Speaker upgrades? Worth it?
I should clarify, but I assure you, it does not defy physics. Say your speakers are rated at 120w and your head unit can push 50w. The speaker can handle all the power of the head unit, but when you crank the output to the head unit's maximum you run into clipping. The head unit will try and accommodate and send the increased power to the speaker, but it be sending distortion. This, I promise you, will ruin your speakers.
Sorry a head unit rated at 50watts per channel will only put out 50watts of power per channel at the rated ohm load. The distortion or clipped signal is not more power, it's a dirty signal they are not the same thing. And as I said in my previous to this reply, yes distortion will destroy a speaker, however it usually takes a period of time. Unless you are talking someone hardcore like a dB Drag competitor who is throwing 1000's of watts at a sub for a burst period of time, in which that signal with distortion can destroy a speaker in mere seconds.
back to topic... if anyone wants a serious audiophile component system that'll blow your mind without blowing your pocket then look no further Autosound Speaker Kits for the Car I know it's a 6.5 and needs work to make it fit. Madisound is a DIY audiophile store.
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 524
From: North West NJ
If the person installing the speakers and amp knows their product and theory the amp should be set properly with either a portable o-scope, DMM or a new product I picked up by Steve Meade, the DD-1. In this fashion the amp can be set along with the head unit to it's maximum potential without clipping. Example, I use the DD-1 to measure the head unit completely flat eq and Xover settings. I get the result of 25 out of 30 volume for max undistorted (clipped) signal from the head unit. I then test the amp in the same fashion, eq flat and xovers wide open. After adjusting the gain right below the clipping point, this will allow the user to play his system at 25 (max undistorted/clipped signal) and get the most out of his/her amp.
However most audio shops, mass stores (best buy etc) do not employ this type of philosophy which is sad because it takes 10mins to complete after you learn this method with the DD-1. So most people who get something installed at a shop or mass store will have no clue where anything is set and most of them will at some point end up sending distorted/clipped signal to their speakers. However even a clipped signal at low power will not destroy a speaker quickly it will depend on how much the user does it, and how often.
So while what you are saying is technically correct, if we go by pure physics which does not account for a distorted signal, a under powered speaker will not blow. A uneducated user with a itchy volume finger who likes to crank his system beyond it's limits with badly set gains on amps could possibly do it, however it would take time.
However most audio shops, mass stores (best buy etc) do not employ this type of philosophy which is sad because it takes 10mins to complete after you learn this method with the DD-1. So most people who get something installed at a shop or mass store will have no clue where anything is set and most of them will at some point end up sending distorted/clipped signal to their speakers. However even a clipped signal at low power will not destroy a speaker quickly it will depend on how much the user does it, and how often.
So while what you are saying is technically correct, if we go by pure physics which does not account for a distorted signal, a under powered speaker will not blow. A uneducated user with a itchy volume finger who likes to crank his system beyond it's limits with badly set gains on amps could possibly do it, however it would take time.
The number of people who run their system into distortion "because it sounds better and louder" will supprise you. There are a lot of idiots out there, sadly.
The other issue is the average joe now seems to want boom and sizzle, midrange be damned. And the speaker companies are catering. I am having trouble finding speakers that don't make my ears bleed and will fit in my car.
back to topic... if anyone wants a serious audiophile component system that'll blow your mind without blowing your pocket then look no further Autosound Speaker Kits for the Car I know it's a 6.5 and needs work to make it fit. Madisound is a DIY audiophile store.
Parts Express: the #1 source for audio, video & speaker building components is another great place to build your own components, I saw a Focal midrange/midbass driver on there last week for like $8 per driver. That's INSANE cheap!
Parts Express: the #1 source for audio, video & speaker building components is another great place to build your own components, I saw a Focal midrange/midbass driver on there last week for like $8 per driver. That's INSANE cheap!
