changing stereo help/advice!

prototypepariah · Dec 1, 2010

Hey everyone,

Just got my cobra a couple of days ago and the first thing I want to do is ditch the tape deck! The output of the amps/speakers is fine, I don't really want to invest any more money in some sweet setup that I won't truly appreciate. From what I've read changing the head unit is a piece of cake, even for an idiot like myself :laughing5: And that with the wiring harness supplied from cructhfield I can hook the head unit back up to the amps and all done : )

http://www.crutchfield.com/s_105KDAHD69/JVC-Arsenal-KD-AHD69.html?tp=5684 - I like the options that one has a lot. I think this will be my choice.

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_700MP34220/Kenwood-KDC-MP342U-Package.html?search=KDC-MP342U - this one also seems decent the preamp volage is lower,I don't know that means other than their explanation but it seems important! Plus it comes with two speakers.(more on that later)

That's the price range I'm looking at, as well as the options(needs cd, and I like the idea of the ipod display/usb port. and the SD card input) but I really want to make sure whatever I choose, it would be a clean hook up and I would be able to use and get the most of out of my current set up.

The second dilemma is that the passenger side door speaker is rattling the hell out of the door frame, without the volume being cranked. I've been able to put some plastic in the door molding to quiet it down, but I guess to fix it i'll need to take the door hinge off. Finally the drivers side door speaker when the car is off/quiet sounds cracked? poor? Once the car is on or the system is up loud enough I can't hear it...but it sounds like it might need to be replaced.

With the kenwood I could get two speakers free and just try replacing/fixing the issue, although I don't know if at that point it might be worth it to take it to best buy and let them do everything. Or perhaps taking it to a local audio shop..

I would love to hear some thoughts/opinions/advice! thanks so much guys!

ttocs · Dec 2, 2010

is the stock mach system still working in the cobra?

Venomous96Cobra · Dec 2, 2010

it sounds like you have a working Mach system! so yeah go for it!!! I bought a JVC stereo recently and the sound is like night and day between the stock ford stereo, and my JVC! make sure you get the right harness with the amplifier bypass harnesses, and a utility compartment to replace the hole you will leave behind when removing the cd player...

Sinned83 · Dec 2, 2010

I would go with the kenwood. I have never had good luck with JVC

CanaryGT · Dec 2, 2010

I say personal preference. Kenwood Excelon series was good but Im on the fence about their new stuff.

prototypepariah · Dec 4, 2010

ttocs said:
is the stock mach system still working in the cobra?

yep the head unit, works perfect. The amps sound like they are on(it's loud enough to hurt my ears at 75% volume, but i'm a sissy) the only problem are the speakers rattling the door : ) but it's still got a tape deck, and sadly no one is making me mix tapes anymore !

Venomous96Cobra said:
it sounds like you have a working Mach system! so yeah go for it!!! I bought a JVC stereo recently and the sound is like night and day between the stock ford stereo, and my JVC! make sure you get the right harness with the amplifier bypass harnesses, and a utility compartment to replace the hole you will leave behind when removing the cd player...

I want to bypass the amps? Don't I want to use them to make the system work better? the harness has a plus to use the amps, at least that's how I'm understanding it.

The beauty of crutchfield, is they are throwing in the utility compartment, and the wiring harness. Plus the u-tool. So it shows up and I can switch it out, hopefully! : ) : ) : )

castine917 · Dec 4, 2010

prototypepariah said:
ttocs said:

is the stock mach system still working in the cobra?

Click to expand...

yep the head unit, works perfect. The amps sound like they are on(it's loud enough to hurt my ears at 75% volume, but i'm a sissy) the only problem are the speakers rattling the door : ) but it's still got a tape deck, and sadly no one is making me mix tapes anymore !

Venomous96Cobra said:

it sounds like you have a working Mach system! so yeah go for it!!! I bought a JVC stereo recently and the sound is like night and day between the stock ford stereo, and my JVC! make sure you get the right harness with the amplifier bypass harnesses, and a utility compartment to replace the hole you will leave behind when removing the cd player...

Click to expand...

