| mgbrillo |
newbie here..
im planning to setup the audio/sound system of my pilot 2005 EX-L
i have been passing by 2 or 3 shops within my area and was wondering maybe someone could give me an idea on what i need to ask from these shops. i dont want the sounds to be too loud, but i want to have a much better sound quality than the standard sound system as installed (OEM).
i would probably need an amplifier.. and replace the subwoofer (?)
any suggestions? like i was thinking about a kicker subs and alpine amps
then some good speakers..
anyone has an idea on how much these would costs (labor + materials).. so atleast i could have an idea on how much i would shell out for this 'project'.
thanks in advance guys. ur inputs are appreciated. |
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| PTO |
| First you need to ask yourself some questions. How much do you want to spend? Are you keeping the stuck head unit. Do you want to amp all 4 speakers + a sub? If so, do you want to use two amps or a 5 channel? Where do you want to put the amp(s)? For the sub, do you want to put it in the stock location, have a custom enclosure built or put it in a box? Where you put your sub will somewhat determine what subs will work. Also, do you want one sub or 2? As for Kicker, I have their 5 channel amp and it is a great amp. When it comes to their subs, they are not known as being very good. Their square ones are pretty much just for loudness, not sound quality. Once you answer these questions, then we can help you more. |
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| mgbrillo |
thanks...
as per your suggestions:
1. I want to keep the subs where it is.. just want to improve the sound quality and clarity versus the loudness. is there a sub that would improve the sound quality of the 'stock' subs on the pilot? i really dunno how would this be setup at the back if i have the subs exposed (either 1 or 2 if one subs wont do the trick).
2. since i don't really need loudness, then would a one amp do the trick?
3. would replacing the 'stock' speakers attain what i want? what would you recommend?
4. budget? haven't really set a limit. maybe when i get the idea on what things to buy/install, then i could start from there.
thanks again. |
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| mgbrillo |
i might want to change the head unit too..
but i dunno how it would fit in front, i mean.. looking at the pilot 05 EX-L, everything seems to be there already, plus the 6 cd changer, though, i have NO idea if the head unit would support what i want. if it wont work, then i guess, the stock head unit would need to go.
also, would this void the warranty of the vehicle?
anyone here have decided to replace their head units? you have some pics so i could get an idea?
thanks a lot in advance |
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| PTO |
From what you have said, I would stick with the stock HU. We have one member scoring 97 out of a 100 in sound competitions with the stock HU. Sure a good after market will sound better and have time alignment and an EQ, but very good sound quality (sq) can be had with the stock radio.
As for speakers, replacing the stock with anything after market will sound much better even when using the stock radio. Just replacing these won't help much when it comes to bass. You can pretty much fit most after market speakers if you are willing to fabricate MDF spacers. Popular speakers that don't need spacers are Infinity, Kenwood and Diamond. I don't recommend Infinity if you use an amp with more then 50 watts per channel and I wouldn't get Diamond if you won't be using an amp.
If you don't need earth shattering bass, then one amp will work for you. You can either get a 4 channel and amp the front speakers and sub or you can get a 5 channel and amp all 4 door speakers and the sub. Either way, look for am amp that has line inputs so it can easily be connected to the stock HU. Both Alpine and Kicker make nice 5 channel units.
Since you want to keep the sub in the stock location, you can either have them build a custom enclosure or do what I did.
http://hondapilot.org/forums/showth...+sub+compromise
A custom enclosure will sound better but is much more $$. Either way, you will be limited to subs that aren't too deep. You should pick one that has a RMS rating close to what your amp will be putting out. |
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| CMasten |
quote:
Originally posted by PTO
From what you have said, I would stick with the stock HU. We have one member scoring 97 out of a 100 in sound competitions with the stock HU. Sure a good after market will sound better and have time alignment and an EQ, but very good sound quality (sq) can be had with the stock radio.
