rubbish and really cheapened the interior look of car...... the car is supposed to be classy but it looked really rubbish.

[xframe88]

cheerful_ppl - Id start by checking the polarity and termination quality of the new speakers, unless they are physically faulty, I dont think you could chose the wrong speakers as such, given that they are designed for a car stereo. Does it only happen with certain cd's? Perhaps some you have converted from mp3's?
It sounds alot like you are picking up some sort of interference, which brings me back to the terminations of the speaker wire perhaps.

[Peekay34]

I have a Std Euro. I replaced the rear 6 x 9 by a 3-way Pioneer and wished to have a better sound quality. The overall quality improved, but I was a bit disappointing that it has sszzz.... noise between tracks. Maybe I choose a wrong type of speaker.... Does anyone have the same experience?

Regarding to the Soundgate product (SNHOND3), does anyone know if we can find it in Australia?


I put 6x9 MB Quarts discus units in the back of my car no problems and really clear ...I don't have any sszzzing sounds..but as the last post before mine sounds like your speakers either have a problem, possibly out of phase? or ?

[euro77]

The stock sound system is quite good. Still, with speakers upgrade and adding amps, you will get more bass and clarity.

[as001]

I have a Std Euro. I replaced the rear 6 x 9 by a 3-way Pioneer and wished to have a better sound quality. The overall quality improved, but I was a bit disappointing that it has sszzz.... noise between tracks. Maybe I choose a wrong type of speaker.... Does anyone have the same experience?

Regarding to the Soundgate product (SNHOND3), does anyone know if we can find it in Australia?

was it hard to change the rear speakers over? i was looking at doing this in the future along with changing the six inch ones as well...

[qmjona]

On a silimar topic, I wondered if, by any chance, there was any wiring in the rear doors to the empty speaker positions, that would make it easy to add speakers there. Anyone know about this?

[euro77]

I'm almost 100% sure there is no wiring to the back door, as Honda Australia didn't fit speakers there. But I can be 100% wrong though.

[xframe88]

Shame no-one seems to be able to confirm if he SHOND3 works with aussie euros, even the manufacturers themselves dont know:

Hi :
I'm sorry but we have no information on the Austrian Hondas.


Thank you,

Technical Support
Logjam Electronics
techsupport@logjamelectronics.com
www.logjamelectronics.com

[stephen8512]

Shame no-one seems to be able to confirm if he SHOND3 works with aussie euros, even the manufacturers themselves dont know:

Hi :
I'm sorry but we have no information on the Austrian Hondas.


Thank you,

Technical Support
Logjam Electronics
techsupport@logjamelectronics.com
www.logjamelectronics.com


hmm austrian or austrALIAN?

[learner]

xframe88 you can read more info about connect the ipod in this thread
http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15489

for me... i think it should work fine... i am askin my friend in america to get me one...
i have email soundgate to ask them do they accept overseas order... but they said they dun do tat... so.... yea...

i will update it when i installed

[xframe88]

What is the actual aux input connector type on the honda that is making this all so hard? I know its not RCA, so what is it? Is it a proprietary Honda connector that we cant get hold of, or is it something we can buy from someone like altronics and solder up an adapter lead? I know the steering whell controls wont work, but can we atleast just hard wire into the aux in?

[xframe88]

Im assuming that there MUST be a line input on the rear, or else how would you connect the optional mp3 or tape deck available from honda to your head unit?
Funky connector perhaps, but on the rear of that deck, there MUST be a line in.

[cheerful_ppl]

cheerful_ppl - Id start by checking the polarity and termination quality of the new speakers, unless they are physically faulty, I dont think you could chose the wrong speakers as such, given that they are designed for a car stereo. Does it only happen with certain cd's? Perhaps some you have converted from mp3's?
It sounds alot like you are picking up some sort of interference, which brings me back to the terminations of the speaker wire perhaps.

Sorry for the late reply, I wasn't on line for the last few days.

