Changing out the door speakers improves the clarity 300%. I went with $50 Infinity 6.5" 2-ways.

AFTER this mod!

 

Hi Max,
I'm sure most of the pack has already performed this modification, but I'm a newbie and am definitely interested in taking a pair off your hands. At first, I was thinking I'd get the caps and have them installed when I get my new head unit installed (non MP3 capability is a no-go), but I've read enough that I believe I can do this myself. If you accept Paypal or would prefer old-fashioned snail mail moola, please let me know.

A little bit about me since I have no pimped signature (yet): First laid eyes on the Crossfire when I was 23, in the Army training in Monterey, CA. Until last month, the only car in my life was a '94 Pontiac Grand Prix SE, fondly known as the Broomstick (It's my only ride..) While bored at work one day, I was doing my occasional after wishful thinking/browsing/shopping that I've been doing for years . I spotted a local Crossfire for sale in Tucson (AZ) that is now mine. It's an '06, Aero Blue, Limited, Roadster and we just rolled over the 25,000-mile mark last week. I'm happy to welcome "Broomstick 2.0" into my life, but without the tape deck that "original" had, I am very much missing my ever-evolving music collection.

The head unit that I'm excited to install can be seen here: Power Acoustik PD-718NB In-Dash Video Receivers (With Screen) at Onlinecarstereo.com.

I have an Infinity Basslink on hand and one in my Broomstick that's served me well for years, but I think the speakers in this car will last quite a while, based on their current performance. After this (and the "bang for the buck") mod, will come deeper (yet legal) window tinting, seat covers (even beige leather burns the butt in AZ), and... that should be it! There's nothing wrong with the performance or overall driving experience, so it's just about beefing up the creature comforts, which for me are all about the soundtrack.

<exhale>

I've been a lurker for a few months, and an envy-er for years, but now I can happily say "Hi! I drive a Crossfire!"

 

Here.. save yourself $20 bucks to cover your wiring harness...and capacitors.. and free shipping..

 

Thanks Mr. Miata, I actually already have it in waiting on my kitchen table. Bought it for the Amazon price, but from newegg. I shopped around so long and visited so many sites, the one I provided was just a crap shoot for illustration.

Does anyone have a unit like this installed? Likes? Gripes?

~AnissaRose

 

Cool .. looks like a pretty nice unit.. Pop up a new thread when your hooked up and give us a review.. I dropped in a Clarion CZ501 but that looks like a nice upgrade to it for a reasonable price..

 

AnnisaRose,

just PM me. I'll get them to you.

Max

 

Annisa Rose: Welcome!! You have a great car and are now a member of this group; the Crossfire is a touring car so drive it, enjoy it, and come for a visit. Check out CICCI

 

So can I buy a non polarized cap, or do I have to splice 2 caps together to make a non polarized one?

After reading thru the thread some are satisfied with a 220 uf cap, while others prefer 300+, can someone who has used both tell me what the sound difference is between the two?

 

Very early in this thread, I compared 4 different cap values and found I liked the 270's best. Either too little bass (too much filtering) or too much bass (no filtering), comes from other values.

I still have a bag of 270's if you want a pair.

 

Thanks Max!

If I were to get new speakers would the updated speakers already have this mod? Or would I have to add the caps anyways?

 

You'll still need the caps. However, the new (better?) speakers may be better at handling the bass frequencies. Even with the 270 caps, the Infinity's I installed sound better and produce nice mid-bass. You will hear/feel the subs behind the seats for the first time.

 

Just did the mod myself, took less than 30 minutes.. soo convenient to have the little access panel, in most other cars it would be easier to do this either at the headunit or at the external amplifier (if there is one). I'm very happy with the results, sounds much better - clearer highs and punchier bass. Honestly I was expecting a little more punch from the puny woofers but I guess I got spoiled by having a few JL W7s and JL W6V2s in the past.. the ratting trunk/hatch days are behind me though so I doubt I'll be doing anything else besides maybe getting some better quality front speakers in the future as this factory amp puts out pretty good power for a stock unit.

 

Upgraded my HU with the blockers still on the speakers.. breaking the amp out to four channel input and having an amplified bass cannon in the trunk on it's own subwoofer out channel really makes all the speakers come alive.