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 524
From: North West NJ
back to topic... if anyone wants a serious audiophile component system that'll blow your mind without blowing your pocket then look no further Autosound Speaker Kits for the Car I know it's a 6.5 and needs work to make it fit. Madisound is a DIY audiophile store.
I was keeping it as palatable as possible but you know how it is in FF 
As for your headunit needs... look into Alpine and Kenwood (these are just my preference). Get a unit that is flexible and expandable, what this relates to is you will have the option to add amps and have yourself a full dedicated system in the future
As for your headunit needs... look into Alpine and Kenwood (these are just my preference). Get a unit that is flexible and expandable, what this relates to is you will have the option to add amps and have yourself a full dedicated system in the future
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 68
From: Knoxville, TN
I'll just leave this here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clipping_(audio)
Note the Effects of Clipping section showing the sine wave of a clipped signal, with more area under the curve, therefore producing more power. Weird. Most people who are proficient in an area forget that not everyone is like that. Things all sound great in "theory," but in practice they often end up differently. People crank their stereos into clipping and ruin speakers. It happens. Of course if everyone used a DD-1 and understood exactly how everything works then none of this would happen, but not everyone does.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clipping_(audio)
Note the Effects of Clipping section showing the sine wave of a clipped signal, with more area under the curve, therefore producing more power. Weird. Most people who are proficient in an area forget that not everyone is like that. Things all sound great in "theory," but in practice they often end up differently. People crank their stereos into clipping and ruin speakers. It happens. Of course if everyone used a DD-1 and understood exactly how everything works then none of this would happen, but not everyone does.
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Joined: Feb 2012
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From: MA
Nice, thanks guys. I'll have to do my homework. All this info is very helpful. One thing i will say right now is that unless i can very inconspicuously hide an amp i don't want to add one. As i think i mentioned i'm not really looking for an extremely bass heavy sound, more a full sound with clear tone. I was able to achieve this in my accord with a jbl 6 x9's and a pioneer deck, no amps or anything other. I have plenty of experience with audio live sound, not car audio) so i'm not particularly worried about blowing speakers. i know i can figure it out if i look, but seeing as i'm lazy and working anybody know what the stock speakers are rated for?
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 524
From: North West NJ
Nice, thanks guys. I'll have to do my homework. All this info is very helpful. One thing i will say right now is that unless i can very inconspicuously hide an amp i don't want to add one. As i think i mentioned i'm not really looking for an extremely bass heavy sound, more a full sound with clear tone. I was able to achieve this in my accord with a jbl 6 x9's and a pioneer deck, no amps or anything other. I have plenty of experience with audio live sound, not car audio) so i'm not particularly worried about blowing speakers. i know i can figure it out if i look, but seeing as i'm lazy and working anybody know what the stock speakers are rated for?
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 670
From: SF Bay Area
Lot of car audio enthusiasts have spoken already, there's a whole I.C.E subforum btw, so obviously many people feel it is plenty "worth it" to put down their dollars.
My 2cents, unless you are also going to spend a LOT to reduce the road noise in the FiT, I don't think it's worth it to spend money on just the speakers. Then you're putting in a significant amount of effort and investment to make a big project. If it were a much quieter cabin out of the factory, I might have a different opinion.
Unless you use the FiT for mobile audio, where you are sitting around parked enjoying your tunes.
I personally use this car just as a vehicle to get me where I want to go or carry a bunch of stuff. Once I'm there, my priority is to go about my business rather than music. I can listen to tunes at home on a more "real" sound system.
My 2cents, unless you are also going to spend a LOT to reduce the road noise in the FiT, I don't think it's worth it to spend money on just the speakers. Then you're putting in a significant amount of effort and investment to make a big project. If it were a much quieter cabin out of the factory, I might have a different opinion.
Unless you use the FiT for mobile audio, where you are sitting around parked enjoying your tunes.
I personally use this car just as a vehicle to get me where I want to go or carry a bunch of stuff. Once I'm there, my priority is to go about my business rather than music. I can listen to tunes at home on a more "real" sound system.
