When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
And now that she has wheels she like to update her stereo.. I haven't been keeping up with whats available but right now atleast 3 speakers are damaged the 2-6x9 and the subwoofer. I was thinking of doing the new foam surround but I was wondering if anyone had better recommendation.
One of the questions I have is the factory amplifier 8 ohm stable? Or am I stuck using a 16 ohm subwoofer?
And lastly if she wants to replace her stereo what are you guys using to integrate with the steering wheel, and factory amplifier? She probably be happiest replacing both the head unit and the NAV screen (maybe even a tablet?)
I just re foamed my front 6x9's and sub woofer..sounds as good as new......I installed a pioneer avh4200nex which put the factory ML radio to shame...I used the Beatsonic harness to maintain original controls and the overall system is phenomenal...there are many threads on this installation and most feed back has been more than satisfactory...hope this helps.....good luck!
I have been reading a lot about stereo upgrades in the SC430. Majority of the folks out there use the Beat Sonics ML12A for 2002-05, it's a plug/play harness and double din kit. I have owned GS400, LS430, and now just bought an 06 SC430. I have added after market stereos to both GS/LS. SC is my next project with stereo upgrade. The Beat Sonic kit is expensive ($399-420) to me but only way to integrate the stock deck/Nav to work in conjunction with your added aftermarket deck.
My plan is to upgrade both front doors with JL 6.5 Components, 2 Channel Amp. Add a flat 10" JL or Alpine Type R, 1 Mono Amp. Keep stock deck and use Audio Source LC6 for adding after market Amps.
I will see how it sounds then probable upgrade the double din deck with Pioneer or Kenwood, 7' screen's.
Let me know what you decide on.......Anyway you go, it will be an upgrade from the ML stock system.
So I know about the Beat Sonic unit but it is an expensive solution almost as much as a carplay head unit itself, and I was hoping for other options, if they were available maybe from PAC/Metra/etc, or tablet or external HDMI display while removing the outdated Nav system :-) I also understand the beatsonic doesn't really do a great job on the steering wheel controls either and another device actually work..
Anyone know about ohm loads of the subwoofer and door speakers? I have a chart showing 8hm for speakers in the all doors, 8 ohm for 2 rears, and 16ohm for the sub? But not sure if the amp can handle a 8Ohm sub instead.
You are better off replacing the entire set with medium or high end speakers and running a 4 channel amp to them. Trying match Ohm's of the stock speakers may work but won't sound good. Trust me......It may be a little more $ but in the long run, your wife will love the clarity of new speakers.
Here's my build piggybacking off the ML amp. My system sounds great, I get lots of compliments all the time and I get lots of hard bass that I can adjust with the center console remote bass ****. I know from experience if you remove even one of speaker, like the subwoofer, from the ML amp, the other speakers lose power (ie. reduced sound from them). Something to do with lose of impedance balance. I was also told that if you remove the ML amp completely, that you will lose the GPS function, therefore I build my system to keep the ML amp but piggybacked off it using a Line Out Converter.
Shawn....Very nice write up of your system. Question: Where is the factory sub located? Behind rear rear seat? Did u fiberglass your sub? Thx
Factory 8" sub is midline behind the rear seat back. It runs at 16ohm. I boxed it using mdf board with the intent to put the JL subwoofer in its place and run it off my JL A1200 amp. Unfotunately, as soon as I disconnected the subwoofer from the harness, the ML amp lots its balanced impedence and all the speakers in the cabin lost their volume to about 50%. My only resolution was to put the 16ohm subwoofer back into its place and run a LOC off the subwoofer channel to the JL amp and add a second mdf box in the trunk with th 8" JL. So at this point, I'm running two subwoofers; the updated factory 8" 16ohm in a mdf box directly behind the rear seat running off the ML amp, and the JL 8" at 2ohm running off the JL A1200 in the trunk corner in a custom mdf box. I have an awesome and rare pair of JL 6x9s at 8ohm that are destined for the door but i need to fabricate a new speaker grille and spacer to give clearance for voice coil travel. Haven't had the time or resources yet, so still running the Rockfford PPS6-8 in the doors, Hit really hard , though. Amazing sound, for sure.
