Upgrading Stereo in VT II Berlina Wagon

[nmldb]

I have a standard VT II Berlina wagon. Would like to upgrade the factory sound system. Rather than changing the head unit (and so loosing use of the controls on the steering wheel) I was thinkin' 'bout upgrading the speakers in the 4 doors (I think the Berlina Wagon only has speakers in the 4 doors, none in the front dash ???) only.

Was also thinking about putting a small sub-woofer in the back carrying section - preferably one that could be removed when carrying loads in the back. Would probably also need an amp too then. Not looking for anything super flash - just much better sound than the standard unit (which wouldn't be hard !).

I accept that not changing the head unit is sub-optimal in terms of better power/sound, but I really don't want to loose the controls on the steering wheel !

Any comments/suggestions ?

Thanx

[Decksta]

You have six speakers in your car there are little 4 inch at the top of your dash get a flash light look in the grills, to change the speakers in the doors you need to pull the door trim off. Ive asked a question wheather you can just connect the amp to the speaker wires?? still waiting for a reply

Hope i helped a bit

[StoneX]

You actually have tweeters in the dash, not 4" speakers. The front speakers are called component speakers or "splits" as the two components, the tweeter and woofer, are mounted separately. So when you replace them, you should get 6" or 6.5" splits to go in their place.

If you change just the speakers, the new speakers will have better clarity, but probably won't go as loud or produce anywhere near the "bass" that the stock ones do. The stock speakers are used as they match well to the stock head unit output, using high power rated speakers will result in less sound.

Now, putting a subwoofer is not easy with a stock head unit. A subwoofer needs an amp, an amp needs the sound to come from somewhere, usually RCA's. The stock head unit doesn't have RCA's, so you either have to physically add them by plling the stock head unit apart and soldering RCA leads into it OR getting a high level (speaker) to low level (RCA) converter. The problem with the high to low converter is that it uses the speaker wires that should be going to your speakers... So it makes it quite difficult to set up and if you do set it up, you have very little tunability, you can't adjust sub volume independent of full range music, etc.

If you get an aftermarket head unit, you can get an adaptor that allows the steering wheel controls to work with it. It's called a "CAT" something. That would be the best way if you want good sound and steering wheel controls but it would cost a fair bit more.

[Decksta]

Hey StoneX

I thought that splits had frequency splitters in them like 200 Hz (or something) below for woofer and above that for the tweeters,

But aren’t the tweeters just wired off the same wires as the door speakers ??????????

[StoneX]

Splits are just separate components. Tweeters require a filter so that bass frequencies don't go to them, so the stock tweeter has a capacitor mounted on the back of it which works as a high pass filter. The woofer in the door plays full range (all frequencies, no filter). The tweeter filter would be up in 2,000-5,000Hz range.

Yep, the tweeter and woofer run from the same wires as the filter is attached to the tweeter.

Since the car is made with splits, you'll generally get better sound by making use of those locations to mount aftermarket splits

[Decksta]

Are coolies

I new with after market splits the go into a spliter box the to tweeters and wolfer i just thought eurovox would be dogey and just wire them together didnt realise they had a filter on the back of the tweeter

Cool

[nmldb]

Thanks guys - comments are very much appreciated.

[jgupte]

Hi. I too am upgrading my stereo in a VXII Executive wagon from the standard Eurovox CD/Radio to a Maestro series with a stacker and could do with soime help.

The loom in my car has just one plug (13 pin?) for the current stereo (and the antena plug). The Maestro has the same 13 pin socket, as well as a smaller (9 pin?) plug besides the CD Stacker socket and sockets for the normal antena and diversity antena. Is this smaller plug used for connecting the amp to the two woofers? And are the pins in the larger plug the same as in the standard CD/Radio unit?
I have been in contact with Eurovox support and they tell me that the Maestro is from a VT and that it requires an expert to fit it (for $80 +) but I am hoping to do it myself.

Can anyone help me out with advise/wiring diagrams?

Thanks in advance,
Julio