As for speakers, replacing the stock with anything after market will sound much better even when using the stock radio. Just replacing these won't help much when it comes to bass. You can pretty much fit most after market speakers if you are willing to fabricate MDF spacers. Popular speakers that don't need spacers are Infinity, Kenwood and Diamond. I don't recommend Infinity if you use an amp with more then 50 watts per channel and I wouldn't get Diamond if you won't be using an amp.
If you don't need earth shattering bass, then one amp will work for you. You can either get a 4 channel and amp the front speakers and sub or you can get a 5 channel and amp all 4 door speakers and the sub. Either way, look for am amp that has line inputs so it can easily be connected to the stock HU. Both Alpine and Kicker make nice 5 channel units.
Since you want to keep the sub in the stock location, you can either have them build a custom enclosure or do what I did.
http://hondapilot.org/forums/showth...+sub+compromise
A custom enclosure will sound better but is much more $$. Either way, you will be limited to subs that aren't too deep. You should pick one that has a RMS rating close to what your amp will be putting out.
PTO did you mean high-level inputs? when I think of line inputs I think of line-level, which I am not sure the stock HU has.
"Either way, look for am amp that has line inputs so it can easily be connected to the stock HU." |
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| PTO |
Not sure what I meant.:D
I should have said "speaker level inputs", at least that is what Crutchfield calls them. |
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| PTO |
| PS. I noticed that Crutchfield is selling the Kicker KX700.5 for $399. That is a great price from an authorized dealer. |
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| mgbrillo |
thanks for the inputs..
by the looks of it, i would retain the head unit then..
i might look for a sub that would fit the space for the OEM subs (or i might retain it, as i wanted prefer sound quality than loudness/bass).
maybe, an amp and replacement of the stock speakers would do it for me.
would this is good? would a $500 budget do the trick? i dont want to compromise the space at the back as i wanted to retain the extra seats and space for groceries and other stuffs that my daughter and her friends loads up when i fetch them from school or when they go out malling :) |
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| mgbrillo |
also..
could anyone here provide the specs of the stock speakers and subs of our beloved pilot? thanks.. i would try to go to a shop maybe on saturday to 'shop' for items i need and hopefully, get someone to install it.
thanks |
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| CMasten |
quote:
Originally posted by mgbrillo
also..
could anyone here provide the specs of the stock speakers and subs of our beloved pilot? thanks.. i would try to go to a shop maybe on saturday to 'shop' for items i need and hopefully, get someone to install it.
thanks
totally my POV here, but the install of the door speakers is really easy... I might recommend getting a couple of pairs of good speakers from Crutchfield, put them in (there is a great DIY here) and see how you like it. I am not thrilled with my stock sub, but will do my upgrade to that at a later day and add an amp. Crutchfield sends you the spacers, the instructions and the adapter cables so its a snap. You may just like the sound with the door replacements, its a huge difference over stock. The sub upgrade is a bit more work and can always be added later. The only caviet is that the Infinities, as PTO mentioned don't like more power than the HU, so if you go with those (I have the 6002's, but the 6012's are 79.00 a pair now at Crutchfield), you would just buy an amp for the sub if/when you add that. |
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| mgbrillo |
also? in setting up the audio system.. would this void any warranties on my pilot? just got it last august (2005), and i bought the extended warranty, and i just want to know if this would affect (or void) my existing warranties.
thanks.. |
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| ED27 |
quote:
Originally posted by mgbrillo
also? in setting up the audio system.. would this void any warranties on my pilot? just got it last august (2005), and i bought the extended warranty, and i just want to know if this would affect (or void) my existing warranties.
thanks..
In order for your manufacturer warrantly to be void, the equipment or the installation would have be the source of the failure. For example: if during the installation you or the installer short out a wire that causes damage to the car's ECU then your warrantly will be voided just on that part or any other part that was damaged by the short. Other areas of the vehicle will still be covered since they were not damaged by the installation.
