Is it just me or do the stock/OEM speakers in new (06+) Honda vehicles just plain suck? Both the speakers in my FIT and my in-law's '07 Civic Sedan are horrible sounding and sound like you're listening to music through a tin can. My older '03 Civic's OEM speakers didn't sound like this at all.

In the FIT, I thought changing the H/U would of made them sound better through a better equalizer/processor. But even through lots of tuning/filtering, they still produce the same overall sound of crap.

 

I'm not realy big on car sterios and speakers, but on the Fit S it's good enough for me, the LX models have lower watts and sound quality compare to the 200 watt the Fit S has.

 

That's only based on the H/U the Sport model has. IIRC, the speakers are the same in both the LX and the Sport trims (4 speakers). This means that changing the H/U would produce better sound from said speakers. In this case however, it isn't effective enough IMO.

 

sounds like you need to toss the oem speakers and get new ones! [=

 

The OEM speakers simply don't have a high enough RMS power. If you replace your head unit like I did, the best option would be to get some aftermarket speakers to handle the added power the head unit is throwing at them. I haven't replaced mine yet and you can only turn it up to about 15 before everything goes to crap lol Aftermarket speakers will solve the issue for you, stock or aftermarket head unit.

 

Do you know roughly how much RMS the stock speakers can handle? I've seriously never experienced something like this on new vehicles. It's just horrible. I guess this was done by Honda to save on cost?

Also, I take it they're 6.5"? or 5.25"?

 

For some odd reason I've found that listening to music through my IPOD or using an MP3 CD would produce better clarity and loudness. Playing a CD would often give me that tin can feel the OP is talking about. Try it!

 

Before this thread gets more misguided information thrown in it I'm gonna step in.


- Wattage is the absolute least important specification when determining how a speaker will sound.

- Wattage is far more an advertizing number than anything else these days.

The factors that determine how good a given speaker will sound starts with frequency response. Anything +/- 3db from 70-20Khz is acceptable for almost everyone. Second is THD. anything below 3% again is more than good enough for almost everyone.

Third is listening to the speaker. While frequency response and THD are a good indicator they are only tested at 2,83Vrms. (for 4ohm speaker that's 2 watts Rms). Some speakers at louder listening levels will omit mechanical noises. Like cone flex, or the tinsel lead hitting the cone.

- Wattage of a speaker is merely it's ability to dissipate heat from the voice coil. THAT IS ALL.. it has little to do with how loud it can play or how much bass you'll get out if or how good it will sound.

Sorry about writing it bold. but it needs to be read, since there is way too much misinformation out there being thown at the consumer.

 

This is almost the norm on crappy speakers, Since MP3's cut out alot of low ad highfrequency detail it leavs the speaker less sound to actually play and focuses mostly on the 250-3000hz range. If you had some good speakers you'd quickly see that MP3's don't sound anywhere near as good as a CD.

The better the sound system, the worse compressed music sounds. Specially if you do an A/B comparison of the same track with a real CD and an MP3.

 

I just ordered 4 infinity reference 6.5" speakers. I just can't take listening to music like a canned worm anymore.

 

Great speakers for the price, still running the stock head unit?

 

No, I upgraded recently to an AVIC-D3.

I wouldn't consider any other speakers than Infinity. I have their 6.5" Reference Components in the front and 6.5" Reference Coax in the back of my Prelude, all amplified with a 4ch. Rockford P4004 amp and 14ga wiring. Absolutely amazing sound quality. Even more-so now that I install an AVIC-D3 in there aswell.

 

Meh. Stock speakers work for me. Unless the speakers blow up and spout nothing but static, I have no reason to upgrade. Besides if i want the person in the car next to me to hear how clear and loud my music is he better be paying me, problem is they aren't so what do I care if they can hear me or not.

 

*DING* we have a winner.

One thing I've noticed is that people with loud stereos have crap taste in music. Makes me wonder why they want to advertise that fact.

 

Well i have gotten the AVIC-D3 and the sport model, and I have 6 speakers (4 speakers and 2 tweets) and it sounds decent. I'm not saying it high end stereo good, but it's livable with the D3. With the stock HU it was horrible. I'd go for a new set of speakers but I don't know where to mount an amp. I'd like to keep my car usable for carrying stuff so I might just stick with stock speakers for a while.

 

I dont know about other Honda's but im really impressed with the speakers in the Sport Fit. I think they work well with my kind of music. Im not going to get new ones they are so good. For Rock/metal you dont need alot of bass, so i dont want anymore bass. I think they sound great at all levels of volume.

Tyler

 

I just looked up the LX model in Canada for the Fit. The Canada LX model is a 4 speaker setup similar to the base model in the US, hence why he said they suck...they do suck.. :P

 

The PREMIUM stereo found in the 8th gen civics is really good. I was surpised. the stereo in the fit SPORT is also not bad but needs a sub. (So I added a 12 inch). I'm content with how my fit sounds now.

 

I just had to jump in on this thread.....

I really dislike the sound quality in my FS.
I am not like some great indulger in sound systems... the only comparison
that I care to make is with my last car ('01 civic coupe LX) It...
IMH(of most H)O was wonderful, I could hear everything that I wanted in the music and it was plenty loud enough for me. I thought maybe my civic sounded better becaues the cabin is smaller. But the Fit supposedly has a way better system and speakers and more of them (I think)

The FIT S's sound it rather too sharp and clean without any character.
examples that I can think of are... (all in comparision to my civic)
-the base is plenty low but not smooth...like a hamer hitting brick compared to a drum.
-the trebble is wicked clear
-I hear nothing in between the BASS and the TREBBLE!!!
-All the character of the music the nuances and the not highs and not lows are lost....It really makes me sad...
-I loved the smoothness and clarity and nuances that the civic picked up...why doesnt my fit!
-The fit gets silly loud way louder than I would ever need but the sound isnt rich so I never even want to turn it up...

I guess I am just stuck with it huh? (the sound that is)
I really...really,really dont want to sucker myself into purchasing stuff to make the sound as good as it was stock on my '01 civic coupe LX.

 

what does IIRC mean? the sport model in the US has 2 more speakers than the base, for a total of 6 (sport) vs. 4 (base). i don't know if you guys have it different over there though. for me, the sound system is good enough, i don't really bump music or anything, and i'm not too much into cars' audios.