Opinions Please on JL Audio 2008 Exige S 240 Audio System Idea

[QueueCumber]

Originally Posted by jlj3394

Put the 5.25's in the front. Do a search for "speaker rings". I think the maker/seller is named jim-clayton. Put fiberfill under the fronts when you install them - it makes a big difference because the sound really reverbs with all the plastic/metal in the dash.

Put some 6.5's in the rear. I went with Polk DB651S which are slim mount and go in there with no mods necessary.

We also have a Kenwood enclosed amp behind the pass seat which is a dog, but does help. Your sub should be much better.

We're using a high end pioneer HU, can't think of the model #.

THe folks who say the sound has to suck, just haven't done it right. You're never going to make it a Lexus, but I just drove ~100mph for 3 hours with the top off and a Stage 2 and I heard the music great.

Once you get the equipment in there, you need to make profiles for top off/soft top/hard top and program them in.

IMO, the biggest improvements come from getting the biggest speakers possible in the front and rear. I can't stress that enough. Putting the JL5.25's in the front made an enormous difference for us.

Do you know if any of the JL 5.25" speakers will fit in the front of the Exige S 240?

I'm not looking to modify the car interior, but I don't mind modifying a speaker casing a little to fit the speaker hole... I had read about people seeing better results from 5.25" speakers, though I don't understand why this would be the case from my limited understanding of speaker design. If anything I would think it would only extend the frequency response range slightly, which shouldn't be necessary if the sub and front speakers are chosen properly so as to overlap before the front speaker's frequency response starts rolling off. I can see why it would be an improvement in a system where the sub woofer chosen and the front speakers fail to overlap properly, which would leave a gap in the frequency response of the system.

[wildwhl]

Originally Posted by QueueCumber

Do you know if any of the JL 5.25" speakers will fit in the front of the Exige S 240?

Might want to take Ace's red pill (tm).

Not to be an ass, but I know the dimensions are posted somewhere on this site (allowable sizes). You'll likely need a spacer...

WW

[QueueCumber]

Originally Posted by wildwhl

Not sure...and to be frank...doesn't really matter. I know the car is a lot faster than I am capable of at this stage, and I figure I'm just over stock weight with my mods (some add, some subtract) and I have the Gotham tune and a smaller pulley, lighter exhaust, etc. that makes more power...at the track yesterday I learned first hand just how many additional mods the DRIVER needs!

WW

Thanks for posting that. I did the Skip Barber 3-day school a few years ago, and it was fantastic. I'm rusty as hell though and have been thinking about signing up for something where I can bring the Exige and get some one on one time with an instructor...

[jlj3394]

Originally Posted by QueueCumber

Do you know if any of the JL 5.25" speakers will fit in the front of the Exige S 240?

I'm not looking to modify the car interior, but I don't mind modifying a speaker casing a little to fit the speaker hole... I had read about people seeing better results from 5.25" speakers, though I don't understand why this would be the case from my limited understanding of speaker design. If anything I would think it would only extend the frequency response range slightly, which shouldn't be necessary if the sub and front speakers are chosen properly so as to overlap before the front speaker's frequency response starts rolling off. I can see why it would be an improvement in a system where the sub woofer chosen and the front speakers fail to overlap properly, which would leave a gap in the frequency response of the system.

The JL 5.25s will fit with the Speaker rings from jim-clayton. Do a search.

The 5.25's sound dramatically better than any 4s I could find. With fiberfill, you can actually get some decent thump out of the front if you want to.

Out of all the mods you've listed/considered, the 5.25's in front will make the most improvement, by far.

[MattG]

Originally Posted by QueueCumber

I guess if wiring has to be done for the backup camera, it isn't such a big deal to do the rest of the stuff at the same time... I just don't want to be unnecessarily invasive to the interior of the car if possible.

Exactly. I wanted to wired up some gauges, so waited to do the stereo project until that was ready to go, too. I removed the passenger seat, and routed all the wires (gauge, amp power, etc) at the same time, wasn't too bad at that point.

Trust me, the subwoofer really makes a huge difference...it's worth the inconvenience of wiring if you at all care about the music you're listening to.

[QueueCumber]

Originally Posted by jlj3394

The JL 5.25s will fit with the Speaker rings from jim-clayton. Do a search.

The 5.25's sound dramatically better than any 4s I could find. With fiberfill, you can actually get some decent thump out of the front if you want to.

Out of all the mods you've listed/considered, the 5.25's in front will make the most improvement, by far.

Well, it certainly won't hurt me excessively to do it then, thanks for the info.

I did a Lotus Talk fora search on OC fiberglass (Owens Corning), which is probably some of the best stuff out there for acoustical absorption at a low price, and didn't find anything coming up on the search. Has anyone ever used any underneath their speaker cones to absorb the back waves from the cones? I have a whole lot of OC 703 and OC 705 left over from my home theater/listening room installation that I could cut up and try out in those cavities. I'm curious if maximizing absorption is the end goal of stuffing fiber fill into the speaker hole? Perhaps the usefulness of OC 703 for this purpose is a subject best asked about on a DIY speaker forum though...



