Repair vs aftermarket (door speaker)

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dablackgoku1234

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Joined
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My driver door speaker is busted. Passenger is fine, and I *think* my center speaker is fine, just very faint. But the driver side is definitely gone. Last I heard from it was a faint moan before total silence. Now, my options are...

1) Send the speaker to Brian to repair.
2) Go aftermarket. Not crazy balling aftermarket, but decent bang for the buck. I dont really know much about car audio. So I would need to buy...

2 6.5 inch speakers
2 door speaker panels
wires

Did I miss anything? Do I need an amp? I'm still using the factory headunit.
 
dablackgoku1234 said:
My driver door speaker is busted. Passenger is fine, and I *think* my center speaker is fine, just very faint. But the driver side is definitely gone. Last I heard from it was a faint moan before total silence. Now, my options are...

1) Send the speaker to Brian to repair.
2) Go aftermarket. Not crazy balling aftermarket, but decent bang for the buck. I dont really know much about car audio. So I would need to buy...

2 6.5 inch speakers
2 door speaker panels
wires

Did I miss anything? Do I need an amp? I'm still using the factory headunit.
Click to expand...

You will need an amplifier as the bose head unit does not provide any power, it's a line level output.

I suppose it comes down to what your goals are, how much you are willing to spend, are you doing the install or are you paying someone else.
 
It really comes down to two things. Are you ready to spend a significant amount of Time & Money to upgrade your sound system?

Money? Plan on about $1,500 to do Speakers, Head-unit, 2-channel Amp, Accessories & Wiring. Then plan on another $700 to do the subwoofer with Mono Amp, Cabling, Accessories, etc. Are there places to save money? Sure...but remember you are going to be replacing a LOT of stuff. To be honest that is a relatively inexpensive system, I know some people that have spent $1,500 alone on door speakers.

Time? Why a lot of time? Because you would be crazy to let anyone touch your car. If you find someone who has done several NSX audio installs in the past (then go back to Money). Very few installers have done an audio install on an NSX (although some will tell you they have). I was thinking about having someone do the install for me, they came highly recommended and when I brought the car to the shop I told them about where to to get power (from the Jump Start Terminal), the guy said "Sure, sure...well lets see the engine can you pop the hood?" Yes he was standing at the front of the car. Since you have to run cable through the engine bay to get to the trunk I can safely assure you that he never did an NSX audio install. After I opened the hood and he saw that the engine wasn't there I decided to do the install myself. Heck I should have made that decision after I had read in the forums that an audio installer put the amp behind the drivers seat of someones car and drilled directly into the gas tank.

The other thing you need to consider is will it add value to my car? I know that my audio installation won't, at the same time I can't see it devaluing my car because my audio system looks factory installed. However, I know I'm not ever going to see the $1,500 back.

Keep us posted on what you end up doing, either way....its great feedback that other members can digest!
 
Sounds like the budget option is to spend the 80 bux and get the speaker assembly repaired. And I thought it was just a matter of swapping out 2 speakers :frown:
 
drewdeezee said:
I'm in a similar scenario with you. Here are the options I've researched so far:

1. Keep stereo as is = $0
2. Have BrianK repair the speakers = $80 + lots of time because I probably lack the skills and patience to remove the door panels.
3. SoS ProFormance Audiophile System for NSX = $1,200 and up
4. SoS ProFormance Audiophile System for NSX + complete plug-and-play in-dash navigation stereo system for $1275.00 = ~ $2,500 :eek:
Click to expand...

Option 2.5 : Get a aftermarket head unit/amp/speakers installed by you, a friend or local shop. Can definitely do it cheaper than $1200. I bet you could do it real cheap for around $250...if you really needed to. $600 would be a decent setup.

And it's not hard at all to remove door panels. Just be patient take your time. Instructions are in this thread.
 
How about this, do it in stages, get the SOS wire adapter kit.

http://www.scienceofspeed.com/produ...d/ProFormance_Audiophile/stereo_wire_harness/

If you think you would like to add a sub in the future buy a four channel amp that is bridgeable. You can use two channels for your seperates and use the other two bridged for your sub. If you don't care about a sub, then just get a two channel amplifier.

I think you can have a much better sounding system than the stock Bose, even if just separates for $400-$600 or so.
 
Whoa, how the heck can you do it for $250???

I am just curious how you can do it for around $250, these were my costs (below). Can you find places where money could be saved? Does it sacrifice quality? Is it true savings or is it "You probably already have this stuff lying around, or get it from a friend". A lot of people new to the forum ask about upgrading the stock stereo system and I'd hate to give people the wrong impression. I found that upgrading the factory Bose system is a costly upgrade.