I want to bypass the amps? Don't I want to use them to make the system work better? the harness has a plus to use the amps, at least that's how I'm understanding it.

The beauty of crutchfield, is they are throwing in the utility compartment, and the wiring harness. Plus the u-tool. So it shows up and I can switch it out, hopefully! : ) : ) : )

reads like stereo is in good working order but door panel is rattling probably from it being broken. am i reading that right?

do you have wire cutters, wire strippers, wire connectors, cause the connector and stereo need to be connected? if not get one similar to this one below for cheap and connectors similar to these but with heat shrink. what is a u-tool?

Shifty Powers · Dec 4, 2010

For that price range you can get a good pioneer or alpine HU... Ide never get JVC or kenwood if i could help it

prototypepariah · Dec 4, 2010

castine917 said:
Venomous96Cobra said:

it sounds like you have a working Mach system! so yeah go for it!!! I bought a JVC stereo recently and the sound is like night and day between the stock ford stereo, and my JVC! make sure you get the right harness with the amplifier bypass harnesses, and a utility compartment to replace the hole you will leave behind when removing the cd player...

Click to expand...

I want to bypass the amps? Don't I want to use them to make the system work better? the harness has a plus to use the amps, at least that's how I'm understanding it.

The beauty of crutchfield, is they are throwing in the utility compartment, and the wiring harness. Plus the u-tool. So it shows up and I can switch it out, hopefully! : ) : ) : )

reads like stereo is in good working order but door panel is rattling probably from it being broken. am i reading that right?

do you have wire cutters, wire strippers, wire connectors, cause the connector and stereo need to be connected? if not get one similar to this one below for cheap and connectors similar to these but with heat shrink. what is a u-tool?

[/quote]

yessir I have wire cutters and I have connectors. the U-tool is what I thought the name of the little gadget that helps you pull the stereo out, I've read you can use a bent up coat hanger as well.

castine917 · Dec 4, 2010

sounds like you will be good to go than.

ttocs · Dec 4, 2010

I show how to integrate a deck into the mach system on page 2 of my cardomain page, ride# 2395420. Take a look at it and let me know what questions you have.

castine917 · Dec 4, 2010

be sure to click on image to see them.

Sinned83 · Dec 4, 2010

I think you guys are talking about ford keys when you say u tool?

CanaryGT · Dec 4, 2010

They are.

prototypepariah · Mar 9, 2011

Okay, 3 months later and haven't had a chance to get around to this.

when looking at the amount of output on the headunit; the rms output would only matter if I was bypassing the stock amps. If I use the stock mach460 amps it won't matter what the headunit produces. Am I thinking about this right?

I figure using the amps in the car will sound better and louder than just plugging the headunit directly into the speaker wiring?

You guys suggest pioneer or alpine, does anyone have a specific model they like? I was thinking about something with a usb port, but only if it was able to be used with say an androids mp3 player. It looks like most of the head units aren't compatible : ( so maybe that's not needed. I need am/fm, cd player, aux imput and if it will read a droid i'd like the idea of a usb. I like the idea of an aux input on the rear of the deck so I could run a wire behind the din, and maybe make a dock in the empty tray(where the cd player was) I'd also like it to have a variable color, but that's not 100%

I also still need two front speakers. the fronts are 5'7" correct?

thanks guys, again so much for any input/help/suggestions

* I searched some on here, but couldn't find an answer.

lutter94 · Mar 9, 2011

Mustang speakers are 6x8's front and back. I just replaced all the speakers in my car this last summer with some infinity's. (replaced the deck a few years ago with a clarion). I'm happy with them and they are a lot clearer, but I am also having the issue of the rattling door at elevated sound levels. If you figure out how to fix it, let me know...lol.

As for a new deck, I have been looking at new ones, and I would get one with a rear usb port and a cd player. That way I could run the usb cord to the center counsel and hide it in there. Rather than having a cord or jump drive stick out the front of the deck.

