Improve on HK sound system

biggles · 8th May 2007, 07:19

Hi all!

Warning! Long post!

I have the Harman Kardon system in my '99 Conn saloon. I have just ordered a new HU to replace the Symphony - more for the sake of features than anything else.

However, I really need to do something about the speakers and/or amp setup in the car - number one being to rid it of the annoying door card rattles and maybe also improve on midrange and bass response. All in all, the Symphony/HK setup isn't all that bad.

Reading up on the matter I realise that number one would be redoing the bass speaker mounts in MDF but having browsed the online shops and seeing that decent component speakers and amps aren't all that expensive maybe I should take a deeper plunge in the wallet and aim higher.

Things I have considered:

* MDF mounts or similar (of course)

* Getting all new speakers like the Infinity 6010cs that have been tried by members of this forum. But how much better are they compared to the stock HK speakers?

* From the look of it the speaker grille in the doors look like they would accept 3-way components. Are there "holes" behind the cloth topside of the woofer in the door to allow this? Are 3-way systems (like the Infinity Kappa .7cs) really better?

* Replace the HK amp with one or two that accepts line inputs from the new HU. If I do this can I keep the stock HK speakers if I fit new crossovers or are the HK speakers to "special" to allow this?

* What to do about the subwoofer? Is it flawed by design or could it contribute to the sound if driven by a decent amp? Maybe replace the speakers in the sub as well? No other sub will be that much out of the way in the boot so it would be nice to keep it for that reason.
Of course, if I can get the same bass in the car with new speakers in the doors and MDF mounts maybe I can just rip out the sub and save the space.

Comments anyone?

Keith · 8th May 2007, 09:50

Do a search here and elsewhere several threads on installing Bass blockers in the door speaker leads.

Main problem with the bad design of the HK system is it is amplifying the output of the existing HU amp which is not a good thing to do (rubbish in rubbish out etc) and does not divert all bass to the sub so the door speakers spend all their lives thumping away rather than producing the mid range stuff.

Bass blockers are reputedly a vast improvement.

biggles · 8th May 2007, 20:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith

Do a search here and elsewhere several threads on installing Bass blockers in the door speaker leads.

Main problem with the bad design of the HK system is it is amplifying the output of the existing HU amp which is not a good thing to do (rubbish in rubbish out etc) and does not divert all bass to the sub so the door speakers spend all their lives thumping away rather than producing the mid range stuff.

Bass blockers are reputedly a vast improvement.

i considered bass blockers (capacitor filters) but id I want to get rid of the amp I need new crossovers. Any reason why generic crossovers wouldn't work with the existing HK speakers?

SD1too · 13th May 2007, 18:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by biggles

Hi all!

I have the Harman Kardon system in my '99 Conn saloon.

I really need to do something about the speakers and/or amp setup in the car to rid it of the annoying door card rattles and maybe also improve on midrange and bass response.

* From the look of it the speaker grille in the doors look like they would accept 3-way components. Are there "holes" behind the cloth topside of the woofer in the door to allow this?

* Replace the HK amp with one or two that accepts line inputs from the new HU. If I do this can I keep the stock HK speakers if I fit new crossovers or are the HK speakers to "special" to allow this?

* What to do about the subwoofer? Is it flawed by design or could it contribute to the sound if driven by a decent amp?

Comments anyone?

Hi Erik,

I think the rattling you're hearing is distortion mainly from the sub-woofer (I have also noticed this on a friend's 75 with HK). As Keith says, this is because the HK power amplifier takes its input from the car's audio system speaker outputs which is very bad practice. You'll need to find the audio system's pre-amp (line) output (I tried unsuccessfully to get a circuit diagram) and feed THAT into your power amplifier's input. I believe the distortion will then be dramatically reduced. Why not try it first with your existing HK power amp?

Yes, there IS a space above the bass/mid-range unit for another speaker, certainly behind the front door cards, but I doubt that you'd achieve much by adding one. There are no crossovers fitted so yes, you could add these to your existing HK units. It's the amplification which needs sorting out, so I fear it would be a waste of money to buy different speakers at this stage.