$250 (eBay Steal on a Brand New Alpine 9886 Head Unit/MP3/CD with 4V output) Most of the lower priced Alpine units only do 2V out.
$45 (Used 2-channel Alpine Amp 45 x 2 RMS)
$164 (JL Audio Separates) (Yep you can save money if you go with Coaxials, but really how much more? $164 is pretty cheap as it is.
$64.50 (SoS Door Speaker Panels, does not include shipping)
$48.95 (SoS Stereo Bracket)
$89.50 (SoS Trunk Mounting Panel) You've got to mount the amp to something and I didn't want to drill into anything. You could use a piece of MDF in the back and mount it where the CD Player was....and save $$.
$9.50 (SoS Wire Harness)
$55.00 (Monster Cable 404XLN 6M 4-channel Amp cable) I only needed two channels today, but I'd like to install a subwoofer in the future and I didn't want to rerun any cable. This assumes you mount your amp in the trunk. Don't get a cheap cable here, its a LONG run and you will most likely run other cables near/with it so you don't want interference.
$325.00 (Labor to have Center Console glassed so that the head unit looks factory installed)
$8.95 (Monster Cable 5' 8-gauge Ground Cable)
$23.90 (Monster Cable 2 x 20' Spools, just enough to wire from the doors back to the trunk....just enough)
$9.15 (Home Depot, Heat Shrink Tubing, Split Loom Tubing) You don't want wires hanging all over the place in your engine, gotta have the 1" Split Loom Tubing.
$25.00 (7' 4-guage Power Cable, with in-line fuse)
$20.00 (Stinger Barrier Spades, Fork Spades) For the Power, Ground, and Speaker Connections. I like a nice clean connection no bare wire.
$22.00 (Monster Cable 12-guage Subwoofer Speaker Wire) Pull this cable through now so you don't have to do it when you get your subwoofer. Run it all the way from the trunk where your amp is mounted to the passenger floor.

Total $1,160.45 (this doesn't include tax or shipping) True total for me was closer to $1,400.This doesn't include a subwoofer which you can add another $650 for (Amp, Cables, Connections, SoS Subwoofer Box, Subwoofer). This also assumes you do all the labor yourself.
 
Last edited:
...I probably lack the skills and patience to remove the door panels.
Click to expand...

I had briank do my speakers and floor amp (and also my climate control) and they were really easy to remove. They were so easy, even I could do it!

If you can be happy with the oem system, I recommend having the speakers and amp repaired, then adding an iPod adapter and ditching the trunk-mounted CD player. A new system is nice, but it is a huge ordeal to do. Even if you substitute money for frustration and have someone else do it, it is still a lot of planning just to figure out what components you need, and finding someone else who is familiar with the NSX is difficult in itself. You would be hard-pressed to get a new system done for less than $1500 if you hire an installer - 2 grand is a more realistic minimum figure. There are just so many obstacles to overcome, not the least of which is modifying or replacing the center console.

Having said that, if you lust after a modern system that has the works - GPS, bluetooth, iPod hookup, satellite radio ready, etc - then go for it!
 
Last edited:
trainingrevolution said:
Whoa, how the heck can you do it for $250???

I am just curious how you can do it for around $250, these were my costs (below). Can you find places where money could be saved?

Why do you have two amplifiers? You only need one four channel amp reallly unless you want to add rear fill, but in a small cabin like the NSX it's not necessary. This would of save you a little bit of money, $45, that you spent on the two channel amp.

You could of used the OEM head unit, this alone would of saved you almost $600, as you wouldn't of needed to modify your console. It would of saved you an additional $49 on the SOS mounting bracket as well.


Does it sacrifice quality? Quality is a very relative thing and refers to different things are we talking about the quality of the installation or the sound reproduction of the system. Two different things...you may of said you really wanted to have an aftermarket headunit for better sound, some people that live and love the bose will be quite happy by just replacing the speakers with an aftermarket amp and a pair of separates.
Click to expand...
 
clr1024 said:
trainingrevolution said:
Whoa, how the heck can you do it for $250???

I am just curious how you can do it for around $250, these were my costs (below). Can you find places where money could be saved?

Why do you have two amplifiers? You only need one four channel amp reallly unless you want to add rear fill, but in a small cabin like the NSX it's not necessary. This would of save you a little bit of money, $45, that you spent on the two channel amp.

You could of used the OEM head unit, this alone would of saved you almost $600, as you wouldn't of needed to modify your console. It would of saved you an additional $49 on the SOS mounting bracket as well.


Does it sacrifice quality? Quality is a very relative thing and refers to different things are we talking about the quality of the installation or the sound reproduction of the system. Two different things...you may of said you really wanted to have an aftermarket headunit for better sound, some people that live and love the bose will be quite happy by just replacing the speakers with an aftermarket amp and a pair of separates.
Click to expand...


I wanted to go with a mono amp for the sub, mono amps are Class D run cooler and are specifically designed to power a sub. You are right though I could have gone with a 4-channel amp. In fact I originally purchased an Alpine 4-channel amp which cost $395 (much more expensive then the $45 amp I currently have) but it was just too powerful for my speakers. I also could have purchased a used Alpine 4-channel amp for about $70 and bridged channels 3-4 for the sub but....the mono amp is going to cost me about $50 used and both amps are small enough to fit on one SoS trunk mounting panel. The amps I have are the Alpine MRP-T130 and the MRV-100M. Because I live in Texas and my NSX is Black I was a little worried about heat so I didn't want to overdrive a 4-channel amp.

