Hyundai Elantra Forum banner

Elantra Audio

[MD/UD] 
6K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  smileymattj 
#1 ·
So my girl and I are looking to upgrade the sound system in our 2013 Hyundai Elantra GLS.

We are thinking of just adding a sub and an amp, and also a different head unit.

Would we have to change the speakers or can those stay stock?

Also, what would you recommend to someone with a budget of ~$600-800?

We have a baby so we are thinking only one 12 inch sub.

Suggestions welcome, thanks!
 
#3 · (Edited)
What are you looking for in an aftermarket radio? There are so many to choose from.
Are you looking for more inputs?
More functionality? DVD, GPS, etc..
More control? EQ, sound staging, processing?
More volume?
greater frequency response?

Stock speakers are specifically designed to used the car as it's box. All speakers need custom built boxes to their specific specifications.
Changing the speakers can give you certain features like higher volume, less distortion, longer lasting, greater frequency response. But the volume level of each frequency may or may not be matched due to the air space.
So listen to the speakers as they are now, do you like it? Is it acceptable? Just because another speaker is better, doesn't mean it will perform just as good in the same "box" as a crappy speaker.

Cars are always differently and weirdly shaped. And the speakers are always given some very irregular shaped and dimensioned airspace to create the speaker's box. So stock speakers are built to conform to these specs. Many not look like they put any thought into these "stock" speaker because they are made out of low grade materials. But without building a proper box for your aftermarket speaker, the stock speaker actually performs quite well even up against good speakers because it was designed for that hole/box. If operated with-in specs.

#1 rule in audio. The box makes the speaker sound good. The speaker never make the box sound good.

I'd recommend a 10" sub. Most retail stores have bottom end speakers. But you can get a much nicer speaker if you go with a 10" over a 12". On a lower budget.
Stick to around 300w-400w. It won't put too much extra load on the electrical and it will be plenty for what you are looking for. Since you don't want it too loud due to the baby.

This is MTX's 8000 series. Great speaker for the price and probably more that what you're looking for, great bang for the buck.
http://www.mtx.com/t810-22-mtx-car-subwoofer


Slightly lesser than the MTX 8000, heres a good Rockford Fosgate. It's about $10 cheaper, not as much bang for the buck as the MTX 8000, but a good choice if the 8000 is too much.
http://www.rockfordfosgate.com/products/details/p2d2-10

JL makes very high quality subs. Honestly, when I think of JL I think of the W7 which is way more than what you need and out of your price range. W7 is the ultimate in quality.
Heres a JL more in your price range:
http://www.jlaudio.com/10w0v3-4-car-audio-w0v3-subwoofer-drivers-92165


These are just the brands I like, Kicker is also a good high quality brand I haven't used them before but they are in the same level as these.
Alpine is probably a good brand for level you are looking for, but I think these higher quality subs from $100-$160 are better choice.

Here is a graph of what the 3 speakers will perform like compared against a JL 10w7. W7 line arguably being one of the Top subs on the market. W7's have high quality, there's lots that get louder than a W7, but not many can come near the quality, in build quality and performance quality. I'm showing the 10w7 so you can see these 3 against one that is better yet out of your range. Just to compare.

What this graph at bottom means:
From left to right is frequency, humans can hear 20Hz to 20,000Hz. Subs play from 10's of Hz to 80Hz, 100Hz, 120Hz. Depending on your crossover selection. 80Hz is good choice but without mid-subs you will proabably want 100 or 120.
From Up/Down is volume level. Normal conversations are 70-80 dB. 100dB is ear damaging, but is safe if exposed to for less than 2 hours. 90-100 is good mark to try to achieve.
However when baby is in the car, you want to be playing it much lower 70-80 for the baby.

What you want is a nice straight line with. Farther back means more lows. And you want the drop to be drastic. You don't want your drop to be starting at 100 and incriminating a little at the time. That will cause your lower frequencies to be at lower volume level than the rest.

Humans can hear as low as 20Hz, but we don't hear it as good as other frequencies. Our hearing depends on each person. Most people start dropping off at 30Hz, some 40Hz (bad hearing people).

These are all great subs, all of these lines are if they are put into a custom built vented box. Pre-made box off the shelf is not going to achieve these lines/numbers.
You could take the boxes specs and see if they line up with a sub. But for the most part pre-made boxes are not going to give you good quality sound.

