[hip]

Front Speakers:McIntosh MSS470 separates (a 5 1/4 in woofer and 1 in tweeter, gold plated terminals, and 2 way passive crossovers)

Back Speakers:MB quart RKC110 Reference Line
4 in speakers

Subwoofer: 1 JL Audio 10in
Also I wanted 4 in McIntoshes for the back speakers. But I was assured by the installer that the MB Quarts would work well there.

I really hadn't heard them before and had intended to get MB Quarts for the front speakers. But the McIntoshes provided greater clarity in the high treble and midrange. Of course, most listeners agree that the MQ Quarts give you very little bass response at all.


I was able to turn up the volume to higher levels than I would ever listen and have no audible distortion at all!

Hope this helps someone out there.

Prem[/B][/QUOTE]

Finally, someone who has installed MB Quart speakers! I was going to ask why not the front but read in your post that your preferred the McIntosh.
Now for some questions:
1. I assume you have the EX, I suppose it didn't bother you to lose the steering wheel controls?
2. Why didn't you install the 6-1/2" in the front doors as many others have, were the McIntosh's too deep?
3. Cost difference between the McIntosh and MB Quart?
4. Where did you install the sub?, I've been waiting for JL Audio to bring out their new 6" sub since last year and I'm getting tired of waiting.

 

[CPSDarren]

My 2001 LX comes with Pioneer TS-06159 speakers. The rating is listed as 4 ohms, 15W nominal, 35 W maximum. They appear to be of reasonable quality, with a poly cone and rubber surround. Unfortunately, they are not coaxial, as they use a generic whizzer cone to extend the high frequencies.

Anyone care to comment if they've upgraded theirs without significant modifications? Crutchfield lists the Sony Xplod XS-F1621 as being a good fit. Current prices are around $60-$70 online. The local audio chain has the discontinued Sony Xplod XS-F1620 for $35 a pair. Best I can tell, the 1621 replaced them, and the 1620 is the same size with the same installation dimensions.

Specs for the 1620 and 1621 are here:
http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S-TkachLUwax7/prodinfo.asp?item=158XSF1620&ityp=F&grp=52000&store=0&lp=/cgi-bin/S-TkachLUwax7/ProdView.asp%3Fbid%3D503174%26store%3D0%26sid%3DS-T kachLUwax7
http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S-TkachLUwax7/prodinfo.asp?item=158XSF1621&ityp=F&grp=52000&store=0&lp=/cgi-bin/S-TkachLUwax7/ProdView.asp%3Fbid%3D503174%26store%3D0%26sid%3DS-T kachLUwax7

$35 seems like a bargain to me, and not a big investment if the improvement is only marginal. Comments?

 

[Jim F]

Test

 

[Jim F]

It looks like the tweeter is the only difference. I'm willing to bet the 1621 is a tad brighter. Either would be light years ahead of your current setup.

As far as installation goes, I'm sure you'll need to do atleast some minimal trimming. That shouldn't be too hard with a sharp nice. Just be careful.

Let us know how it goes because I'll be swapping mine out soon too.



------------------
Jim
'01 GG EX

 

[CPSDarren]

Today I purchased and installed a pair of Sony Xplod XS-F1620 6.5" speakers in the front doors. I purchased these from United Audio, a local Tweeter company affiliate. They matched the $34.99 price on the tweeter.com website. The Sonys are somewhat similar to the OEM Pioneers in construction. The Sony's have a slightly larger magnet structure, a coaxial dome tweeter and a lone electrolytic capacitor for the crossover. They also use a treated cloth surround instead of a rubber one like the Pioneer uses. I also purchased a speaker wiring harness from Best Buy for $4.99. This was Metra model 72-7800 which fits most Hondas. You can also get it at Crutchfield for $6+$4.95 S&H, or free with speaker purchase. I note Best Buy also sells a 6.5" Pioneer whizzer-cone speaker similar to the Honda OEM unit for $29.99 a pair.

Installation was easy. There's a slot in the door to allow a small flathead screwdriver to pry off the grille. Three phillips screws and two alignment tabs hold the OEM speakers in place. They remove easily, as does the factory connector. The connector mates perfectly to the Metra Harness. The lug on the harness for the negative wire was a bit loose on the Sony's narrow spade, so you may want to crimp it with a pliers. Otherwise, the Sony's fit in the factory openings perfectly, with no cutting, drilling or modifications necessary. One of the alignment tabs does have to bend a bit to allow the speaker to screw in tightly, however. Took 5-10 minutes per speaker and there were no problems at all with clearance for the factory grilles or the speaker wiring.

