If I had $500 or so to get my audio system as improved as I could, where would I go in Southern Ca that I could trust to not rip me off and do good work? I am in Murrieta but would drive. I have a '15 Fit EX. I would prefer to go to a person than a shop just because I feel like there's less of a chance to get ripped off money wise. Anyone here want to make some money for their trouble?
Thanks,
Steve

 

What are you planning to upgrade? If it's speakers, I bet you can do this yourself - see my post in this subforum "Question for speaker install..." It it's the head unit, a little more complicated and working in a more cramped space, so a lot of folks let someone else do that.

All you need for the speaker install is a Philips screwdriver, trim tool kit (I got mine for $7.99 at harbor frieght), and possibly a drill for the speaker brackets. A rubber mallet comes in handy to knock the old speakers out from the bottom but is not an absolute necessity.

 

Not the head unit as I think I should stick with original. Speakers for sure. Is an amp or sub needed? My skills in this area would just mess things up. I would need someone to do it for or with me

 

Steve - seriously, I bet you can replace your own speakers. About the only problem you could run into is not being able to get the door panel off. If you can handle a screwdriver and the trim tools, you can do it.

As to whether you need a sub or amp: Depends. I don't listen to music at ear-bleeding levels so I didn't go with either.

If you replace speakers only, make sure they are high efficiency, as your stock head unit doesn't have gobs of power. 92db or above is ideal. Avoid anything under that if at all possible.

Edit: This is what you need as far as install for the speakers to get them to fit into your '15:

Scosche SAHC634 (speaker bracket to door frame)
Scosche SHHA02B (Honda-specific wire plug adapter to push-on tabs for your speakers)

You could theoretically do without the last one if you felt like splicing into the wires yourself, but the plug adapter makes it so much easier, especially if you decide to remove those speakers and install the originals or new ones.

I paid around $30 for four speaker brackets and four plug adapters. Amazon, ebay, wherever you can find the best price/shipping.

 

Thanks.. Do you have suggestions for speakers? Maybe I'll buy the speakers and start asking here for someone to help me. I would mess something up if i tried to do it myself. That's for sure : )

 

I went with something fairly exotic, but a lot of folks have gone with the Polk db651s:

Polk Audio db651s 6-1/2" 2-way shallow-mount car speakers at Crutchfield.com

If you buy from Crutchfield, note that you won't have to purchase the bracket or plug adapter separately - they're included in the purchase price.

 

Thanks! So all I buy is two pairs of those for $70 each and then deal with install? That's it? Anything for tweeters? What type of improvement are people reporting? Thanks!

 

Yep. These are coaxial speakers, so the tweeters are mounted in the center of the woofer/midrange unit.

I have not demo'd the polks so I can't speak from experience, but it does seem to be a crowd favorite. Since it is a higher efficiency speaker than stock, you will notice a gain in volume compared to stock. Rather that put any specific ideas in your head about sound quality, it might not be a bad idea to see if a local retailer has these so you can demo them first.

Edit: I used to live in Sac, and I see you're in socal - do you have a Fry's near you where you could demo? I see they have the standard model db651 (not the "s" shallow mount model), but either the standard or the shallow mount will work, and they're both the same efficiency.

 

Thanks, do the stock tweeters remain hooked up then since aren't they located separately from the drivers? Any idea how I could find someone in So Cal to do it for me? Anyone here want to do it for whatever is a fair amount of payment? Please?

 

Ah, that's right, you have the EX, I have an LX. Your car has 6 speakers, mine has 4, so I'm lacking the extra set of tweeters in your dash.

Not entirely sure about this, but either one of two things will happen if you replace all four door speakers: 1. The door speakers will all emit sound as will the tweeters in the dash, or 2. You get the door speakers only. Either way, it's a huge improvement over the stock speakers. I wouldn't worry about tackling the speakers in the dash - just leave them there as they won't do you any harm.

Places around me were charging around $75 for each pair of door speakers installed, and that's without the extra mounting brackets and plug adapters. So if you install all four door speakers yourself, you'll save about $150.

 

I'm hoping to find a person from the forum who will do it for $50.

 

I have those polks on my other cars, not the Fit. I do recommend you get an amp, if your using stock unit. I have them on a Blazer with a kenwood unitand it sound really nice, but when i had it on my civic si stock head unit. I had to double the volume just to get the same volume as stock. I also notice that the speaker wasnt able to use it's full potential.

 

Hmmmm. I really don't want to go to an audio shop and get taken advantage of. Maybe I have to though.

 

There's nothing stopping you from replacing the front door speakers first, and then deciding whether you need to go further with replacing the rear door speakers as well, as well as going with separate amp/sub/whatever.

I'm still mulling over whether I want an aftermarket head unit. I am in absolutely no hurry now that I have all four speakers replaced. Much of this is personal preference. You don't have to have it all done at once.

 

True, but if you dont really care about quality of audio then you wouldnt bother changing them. Since you have an LX you probably notice a nice difference with the coaxial. But if your gonna get someone to do it, mind as well do all of them, usually a cheaper price than get speaker than come back later for amp or headunit.

 

Steve, if your just doing the speaker ask a friend that knows car audio to help you. Like the above, it's an easy task. Buy from crutchfield like bargainguy said, you get brackets and instruction. Read through the audio form to get some idea.