Last edited by raytseng; Feb 14, 2012 at 03:08 PM.
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Joined: Feb 2012
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From: MA
Lot of car audio enthusiasts have spoken already, there's a whole I.C.E subforum btw, so obviously many people feel it is plenty "worth it" to put down their dollars.
My 2cents, unless you are also going to spend a LOT to reduce the road noise in the FiT, I don't think it's worth it to spend money on just the speakers. Then you're putting in a significant amount of effort and investment to make a big project. If it were a much quieter cabin out of the factory, I might have a different opinion.
Unless you use the FiT for mobile audio, where you are sitting around parked enjoying your tunes.
I personally use this car just as a vehicle to get me where I want to go or carry a bunch of stuff. Once I'm there, my priority is to go about my business rather than music. I can listen to tunes at home on a more "real" sound system.
My 2cents, unless you are also going to spend a LOT to reduce the road noise in the FiT, I don't think it's worth it to spend money on just the speakers. Then you're putting in a significant amount of effort and investment to make a big project. If it were a much quieter cabin out of the factory, I might have a different opinion.
Unless you use the FiT for mobile audio, where you are sitting around parked enjoying your tunes.
I personally use this car just as a vehicle to get me where I want to go or carry a bunch of stuff. Once I'm there, my priority is to go about my business rather than music. I can listen to tunes at home on a more "real" sound system.
While i don't completely disagree with you, there is something to be said for being able to enjoy some subtleties of the music you enjoy while on the road. And i do a lot of driving, mostly at low(er) speeds, back roads and city streets etc... I'm just looking for an economical way to unobtrusively enhance whats there. I don't think i have the patience, and i definitely don't have to money to completely overhaul what's there right now anyway (Plus the car is 1 week new to me; way too soon to think about serious upgrades!).
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 143
From: Colorado
I'm not really understanding this but the price on the bezel alone is $423, not including the actual headunit. So if anyone is looking to get rid of that bezel, I'd take it off your hands (for a more reasonable cost)
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 524
From: North West NJ
Only in the 2012 Sports are they darker, the Bases are still silver or what they call "NEUTRAL MAT GUN METALLIC."
I'm not really understanding this but the price on the bezel alone is $423, not including the actual headunit. So if anyone is looking to get rid of that bezel, I'd take it off your hands (for a more reasonable cost)
I'm not really understanding this but the price on the bezel alone is $423, not including the actual headunit. So if anyone is looking to get rid of that bezel, I'd take it off your hands (for a more reasonable cost)
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 285
From: NYC
Just bought a 2012 Fit Sport a/t w/o nav. I like the ipod interface on the stock stereo but find the low end to be a little lacking. Being somewhat of an audiophile first though would be to upgrade from paper cones. Anybody out there upgrade just the speakers and run the stock deck? I'm to hold off for a least a year before i start making serious upgrades...
Raytseng makes a good point above, that you'll always be fighting with road noise, unless perhaps you purchased the new CE, which apparently comes with some soundproofing.
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 23
From: Kirkland, WA
what wheel/tires are you running in your pic?
They look great!
Thanks!
We have a blue Fit so would prob get the silver wheels if they got 'em...don't want to exactly copy
Thanks! Konig Feathers 17x7 w/ Yokahama S-Drives 195/45/17 lowered on Swifts. I think gold would look pretty frickin sick on blue...go ahead and copy, lord knows I did...
Last edited by lowkeymods; Mar 21, 2012 at 08:34 PM.
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 23
From: Kirkland, WA
lol good point....so the car is lowered on swift spings?
I am a three say old Fit owner BTW, getting started in all this
The blue on gold is nice, gold on black is sweet tho.
What lens cover you got on your fogs? I heard the yellow is better for snow driving...
cheers!
I am a three say old Fit owner BTW, getting started in all this
The blue on gold is nice, gold on black is sweet tho.
What lens cover you got on your fogs? I heard the yellow is better for snow driving...
cheers!