The sound was good. The Sony's are not the greatest car speakers I've had, but they're a definite improvement on the Pioneer OEMs. The bass response was similar to the OEMs; neither put out much bass. If anything the Pioneers were a little better controlled and a little more efficient. Granted, no 6" speaker is going to move a lot of air in such a small door enclosure. The Sony's were noticably better in the midrange. Voices no longer sounded like they were coming out of a PA system, even on AM newsradio. There was also a lot less listening fatigue with the Sonys at higher volume levels. Where the Sony's really excelled over the OEM Pioneers was the high end, as the OEM whizzer cone was no match for a true dome tweeter. I could actually hear symbols, tambourines and chimes which were lost before. I actually installed one speaker in the lot at the store, and used the balance control to compare the speakers on my drive back

Overall, a nice improvement for the money, especially considering the ease of installation. A nice subwoofer would complement them well, and I'll certainly be interested to see reports and installation instructions for the new Honda Kelton Reflex subwoofer. I also note that the XS-F1620 is discontinued, and has been replaced by the similar XS-F1621. The local shop only had 2 pairs of 1620s left, so I decided to pick them up before they sold out. The 1621s appear to be the same dimensions based on my earlier links, though perhaps they are improved. They are also pricier, going for $54 (impactcomputers.com) to $70 (Crutchfield) online.

[This message has been edited by caviller (edited 02-13-2001).]

 

[Jim F]

Great. Now you have me wanting to upgrade our system now.

I was hoping to wait until sometime this summer, but I think I'll be doing it sometime early March.

Then again, I've had the leather steering wheel cover for a month and haven't installed it yet. lol

I might do that today ...


------------------
Jim
'01 GG EX

 

[SuperGuju]

I have a Dark Emerald Green Honda Odyssey, w/navi.
I want to take out the factory stock cd player and the speakers because they stink, the sound quality and the build on the speaker are very weak and poor. I would like to upgrade my old car stereo, a 240x4 rockford fosgate amp and mb qartz 5.25 component speaker to be placed in the minivan. does any one know if the rockford fosgate unit will stick out of the original unit. I like to get flush mount close as possible. Also would like to know, currently the navi system lowers the volume of the rear speaker when the navi speaks, will this function still we availble when i upgrade from factory?

SuperGuju

 

[Jim F]

Crutchfield listed the max depth of the receiver at 8".

I don't have my FSM yet so I can't track down the wiring for you to see if the Navi mute is part of the OEM head unit.


------------------
Jim
'01 GG EX

 

[ckonarske]

From everything I've read so far, there's no way to upgrade the head unit in a NAV and retain the voice promptsand steering wheel controls (yet). If anyone knows different I'd sure like to know what unit will retain all of the features.

------------------
Chuck

 

[CPSDarren]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by caviller:
My 2001 LX comes with Pioneer TS-06159 speakers. The rating is listed as 4 ohms, 15W nominal, 35 W maximum. They appear to be of reasonable quality, with a poly cone and rubber surround. Unfortunately, they are not coaxial, as they use a generic
whizzer cone to extend the high frequencies.
</font>

The rear speakers in my LX are Pioneer TS-02097, rated 4 ohms, 15W nominal, 30W maximum. It's a single full-range paper cone with a treated cloth surround. Not as nice of a speaker as the OEMs in the door. Replacement also looks easy. The grilles pop right out, and two screws hold these 4" drivers in place. There appears to be about 2" of depth. Problems for fit might include tweeters that protrude and large-diameter magnets that go to the maximum depth.

I may replace these if I can find something reasonable. Most of the models I see appear to be similar or lower quality than the X-plods I put in front, and sell for $5-$15 more.

I'm leaning to a Pyle PLS42 speaker, which has a nice mylar dome tweeter with a poly cone and rubber surround. Looks like it may fit, but I'd be taking a gamble since I can only find it online for $20-$30 a pair. Pyle used to be fairly respectable 10 years ago, but I have the impression they're more of a entry-midrange product now... Still, it HAS to be better than the factory speakers I'd think....


[This message has been edited by caviller (edited 02-23-2001).]

 

[CPSDarren]

I purchased a pair of the Pyle PLS42 speakers from millionbuy.com for $19.97 a pair. Received them yesterday.

As expected, installation was a snap. I again used the Metra 72-7800 wiring harness adapter. Again, the negative plug did not fit the terminal on the speaker. This time, Pyle chose to use a standard size spade, so I had to cut off the small terminal and put on a regular sized one. The Pyle speakers fit the opening, but there is a minor clearance problem with the large diameter magnet. I detached the removable rubber shield on the magnet, and the speaker barely fit.

The Pyle speakers appear to be of decent quality. Large magnet structure, poly cone, a real semi-dome tweeter, and a real plastic (mylar?) capacitor for the crossover.

Again, I installed one speaker and did an A/B test with the balance control. Again, it was a major improvement in the midrange and highs. No more PA sound. This time, though, the factory Pioneer speakers had a noticable efficiency advantage. Much like the Sony Xplod's, the Pyles are a decent speaker, but not a great one. A definite step up from factory, but nothing to write home about. Can't complain for the price, though.

Unfortunately, the second Pyle speaker did not work. The tweeter seemed fine, but the woofer clearly didn't play well. Millionbuy was very easy to deal with. They are sending out another pair in advance for another $19.97, though I could have elected to send mine in first for no charge. On a defective item, they pay shipping both ways. I'll know in a week if Pyle has a quality control problem.

[This message has been edited by caviller (edited 03-02-2001).]

