audio upgrade questions for a newbie

jritt

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hey guys new to the forum. just bought my 2017 civic hatch ex and thinking about upgrading the sound system. does anybody have good recommendations on speakers/subs/amps? this is my first car purchase so I'm still new to all of this and need to educate myself. i want to upgrade so i can blast my music but not sure if i should start with an amp/sub or with all new speakers. any advice/recommendations? thanks!
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cestjoel

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hey guys new to the forum. just bought my 2017 civic hatch ex and thinking about upgrading the sound system. does anybody have good recommendations on speakers/subs/amps? this is my first car purchase so I'm still new to all of this and need to educate myself. i want to upgrade so i can blast my music but not sure if i should start with an amp/sub or with all new speakers. any advice/recommendations? thanks!
Most important question is, what’s your budget?

I installed around $2k worth of stuff on mine and it sounds amazing! But I’m meticulous when it comes sound quality.
 

simon_lefisch

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Most important question is, what’s your budget?

I installed around $2k worth of stuff on mine and it sounds amazing! But I’m meticulous when it comes sound quality.
Did you swap out the head unit? If so, which one did you use?
 
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jritt

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Most important question is, what’s your budget?

I installed around $2k worth of stuff on mine and it sounds amazing! But I’m meticulous when it comes sound quality.
Im willing to spend up to $300-$500. Just got out of college so loans are a thing haha. But yeah right now its either or. (sub/amp or speakers) i don't necessarily need to huge bump of a sub i just want to be able to play my music loud without worrying about worrying about blowing the speakers
 
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jritt

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Did you swap out the head unit? If so, which one did you use?
no i wanna keep the stock headunit. I have an EX so i have the touchscreen unit which I'm not disappointed with plus I want to keep apply car play/honda senssing/etc
 


cestjoel

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Did you swap out the head unit? If so, which one did you use?
I kept the OEM headunit in my Sport, but used a JL Audio FIX86 DSP to fix and level out the signal from the stock HU.
 
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cestjoel

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Im willing to spend up to $300-$500. Just got out of college so loans are a thing haha. But yeah right now its either or. (sub/amp or speakers) i don't necessarily need to huge bump of a sub i just want to be able to play my music loud without worrying about worrying about blowing the speakers
For that budget, I would just get a powered subwoofer. You can get one that fits under the seat, If you don’t want a bigger one taking up space in your hatch.

You can get speakers, but, personally, I think the sub will round-out your sound better and make it sound punchier/full.

If you want recommendations, let me know and I can tell you what to buy. You would just need to go to a stereo shop to get it installed.
 

dby2017

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For that budget, I would just get a powered subwoofer. You can get one that fits under the seat, If you don’t want a bigger one taking up space in your hatch.

You can get speakers, but, personally, I think the sub will round-out your sound better and make it sound punchier/full.

If you want recommendations, let me know and I can tell you what to buy. You would just need to go to a stereo shop to get it installed.
I was looking for something to make the sound better without much expense or modification. I was thinking just new front door speakers but you think just a simple powered sub under the seat could make it better? I would be interested in what you recommend. I need my trunk space so something under the seat would be great. The stock system on my EX-T doesn't sound horrible but there is something missing. It's hard to explain, sometimes it sounds great, other times the mids and lows are like clipped.
 

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The stock system on my EX-T doesn't sound horrible but there is something missing. It's hard to explain, sometimes it sounds great, other times the mids and lows are like clipped.
It's because the stock HU has a low end cutoff. If you disable the EQ you can hear the difference.
 

cestjoel

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I was looking for something to make the sound better without much expense or modification. I was thinking just new front door speakers but you think just a simple powered sub under the seat could make it better? I would be interested in what you recommend. I need my trunk space so something under the seat would be great. The stock system on my EX-T doesn't sound horrible but there is something missing. It's hard to explain, sometimes it sounds great, other times the mids and lows are like clipped.
This is what I would buy, if I was going for minimal set-up/budget/modification:

Powered Sub:
https://www.sonicelectronix.com/ite...ofer-Enclosure-with-Integrated-Amplifier.html
(Make sure to watch video that’s in the product pictures)

Amp Wire Kit:
https://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_45061_NVX-XAPK4.html
 


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Hey...Just joined this forum as I recently got a 2017 Civic EX-T. Looking to upgrade speakers. Was thinking of getting just a powered sub but, after seeing prices + install, I just don't have $300-$400 to spend right now. Plus, I'm NOT looking for earth-shattering boom! Honestly the stock speakers (overall) don't sound too bad. Just some clipping on certain songs (EDM fan...house, trance, etc). So, I was thinking of starting off small by replacing door and/or rear speakers for now. Again, keeping things SIMPLE, not replacing the HU.

