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New Looking to upgrade my car sound
but not blow $$ unnecessarily.

I have a Volvo 2002 s80. It has a decent CD / radio.

But: When I turn it up, it gets a bit muddy.

I could probably change the speakers and be happy, but I'm not sure.

What would be the best way to add a bit of clarity to loud music in my situation?
New hearing aids? /me flees
Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free American and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 55 years. meep
New Re: Looking to upgrade my car sound
Rip and replace. You want a new high power head and new speakers. Its a few hundred well invested if you spend a good deal of time in the car.
Sure, understanding today's complex world of the future is a little like having bees live in your head. But...there they are.
New Thanks
Since I'm not the do-it-yourself guy (anymore) with car audio, can you recommend an audio dealer around "here" along with any specific list'o'items?
New Re: Thanks
you'll need a faceplate, since yours has the custom sized baby..

http://www.ebay.com/...0da#ht_1269wt_998

But if you go to a shop they'll likely be able to order you one.

Looks like your car has separate speakers up front...never sure what the dash speaker was for...

Best Buy will install...has some decent equip...if you go to a smaller shop they'll try and oversell...

something like this up front..

http://www.bestbuy.c...007&skuId=9985099

or this

http://www.bestbuy.c...912&skuId=1807251

and mix and match a head unit that has features you want...

could be something like this

http://www.bestbuy.c...418&skuId=1947071

that should get you louder and clearer. It's likely that the factory install speakers have given up the ghost. Happened to me in the Acura with the Bose setup...which was the last rip and replace I needed. Current system seems to be holding up for me.

Sure, understanding today's complex world of the future is a little like having bees live in your head. But...there they are.
New Does anyone make an "input only"?
With everyone carrying a year's worth of music on their iPods, couldn't most people get by with an input jack and volume knob? (I don't refer to myself, of course, as I don't have an iPod, or a smartphone, and I listen to talk radio.)
--

Drew
New Sorta.
I got a Sony head to replace the factory radio in J's Corolla. The Sony has a USB port and a 3.5" jack to plug in memory sticks, iPods, or analog inputs from various things.

It's very similar to this one, but I can't swear it's the same model.

http://www.crutchfie...pair=FFBrand|Sony

Rather amazing, actually.

Cheers,
Scott.
New Re: Does anyone make an "input only"?
http://www.youtube.c...tch?v=Ap26YnE8JNU

Sony makes this one that holds the ipod inside (or phone, or other).
Sure, understanding today's complex world of the future is a little like having bees live in your head. But...there they are.
New iPod aware car stereos
Be wary of some decks that have iPod/iPhone integration features like displaying song info on the deck's screen if you have a large number of songs on your iPod. I've tried plugging my 7000 song iPhone into some of these decks and had to wait an excruciating amount of time for it to scan the song library. I'd try any deck with this feature out on a large library to make sure.

Me, I still use a cassette adapter (Sony's sound best to me) and a Pro Clip dock to hold the iPhone.
New Re: Does anyone make an "input only"?
I picked up a Sony Xplod CDXGT650UI from Best Buy not that long ago, and they did the installation in my 94 Accord. I love the unit ... has a USB port for sticks and recharging things, a generic line in jack, and a larger display than many units because the CD slit is hidden behind the flip-down faceplate. Seems to do ok with MP3 CDs, also, and supposedly controls IPODS (I don't know, my MP3 players are mainly Rockboxed non-Apple products).

Oh, and this unit can do things with pretty colors, too. :-)

http://www.crutchfie...os+%26+Components
--
-Rich Steiner >>>---> Mableton, GA USA
The Theorem Theorem: If If, Then Then.
Expand Edited by rcsteiner Nov. 26, 2011, 06:51:57 PM EST
New That's 2 votes for the Sony
The higher end model is $119 (today/tomorrow/maybe next day), and that includes the faceplate for my car and the wiring harness.

Another $70 to plug it into my steering wheel controls.

So I'll look local, see if I can get a close match on price, and match in 4 speakers.

Or maybe I'll get adventuresome and do it myself (shudder, imagining myself frying the security system and bricking my car).
New On your car, I'd let them do it.
they pay for it if something gets messed up.
Sure, understanding today's complex world of the future is a little like having bees live in your head. But...there they are.
New Just walked a bunch of stores
Don't like.

I like this:
http://www.crutchfie...os+%26+Components

Which includes the Volvo faceplate and cable harnesses and antenna converter.

I've got a local car repair place I use. 6 bays, 1 owner, 1 of the mechanics is in M's college class, they are buddies.

They do stereo installs.

So I get the above, plus 4 speakers (gotta doublecheck which ones), plus the steering wheel control converter box, and then I'm done buying stuff.

I hand it to them, pay them to install.
New Re: Just walked a bunch of stores
Thats the one RC linked to...nice unit.
Sure, understanding today's complex world of the future is a little like having bees live in your head. But...there they are.
New That is the Followup to the
Sony XPLOD I have in my Mits Lancer. Its got everything mine has (including power and outputs and inputs), plus "iProduct" compat, front 1/8th inch stereo input and USB port. If I have to get a new one... it'll be this one.

It was $199 in big box stores. This version is much nicer and supports many things.

One thing I can say about these "stereos" is they really are very reliable. Mine even read really scratched and old MP3 CDs and regular CDs.
New hmm didnt realize you were so close
Im in ATL these days. Do you know any apache rewrite folks looking for employment by chance?
Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free American and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 55 years. meep
New Re: hmm didnt realize you were so close
Not off the top of my head, but I can certainly check around.
--
-Rich Steiner >>>---> Mableton, GA USA
The Theorem Theorem: If If, Then Then.
New please do, I am swamped
Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free American and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 55 years. meep
New Speakers matter most.
In general.

Especially being 10 years old, I'd expect that new speakers would help most for "muddy" sound.

Crutchfield has good tools for seeing what speakers fit, customer reviews, etc. If you buy there, they supply good interface kits and instructions.

http://www.crutchfield.com

My looking around there for a 2002 S80 (assuming non-surround sound) lists these (at $100/pair) as being highly rated - http://www.crutchfie...b651s.html?tp=105

That said, if you like your music really loud, you might need to add an amplifier as well. I haven't done that myself (never had the need).

HTH a little.

Cheers,
Scott.
     Looking to upgrade my car sound - (crazy) - (18)
         hearing aids? /me flees -NT - (boxley)
         Re: Looking to upgrade my car sound - (beepster) - (15)
             Thanks - (crazy) - (14)
                 Re: Thanks - (beepster) - (13)
                     Does anyone make an "input only"? - (drook) - (12)
                         Sorta. - (Another Scott)
                         Re: Does anyone make an "input only"? - (beepster) - (1)
                             iPod aware car stereos - (altmann)
                         Re: Does anyone make an "input only"? - (rcsteiner) - (8)
                             That's 2 votes for the Sony - (crazy) - (4)
                                 On your car, I'd let them do it. - (beepster) - (3)
                                     Just walked a bunch of stores - (crazy) - (2)
                                         Re: Just walked a bunch of stores - (beepster)
                                         That is the Followup to the - (folkert)
                             hmm didnt realize you were so close - (boxley) - (2)
                                 Re: hmm didnt realize you were so close - (rcsteiner) - (1)
                                     please do, I am swamped -NT - (boxley)
         Speakers matter most. - (Another Scott)

Well, as long as you can bottle it up I'm sure that's perfectly healthy.
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