Going back to your audio-related questions.....choosing speakers is a very subjective process because everyone has different tastes. Going around to your local shops is a good way to listen to what's out there to see what you like. As far as the subwoofer goes....you can squeeze out about .5 to .6 cubic feet of air space in the stock location using a custom MDF enclosure. This can accomodate most 8" or 10" subwoofers available. Speaker depth becomes the bigger issue since there is limited depth. I would recommend a sub that is 5" or less in depth. A larger enclosure can be obtained if you have a custom fiberglass/MDF enclosure made - this type is usually more expensive.
Have you tried searching the forum? Try doing a search on "subwoofer" or "head unit"......you'll find a lot of good stuff on what your fellow Pilot owners have done. |
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| Singing Pig |
quote:
Originally posted by CMasten
totally my POV here, but the install of the door speakers is really easy... I might recommend getting a couple of pairs of good speakers from Crutchfield, put them in (there is a great DIY here) and see how you like it. I am not thrilled with my stock sub, but will do my upgrade to that at a later day and add an amp. Crutchfield sends you the spacers, the instructions and the adapter cables so its a snap. You may just like the sound with the door replacements, its a huge difference over stock. The sub upgrade is a bit more work and can always be added later. The only caviet is that the Infinities, as PTO mentioned don't like more power than the HU, so if you go with those (I have the 6002's, but the 6012's are 79.00 a pair now at Crutchfield), you would just buy an amp for the sub if/when you add that.
This is similar to what I want to do. I am coming out of two Audis that both had Bose and the Pilot system is horrible by comparison. That being said, I'm not a teenager blaring 50 cent ;), so I don't need big bass - just better quality than stock. Are the Infinities direct replacements for all 4 doors? How much time would you estimate the switchout took?
Thanks in advance for your help! |
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| PTO |
| I had an Audi A4 with the Bose until recently. I had even taken out the two rear deck subs and replaced them with a 10" Alpine sub in the trunk to get cleaner bass. I can tell you that my current setup in the Pilot, using the stock HU, is much better that what was in the Audi. The stock Honda HU is actually decent in terms of sound quality. The Pilot system is weak due to the really bad speakers and the lack of power from the HU. The Audi had an amp where the Pilot does not. |
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| CMasten |
quote:
Originally posted by Singing Pig
This is similar to what I want to do. I am coming out of two Audis that both had Bose and the Pilot system is horrible by comparison. That being said, I'm not a teenager blaring 50 cent ;), so I don't need big bass - just better quality than stock. Are the Infinities direct replacements for all 4 doors? How much time would you estimate the switchout took?
Thanks in advance for your help!
I have an 05, the doors will take most of the 6 1/2" speakers out there. I liked the Infinities for a few reasons. I like lots of different styles of music and like the Infinity sound it does a good job across the board,
it has a directional tweeter, makes a big difference if you want a simple way to adjust your imaging in the doors, just tilt the tweeters up,
they dont want a lot of power and the HU combo gives me plenty of volume without distortion.. at least my 40 year old ears dont hear it any more.. .too many rock concerts in the last job...
I can live with the sub for now, but the driver in back is a 2 Ohm unit so its already trying to squeeze all of juice out of the HU that it can.. if I was to add a sub (next year) then Ill have to add an amp too but will let the HU continue to feed the doors.
I think most of the users here that have switched out the door speakers are happy, its a good re-eval point and takes about 20-30 min a door your first time. I could probably do it again in 10 now that I know how to do it.. very simple. There are lots of great upgrade DIY's here from members that have shared their time so you will feel pretty confident going into it. |
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| PTO |
It really just depends on what you are looking for. If you don't care about much about bass, just want the mids and highs to be clearer and don't play the radio very loud, then replacing the stock speakers with coaxial Infinities may be what you are looking for. If you want to be able to play it radio louder and like some bass, then you will need an amp, sub and some good speakers.
