Audio upgrade.

onfire · 17-03-2009, 12:00 AM

Few questions regarding upgrading the stock audio components in the AU.

- All four speakers.. ( 2x Front, 2x Rear ) are all 5"x7", correct?

- Can I use the existing wiring with a set of new speakers, are the connections any different?

- And simply, parcel shelf removal. Whats the best, perferred method? And/Or can a set of 6x9s fit in the rear?

Thanks guys. Thinking about adding something a little better than the stock dual cones.

Dave_Obsession · 17-03-2009, 01:21 AM

1) yes the front and rear stock speakers are 5x7

2) yes I believe you can just use the same wiring....

3) no idea about parcel shelf removal......6x9's won't fit in the factory hole (too big), so you can either enlarge the hole (not recommended), or fit them in some spacers on the parcel shelf......i did this in my old ED and it looked pretty ugly lol

THR347 · 17-03-2009, 01:59 PM

Yes you can use the original wiring but u will have to cut off the plastic connectors, strip the wire back then crimp on some spade connectors for the aftermarket speakers. Easy as.

Just about anything is better than the stock 5x7's. I would recommend some good quality 5x7's or alternatively 6" splits up front, and 6" coaxial speakers in the parcel shelf. N.B. you will have to make spacers which is easy. Are you planning on adding a sub? 6X9's are a good idea if you do not plan on adding a sub. They will give you more bass and midrange than a 6" or a 5x7 speaker but i personally would steer away from them if you do plan on putting a sub in for the sake of sound quality.
You can add 6x9's from underneath the parcel shelf using a simple mdf spacer. Alot of guys have done this to their AU's and BA's eliminating the need to hack up the parcel shelf. Check out the audio section of the forum.

75van · 18-03-2009, 09:22 AM

I put in some 6x9 Pioneers on the weekend into my AUIII XR6, and it was a piece of cake. I screwed them in from the bottom ('cause cutting the parcel shelf is illegal), and the only thing you've got to watch out for, if you want to get them exactly centred to the 5x7 hole, is on the right hand side the new speakers go quite close to the middle seatbelt mounting bulge. There's only a 2mm gap to mine now. You can just cut the old connector off the existing wire, poke it through one of the holes in the parcel shelf close to the speaker and splice them to the wire that comes with the speaker.

I was debating whether to put them on top of the parcel shelf with a spacer, but this would lift the parcel shelf cover considerably. I left the existing speaker grilles in place, as they fit well and allow the sound out just fine. Putting the speaker below the shelf and the new grilles above the shelf would look crap.