i have a 2000 protege and i am thinking about upgrading the sound system. ive already installed a pioneer 7400mp head unit. however, im looking for a little more quality from the speakers. i think the fronts are 6*8's and the rear door are 5 1/4 but i could be wrong, either way, im looking for really high quality speakers - money being a minor issue. what do you guys recommend?

 

well.....in reality the fronts are 5 X 7's....but 6 X 8's fit in the same space...and the rears are in reality 6's....

now.....we are off to the audio section!!!

:{D

 

Use componenet 6.5" in the front and rear coaxles that match. For inexpensive performance I like the JL VR speakers although the XRs aren't much more.

 

MB Quarts are very high quality, i recommend them only if you get an amp for them, your stock deck won't power them effectivly (i have the 6400 deck which is pretty much the same cept for the HPF and mp3 capability)

 

Super-duper speakers are not a great investment without an amp to power them. It's a good buy if you plan on getting an amp soon, but if the amp is not in the budget, there's no reason to buy expensive, high-power speakers.

Anything is better than stock, though. So with no amp, I'd say look at some of the cheaper brands, like Kenwood, Pioneer, and even Blaupunkt, among countless others - those companies make decent sets of speakers that don't need (and can't really handle) high-amp power, and they'll perform well with only the deck running them.

But if an amp is in the budget, do it - it's so worth it. You can have superior clarity AND tons of volume for pissin' off the neighbors and making your ears ring....and you don't need to spend a ton of money on that either.

~HH

 

Amp should always come before speakers. It's an essential element in the system and also nice for future upgrades.

 

Just to share an experience I once installed 2 pairs of MB quart PSC series components in a Toyota truck with just a nakamichi deck. It sounded great! We were all actualy amazed since I would have before also thought they would need an amp.

 

I find this frequently has to do with the sensitivity rating of the speakers. Speakers rated higher (like 90dB+) get more volume and sound better when used in low-power applications.

Also, you have to figure you were using a top-rated deck - Nak makes some very nice equipment, and it can matter a lot, since most sompanies overrate the deck's output. I'd bet that Nak was putting out some nice numbers.

But I had a similar experince in a car I used to own - had a Kenwood tape deck w/cd changer and Kenwood 6x9 speakers, originally hooked up to an amp, maybe 50 watts/side. Since I didn't know much, I had alternator whine and couldn't get rid of it - I decided one day to just ditch the amp. The speakers sounded BETTER and got LOUDER with just deck power - it turned out to be a great system.

Amps are not always necessary, but for that level of volume and clarity that makes you wince every time a snare drum hits, you need the juice, IMHO.

~HH

 

Yep it was an $800 Nak deck, not a run of the mill POS sony head unit.

 

I can't say I agree with that. For my money, it's wiser to choose the speakers you like the best, then pick up an amp that'll power them properly.

~HH

 

I agree with hihoslva, companies BS about there output ratings, I have a pioneer 8200R, a nice competition deck (when i bought it), the stock wattage and output wasn't all i tought it was going to be cracked up to be. Especially up in the top end in the peak ranges when the unit can continuously pump the same numbers the sound quality goes to ****, BIG TIME! Like everyone else said before, don't buy expensive speakers if you can't afford to buy an amp in the near future. Speakers only have a certain life expectancy to them. If you think you'll eventually buy an amp, I'd either wait till then or buy mediocre speakers to hold you over until you can afford to buy a decent power source.

 

In regards of which step to take as someone builds an audio system, the eventual goal is what willdetermine what comes first, second and third.

For someone seeking an all amped system with high quality source and alot of power, volume and clarity then I find it best to do the following.

Start with the headunit that has everything you want. If the headunit doesn't have an internal amp then buy a small four channel just to get you buy for a short time until you can upgrade. This is needed if you choose something like the alpine cda-7995. A small 4 channel amp can be conservatively used with even stock speakers to greatly improve the sound and without harming the stock speakers. I ran a small alpine 4 channel with my stock integra speakers for a year with no problems at all.

Next up would be the speakers of choice. With a high powered head unit or a small amp any speaker can be run safely but you have to know the limit of the speakers and source as it concerns to the distortion. To much distortion will kill any speaker but as long as your not sending them distortion even a $1300 3 way Focal set will play just fine, just not very loud.

Then The amps and subs can be introduced. With a well selected headunit you should be able to have your choice of any amp that fits your speakers.

 

easy question - probably because its been asked and answered before... what are the specs on the speakers in the 2000 protege...front/rear door and the rear deck. thanks

 

Front door - 5x7 or 6x8 (basically, an interchangeable size - either one will fit)

Rear deck - 6x9

No speakers in the rear doors on the sedans (even though it looks like there are - there's nothing behind those grilles!)

~HH

 

I have always backed Infinity speakers, they perform pretty well with power from the factory deck, only thing is quality does come at a price.