JL 10W7 - Green
JL 10W03-4 - Yellow
Rockford P2D2-10 - Blue
MTX T810-22

So in order of volume:
1 - JL 10w7
2 - MTX
3 - JL 10W0
4 - Rockford (Slightly less than W0, humans can't tell that small volume change)

In order of Frequency Range:
1 - JL 10w7
2 - JL 10w0
3 - Rockford
4 - MTX

Even at being lowest range dropping off at 30, not a lot of people will hear the difference being that most can't hear lower than what the MTX plays.
10-20Hz range for most people will not be heard and will only be felt as vibrations.
A lot of MTX speakers drop at 30Hz, might be purposely designed that way.

By Equalization: (evenness of the frequencies)
1 - Rockford
2 - JL 10w7
3 - MTX
4 - JL 10w0

By Power: (doesn't determine loudness, determines amp needed, lower means lesser amp can be used, less strain on car)
1 - JL 10w7 (750w @ 3 ohms)
2 - JL 10w0 (300w @ 4 ohms)
3 - MTX (400w @ 1 ohms)
4 - Rockford (300w @ 1 ohms)

* higher the ohms, the more power in it takes to create the power output.

By Price:
1 - JL 10w7 ($700)
2 - Rockford ($169)
3 - MTX ($163)
4 - JL 10w0 ($110)

Other than the 10w7, all there are very closely rated. Toss up.

Box spec per sub:
MTX - 40.1 liters, 29.61Hz | Vent: 0.102m diameter, 0.610m long
Rockford - 71.9 liters, 23.28 Hz | Vent: 0.102m diameter, 0.543m long
JL 10w0 - 117.5 liters, 21.23 Hz | Vent: 0.102m diameter, 0.380m long

I would go with the MTX, good equalization, frequency drops off earlier but doesn't matter too much you can't hear that low anyway.
Better for the baby in that sense. It is louder than the other two, but that's what the volume knob is for. These graphs are max volume.
Box for MTX will be smaller leaving more trunk space.

Amps for subs:
JL 10w0:
http://www.jlaudio.com/jx500-1d-car-audio-jx-amplifiers-99400
http://www.mtx.com/th650-1d-mtx-car-amplifier
http://www.rockfordfosgate.com/products/details/p1000x1bd

MTX:
http://www.mtx.com/th350-1d-mtx-car-amplifier

Rockford:
http://www.rockfordfosgate.com/products/details/pbr300x1
http://www.mtx.com/th350-1d-mtx-car-amplifier

Thing to notice is that the JL will require a much more expensive amplifier, and will put more load on electrical system of car.

Click image for larger


 
#4 ·
What are you looking for in an aftermarket radio? There are so many to choose from.
Are you looking for more inputs?
More functionality? DVD, GPS, etc..
More control? EQ, sound staging, processing?
More volume?
greater frequency response?

Stock speakers are specifically designed to used the car as it's box. All speakers need custom built boxes to their specific specifications.
Changing the speakers can give you certain features like higher volume, less distortion, longer lasting, greater frequency response. But the volume level of each frequency may or may not be matched due to the air space.
So listen to the speakers as they are now, do you like it? Is it acceptable? Just because another speaker is better, doesn't mean it will perform just as good in the same "box" as a crappy speaker.

Cars are always differently and weirdly shaped. And the speakers are always given some very irregular shaped and dimensioned airspace to create the speaker's box. So stock speakers are built to conform to these specs. Many not look like they put any thought into these "stock" speaker because they are made out of low grade materials. But without building a proper box for your aftermarket speaker, the stock speaker actually performs quite well even up against good speakers because it was designed for that hole/box. If operated with-in specs.

#1 rule in audio. The box makes the speaker sound good. The speaker never make the box sound good.

I'd recommend a 10" sub. Most retail stores have bottom end speakers. But you can get a much nicer speaker if you go with a 10" over a 12". On a lower budget.
Stick to around 300w-400w. It won't put too much extra load on the electrical and it will be plenty for what you are looking for. Since you don't want it too loud due to the baby.
Thank you for all this info. So, the speakers do sound pretty good (4 midrange, 2 tweeters). We are getting a Pioneer Double DIN touch screen most likely. As for subs, I will be looking at your suggestions!

Thanks!
 
#5 ·
JL and RF have boxed versions of the subs I mentioned.

http://www.jlaudio.com/cp110-w0v3-car-audio-basswedge-93264
http://www.rockfordfosgate.com/products/details/p2-1x10

MTX doesn't have the 8000 series in a box, but they do have a 5500 series. It's the older model. At 300w. Which is still good enough for what you're looking for. 8800 was 400w.
http://www.mtx.com/t55-series-tce5510d-single-10-300w-rms-vented-enclosure#product-details


Also found this amp that would be good for the JL 10w0-3 and above MTX enclosure (would need to be dialed back for :
http://www.mtx.com/thunder500-1-mtx-car-amplifier
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top