New system for 86 MB SL

 

New member
Username: Miked56

Alexandria, VA USA

Post Number: 1
Registered: Feb-08
1st off hello all this is the 1st post and a hearty Hello to everyone.

I have a 86 Mercedes 560SL with the factory radio and speakers (probably great sound for '86 but well we are in the 21st century). I want to avoid as much cutting up of the interior as possible. And I'd appreciate your thoughts.

As I normally only drive with the top down this just doesn't cut it. I am thinking about something along the lines of the following:
~ 1" tweet in the A pillar either near the dash or up where the pillar meets the header frame, 3 or 4" driver also on the A pillar or ???, a 6.5 in the kick or a mod-ed map pocket, and maybe a woofer under the rear parcel shelf. As a HU I was thinking of either the Alpine CDA-9887 or iDA-X001. For the amp the Alpine PDX 4.11

Since the car has so little trunk anyway and the wife packs large I want to save as much space as possible there so no amps/woofer there.

Thoughts/ideas/suggestions, etc PLEASE ;-)

Budget ??? but not more than say 2K with install.
 

Bronze Member
Username: The12voltrep

Palm Beach, FL

Post Number: 11
Registered: Feb-08
hey Michael, I am familiar w/that car...good luck!
the mid at the knee is a fairly shallow mount speaker. I would probably go with a CDT Audio 3-way system and place the midbass driver in the rear "parcel".I have put coax's there only because they wanted more volume and did not want to mess with the doors, maybe the CL69x would work there for a little extra kick and a two component set in the front. It can be tricky, but pick the right components and the right installer and you'll be happy.CDT also makes a nice upstage kit you may want to consider. Good Luck!
 

Bronze Member
Username: The12voltrep

Palm Beach, FL

Post Number: 12
Registered: Feb-08
and a two-way component set in the front...
 

New member
Username: Miked56

Alexandria, VA USA

Post Number: 2
Registered: Feb-08
Ambassador -- Thanks. Unfortunately there are no CDT dealers in my area, Wash DC, that I can find so I've not been able to hear their products. Price wise they seem to follow the various Focal lines, which I've heard, CL v. Access, HD v. Polyglass, and ES v. K2. Would you agree?
I assume you prefer the sound of the CDT over Focal or Hybrid Audio, also no dealer in the area?
 

Gold Member
Username: Bnd_rulez

Phoenix, AZ USA

Post Number: 1426
Registered: Mar-05
If it's not the Focal Utopias, I would get the CDT.

With that kind of cash you could get a nice set and upgrade to the M6 driver which from what I have heard is astounding. The EuroSports are supposed to be awesome.

How much room do you have under the rear parcel? Maybe fit a 8" or a 10"?

I can't find a PDX 4.11, can you post a link?
 

Gold Member
Username: Bnd_rulez

Phoenix, AZ USA

Post Number: 1427
Registered: Mar-05
Talk to exige about CDTs, he is a dealer and is quite knowlegable on their product/
 

New member
Username: Miked56

Alexandria, VA USA

Post Number: 3
Registered: Feb-08
Gov -- sorry for the mis typing. it is the Alpine PDX4.100
Can't seem to get into the Alpine site right now so I got this off the Crutchfield site
http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?g=120&i=500PDX4100&c=3&tp= 115&avf=N

Does exige have a shop in my area?
 

Gold Member
Username: Bnd_rulez

Phoenix, AZ USA

Post Number: 1428
Registered: Mar-05
I don't believe he does, he is actually closed for renovations last I knew, but he is still on this forum regularly.

That is a good amp, lot of sound quality guys use the PDX series for their speakers.

With that amp you could get some nice comps and a small sub to compliment them. How much room do you have in the back for a sub?
 

New member
Username: Miked56

Alexandria, VA USA

Post Number: 4
Registered: Feb-08
Actually I have good room in back for a sub. There was an option for seats in the rear. I you didn't order the seats you got a flat parcel shelf of carpet covered 3/4 MDF over the depressions where the seat bottoms would go. You have about 7" or so of space on each side below the shelf. So I was thinking the amp(s) could go on the pass side and a small sub on the driver side. Does the explanation make sense?
 

Bronze Member
Username: The12voltrep

Palm Beach, FL

Post Number: 14
Registered: Feb-08
I know a 10" sub will work there, my only concern for you is proper amount of mid/high in that car with top down without too much fabrication that may eat into that budget...
 

Silver Member
Username: Exige

Post Number: 110
Registered: Nov-07
sry i've been off the forum for a few days. if you need any help just let me know. feel free to shoot me an email at sales@exigeaudio.com
 

New member
Username: Miked56

Alexandria, VA USA

Post Number: 5
Registered: Feb-08
I figured that I'd have to fabricate some. The car just wasn't designed for sound. Wasn't really a big thing in '86. What kind of solutions have you seen? If I close off the front of the map pockets I can put a good 6.5 there. If I had a kick made I could also get a better angle on the speaker? I could mount a tweet on the A pillar and maybe a 3" as well. However, I haven't found a component kit with a 3" except the Focal Utopia and I'm not doing that kind of money. So the most common size would be a 4" and I'm not sure how that would look on the A pillar

Ideas???
 

Bronze Member
Username: The12voltrep

Palm Beach, FL

Post Number: 17
Registered: Feb-08
yeah, I think re-do map pocket with component and maybe add an "upstage kit" if component set not sufficient...also CDT makes a nice 3"...HD I think. caraudio&electronics july2006..."factory look with a custom fit" did component in pillars, finished off very nice.
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