Here's my build piggybacking off the ML amp. My system sounds great, I get lots of compliments all the time and I get lots of hard bass that I can adjust with the center console remote bass ****. I know from experience if you remove even one of speaker, like the subwoofer, from the ML amp, the other speakers lose power (ie. reduced sound from them). Something to do with lose of impedance balance. I was also told that if you remove the ML amp completely, that you will lose the GPS function, therefore I build my system to keep the ML amp but piggybacked off it using a Line Out Converter.
....hey Shawn I would have to disagree with you about the loss of power, if you remove a speaker from ML system, you've heard my stereo & haven't had any issues.
Hey Tex, don't really recall the exact mod's on your speakers (even though I can't forget the exterior!), but did you replace with any other speaker, even 4ohm? I know once I disconnected my 16ohm OEM subwoofer (leaving an open pigtail harness) and added the Line Out Converter, all the other cabin speakers went "quiet." Once I added the subwoofer back in addition to the LOC, the speakers regained their volume. It was very strange. I've discussed this result on another thread or two, and a few others mentioned they experienced the same phenomenon. We came to the conclusion that in completely removing (not substituting) this impedance from the amp (ie. removing a speaker or two), the resistance is unbalanced and the amp decreases it's power to those outputs (ie. also can lead to amp overheating). This is how it was explained to me. I remeber in high school, I had an amp that only ran at 4 ohm and my subwoofers were wired incorrectly to draw a 2 ohm impedance. The amp kept overheating and would trip its internal safety. Same concept applies here, but I don't think the ML amp has a internal safety, as many have reported burned out ML amps in the past.
Additionally, when I describe "loss of power," I mean it in this aspect; More volume without turning the volume **** too far (ie. high gain with less draw on the amp). This means with "loss of power," I'd have to turn the **** to 75% where 25% was the same volume level previously. Hope that this very lay comparison makes sense.
....I left the ML tweeters in place & replaced the ML 6x9's & 4in speakers with Boston Acoustic 6x9's & 4in 4ohm speakers. I removed the ML woofer & added a line out converter, then added a Rockford Fosgate amp & Rockford Fosgate 10in sub. I've been running this setup for some years(6-7) now, without any issues to the amp or any speakers being replaced, I'm also using the ML factory head unit......lol...I had to chuckle, because you said yourself " my subwoofers were wired incorrectly"...they probably weren't run/wired parallel, which could cause the same issue. I usually don't comment on the stereo/speaker questions because when I posted my intentions on replacing my speakers, I was always told that this was wrong and that I would burn up the amp, if I didn't use 8ohm speakers. I had a different thought/perspective of how this system works & it's crossover network, so I went with my plan & never looked back....also I thought, if I burnt the amp up, this will just give me a reason to gut the system & go ultra big...lol
I just replaced the stock door 6x9's with Alpine 6x9's.....and added an Alpine Type R 8" in a small sealed box, placed it behind the passenger seat. Driving it is a huge leftover Hifonics Mono Amp I had laying around......The sound gives me more Bass than I need so I will have to upgrade the rears with 5.25 2-way's...and possibly replace the Alpine 6x9's with 6.5 Components upfront.
Nevertheless.....speakers are all 4 ohm's, no issues using a line out for just the Bass. The stock ML amp is driving all other speakers...Sounds good to me......
I just replaced the stock door 6x9's with Alpine 6x9's.....and added an Alpine Type R 8" in a small sealed box, placed it behind the passenger seat. Driving it is a huge leftover Hifonics Mono Amp I had laying around......The sound gives me more Bass than I need so I will have to upgrade the rears with 5.25 2-way's...and possibly replace the Alpine 6x9's with 6.5 Components upfront.
Nevertheless.....speakers are all 4 ohm's, no issues using a line out for just the Bass. The stock ML amp is driving all other speakers...Sounds good to me......
rock on!!! But the amp may malfunction sooner because the 4ohm speakers are drawing more current than 8ohm speakers and the amp produces more heat.
when I purchased my SC, it had after market threeway speakers, I replaced them with OEM ML speakers and installed the beatsonic with the AVH X5700BHS head unit.
Also, someone earlier asked about the door closing flush over the new radio, yes it will if you adjust it properly.
09-14-16, 10:59 AM
Updated Pics, Stereo Questions
