Speaker upgrade on 02 S

[Porsche_farsi]

Hey all,
I got a new headunit with navigation and would like to upgrade my speakers. I was looking at these. My audio guy said I have to redo the entire wiring in the car etc. if I wanted new speakers and its a huge job. I think he is wrong would these be an easy switch, would they fit?

Speakers I want:
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_8826_Alpine+SPR-13S.html

My head unit:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-jw1zMmtUOd5/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?I=700NAV617

[Amfibius]

If your Porsche has the optional enhanced sound package (you can tell because you will have door pods for speakers, and an amplifier under the bonnet), then your install guy is right. You will have to redo the wiring for the whole car. This is because the connection between the Becker head unit and the amplifier is proprietary. Rather than sending out a preamp signal to the amplifier, the Becker HU feeds the amplifier digitally, with the DA conversion done in the amplifier.

When I upgraded my stereo I had to redo the wiring. The cost of the install very nearly exceeded the cost of the components.

[Porsche_farsi]

So what if i get a new amp? Replace the existing ones and just keep the wires that are there? And I do not have the becker hu anymore I have a kenwood does that make a difference?

[Chippy]

My Boxy had no door speakers and no amp.....I recently replaced the dash and added door speaker pods, and fitted a new amp and crossovers in the front boot.

I bought Jehnert door speaker pods, and they come as a package with new dash pods as well.

The dash pods are direct replacements that use OEM Porsche grilles with top quality 4" and 1" speakers built into them. The door pods house 2 x 160mm woofers per door:-

Just an idea........

[Amfibius]

Originally Posted by Porsche_farsi

So what if i get a new amp? Replace the existing ones and just keep the wires that are there? And I do not have the becker hu anymore I have a kenwood does that make a difference?

If you have a Kenwood instead of the Becker, then you DO NOT have the proprietary Porsche interface. I don't know how much you know about audio, but here is a quick explanation:

ALL aftermarket systems work like this:
Headunit --> (analogue line level signal) --> amplifier --> (amplified signal) --> speakers

Porsche system (standard):
Headunit --> (amplified via internal amplifier) --> speakers

Porsche Enhanced Sound:
Headunit --> (digital signal) --> amplifier with built-in digital-analogue converter --> (amplified signal) --> speakers

If you want to install that headunit, it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you also buy an amp. You will have to fit the amp under the bonnet, unless you buy a small amp and can fit it somewhere else in the cabin (e.g. under the seat, behind the seat, in the rear parcel shelf). This means that the wiring will be easier, as you do not have to pass a cable through the firewall to the amp, and back again from the amp to the speakers.

The simplest and cheapest way is to install the headunit in the dash, use the internal amplifier, and run that to the speakers. This would be a 1-2 hour job and cost next to nothing. It will not sound very good though.

The reason why my car stereo install was so expensive:
- The entire standard system had to be removed - this involved removing a lot of trim, prising off the carpet, locating the hidden grommets for access through the firewall, tracking the wiring through the dash, etc.
- I wanted sound deadener installed in the doors. This adds about 10kg of weight to your car but makes a huge improvement to the sound.
- I was a fussy bastard when it came to speaker positioning. I wanted the speakers in the standard location but I also wanted the sound to "gel".
- The amplifier and all the electronics (including external DAC) were hidden in a false floor under the boot.

... and a few other things. I am happy with my install.

[Porsche_farsi]

I got the head unit installed a while ago by an shop. It took them 5 hours! They are using the same amp they used a new wiring harness i beleive and that is it. Im gonna take it there and see what they can do hopefully next week!

[angman]

Those are really nice speaker pods. Where can I find them and at what cost? I assume that you had to cut out part of the factory door panel to install them though?

Originally Posted by Chippy

My Boxy had no door speakers and no amp.....I recently replaced the dash and added door speaker pods, and fitted a new amp and crossovers in the front boot.

I bought Jehnert door speaker pods, and they come as a package with new dash pods as well.

The dash pods are direct replacements that use OEM Porsche grilles with top quality 4" and 1" speakers built into them. The door pods house 2 x 160mm woofers per door:-

Just an idea........

[Chippy]

yeah a little cutting was required but not as much as you may think......it needed two holes cutting, but the pods come with a cardboard guide that aligns with the molding on the inside of the door card. It's then a case of using a marker to trace the hole and then using a jigsaw to cut them.

The cardboard guide has two shapes - one if you have door speakers already, and another if you have no door speakers at all.

They were fairly pricey - GBP650, but that included 4 drivers, the pods and grilles, two crossovers, new dash pods which each house a 4" and a 1" tweeters.

They sound superb, and well worth the money IMO.

Jehnert Door Speakers

[boxs2000]

Originally Posted by Porsche_farsi

Hey all,
I got a new headunit with navigation and would like to upgrade my speakers. I was looking at these. My audio guy said I have to redo the entire wiring in the car etc. if I wanted new speakers and its a huge job. I think he is wrong would these be an easy switch, would they fit?

Speakers I want:
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_8826_Alpine+SPR-13S.html

My head unit:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-jw1zMmtUOd5/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?I=700NAV617

Well they will fit and you do not have to rewire the whole system. You can just replace the door woofer with the alpine one and also replace the factory tweeter with the Alpine tweeter. many people have done this hack with the tweeter by carefully removing the stock tweeter and putting the after market on the factory mounting plate by gluing etc. Now, the drawback to this is the frequencies that is going to be sent to the new speakers by the factory amp may not be a the same frequencies as recommended or designed by Alpine. A good installer can put capacitors/passive cross overs to compensate for the proper frequency as recommend by the new speakers. (they can also utilize the crossover that comes with the Alpine)