Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Aero 8, 2012< Plus 8, SuperSports, Coupe & Aeromax Plus 8 Speaker Upgrade

Yup, I recently put a powered sub in my car behind the driver's seat, it's made a heck of a difference to the sound. Still fiddling with the settings to get the best sound when on the move, it's amazing how what sounds good when you're sat in the garage with the engine off sounds rubbish when you're out on the move.

In hindsight (it's a wonderful thing!) rather than just put a pair of tweeters up front I should have gone for a pair of full range 4" speakers and made a couple of enclosures for them somewhere in the front footwell. I've still got the rear speaker connections available on my head unit though, as I've spliced the tweeters into the front speakers, so another mod is feasible.

2005 Series 2 stereo upgrade update!

Plan 1: failure

Kenwood KMM-BT515HD - receiver $159 USD
Focal Performance 100AC - 4-inch speaker* $199 USD

Performance: unacceptable
The Focal speakers are excellent, but 4-inch speakers simple cannot cut.
The speakers are marvelous at lower volumes, and have far better low/mid/high quality. However, at volumes required for enjoying music at highway speeds with the top down they're not up to the task--horrid distortion.

Speaker comparison pictures:
image sharing

uploading images

photo uploading

Plan 2: Results TBD

After discussion with some stereo experts, my best option is to go with a component system with 6 3/4-inch speakers, and install a slim 50w amp to sufficiently power the larger speakers.
This will require some cutting, but the stock speakers (or seemingly any 4-inch speaker) is not capable of producing enough sounds.
The additional challenge will be installation of the tweeters. I believe there's plenty of area for a "surface" or flush mount, but it remains to be seen.
If I cannot find room to fit the tweeters, I will resort to Focal's K2 Power 165KRC 2-way speakers (also on sale!).

Parts:
Kenwood KMM-BT515HD (same as plan 1)
Focal K2 Power 165KR - 6 3/4-inch speakers $499 USD (~50% markdown as Focal has just rolled out their new line of speakers)
JL Audio HX280/4 - 50w x4 channel amp $169 USD

The parts arrive Wednesday, hope to have them installed by this time next week!

Do not underestimate the difference a solid AMP will make to an average pair of speakers. In most cases the distortion is as much down to the inability of the amp to control the cone as the cone distorting.

Having said that the K range of Focals are a good step up on the Performance range.

Adding the amp to the upgraded Focals will give you a real boost. Especially with JL amps they have been good in my experience as well.

Unless your ears are mounted on your knees then Component speakers is the way to go, as high frequencies are very directional, the lower don't suffer so much and subs are pretty much omni directional.

So tweeters mounted in the dash is the path I would take.

It's very important to use a good signal source avoid MP3's as they are so lossy you end up trying to listen at ever higher levels to achieve sound that isn't there. Use Oggvorbis or FLAC or similar if you have to use softmusic format. CD's are fine.

If you have a decent head unit that can actually match the speakers there would be no need for additional amps.

Mark,

I agree 100% with your comments.

The Plus 8 has tweeters fitted in the dash as standard!
If they are of the same quality as the other OEM speakers I'm thinking of changing them when I change the footwell speakers. I just need to work out how to get behind the dash!

I could could use some advice on tweeter location.
There are three options that come to mind:
1. Flush mount on the partition behind the seats (same board the speakers are mounted on)
2. Surface mounted behind the seats on one of the various flat, but angled surfaces
3. In the dash area*

*Option "3" is really the big unknown, not sure how high freqs in the front with mids/lows behind will sound. Any experiences?

Milligoon has answered this question. The human ear is directionally sensitive for high frequencies, so good staging would need the tweeters in front, as wide apart as possible, and as close to head level as you can get. So both ends of the dash

i have a huge experience in that but this is an other story , i can simply say your setting is wrong for what you expect : listen well the music, roof open in fast speed in highway, separate tweeter is only valid in closed car and in front speaker.

in open car the setting must be 13 cm in front (w or w.o tweet separate) and in rear 16cm or 21 cm 2 or 3 way co-axial.

Your amp is slim & nice but will not be enough when you will need power

Chester- thank you for the advice! What amp wattage would you suggest? And what setup?

The speakers came in today and they look lovely. I wish I still had the other Focals to do a side-by-side.

I purchased the component Focal system (165KRC) and what is essential the same product with integrated tweeters (165KR).

Pics to follow....