Okay. Getting to my question(s). My car already has either 2 (or maybe even 4) stock tweeters. Which is fine...they'll do for now! But if I add some 2-way speakers that obviously they'd come with their own tweeters, would this be tweeter overkill? Has anyone else added 2-way speakers while still using stock tweeters? Are the highs really too much? I don't feel like going in and disconnecting the stock tweeters and all that. Just trying to get a slightly richer sounding door speakers. Again, MASSIVE bone crushing bass is not my concern.

So I was thinking since I already have the stock tweeters, would I be better off just getting some 6.5" MidBass woofers for the doors? Or maybe those just in front or better in the rear? Any opinions or ideas would be greatly appreciated. I know I ramble on and on. Lol Anyway, thanks in advance. ;)
 
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Space Lord

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Hey...Just joined this forum as I recently got a 2017 Civic EX-T. Looking to upgrade speakers. Was thinking of getting just a powered sub but, after seeing prices + install, I just don't have $300-$400 to spend right now. Plus, I'm NOT looking for earth-shattering boom! Honestly the stock speakers (overall) don't sound too bad. Just some clipping on certain songs (EDM fan...house, trance, etc). So, I was thinking of starting off small by replacing door and/or rear speakers for now. Again, keeping things SIMPLE, not replacing the HU.

Okay. Getting to my question(s). My car already has either 2 (or maybe even 4) stock tweeters. Which is fine...they'll do for now! But if I add some 2-way speakers that obviously they'd come with their own tweeters, would this be tweeter overkill? Has anyone else added 2-way speakers while still using stock tweeters? Are the highs really too much? I don't feel like going in and disconnecting the stock tweeters and all that. Just trying to get a slightly richer sounding door speakers. Again, MASSIVE bone crushing bass is not my concern.

So I was thinking since I already have the stock tweeters, would I be better off just getting some 6.5" MidBass woofers for the doors? Or maybe those just in front or better in the rear? Any opinions or ideas would be greatly appreciated. I know I ramble on and on. Lol Anyway, thanks in advance. ;)
You'll definitely want to disconnect the rear tweeters when you get the new speakers. It's really not that hard, especially if you have the door panel off already, and even just unplugging them would be better because they are in a very bad position to begin with because they are right behind your head.

As for the fronts, I would replace the front tweeters as well IMO because the aftermarket tweets are probably better quality (depends on what you get) and the crossover points may be different from what Honda has and what the new speakers need.
 
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You'll definitely want to disconnect the rear tweeters when you get the new speakers. It's really not that hard, especially if you have the door panel off already, and even just unplugging them would be better because they are in a very bad position to begin with because they are right behind your head.

As for the fronts, I would replace the front tweeters as well IMO because the aftermarket tweets are probably better quality (depends on what you get) and the crossover points may be different from what Honda has and what the new speakers need.
Cool. But I don't have any tweets right behind my head. In fact, the only tweets behind me are back in the rear deck with rear speakers. I'm really not into messing with rear deck because I've seen several videos of people ripping out the backseat just to get to rear deck... Still a brand new car. Not gonna happen. Lol
So, I can handle putting in better front door speakers and maybe disconnecting the front tweeters on the side pillars. My question is, is that even necessary... Or would it be too much treble? If it still sounds okay then, I'm good with that. I'm very slowly upgrading. Most likely decided on starting with better door speakers for now. Been looking at some JBL 6.5 2-ways for like 50 bucks a pair.
 

Space Lord

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Cool. But I don't have any tweets right behind my head. In fact, the only tweets behind me are back in the rear deck with rear speakers. I'm really not into messing with rear deck because I've seen several videos of people ripping out the backseat just to get to rear deck... Still a brand new car. Not gonna happen. Lol
So, I can handle putting in better front door speakers and maybe disconnecting the front tweeters on the side pillars. My question is, is that even necessary... Or would it be too much treble? If it still sounds okay then, I'm good with that. I'm very slowly upgrading. Most likely decided on starting with better door speakers for now. Been looking at some JBL 6.5 2-ways for like 50 bucks a pair.
Sound really differs by person so the best thing imo is to try it out and see for yourself if you like it and if it's too much just disconnect the tweeter on the speaker or the oem. For me, too much treble hurt my ears but it might be my hearing. Just be careful you don't go too cheap on the speakers then want to upgrade them later again if you amp them. I've done that and it cost me more money in the long run.
 
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Sound really differs by person so the best thing imo is to try it out and see for yourself if you like it and if it's too much just disconnect the tweeter on the speaker or the oem. For me, too much treble hurt my ears but it might be my hearing. Just be careful you don't go too cheap on the speakers then want to upgrade them later again if you amp them. I've done that and it cost me more money in the long run.
Got ya. Thanks for the insight. Still tho, since I already have the stock tweeters up front, what about just getting a couple 6.5" midbass woofers? (link below) And would these fit (depth-wise) in 2017 Civic door panel? (If not, I'll just get some good 2-ways). Thanks.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000...woofer+6.5&dpPl=1&dpID=51t-qbElb+L&ref=plSrch
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