 

[ndb]

The Odyssey's sound system hurt my head (no, not my ears, I don't play loud music. I just don't have a tolerance for lousy sound). So did those cheesy Sony speakers I put in (after reading this forum). I initially planned on spending around a thousand dollars to upgrade the sound system. I guess, that's what I have to do to get some tolerable sound. I didn't think the $100 speakers were the solution. I just had to hear it for myself.

 

[CPSDarren]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by ndb:
The Odyssey's sound system hurt my head (no, not my ears, I don't play loud music. I just don't have a tolerance for lousy sound). So did those cheesy Sony speakers I put in (after reading this forum).B]</font>

I hope my posts didn't mislead you. The Sony and Pyle speakers I installed are definitely mid-range speakers, and sound like it. They are clearly a step up from factory at a cheap price, but are not nearly as good as high end speakers you pay a lot more for.

 

[ndb]

Your post was great. I used it to get the right parts. The install took ~ 10 minutes like you said. The sound quality of these speakers is just not what i'm looking for. Your post was informative and accurate.

 

[prem]

Hello
Well I haven't posted here before but I thought I'd give 2 cents worth about upgrading the sound system for the Odyssey Ex. My OEM system comes with an AM/FM CD and in dash 6 disc changer. The factory speakers are tinny and easily distorted at even modest listening levels.

My goal was to work with the factory head unit and change the factory speakers to something suitable for what I listen to. ie 50% classical 30% pop and 20% rock.

So after my research and analysis of my budget and requirements I added the following.

Front speakers: 6 1/2 in Alpine speakers
Back speakers: 4 in JL Audio speakers
Amplifier: 4 channel 100W DHD amp installed under drivers seat
Hi Low converter

Total cost $620 including installation

Now granted this isn't cheap but it does the job for me. Of course I wanted a subwoofer installed at the back but my wife was against this. However as I wanted something a bit more sophisticated than the Sony Xplods mentioned previously, I think this suited my musical tastes more.

Hope this helps someone out there

 

[CPSDarren]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by caviller:
Unfortunately, the second Pyle speaker did not work. The tweeter seemed fine, but the woofer clearly didn't play well. Millionbuy was very easy to deal with. They are sending out another pair in advance for another $19.97, though I could have elected to send mine in first for no charge. On a defective item, they pay shipping both ways. I'll know in a week if Pyle has a quality control problem.</font>

I got my replacement as expected. No shipping charges at all, and a prepaid label for return. The new speakers both worked, but one clearly was less efficient. THe other was similar to the previous good unit, but the tweeter is not as bright. Overall, I'd say Pyle has a quality control problem. I'd avoid these speakers unless you're looking for a very cheap upgrade from the OEM units and don't mind returning one if you get a mismatched pair.

 

[hip]

Does anyone have any definitive dimensions for speaker depths and heights? Considering going with MB Quart, their dimensions are on their website but am not certain of Ody's actual physical dimensions from magnet into door and height from speaker to grill?
=Hy=

 

[ckonarske]

Crutchfield may have dimensions posted, but if that fails you can pop out one of the speakers and get a really good measurement in about 60 seconds.

------------------
Odyssey Pictures and Projects on FotoTime
Chuck

 

[Skers]

Prem,

Did the Alpines fit ok?
What did you do with the dash tweeters?

Thanks

 

[ndb]

I replaced the dash tweeters with a pair of polk 3/4" dome tweeters. I can't tell you if there's any improvement, but it was fun to do. My english isn't the greatest, So i can't explain the whole process like the others, but just a few tricks i came up with while doing this.
The polks were the only tweeters at circuit city i found that have the same dimension as the factory ones. They told me i'd have to glue them on myself. I'm a risk taker so i thought ok, if they want me to glue, i'd glue...

.
The plastic caps are kind of hard to ply off. A small flat head screw driver will do. I left some little marks on the sides, but hardly visible. The point is those caps pop in and out just like others. They're just a little harder come off.
The wiring hardness is wrapped around by what looks like foam heat insulator. The clip is right in the middle, you can feel it
if you put your thumb there ( i guess you can just peel off the foam to see it , but i didn't want to undo anything). Press on the clip and unhook the wire.
Here's the fun part. The bracket on the back of the factory tweeter is screwed on and *lightly* glued. Unscrew it and ply it right off the speaker (they come off easily). Use this bracket to mount your polk tweeter onto the cap just like its done with the factory one. Unassemble all the snapon plastic parts on the polk'er so you're left with just the bare tweeter. Get some Krazy Glue or the like (Krazy Glue is amazing, that thing glues them on like if they're soldered together). The mounting bracket fits the bare polker perfectly. Apply the glue on the back of the tweeter and glue the bracket on. Now you can just screw the mounting bracket onto the plastic cap. You'd have to cut off the wiring harness of the factory tweeter and tie it to the polker's wires. The polk tweeter does not have lugs. That's all there is to it. My procedure probably scared you already because of my lousy english..

. The process is really simple. The trick is to use those factory mounting brackets. You'd probably see it yourself once you have that thing opened up, but might be hesitated to play around. I'm just a kid trapped in a man body, crazy enough to break anything...

..