Here is what happened to me. When I first decided I didn't like the Pilot stereo, I just replaced the front speakers with some Kenwood coaxials ($100). The sound was definitely much better. Well then i thought that if coaxials made that big of a difference, how good would components sound? So I moved the Kenwoods to the rear doors and bought some Infinity component speakers ($300 retail). These were a big improvement over the Kenwoods. I had a couple of amps to play with so once again I thought, if it sounds this good now, how good would it sound with a couple of amp driving the speakers and sub (in a box). Once I got this finished, I was very happy with the setup but ran into a problem. I used an older amp and it started overheating in the rear storage area. So I pulled both amps and replaced them with a Kicker 5 channel. This really simplified everything and also solved the overheating problem. This amp created my next problem though. The Infinity speakers with 40 watts to them were fine. Those same speakers with 70 watts to them wanted to make your ears bleed. The same high sensitivity number that makes them work well with stock HU power made them incredibly harsh with 70 watts. So I yanked them in favor of some Diamonds ($600). Then came the install of the sub in the stock location and the mounting of a terminal so I can either use a sub box or the stock location.
So as you can see, you can start small and end up as big as you want.:D |
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| CMasten |
| your right on here PTO. Its all really subjective also. I have many people that get into my Pilot and say WOW, what a great sound system and the bass is amazing... I have to smile and say thank you... |
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| mgbrillo |
yey! thanks guys..
the best is to start replacing those front speakers..
this will be best for the budget!
i might do the setup gradually, but i do hope this doesn't void any warranty in the vehicle.
all replies are appreciated. |
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| mgbrillo |
i missed ED27's reply..
will take note of that (on the warranty side)..
will try to browse the forum..
but i guess, i will start replacing the front speakers..
if i 'd be happy with the results then i would be sticking on that 'til i get the itch to tweak the sound system.. hehehehe..
thanks! |
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| Honda7 |
quote:
Originally posted by CMasten
I have an 05, the doors will take most of the 6 1/2" speakers out there. I liked the Infinities for a few reasons. I like lots of different styles of music and like the Infinity sound it does a good job across the board,
it has a directional tweeter, makes a big difference if you want a simple way to adjust your imaging in the doors, just tilt the tweeters up,
they dont want a lot of power and the HU combo gives me plenty of volume without distortion.. at least my 40 year old ears dont hear it any more.. .too many rock concerts in the last job...
I can live with the sub for now, but the driver in back is a 2 Ohm unit so its already trying to squeeze all of juice out of the HU that it can.. if I was to add a sub (next year) then Ill have to add an amp too but will let the HU continue to feed the doors.
I think most of the users here that have switched out the door speakers are happy, its a good re-eval point and takes about 20-30 min a door your first time. I could probably do it again in 10 now that I know how to do it.. very simple. There are lots of great upgrade DIY's here from members that have shared their time so you will feel pretty confident going into it.
Speaking of Infinity speakers, I have two that I took out from my CR-V. Honestly, I did not notice a big diff than the CR-V stocks (rear doors). Just wondering if they would make big difference in the Pilot. Since I have only two, where should I put them in, front or rear? Another question is that does this require drilling holes for mounting the speakers? How hard/easy to remove the door panel? I broke a few things in the CR-V door panels. Plus I am quite OK with the stocks in the Pilot now, just don't like of having two pretty new Infinity's doing nothing. Thanks for advice. |
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| PTO |
You probably didn't notice much diff because they were in the rear. Rears are so important that most people with very high end systems don't even use rears because it can hose up your sound stage.
Definitely put them in the front doors. Depending on which model they are, they might just slide right in or they may require some holes to be drilled. The door panels are easy to get off. Do a search and there are some step by step post with pictures. |
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| Honda7 |
| Thanks PTO. I have the 6002i I believe. Hate to drill holes. What about spacers? Do I need those? I'll try to put them in front when it's warmer out. |
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| PTO |
| I am pretty sure you won't need any type of spacer. You may have to trim off the back off the stock baffle but that is common. If you do have to drill holes, it is nothing. When I installed the components, I actually had to cut the sheet metal. |
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