Here are the absorption coefficients:

http://www.bobgolds.com/AbsorptionCoefficients.htm

BTW wildwhl, I've been doing searches for days on things. Part of the problem with searches is, you can't always find what you are looking for, particularly if you don't know what keywords are in popular use for the topic you are interested in... If someone is mentioning something in the thread I started, I don't see what is wrong with asking for further information on it, considering my lack of familiarity with the automotive vernacular. I've read many of the threads people are referring to in my thread already, including some, if not all, of your system build threads. I wouldn't have started this thread if I didn't have particular questions I still wasn't able to figure out on my own.

[QueueCumber]

Originally Posted by MattG

Exactly. I wanted to wired up some gauges, so waited to do the stereo project until that was ready to go, too. I removed the passenger seat, and routed all the wires (gauge, amp power, etc) at the same time, wasn't too bad at that point.

Trust me, the subwoofer really makes a huge difference...it's worth the inconvenience of wiring if you at all care about the music you're listening to.

Thanks. Nice installation thread BTW, I added it to my speaker installation folder, for when I do the work.

I'm hoping it isn't too hard to figure out how to open some of these panels and remove some of these parts. Anyone know of an all-in-one toolkit that covers all the work needed to remove the car parts that have to be removed?

[QueueCumber]

Someone on a DIY speaker forum recommended this company. This is one of their products, I thought it looked interesting for the application at hand:

Deflex - Stops car speaker vibrations

[wildwhl]

Originally Posted by QueueCumber

BTW wildwhl, I've been doing searches for days on things. Part of the problem with searches is, you can't always find what you are looking for, particularly if you don't know what keywords are in popular use for the topic you are interested in... If someone is mentioning something in the thread I started, I don't see what is wrong with asking for further information on it, considering my lack of familiarity with the automotive vernacular. I've read many of the threads people are referring to in my thread already, including some, if not all, of your system build threads. I wouldn't have started this thread if I didn't have particular questions I still wasn't able to figure out on my own.

It was just a suggestion...and I understand. No need to be offended

Sorry if I missed it (limited access right now) - Exige - right? Stock rear speakers have less room on Exige with harness bar...

WW

[QueueCumber]

Originally Posted by wildwhl

It was just a suggestion...and I understand. No need to be offended

Sorry if I missed it (limited access right now) - Exige - right? Stock rear speakers have less room on Exige with harness bar...

WW

Yes, an Exige S 240 w/ track pack. So, what am I limited to in the back for speakers?

Think I could fit something like the Focal Polyglass 130 CVX (5.25" kit) in both the front and back? Or, the Alpine SPR-13C (or SPS-13C) (5.25")? Or, the JL Audio VR525-CXi?

Are there any adjustments that can be made to those other speakers so they would fit in the front?

Thanks.

[apk919]

Originally Posted by QueueCumber

Yes, an Exige S 240 w/ track pack. So, what am I limited to in the back for speakers?

Think I could fit something like the Focal Polyglass 130 CVX (5.25" kit) in both the front and back? Or, the Alpine SPR-13C (or SPS-13C) (5.25")? Or, the JL Audio VR525-CXi?

Are there any adjustments that can be made to those other speakers so they would fit in the front?

Thanks.

Here's what I did to make the Focal 130 CV1's sound better in the back... note the clearance to the harness bar.

Here's jim-clayton's solution to putting 5 1/4" speakers up front.

[QueueCumber]

Originally Posted by apk919

Here's what I did to make the Focal 130 CV1's sound better in the back... note the clearance to the harness bar.

Here's jim-clayton's solution to putting 5 1/4" speakers up front.

I just ordered a pair of the adaptor rings. Thanks!

I have an idea of exactly what I will use now, thanks to all of you! The one thing I'm not sure about, because I have never seen the speaker, is if I could fit a JL Audio VR650-CXi in the back of the Exige S 240 with track and touring packs. If not I'll go with a JL Audio VR525-CXi. Is there any way to get a VR650-CXi to fit back there (without being destructive - moving an item and putting it back on doesn't bother me, as long as it isn't risky to the car in some way)?

Other than that this is what I'm likely going to use:

• Alpine PDX-5
• JL Audio VR525-CXi (4 - if I can't use the VR650-CXi)
• JL Audio Stealthbox
• JVC KD-NX5000

Is there a thread anywhere that lists what other extra accessories are necessary with an install like this? Things like what extra wires (power, speaker, coaxial, etc), tools and other associated things are needed for a project like this?

I would use the online manuals for the Alpine PDX-5 and JVC KD-NX5000 to figure out exactly what I need, but funny enough, their manuals can't be downloaded currently!

