Speaker upgrades in my 996 coupe

[piperboxster]

Cool posting Rodney.

So about £75 per pair and 2 hours fitting time or about £95 if you pay the full retail price on the speakers.

Tools needed, screw driver and a Dremel type tool to cut out the blank grills.

Do you mind if I put your method and pictures on my website?

 

[Rodney Naghar]

Hi Dan,

I paid full retail from a shop on eBay for the speakers, so all in £150. Tools needed:-

1. Compass
2. Soldering Iron (with blade and some solder) or Dremmel type tool
3. Self tapping screws
4. Offset Torx Key

They are Richard's instructions, I just put them together like this. You need to ask him [8|]

 

[piperboxster]

Richard... Please? []

 

[Richard_Hamilton]

ORIGINAL: piperboxster

Richard... Please? []

No problem - just credit Rodney and me.

It's a T20 Torx bit you need, and it is easier if you use an offset ratchet to get at the screws nearest the screen:

 

[piperboxster]

No problem Richard, you will both get credited!

Where did you get that ratchet tool???

Has it got any markings on it like a part number and manufacturer?

It looks like one of those "I need one!" tools I see from time to time.

Looks like this weekend I will be adding a Boxster/996 audio upgrade section to the website.

This thread is too full of interesting nuggets of information to be lost in the forum archives, and unless your a member in here you will never see them, even in a google search.

 

[Richard_Hamilton]

It's made by Rolson, and I bought it on eBay - about a fiver IIRC.

 

[Tony Daniel]

ORIGINAL: piperboxster

I have a friend here at work who just caught me reading this thread and has a 996 C2 without the hifi upgrade pack, no door speakers.

What is involved in adding door speakers?

I know the Boxsters have different door cards and big expansion chambers in the doors for the speakers to mount into.

Has anyone here added door speakers to a car without them?

Dan,
I've added door speakers to my car without the door pods, your friend will need to run speaker cables to the doors as there isn't any if the car does not have the sound pack option. Extremely hard work getting the cable through the rubber sleeve into the door[]. Then you need to make a mounting plate for the speakers as there's just a big hole behind the door card. Next cover everything in sound deadening material, the Porsche sound pack speakers only omit bass at a very low volume, when you add your own speakers they will be a larger full range item and will tend to rattle the thin door skins. I'm afraid I didn't take any pictures as I was going along (fingers bleeding to much) but I'll post one of the finished article later.

 

[watlina]

I've decided to have ago at the home brew solution. I've ordered all the parts. In fact the speakers have already turned up but unfortunately the Porsche grills have got to come from Germany and the VW bits are on back order (should be about 10 days)


[FONT=courier new"]Speakers £58.96 x4 inc P&P from http://stores.ebay.co.uk/CAR-RADIO-CENTRE
[FONT=courier new"]Grills £68.02 £16.43 each - 10% PCGB discount + 15% VAT with free P&P from the OPC
[FONT=courier new"]VW Bits £3.74 inc VAT (For some reason they gave me a big discount?)
[FONT=courier new"]Total £130.72
[FONT=courier new"]
[FONT=courier new"]So I've now got a spare set of new still in the box MB Quart RSC210 4" 2-Way Component System speakers. If anyone's interested let me know. Price £35+P&P

 

[sarbirus]

You know that the standard grills are 4 very different individual grills that are designed to project the sound to "better" targets than directly outward? (or in other words not directly at the windscreen as with using the grill blanks)

I think if I had the standard 4 speaker setup and needed to do things on the cheap, I would be tempted to pay the extra £70 to have budget version of the properly engineered solution that this thread was praising about before it was hijacked lol

Although I can see that some people may enjoy tinkering I guess

 

[watlina]

For me the problem with certainly the cheaper JMG kit is the perceived value for money.

Those Alpine 1025S speakers can be found for £15.99 a pair so at £99 for the kit I'd be paying £85 for 2 plastic rings. If I could have bought the rings at say £10 pound each. I probably would have as I'd have been able to reuse my existing grills and put in my choice of 4" speaker.