I definitely could have kept the stock head unit, in fact if you are trying to save money I'm with you I think this is the biggest place to save. As you mentioned this saves you from having your console modified, as well as removes the need for the SoS mounting bracket. This would have saved exactly -$249 (head-unit) -$325 console modification -$9.50 wire harness -$48.95 SOS mounting bracket. Add $29.50 for the SoS wire harness to keep stock stereo. Add iPod Adapter $139.50 (I replaced the head unit because I wanted iPod connectivity so if I kept the head-unit I would have had to add it.) Total Savings for me would have been $463.45.

Quality is definitely a relative thing, I asked myself this question....after did it sound $1,400 better after the installation? That is definitely debatable....
Click to expand...
 
Well, it all really depends on how important music is to you. Yes, you can spend a fortune on car audio. However, keep a couple of things in mind:

1. This is a sports car, not a luxury car. Car isn't really quiet, especially if you have aftermarket exhaust, and most performance tires aren't the quietest. Given the high background noise, you won't really hear a lot of the improvement in sound quality when upgrading to expensive components. Unless you listen to your system a lot with the engine turned off, which kind of defeats the purpose of a sports car.

2. Adding a bunch of amps and larger subwoofer adds weight, which again is sort of against the principle of the NSX.

If you want to go aftermarket, you can get away with a headunit and two speakers. Use the built-in amp in the headunit, and get a set of decent co-axial speakers and use the adapter from SOS to hook it up to the existing wiring, and you can do all this for pretty cheap. Especially if you buy used parts from ebay or craigslist. This will give you sound if all you want is some background music or something to listen to when crusing. It won't get very loud, and you will not have a lot of bass, but if you can live without it, then this is the cheapest, not to mention the lightest, way of getting sound from an aftermarket system. From there, obviously price goes up (and quite quickly).

So it really depends on how important good sound is to you, and how much you really want to spend. For me, I'm happy with the stock system, and if it ever fails, I will probably replace it with a simple headunit that has Ipod connectivity and get a pair of aftermarket speakers.
 
Honestly, I wasnt planning to upgrade my stereo to anything amazing. Since my door speaker was busted, I thought it might be a good opportunity to upgrade. I'm sure over the past 20 years, the technology has increased so much that a standard setup would be better than the stock system in the NSX without much money/work. But I didnt take into account the extra wiring and components to make it all work. Again, I thought it was as simple as a pair of speakers, but apparently not the case.
 
dablackgoku1234 said:
Honestly, I wasnt planning to upgrade my stereo to anything amazing. Since my door speaker was busted, I thought it might be a good opportunity to upgrade. I'm sure over the past 20 years, the technology has increased so much that a standard setup would be better than the stock system in the NSX without much money/work. But I didnt take into account the extra wiring and components to make it all work. Again, I thought it was as simple as a pair of speakers, but apparently not the case.
Click to expand...

Yes, it is more than simply swapping out the speakers. But that doesn't mean it's incredibly difficult either. I learned a lot putting in my own system. It was frustrating at times, but a lot of fun too - and now I feel a ton of pride in my car and my work.
 
I would consider upgrading for other reasons such as being able to use an ipod in the car, or perhaps adding navigation or bluetooth sometime in the future. To me the extra features you gain over an old stock radio are more important than the sound, especially in a car like the NSX where it is always going to sound pretty bad while you're driving. :biggrin:
 
I'm trying to decide what to do as well. Soiund is not really an issue for me. As long as I can listen to NPR and listen to music clearly enough, i'm happy. but i do want all the other fun stuff, navi, bluetooth, and dvd capabilities. my quiestion is will the cost go down tremedously if i don't need to get an amp? do the double din head units have built in amps? can some one give me an estimate as to what this set up would cost and if i should expect the quality to be less then the oem bose system. total newbie to car stereo stuff. thanks in advance.
 
I have 1 or 2 of the little amp for the speakers that i believe still work... after going to total after market system. I would send them to anyone for the cost of shipping them...
 
if you remove the sound system, you should see a slight improvement in your lap times

Door Speakers (2 x -4.13 lbs)
Sub Speaker (-4.44 lbs not including alum. cover and mounting pc.)
Center Speaker (-0.63 lbs)
Head Unit (-5.34 lbs [5 lbs, 5.5 oz])
Antenna (-1.89 lbs [1 lbs, 14.2 oz])
Misc. wiring (~-1 lbs)
 
When my Bose speaker went bad. I replaced it it aftermarket.

Pioneer 6"speaker '$80.
Rockford Fosgate Punch Amp small one $100.
Headunit adapter wiring $8.

less than 200 using oem deck with factory cd changer.
 

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