First time Stang owner, first time Mustang Forums poster...

Just got a '98 vert last week (after my SHO blowed up on 270 in MD :-) ) and having come from a car with a *great* audio system, I have to say that the non-Mach system in this Stang sucks butt... I wandered through these forums and found a lot of information about the Mach system, but not much about the not Mach system.

I don't need audiophile quality but I'd like something better sounding than this, there's no bottom end and way too much mid no matter how I tweek it. This seems to my slighty educated mind crap speakers, so I'm wondering if a simple speaker swap (or slightly less simple component speaker swap?) would be a decent upgrade, maybe an amp, and hope the head unit(s)...has the CD player too)) is decent quality at least. They look like they might be the same as what comes with the Mach system so I thought maybe... If I did go with an amp, and considering the Mach type wiring isn't there, what would be a good mounting location? Is trunk the only real option? I'd like to use as much of the existing wiring as possible to keep it clean and simple so running back to the trunk and back up front again doesn't sound efficient, but wouldn't be a deal breaker if I had too.

Thanks for your help!

 

the non premium systems do offer little..... upgrading anything on that system will get you better sound. I would normally start at the top with the head unit but you can just change the speakers as well. Getting deck with higher pwr output will help. The front speakers are not too bad to get out, the rear speaker are a real pita since they are top loaded. You will need to remove EVERYTHING from the back of the doors to the rear window..........

 

Thanks. I picked up a pair of Sony 5x7s for 54 bucks at Kircuit Kity over lunch figuring something like you said - even if I do end up replacing the head unit, I'd still want to do the speakers too. Even if these Sony's aren't the best, I'm sure they'll meet my "better than what I've got now criteria and at that price wouldn't kill myself if I decided to upgrade again anyway. I was thinking about putting them in the back first (they only had one pair) since I was contemplating components up front, but from what you write, maybe I'll start with the doors :-) Then take a listen and determine if it's really the speakers that'll make the difference, or the head unit is that bad.

Thanks again!

 

the back is much more labor intensive then the front, at least the 1rst time. When/if you replace the rear speakers do not mount them the way the stock speakers were. Go in and mount them from the bottom, in the trunk, and if you need to replace them the 2nd time is MUCH easier...........

Any kind of speaker will be an upgrade and give you better sound. While you were at circuit did you get some speaker hrns adaptors? Only $5-10 and makes it much neater and cleaner and also give you correct polarity.

 

Done. The first door took like an hour and the second about 20 minutes, easy once you know how to do it :-)

They sound better to much better, a little more and tighter bottom end, less squishy sounding mids and really good highs. All in all, definately worth the 60 bucks invested. Recomended to anybody who wants to upgrade a non-Mach system but keep the head unit(s). Now maybe when I get more time, the backs...

I didn't even think to get the connector adaptor. I just found a reference to the wire colors on this site so I knew which was which, pushed the connector pins out of the Ford connector (using a small nail to disengage), pushed the new wire through the now open plastic part, wrapped the stripped wire around the metal and taped. This way I didn't have to destroy the connector and if it comes loose, can just go get the adaptor and put it all back together proper.

This is in a vert by the way, I think your note about the backs is for the coupe. Although, I think it's still not straightforward in the vert either.

Thanks again for your help!

 

OHHHHHHHHHHHH a vert is much easier............. There are two plastic squares under the back seat between where your legs would be, push them in and pop the seat out. There are a couple of screws on the bottom of the side plastic and I think one towards the top and yer in........

You can also cover the ouside of the doors(under the plastic) with a solid piece of sound damping. This will help to make an enclusure for the speaker and give a good help to the bass output, it will suprise you..

If your good with a router I can show you how to build a door enclusure for the speaker giving better sound.

 

Good to know about the vert being not too hard. I picked up another pair of the Sony's, hopefully I'll have time to put them in this weekend.
You can notice the difference even with the door panel on or off becuase of the "enclosure effect". Listening some more today on the way to work I'm even more appreciative of the upgrade, the mirrors were even shaking a bit from the bass :-)