For the more expensive kit it's a harder call as they are custom made

The cones and tweeters appear to be from Alpines budget Type E speaker range (you can see the E printed on the cone in the photos and the tweeter looks identical to the Alpine SPE 10C2 these are less than £19 a pair
http://www.alpine-electronics.co.uk/home/products/speakers/type-e-speakers/spe-10c2/

The main voice coil looks to be from the more expense R Type range (you can see the letters SPR on the back in the photo) probably from the 5 1/4" SPR 13C (these are £60 a pair)

You know that the standard grills are 4 very different individual grills that are designed to project the sound to "better" targets than directly outward? (or in other words not directly at the windscreen as with using the grill blanks)

AFAIK only the front speakers are angled and I should be able to create a wedge to replicate any angle as there's a good base to work from and a bit more room to play with the blank grills as they are flat to start with).

As you say you pays your money, you makes your choice

 

[Indi9xx]

Interesting thread.

On the request of one of my customers I thought I would pop in and answer any questions about our speaker kits.

Just a few answers.

1. Our rings are not plastic. They are billet machined Nylon. They could be made out of injection molded plastic at a very cheap price, but its important to mount the speakers to a rigid dense material to lessen reverberation. Yes the Porsche grills are plastic, but the more interphases which are plastic in the assembly, the less sound quality you will get out of the assembly.

2. The rings are not £80 a pair. But by the same token will not ever be sold for £10 a pair.

3. We do not want to sell 1025S kits, the sound quality from this speaker is no where near the same quality of the proper 4 and a half inch speaker kit which is £150 a pair. The £99 price for the budget kit was in response to one customer asking for a cheaper option for his car and asked if we could supply a one off set of 1025S speakers in our kit instead of the custom ones. We priced this £99 option based on the fact that we would have to sell the 1025S speaker at £30 a pair, which is the same as halfords sell them for, who buy in larger volumes than we do.

4. The 1025S speaker is available online for £15.99, but those online dealers charge around £9.99 for shipping, Making a total of £25.99 per pair.

5. Our speaker loom is not a VW repair kit. Our one has soldered connectors, high quality cable, genuine Porsche connectors and is wrapped in heat shrink to keep it neat.

6. Our price includes shipping to your door and telephone support while you fit it. Or, it includes installation at our workshop.

I am sorry for making this post, it is in no way an advert for our business, as the PCGB forum admin know, I am against businesses using forums like this for advertising. But at the same time, needed to make the above points as my product was being compared to a home grown one. Which is a bit like comparing a pizza delivered to your door, to one you make in your kitchen. []

I like to see how people are enjoying making their own solutions, but to be honest, these people will always make their own solutions and thats not who our product is aimed at, Our product (the £150 a pair one) is aimed at those who want to get the best sound possible from their dash and rear speakers, retain the original grills and value their time enough to not want to spend time shopping around to buy parts and modify them for their use.

For those who make their own solutions, well done! Do not be put off by the ones who buy something like our product or try to detract from what you are doing. You obviously enjoy being involved in your Porsche, which having been involved with customers Porsche cars for over 20 years, I can understand your enjoyment.

For my customers who feel they need to defend my product, thank you, but do not get worked up, enjoy your choices, the people who DIY are just enjoying their choices. Different strokes for different folks! (Anyone else remember that show?)

 

[ashley]

Jon PM sent

 

[Indi9xx]

Just a quick update.

After some discussion with Alpine europe I have managed to improve the pricing for the speaker upgrade packages.

The new price will be.

Budget kit using Alpine 1025S 4 inch speakers, for dashboard or rear pods £75 per pair including VAT, installation or shipping (2-3 business days).

Custom kit using a custom made 4.5 inch speaker, for dashboard or rear pods £130 per pair including VAT, installation or shipping (2-3 business days)

An extra £5 per pair will secure next day delivery.

These are the speakers for updating the 4 or 6 speaker systems.

I am working on an even higher quality door speaker for the 6 speaker sets, but those who want to upgrade the 6 speaker system, I recommend replacing the dash and rear speakers and then we will let them know when the new door speakers are available and sell them to people who have already purchased the other speakers at just the difference between what they have spent and the price of the whole 6 speaker kit.

All kits include adapters for the speakers fitting standard grills, wiring adapter harness (so no soldering or cutting or crimping wires) and the speakers themselves.