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_113BT945U/Kenwood-KDC-BT945U.html?tp=5684&nvpair=FFUSB_Input|Rear&nvpair=AG_Type|ffCD_Receiver

I like the looks of this one, clean display with easy to read text.

ttocs · Mar 9, 2011

don't pay any attention to the output levels of the deck. Not because the mach amps are better by ANY means but because they are all about the same. Try to get a deck with high rated voltage on the rca outputs. Some are 2v or below, some are 4-5V and that is the number that matters, and try to get one with a subwoofer output.

I recomend integrating into the mach by bypassing the stock amp/cross over for the tweeters, playing those straight off the deck and running the rca inputs to the stock woofers. IF your rca output is not high enough you will need to look into a little box called a line driver as the stock amps like a really high voltage input and even with a high-volt out deck it might help. These can be had for as little as $20, I might even have my old one in the bottom of my box complete withe the hrns(I can check if you want). It is also helpfull to add some capacitors on the tweeters to act as bass blockers, these are less then $10 and easy to install.

With those mods I was suprised how much better the mach system sounded from stock.

Dalamar · Mar 9, 2011

lutter94 said:
Mustang speakers are 6x8's front and back. I just replaced all the speakers in my car this last summer with some infinity's. (replaced the deck a few years ago with a clarion). I'm happy with them and they are a lot clearer, but I am also having the issue of the rattling door at elevated sound levels. If you figure out how to fix it, let me know...lol.

As for a new deck, I have been looking at new ones, and I would get one with a rear usb port and a cd player. That way I could run the usb cord to the center counsel and hide it in there. Rather than having a cord or jump drive stick out the front of the deck.

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_113BT945U/Kenwood-KDC-BT945U.html?tp=5684&nvpair=FFUSB_Input|Rear&nvpair=AG_Type|ffCD_Receiver

I like the looks of this one, clean display with easy to read text.

I just got this head unit and it sounds awesome with the Mach stock speakers!
l

prototypepariah · Mar 10, 2011

ttocs said:
don't pay any attention to the output levels of the deck. Not because the mach amps are better by ANY means but because they are all about the same. Try to get a deck with high rated voltage on the rca outputs. Some are 2v or below, some are 4-5V and that is the number that matters, and try to get one with a subwoofer output.

I recomend integrating into the mach by bypassing the stock amp/cross over for the tweeters, playing those straight off the deck and running the rca inputs to the stock woofers. IF your rca output is not high enough you will need to look into a little box called a line driver as the stock amps like a really high voltage input and even with a high-volt out deck it might help. These can be had for as little as $20, I might even have my old one in the bottom of my box complete withe the hrns(I can check if you want). It is also helpfull to add some capacitors on the tweeters to act as bass blockers, these are less then $10 and easy to install.

With those mods I was suprised how much better the mach system sounded from stock.

so I should look into a 4-5volt head unit?

You've gone past my knowledge of car stereos! I don't know what a line driver is! Can I get one off crutchfield or at radio shack/best buy? Would I need a new wiring harness(whatever I buy from crutchfield comes with one if i'm not mistaken)

When I pull this out, how many preamps do I need 4 or 6? Do the tweeters have a preamp as well as the front and back? I kinda figured the tweeters connected to the front speakers before the amp.? - if that doesn't make sense i'll try again : ) I'm 99.9% not gonna have a sub on this at any point(perfer the trunk space with a vert)

prototypepariah · Mar 10, 2011

lutter94 said:
If you figure out how to fix it, let me know...lol.

As for a new deck, I have been looking at new ones, and I would get one with a rear usb port and a cd player. That way I could run the usb cord to the center counsel and hide it in there. Rather than having a cord or jump drive stick out the front of the deck.

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_113BT945U/Kenwood-KDC-BT945U.html?tp=5684&nvpair=FFUSB_Input|Rear&nvpair=AG_Type|ffCD_Receiver

I like that one I think it might be a little bit more than I want to spend with having to get speakers too..

As for the door rattling people have suggested getting http://www.dynamat.com/ - i'm hoping that taking the speaker out will let me reset it so it doesn't rattle/as much. If not where I work as foam padding that's gonna be my next step. If it happens to need it, and the padding works. I'll be sure to repost.

I have to work outside so I need a sunny day or two with some warmer temps! fuck winter in march! damn north east!