 

So what is best 200, 220 or 250uF capacitor?
Also, is there a possibility to make that 40 is not the maximum level? I.e. when using itrip from an iphone the volume is not that high. would like to crank up about 10 more clicks.

 

FUBU - it's all personal preference on how loud you play your music, the style of music, settings of your equalizer (if you have one) and if you've changed any components (head unit, amp, speakers). I would suggest you use some blade connectors on your car wiring and capacitor leads so you can swap capacitors until you find the right sound without having to cut wires.

As far as your volume coming from your iPhone, have you turned up the media volume on your phone? Just a thought.

RL

 

All stock. "media volume" The volume using itrip is always the same from the iphone. Only possible to adjust volume on the head unit. I think I will buy all three and test them out. I do not know which ones I did add already. But I was somewhat disappointed with the result. Will try again....

 

Questions.... I just read all 27 pages and didn't see any examples comparable to what I did. I need to know if I should do this mod even with the changes I am making.

I am installing an Alpine CDE-HD137BT and will be using the HU speaker out cables to the stock amp to to wire up the fronts to the door speakers and the rears to the speakers. (My original HD skipped CDs over bumps.) I have also replaced my door speakers with a set of 609CS Infinity speakers - I had a blown passenger speaker. The new 609CS 6 inch are heavier and larger than the stock and the tweeters are also larger and much heavier. My new Apline has an equilizer built in.

So my doors (6 inch and tweeters with the new Inifinity Crossover connected) will be controller by the front speaker HU settings and the subs will be controlled by the rear speaker HU settings. I have wired everything up as shown in other threads on this site - separating the inputs into the amp from two channels to four channels. Getting ready to test everything on NYears day.

Should I still install this mod for my front speakers? I realize that my subs (rear) will only produce low bass frequencies based on the amp design and the fact that I am using hte original subs still.

Thanks

 

Only if during your testing/daily operations you drive the door speakers too much (the midrange specifically as they both use the same feed) to distortion at your 'normal' volume levels. The cap mod was to tailor the mids above the bass frequencies distortions. For many, this clipping sufficed to let the volume be set louder so the subs can actually be felt/heard. So, its only after you test/operate that you can determine if you want to try this mod.

 

+1
And the nice thing is those little panels are right there to access the wiring if you decide there's still a need for them.

 

I have a Clarion aftermarket head unit in my Crossfire right now, and I did the capacitor mod with it (still have all the stock speakers).

As someone who's kind of into car audio and upgraded pretty much every vehicle I've owned? My personal opinion is that the capacitor mod is a great "work around" (very inexpensive and easy to do/undo) to force the rear speakers (subs, basically) to fire loudly enough so they're noticeable with a stock system playing at a normal listening volume.

That said, if you go to the effort of rewiring an aftermarket head unit so it actually controls the front and rear speakers independently of each other (the Crossfire factory stereo configuration is odd in the sense that the fronts and rears are tied together using just 2 channels for left and right) -- you really have no need for the capacitor mod. You'll be able to use the fader control to send more volume to the rear speakers than the fronts instead.

Additionally? If you upgraded the door speakers and not the rear speakers? I wouldn't be at all surprised if the new door speakers need a little more wattage - meaning they're going to play more quietly at a given volume level than the stock ones. That might accomplish pretty much the same thing as the capacitor mod for you too. even if you keep everything wired so it only uses 2 channels like the factory setup.

Personally, I'd love to hear how some of the door speaker upgrades sound in the car.... I really don't want to make a big investment in audio upgrades on my Crossfire, but I've never been that happy with the stock door speakers. (I think the 7 speaker Bose system in my Cadillac spoils me.) The Crossfire speakers, even with the Clarion head-unit, get plenty loud enough -- but they sound a little "harsh" to me. I have to do a lot of playing with the EQ to get them to sound more pleasing to my ears, and then I play certain types of music and realize I've got whole "chunks" of the frequency range that are much quieter than the rest of it. I think it's a portion of the lower midrange that's lacking -- but I can't bring it all back the way I like with the EQ controls I'm given.