All the best

 

[jamma]

ORIGINAL: Indi9xx

Just a quick update.

After some discussion with Alpine europe I have managed to improve the pricing for the speaker upgrade packages.

The new price will be.

Budget kit using Alpine 1025S 4 inch speakers, for dashboard or rear pods £75 per pair including VAT, installation or shipping (2-3 business days).

Custom kit using a custom made 4.5 inch speaker, for dashboard or rear pods £130 per pair including VAT, installation or shipping (2-3 business days)

An extra £5 per pair will secure next day delivery.

These are the speakers for updating the 4 or 6 speaker systems.

I am working on an even higher quality door speaker for the 6 speaker sets, but those who want to upgrade the 6 speaker system, I recommend replacing the dash and rear speakers and then we will let them know when the new door speakers are available and sell them to people who have already purchased the other speakers at just the difference between what they have spent and the price of the whole 6 speaker kit.

All kits include adapters for the speakers fitting standard grills, wiring adapter harness (so no soldering or cutting or crimping wires) and the speakers themselves.

All the best

So is that 260 quid all in and fitted for the 4 speaker custom ones ? Anyway just booked in with you for 3rd Jan at 260 quid all in for customs so see you then.

cheers

 

[geoffpfc]

[8|] Hi Indi9xx - how can I contact you? I have been in discussion with a local (fairly) ICE company and they have advised me to replace the door speakers with a kit which means that I'll lose that storage facility - does your 6 speaker upgrade have the same effect?

Many thanks

Geoff

 

[gizmo750]

ORIGINAL: geoffpfc

[8|] Hi Indi9xx - how can I contact you? I have been in discussion with a local (fairly) ICE company and they have advised me to replace the door speakers with a kit which means that I'll lose that storage facility - does your 6 speaker upgrade have the same effect?

Many thanks

Geoff

http://www.jmgarage.com/index.htm#

 

[sarbirus]

I know they are closed for Crimbo at the moment, but I know one of my cars is booked in for the 2nd of January so they are open then.

Their phone number is 07000 996 911 or 01202 488800

They were waiting for more stock of speakers a week or so before crimbo which should be in stock for when they reopen.

I think their six speaker option for cars that already have six speakers replaces the stock speakers without modification of the doors in any way, so you do not loose any storage pockets.

 

[piperboxster]

I can testify that a work friends 996 (4 speaker setup) and a friends Boxster (2 speaker dash setup) have had the speakers Alpine JMG speakers installed about a week before christmas and are seriously chuffed with them, from my experience of listening to them both is that they sound absolutely amazing!!!

The 996 is going back in the new year for the JMG-Alpine active bass upgrade having listened to one of the JMG customers cars with it and the Boxster owner is getting it done if he is as impressed as the 996 friend commented on it sounding.

Curse my Boxster with Bose, it had the Alpine JMG kit fitted for a short while before crimbo as a test car, but JMG are not happy with the fit of the bose kit and are working with Alpine on improving it for the new year (apparently the same story with the 996 bose setup)... Sounded soo sweet while it was in there though, cant wait to get the replacement back once the wrinkles are ironed out..

 

[ashley]

Just to say I got round to fitting the front and rear speakers supplied by JMG at the weekend and well impressed with the difference. My car had the upgraded but not Bose 6 speaker system and I've not changed the door speakers.

An easy DIY install as I'm up North and not really feasible to have them fitted on the South coast, great service from JMG in terms of delivery and only one phone call needed for clarification on the installation.

Now I've got a dilema, listen to music or the PSE[]

 

[raybonnar]

hi, after fitting a new double din jvc stereo and reversing camera to my 996 I also had the same speaker sound quality problem, ie they sounded crap! what I did was take the old standard speakers and with a multi tool cut away the mounting base from the rest of the crap speaker leaving me with the perfect fitting ring for a new speaker. I then bought 4 x 4way Edge brand speakers which mounted perfectly onto the original speaker rings. the sound from the new speakers are fantastic and only cost me £40 all in. I have also bought a couple of alpine spg-10c2 speakers to trial fit and see if I can improve the sound even further. hope this helps anyone wanting to upgrade their speakers. if I have not explained the modification clearly enough then ask for my number and will explain the procedure in more detail.