Nice work BTW apk919. I had read your thread a few days ago, it was very useful for helping me begin to figure a car installation out. It is frustrating to not know much about a topic, but very fulfilling to begin to figure it all out. So, I've read a lot of these threads, but it hasn't really started to come together for me until I started this thread to ask questions.

[apk919]

Originally Posted by QueueCumber

Is there a thread anywhere that lists what other extra accessories are necessary with an install like this? Things like what extra wires (power, speaker, coaxial, etc), tools and other associated things are needed for a project like this?

I would use the online manuals for the Alpine PDX-5 and JVC KD-NX5000 to figure out exactly what I need, but funny enough, their manuals can't be downloaded currently!

Nice work BTW apk919. I had read your thread a few days ago, it was very useful for helping me begin to figure a car installation out. It is frustrating to not know much about a topic, but very fulfilling to begin to figure it all out. So, I've read a lot of these threads, but it hasn't really started to come together for me until I started this thread to ask questions.

Thanks... as far as other supplies needed, just off the top of my head (almost all of this is available at Radio Shack or equivalent):

• 2 x 24' stereo audio cable with RCA jacks at either end (20' might be enough).
• 100' 16awg speaker cable (to replace speaker wiring to fronts and backs and wire up the sub).
• 20' 16awg hookup wire (for the amp's remote power signal from the head unit)
• 40' of wire looms (protect your wiring from sharp aluminum)
• 20' 10awg hookup wire (for power and ground to amp)
• 30amp inline fuse holder and fuse (to connect the amp to the battery)
• Assorted tie wraps (keep it neat).
• 16awg spade lugs (to connect speaker wires to speakers)

As far as tools... nothing unusual, but if you don't already have them, I'd invest in a good set of metric sockets, open end wrenches, and hex and star bits. Also wire cutters/strippers/crimpers, soldering iron/solder, electrical tape, screwdrivers... you know, the usual suspects. The only bit of custom work was working out a good mounting bracket for the amp. Check my thread for my solution.

[wildwhl]

****e, he posts the car in his topic - I'm such an idiot

My apologies.

Grassyass.

WW

[QueueCumber]

Originally Posted by apk919

Thanks... as far as other supplies needed, just off the top of my head (almost all of this is available at Radio Shack or equivalent):

Excellent, thank you! I cut and pasted a grocery list together. I'll get to ordering everything next week.

[QueueCumber]

I have another question for anyone who has some knowledge and experience with car speakers in the Lotus and elsewhere. Does the 5.25 Infinity Kappa 52.9i fit into the front of the car with the speaker rings I bought?

If so, has anyone done a sound quality comparison between the JL Audio VR525-CXi vs. the Infinity Kappa 52.9i (with the UniPivot tweeter). I know the Kappas have a little higher sensitivity. That ability to rotate the tweeter with precision seems like a definite boon to the Exige space limitations. Does anyone know if the VR525-CXi's tweeter can move at all in order to improve stereo imaging?

[QueueCumber]

Has anyone put a JL Audio Stealthbox in a 2008 Exige S 240 yet? I'm wondering if it definitely fits into the passenger footwell or not...

Thanks.

[QueueCumber]

I'm impressed with the quality of the stock Alpine speakers compared to the speakers that came in the 2005 Elise. Much better system right off the bat. I'm going to keep those in there. Instead I'm just going to add the Stealthbox if it will fit, add the Alpine PDX-5 to amplify everything, and change the head unit to the JVC KD-NX5000 (with the bluetooth, iPod, rearview camera - a must from my experience so far in parking lots - and possibly Sirius Satellite as well).

I can always EQ and/or PEQ certain frequencies depending on the cabin noise...

[apk919]

Originally Posted by QueueCumber

Has anyone put a JL Audio Stealthbox in a 2008 Exige S 240 yet? I'm wondering if it definitely fits into the passenger footwell or not...

Thanks.

Originally Posted by QueueCumber

I'm impressed with the quality of the stock Alpine speakers compared to the speakers that came in the 2005 Elise. Much better system right off the bat. I'm going to keep those in there. Instead I'm just going to add the Stealthbox if it will fit, add the Alpine PDX-5 to amplify everything, and change the head unit to the JVC KD-NX5000 (with the bluetooth, iPod, rearview camera - a must from my experience so far in parking lots - and possibly Sirius Satellite as well).

I can always EQ and/or PEQ certain frequencies depending on the cabin noise...

Did you get your car yet, or were you listening to another 2008? Which head unit are they installing in the car these days?

As far as I know, the dimensions of the car's interior have not changed for 2008. The Stealthbox is a very tight fit; you'll have to remove the velcro on the floorpan used to attach the footrest and carpet, and even then you have to shove it in there pretty firmly.

[Rugbyduck]

I have the AVIC-3, the Stealth box and a monster 5 channel amp. The sound is crisp, thumps like a "gangsta" when I like, but quality is superb.