Help me upgade my car's audio system

[James Mk1]

Looking to buy a new headunit for my 2005 Impreza STi. Looking at the Alpine IVE-W560BT - after a double din unit with a full size screen and bluetooth/aux/handsfree phone calls etc.

Is it worth upgrading my speakers at the same time? My current headunit is on its way out (well its broken, occasionally working for a day or two here and there) so need a new system. Can't say the audio quality is the best, so looking for an upgrade, don't want to break the bank.

Thoughts?

 

[Matt Scarbro]

If you're going for an Alpine head unit, there's a nifty little 4 way mini amp that's driven by the head unit power source so no need for full wiring kit like a normal amp.

Might make a nice improvement to the sound without breaking the bank. :up:

 

[Goodj]

Double din is pricey. Unless you're going to get one with Sat Nav in it, I'd suggest going with a single DIN and then getting a cubby / drawer beneath it to store phones/cables/change in.

As above, Alpine units can use an in-line amp that gives closer to 4x50w than the head unit alone will, if you were to add an amp of an description, then you may want to look at uprating speakers.

But just a head unit change shouldn't need you to be pulling off door cards. The problem with the OEM speakers will be they'll be woeful at lower-end noise, so a small sub (boot mounted or underseat) and fettling the crossovers on the headunit will make a marked difference straight away.

 

[James Mk1]

Thanks for the replies. What sort of price is the alpine 'mini-amp'? Would rather underseat than boot I think, at which point a pair of front speakers would seem worthwhile (relatively cheap). How hard to hook all of this up would it be? Intend to keep the car a while so want to do it properly - dont want bangin' bass but definitely want a nice sounding system.

 

[Goodj]

No worries.

Mini-amp

A double-DIN nav
or
A decent Single-DIN and a cubby box

Sub for the boot
or
Sub for under your seat

The hardest bit will be fitting the subwoofer because it'll involve actual wires, I had a bunch of Essex boys descend on the Mazda to fit mine

 

[James Mk1]

Thanks a lot for that list, very helpful. Fitting the headunit won't involve wires then, plug and play after removing my (seemingly busted) single-din unit?

Mini-sub definitely worth the £150? Never really considered subs/amps like the barry boys in their corsas, but this could be a nice little upgrade. There's so many speakers out there - is it worth upgrading my front ones if im upgrading the headunit/installing sub?

 

[Goodj]

If you just change your headunit and dont applyt an amplifier, your stock speakers will work fine.
The subwoofer addition, even a little underseat one, will allow you to filter out any bass to the speakers and that will free them up to make better "mids and highs". Going from previous experience, unless Subaru used toilet paper as cones, they'll be fine.

The mini-subs don't typically have the grapes to rattle your car apart like a high-street croozer either, and even if they can, the volume works two ways

 

[James Mk1]

What do you think of something like this? https://www.alpine.co.uk/p/Products/SingleView/PWE-V80

 

[James Mk1]

Been looking at that Alpine mini-amp - can someone explain what '4x45W' means? Are there 4x speakers opposed to single 8" one? Would this one be pretty weak compared to say, the Vibe Optisound you linked? Having an in-line amp to save faffing with wiring direct to the battery seems tempting, makes things a bit simpler and less messy overall.

Edit: I'm being a dummy. This is an amp not a sub. Surely new Alpine units don't need any amplification they should be powerful enough on their own?

 

[Goodj]

'Ello

So.
Firstly, that little sub will be alright, you do want to get a good high RMS output though, especially if you've got one of those subarus that go BLUBLUBLUBLUBLUB loudly.

And yes, the plug-in amp is just to do the door speakers. It goes between the car loon and the head unit using standard connectors so you don't do any wiring with them at all. Bonus.

For the same reason I'd say to get the sub first. If you get the amp then you might end up wanting new speakers too, again, depending how good the stock ones are

 

[James Mk1]

Sup.

Yeah my car makes that noise, how did you guess? 😂 Blitz Nur Spec R no less! Tempted by that Vibe one you linked (its a sub/amp in one..right? So no need to buy an amp as well down the line?). Don't fancy dicking around with getting power wires to the battery through the car though, unless its easy/safe enough to do so. I'll have a nosey online see what other people with Imprezas have done. Alpine doubledin (without nav) + Vibe underseat sub +standard speakers sounds like a good idea.