Let us all know how you get on.

biggles · 13th May 2007, 22:14

Well, if there is a way to hack into the HK amp and find a suitable place for line inputs that would be a economical way around the problem.

My HU has line level sub out as well so if I can manage modding the HK amp, I can get another amp just for the sub and utilize the sub crossover in the HU to improve things even further.

But, if the HK amp isn't easily modifiable, the next step would be getting an all new amp and the the next decision would be to keep the HK speaker and get new crossovers or replace the speakers altogther, save the sub.

biggles · 15th May 2007, 07:23

Does the HK amp in the 75/ZT have a BMW equivalent by the way? Like the E46 or E36 HK amp?

8th May 2007, 07:19	#1
biggles Loves to post Rover 75 2.5 V6 conn Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Linköping Posts: 414 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Improve on HK sound system Hi all! Warning! Long post! I have the Harman Kardon system in my '99 Conn saloon. I have just ordered a new HU to replace the Symphony - more for the sake of features than anything else. However, I really need to do something about the speakers and/or amp setup in the car - number one being to rid it of the annoying door card rattles and maybe also improve on midrange and bass response. All in all, the Symphony/HK setup isn't all that bad. Reading up on the matter I realise that number one would be redoing the bass speaker mounts in MDF but having browsed the online shops and seeing that decent component speakers and amps aren't all that expensive maybe I should take a deeper plunge in the wallet and aim higher. Things I have considered: * MDF mounts or similar (of course) * Getting all new speakers like the Infinity 6010cs that have been tried by members of this forum. But how much better are they compared to the stock HK speakers? * From the look of it the speaker grille in the doors look like they would accept 3-way components. Are there "holes" behind the cloth topside of the woofer in the door to allow this? Are 3-way systems (like the Infinity Kappa .7cs) really better? * Replace the HK amp with one or two that accepts line inputs from the new HU. If I do this can I keep the stock HK speakers if I fit new crossovers or are the HK speakers to "special" to allow this? * What to do about the subwoofer? Is it flawed by design or could it contribute to the sound if driven by a decent amp? Maybe replace the speakers in the sub as well? No other sub will be that much out of the way in the boot so it would be nice to keep it for that reason. Of course, if I can get the same bass in the car with new speakers in the doors and MDF mounts maybe I can just rip out the sub and save the space. Comments anyone? __________________ /Erik [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Rover 75 2.5 V6 Connoisseur

13th May 2007, 22:14	#5
biggles Loves to post Rover 75 2.5 V6 conn Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Linköping Posts: 414 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Well, if there is a way to hack into the HK amp and find a suitable place for line inputs that would be a economical way around the problem. My HU has line level sub out as well so if I can manage modding the HK amp, I can get another amp just for the sub and utilize the sub crossover in the HU to improve things even further. But, if the HK amp isn't easily modifiable, the next step would be getting an all new amp and the the next decision would be to keep the HK speaker and get new crossovers or replace the speakers altogther, save the sub. __________________ /Erik [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Rover 75 2.5 V6 Connoisseur

15th May 2007, 07:23	#6
biggles Loves to post Rover 75 2.5 V6 conn Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Linköping Posts: 414 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Does the HK amp in the 75/ZT have a BMW equivalent by the way? Like the E46 or E36 HK amp? __________________ /Erik [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Rover 75 2.5 V6 Connoisseur

8th May 2007, 09:50	#2
Keith This is my second home ZT400 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ellesmere Posts: 5,948 Thanks: 0 Thanked 43 Times in 29 Posts	Do a search here and elsewhere several threads on installing Bass blockers in the door speaker leads. Main problem with the bad design of the HK system is it is amplifying the output of the existing HU amp which is not a good thing to do (rubbish in rubbish out etc) and does not divert all bass to the sub so the door speakers spend all their lives thumping away rather than producing the mid range stuff. Bass blockers are reputedly a vast improvement.