2011 honda civic audio upgrade?

baalad · 20-04-2016 10:04PM #1

Hey guys, I was recently told that replacing the stock speakers alone on a car is a waist of time and that i would have to replace the stereo unit aswell etc But iam curious if its possible to upgrade the speakers without having to go near/replace the stock head unit??

Is it possible to keep the unit and just bypass its amp using an external amp and then connect speakers to that??? The car is a 2011 civic hatchback.

If anyone is in the know and can help i would be greatful ;-)

colm_mcm · 20-04-2016 10:12PM

Have a read of this
http://www.civinfo.com/forum/ipods-mp3-players-ice/142042-upgrading-speakers-stock-head-unit.html

baalad · 22-04-2016 06:57PM

Don't suppose anyone knows or can recommend a good pair of rainbow speakers that fit a 2011 honda civic type s ? Iam planning on only replacing the front speakers . I have been told that i cannot use an amp and it would be a waist of time but that a subwoofer would help? Is the subwoofer actually necessary though or would the speakers be driven fine from the head unit ??

Also, any ideaas to what type/size of speaker i should be looking at for the front ?

colm_mcm · 22-04-2016 07:22PM

The subwoofer basically means you don't have to belting the ar$e out of the speakers.
Subwoofer needs an amp though.

baalad · 22-04-2016 07:42PM

colm_mcm wrote: »

The subwoofer basically means you don't have to belting the ar$e out of the speakers.
Subwoofer needs an amp though.

So what would be the best set up? Replace speakers alone? Subwoofer and speakers? Seemingly an amp wont help and cant be used anyway with the particular head unit in the civic!!

Would it be easier to just replace the head unit and speakers?

Ideally i dont want to disturb the head unit but if i must then i will!!

colm_mcm · 22-04-2016 08:34PM

where would you put a sub? it's something I've often wondered with mine. under-seat ones won't fit, they'd for unelder the back seat but then you couldn't fold it down. in the boot would be the best place id say.

who told you you cant use an amp?

baalad · 22-04-2016 08:44PM

colm_mcm wrote: »

where would you put a sub? it's something I've often wondered with mine. under-seat ones won't fit, they'd for unelder the back seat but then you couldn't fold it down. in the boot would be the best place id say.

who told you you cant use an amp?

Basically i asked a asked a lad i know if replacing the speakers alone would be worthwhile and he said no that i would need an amp also so i then said that to a guy that installs audio equipment etc and he said that an amp wont work (something to do with needing rca connections at the back of the head unit i think?) He suggested that the best route would be to replace the speakers and to use a subwoofer! I always associated a subwoofer with bass (which i dont like too much of) so was wondering why i couldnt do without it but he says its needed for more then just bass?

As you can tell, iam clueless on all this

colm_mcm · 23-04-2016 02:47PM

I would recommend you check exactly what other FK/FN CIVIC owners have done with their standard headunits.

I'd def go for a sub if possible. You don't need to be pounding basslines or anything like that, you just use the sub for the bassy bits instead of your speakers doing the hard work and shaking your doors apart!

Have a look at the post in the link I posted the other day about the speaker enclosures within the doors.

baalad · 23-04-2016 10:35PM

Can someone tell me what i should look for when buying speakers? For example i think the car stock speakers are 6.5inches so obviously i need to get speakers the same size but then you have different depths and component / co axial etc ? What the hell am i looking for ha

colm_mcm · 23-04-2016 11:16PM

I think you're focussing on the wrong thing TBH.
You'd have to spend an awful lot to get speakers that are as good as the factory ones. The weak point is the headunit and the design of the doors.
Now, I am nowhere near an expert on these things, but what I'd be doing is getting a 4 channel line out converter to convert the signal from the 4 channels from the stock headunit to one suitable for connecting to the amp inputs.
From the (modestly sized) amp I'd run the existing speakers and a handy sized subwoofer.
There must be some easy fix for the questionable design for the speaker enclosures, it's something I've been meaning to do on my own civic.
If you could get a shallow enough enclosed sub that you could mount on the rear floor under the seat in such a way that you could fold the seats down that would be ideal.
Something like this
http://www.hertzaudiovideo.com/car-audio-subwoofer_box-energy-ebxf20_5/

baalad · 23-04-2016 11:40PM

Any idea what the total cost would be ? Could i have the job done for under 500 quid?

colm_mcm · 23-04-2016 11:44PM

Ah yeah, I'd say you could easily get it for under €500. You don't need anything crazy.

Would you be happy enough to lose some boot space, say in the under-floor compartment?

baalad · 23-04-2016 11:48PM

colm_mcm wrote: »

Ah yeah, I'd say you could easily get it for under €500. You don't need anything crazy.

Would you be happy enough to lose some boot space, say in the under-floor compartment?

Yes the boot is pretty big and rarely used so could def afford to lose a little space!

What sort of a set up would you recommend by the way with regards to choosing speakers, sub etc

colm_mcm · 23-04-2016 11:55PM

I'll Fold down the seats in mine tomorrow and see how much room is there when you fold down the seats.
I'm actually thinking what might be good as well would be using half of the underfloor compartment in the boot for your amp and sub.

baalad · 24-04-2016 12:00AM

colm_mcm wrote: »

I'll Fold down the seats in mine tomorrow and see how much room is there when you fold down the seats.
I'm actually thinking what might be good as well would be using half of the underfloor compartment in the boot for your amp and sub.

