# Stock audio sound quality



## anthonysmith93 (Jul 15, 2015)

I'm interested in seeing how the bass response changes once you upgrade. In my experience, in 3 different vehicles, upgrading just speakers (no amp) resulted in much clearer and sharper mids and highs, but a huge loss in bass response. I always attributed that to the difference in ohms, since (most) stock system use low wattage 8ohm speakers, and most aftermarket speakers are higher wattage 4ohm.


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## GraySkies (Feb 6, 2018)

anthonysmith93 said:


> I'm interested in seeing how the bass response changes once you upgrade. In my experience, in 3 different vehicles, upgrading just speakers (no amp) resulted in much clearer and sharper mids and highs, but a huge loss in bass response. I always attributed that to the difference in ohms, since (most) stock system use low wattage 8ohm speakers, and most aftermarket speakers are higher wattage 4ohm.


Bass response will be much better, since I'm putting in a sub too. I can take a graph with the sub unplugged, though, if it interests you. 

I am keeping the stock head unit, but it will be feeding an Audison DSP, JBL 5-channel amp (45w x 4 and 320w x 1), all Focal speakers up front, and a 12" Infinity sub in the trunk. I have the wiring all done, I put in Stinger Speedwire from the head unit to the trunk, and I put in new 14 gauge speaker wires to all the doors, feeding them through the stock Molex connectors. I now have to take the doors apart and do a bunch of sound deadening there and in the trunk (using NVX product), then install the 6 speakers up front, the electronics in the trunk, and put in my sub. I already have the sub box ready (1 cu. ft. sealed enclosure with poly packing). 

I expect that between the sound deadening material, the decent speakers, and the 1/3 octave EQ in the DSP, I should be able to do quite a lot with that spiky line in the graph.


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## anthonysmith93 (Jul 15, 2015)

GraySkies said:


> Bass response will be much better, since I'm putting in a sub too. I can take a graph with the sub unplugged, though, if it interests you.
> 
> I am keeping the stock head unit, but it will be feeding an Audison DSP, JBL 5-channel amp (45w x 4 and 320w x 1), all Focal speakers up front, and a 12" Infinity sub in the trunk. I have the wiring all done, I put in Stinger Speedwire from the head unit to the trunk, and I put in new 14 gauge speaker wires to all the doors, feeding them through a convenient void in the stock Molex connectors. I now have to take the doors apart and do a bunch of sound deadening there and in the trunk (using NVX product), then install the 6 speakers up front, the electronics in the trunk, and put in my sub. I already have the sub box ready (1 cu. ft. sealed enclosure with poly packing).
> 
> ...


Sweet so you're doin it the right way haha. I shoulda figured considering your sound graph. Most people say "I don't have enough bass which speakers should I buy" and I always cringe knowing that they'll lose what little bass they already have by only swapping speakers.


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## GraySkies (Feb 6, 2018)

I am especially interested in the combination of that tall spike at around 100Hz and the hole at 930Hz. For me, that reinforces my speculation that there is some kind of standing wave issue inside the doors, what with the clearly audible resonances present in the door skins and all.

If I get time (I don't have a lot of time to set aside for this project), I would actually like to install the sound deadener in the doors, and then put the stock speakers back in and take another measurement. It would be really interesting to see how the graph changes with ONLY the addition of sound deadener in the doors, and nothing else. 

It's a significant time investment for me, though, to put all four doors back together again _stock_, then have to take them apart a second time to put the _new_ speakers in. I am ALMOST interested enough to commit to that, but haven't decided yet. I think knowing the answer might help a lot of folks besides me, and that might be the thing that decides me in favor of it...


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