Cheap sounds!

Simon.h · 7th August 2011, 12:18

Hi,

Im not that happy the the sound system in my ZT, its as it left the factory- Kenwood head unit with kenwood cd in the boot theres just no bass to it!
The wifes Rover Steetwise factory set up sounds better!

Any ideas on changes needed?

VVC-Geeza · 7th August 2011, 16:56

I'll be upgrading my door speakers to these to add some bass
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Focal-Acce...item27bc9d1759

You could also install an active subwoofer in the boot.

gmax333 · 7th August 2011, 18:40

The Kenwood unit has terrible sound quality. I replaced just the head unit on the ZT I had and this made a massive difference. The Kenwood has no bass, the speakers are actually quite good as standard. I replaced with a relatively cheap Pioneer MP3/USB headunit as was pretty happy with the results.

OE speakers tend to be bass heavy, when you replace the speakers you tend to find the clarity is improved massively however the lower sound freqs are not present - this is normal behaviour as most components snip off anything under 45-80hz, where as the standard speakers try to play every freq (even though the are unable to) and this is why you get the reverb and bass heavy nature of OE but accoustically the range is much poorer on the standard speakers. Uprated component speakers and small sub (8-10inch) are they way to go.

gmax333 · 7th August 2011, 18:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by VVC-Geeza

I'll be upgrading my door speakers to these to add some bass
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Focal-Acce...item27bc9d1759

You could also install an active subwoofer in the boot.

I like the bright sound focal speakers produce. Very good for rock and or dance, not so good if you like classical or R&B. The older Utopia Focal 165 were brilliant and all their range from the Access to Utopia certainly impress. I used to be into all this malarky - a costly game.

VVC-Geeza · 7th August 2011, 18:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmax333

I like the bright sound focal speakers produce. Very good for rock and or dance, not so good if you like classical or R&B. The older Utopia Focal 165 were brilliant and all their range from the Access to Utopia certainly impress. I used to be into all this malarky - a costly game.

Hi Gary

do you think the tweeters supplied with those Focals will be better than the OEM ones?

gmax333 · 7th August 2011, 19:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by VVC-Geeza

Hi Gary

do you think the tweeters supplied with those Focals will be better than the OEM ones?

Oh yes! Focals tweeters are very impressive at all their price points. The OEM ones are pretty rubbish it's the low range driver that does most of the work as standard and this is probably the reason why people who buy the HK tweeters talk about them being a big improvement. The focal tweeters are going to sound much better than the HK ones too.

Source sounds in sheffield used to have a very good range of Focal's to listen to (not been for years).

Focals tweeters are not soft tweeters so you have to like the bright nature or they could grate. Infinity, Alpine & Boston accoutstics used to have much softer tweeters than Focal. Like with everything audio it depends on how you like something to sound.

VVC-Geeza · 7th August 2011, 22:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmax333

Oh yes! Focals tweeters are very impressive at all their price points. The OEM ones are pretty rubbish it's the low range driver that does most of the work as standard and this is probably the reason why people who buy the HK tweeters talk about them being a big improvement. The focal tweeters are going to sound much better than the HK ones too.

Source sounds in sheffield used to have a very good range of Focal's to listen to (not been for years).

Focals tweeters are not soft tweeters so you have to like the bright nature or they could grate. Infinity, Alpine & Boston accoutstics used to have much softer tweeters than Focal. Like with everything audio it depends on how you like something to sound.

Looks like the tweeters will be getting swapped too then

rovexCDTi · 8th August 2011, 10:27

I dont think there is anything wrong with the Kenwood head unit (apart from its a basic unit). The speakers are rubbish though. A Sub in the boot fixes the issue nicely, along with better speakers.

VVC-Geeza · 8th August 2011, 15:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by rovexCDTi

A Sub in the boot fixes the issue nicely, along with better speakers.

Yep,that's my plan

Simon.h · 8th August 2011, 16:34

Cheers, but the speakers cost too much as ZTs need 4 of them!

Any one changed to cheaper speakers?

7th August 2011, 12:18	#1
Simon.h This is my second home Previously owned- MG ZT V6 160 Y plate Lpg, MG ZT 190 2003 In Rare Celestial Factory Ordered Lpg MG Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Calne Posts: 4,531 Thanks: 8 Thanked 116 Times in 108 Posts	Cheap sounds! Hi, Im not that happy the the sound system in my ZT, its as it left the factory- Kenwood head unit with kenwood cd in the boot theres just no bass to it! The wifes Rover Steetwise factory set up sounds better! Any ideas on changes needed? __________________ Previously owned- MG ZT V6 160 Y plate Lpg, MG ZT 190 2003 In Rare Celestial Factory Ordered Lpg MG ZT 190 2004 lpg

7th August 2011, 16:56	#2
VVC-Geeza This is my second home 2005 Connoisseur SE 1.8 Turbo,2004 45 1.8 Connoisseur and my beloved 1998 VVC Coupe. Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Derby. Posts: 8,809 Thanks: 2,022 Thanked 1,016 Times in 739 Posts	I'll be upgrading my door speakers to these to add some bass http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Focal-Acce...item27bc9d1759 You could also install an active subwoofer in the boot. __________________ Last edited by VVC-Geeza; 7th August 2011 at 16:58..

8th August 2011, 10:27	#8
rovexCDTi This is my second home MG ZT+ 135 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Exeter Posts: 3,626 Thanks: 9 Thanked 42 Times in 26 Posts	I dont think there is anything wrong with the Kenwood head unit (apart from its a basic unit). The speakers are rubbish though. A Sub in the boot fixes the issue nicely, along with better speakers. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

8th August 2011, 16:34	#10
Simon.h This is my second home Previously owned- MG ZT V6 160 Y plate Lpg, MG ZT 190 2003 In Rare Celestial Factory Ordered Lpg MG Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Calne Posts: 4,531 Thanks: 8 Thanked 116 Times in 108 Posts	Cheers, but the speakers cost too much as ZTs need 4 of them! Any one changed to cheaper speakers? __________________ Previously owned- MG ZT V6 160 Y plate Lpg, MG ZT 190 2003 In Rare Celestial Factory Ordered Lpg MG ZT 190 2004 lpg

7th August 2011, 18:40	#3
gmax333 Avid contributor MG ZT 1.8T Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Doncaster Posts: 174 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	The Kenwood unit has terrible sound quality. I replaced just the head unit on the ZT I had and this made a massive difference. The Kenwood has no bass, the speakers are actually quite good as standard. I replaced with a relatively cheap Pioneer MP3/USB headunit as was pretty happy with the results. OE speakers tend to be bass heavy, when you replace the speakers you tend to find the clarity is improved massively however the lower sound freqs are not present - this is normal behaviour as most components snip off anything under 45-80hz, where as the standard speakers try to play every freq (even though the are unable to) and this is why you get the reverb and bass heavy nature of OE but accoustically the range is much poorer on the standard speakers. Uprated component speakers and small sub (8-10inch) are they way to go.