Where would i put the spare wheel though? ha What equipment would you suggest also because i cant see myself getting an amp, sub and 4 speakers for under 500

colm_mcm · 24-04-2016 12:06AM

You have a spare wheel?

Mine just has a compressor and a bottle of gunk

baalad · 24-04-2016 12:32AM

colm_mcm wrote: »

You have a spare wheel?

Mine just has a compressor and a bottle of gunk

Yeah i bought it seperately

colm_mcm · 24-04-2016 01:00AM

I'm thinking something like this under the rear seats
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Kenwood-KSC-SW11-Compact-Active-Amplified-Under-Seat-Powered-Subwoofer-150W-/141920833451?hash=item210b240fab:g:vPkAAOSwAuNW2hev

And then a separate 4 channel amp with high level inputs (basically it can take the speaker output straight into the amp) to power your existing speakers

An amp wiring kit plus wiring x4 from the amp to the dash.

Hopefully someone who does audio installs for a living could offer some input

baalad · 01-05-2016 12:38AM

Hey dude, have you any idea if it would be difficult to hook up component speakers in the front? The car does not have tweeters currently so i plan to mount my own but is this difficult? It mat be just easier to go with both coaxials back an front

colm_mcm · 01-05-2016 11:19AM

are you sure you don't have tweeters? mine has them up where the side mirrors are.

baalad · 01-05-2016 11:28AM

colm_mcm wrote: »

are you sure you don't have tweeters? mine has them up where the side mirrors are.

Yeah from what iam seeing online my car should have them but it doesn't. The plates where the side mirrors are just plain with nothing there.

Is it possible to mount the tweeters elsewhere??

colm_mcm · 01-05-2016 08:36PM

You'd be better off just getting the factory ones and associated wiring from a scrapper.

Is yours a 1.4?

baalad · 01-05-2016 09:14PM

colm_mcm wrote: »

You'd be better off just getting the factory ones and associated wiring from a scrapper.

Is yours a 1.4?

Yup. 1.4

Can they not just be mounted elsewhere? Id say ill have trouble trying to get the original panels for the side mirrors and they could be costly

colm_mcm · 01-05-2016 09:36PM

You won't have any trouble finding them in a scrapyard, just search for ES or EX models. Partfinder.ie will show you a list of breakers that have them.

You could of course mount aftermarket tweeters somewhere, but it will be more work than getting the original ones and clicking them in, and it will look aftermarket.

I can't see a scrapyard charging anything substantial for these bits, there's zero demand for them.

baalad · 01-05-2016 09:57PM

colm_mcm wrote: »

You won't have any trouble finding them in a scrapyard, just search for ES or EX models. Partfinder.ie will show you a list of breakers that have them.

You could of course mount aftermarket tweeters somewhere, but it will be more work than getting the original ones and clicking them in, and it will look aftermarket.

I can't see a scrapyard charging anything substantial for these bits, there's zero demand for them.

Doesnt it need to be for the fn/fk models?? Partfinder returns no results for tweeters but i can tell them what iam looking for an a scrapyard mat get back to me if they have them so might just cross my fingers and hope someone nearby has them ha

colm_mcm · 01-05-2016 09:59PM

They won't list them as parts, far as I know, FN and FK should have the same tweeters. As before, just find an ES or EX model then ring the yard and ask if they have it.
I assume there's a crossover and wiring that runs from the speaker down low in the door.

Now I'm not sure that the woofers you have now are the same as I have, as fitted to most civics, maybe they're a lower quality too.

baalad · 01-05-2016 10:05PM

colm_mcm wrote: »

They won't list them as parts, far as I know, FN and FK should have the same tweeters. As before, just find an ES or EX model then ring the yard and ask if they have it.
I assume there's a crossover and wiring that runs from the speaker down low in the door.

No idea dude. your literally talking to a guy that didnt even know how to drive until recently so iam new to all this. Do you mean that you assume the wiring is already in place for the tweeters to be connected at the side mirrors?

colm_mcm · 01-05-2016 10:07PM

Will you be installing any of this stuff yourself?

baalad · 01-05-2016 10:12PM

colm_mcm wrote: »

Will you be installing any of this stuff yourself?

No way haha I did see a head unit install which i reckon i could manage myself but id rather be on the safe side and leave it to someone thats done it all before so ill get someone to fit the lot for me. I just dont wanna order tweeters if they cant be mounted or if its gonna be too much hassle etc

colm_mcm · 01-05-2016 10:14PM

Ok, just get the tweeters from a scrapyard and your installer will do the rest.
They're built into the triangular trim and swap out for your old ones.

They look like this
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-Civic-FN-FK-tweeter-speakers-39120-SED-E11-2003-2011-/131643117701

baalad · 01-05-2016 10:17PM

colm_mcm wrote: »

Ok, just get the tweeters from a scrapyard and your installer will do the rest.
They're built into the triangular trim and swap out for your old ones.

They look like this
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-Civic-FN-FK-tweeter-speakers-39120-SED-E11-2003-2011-/131643117701

Yeah ill give your man mcbrides in hugginstown a ring tuesday. Hopefully he has them as hes a handy spin from where iam.

Yes thats exactly what i need

May even order from that guy if need be

2011 honda civic audio upgrade?

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