I do not know the polarity of the wires, but I did try changing the polarity, not much improvement. I still reckon the Pioneer speakers are too sensitive.

I am thinking of adding an amp to the rear speakers using high level input. Does anyone know where to get the 'remote' lead from the head unit to turn on/off the amp.:confused: Someone suggested to get it from the antanna amp.

[zco]

OEM is good . i like it. sounds good

[cheerful_ppl]

was it hard to change the rear speakers over? i was looking at doing this in the future along with changing the six inch ones as well...

For rear speaker, it is very easy.
1. Locate the clips from the boot, remove the covers.
2. Unscrew the factory speakers.
3. Drop the new one in and screw it up with the original screws.
4. Put the covers back.
5. Terminate the wires.

It took me about 30 min.

The depth of the new speakers could be an issue. My Pioneer 3-way 6x9 is just about touching the cover.

"6-inch ones"? I thought those on the front door are 6.5 inch. I read that it is not straight in, like those at the back, you may need to drill holes on the door.

[cheerful_ppl]

What is the actual aux input connector type on the honda that is making this all so hard? I know its not RCA, so what is it? Is it a proprietary Honda connector that we cant get hold of, or is it something we can buy from someone like altronics and solder up an adapter lead? I know the steering whell controls wont work, but can we atleast just hard wire into the aux in?

It is not only the line in connection or getting the right connector. The Soundgate SNHOND3 adaptor has to fool the system that there is a device (CD Changer) connected so that the head unit will switch into line-in mode.

[cheerful_ppl]

I'm almost 100% sure there is no wiring to the back door, as Honda Australia didn't fit speakers there. But I can be 100% wrong though.

I am not sure, but too lazy to open the panel...;) Has anyone tried removing the door panel to verify this?

The 93 Civic hatch has 2 front speakers only, but there is wiring inside the rear panel which can connect to speakers straight away.

[Slugoid]

I reckon the stock system is ok to get by with but if I was serious about my sound, I would change the front splits and maybe run that off an amp. That would be the first thing I would do. If that still doesn't satisfy you, change the head unit. Contrary to what albii said, if done properly, putting a single DIN unit into the double din storage compartment may look ok. I mean, that's what they do if you wanted to put the factory MP3 unit into the car. To make it more neat, you could fill the gap with a single DIN storage compartment.

I still think the Mazda 6's Bose system really kicks the Euro stock system, and the Liberty's (dunno if the new one has it) stock McIntosh system is one of the best stock unit's I've heard. The Euro, with it's quite interior, can do much better in the audio sector imo.


I'm almost 100% sure there is no wiring to the back door, as Honda Australia didn't fit speakers there. But I can be 100% wrong though.

I remember discussing this with you ages ago. There's no speakers in the back for sure, but whether there are wires or place to run wires there is another issue.

cheerful_ppl: if you want to test polarity of the speakers, use an AA battery and hook it up to your speaker. Remember which wire are on what polarity. If the speaker cones pop outward, then it's the right polarity. So if the wire was on the + terminal of the battery, then that's the + terminal. If they pop inward, then it's the wrong polarity.

[xframe88]

It is not only the line in connection or getting the right connector. The Soundgate SNHOND3 adaptor has to fool the system that there is a device (CD Changer) connected so that the head unit will switch into line-in mode.


AAH ok, thats the piece of information Ive been missing, I had assumed there would be some simple button on the front of the euro headunit for selecting aux in.
Thanks for clearing that up, I think, thats bad news!!

Get my euro this weekend so I will know some more from then on.

[cheerful_ppl]

Icheerful_ppl: if you want to test polarity of the speakers, use an AA battery and hook it up to your speaker. Remember which wire are on what polarity. If the speaker cones pop outward, then it's the right polarity. So if the wire was on the + terminal of the battery, then that's the + terminal. If they pop inward, then it's the wrong polarity.

Thanks for the hints, really useful!! :thumbsup: