simonr Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 The audio in a defender, is at best terrible! I had replaced the speakers in the dash with little Alpine speakers - which sounded a little better, but not a lot as there is just no bass response (because the dash is made of holes and you really need a sealed cavity behind the speaker). At least they don't rattle & vibrate like the Land Rover ones. There is just no space in the back or behind the seats for any of the usual bass tubes or boxes. I was recommended one of these: Blaupunkt THb 200A, actually by a chap working in Halfords (which doesn't sell them!). It's intended to be an under-seat speaker. It only stands about 70mm tall by 350mm x 230mm - but is heavy and very solid. I wasn't expecting it to be all that good based on the size - but it's turned out to be pretty good! It's not going to turn your truck into a mobile disco, nor burst other peoples eardrums waiting at the traffic lights - but it fills in the missing audio spectrum quite nicely. It's very impressive for the size. I've just bolted mine to the bulkhead behind the seats. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben_J85JTY Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Another good option is the Alpine SWD 1600. I have one fitted under the seats in my 110 Double Cab and the quality of the bass is actually very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted August 19, 2011 Author Share Posted August 19, 2011 He mentioned them as well - but as far as I could find, they had been discontinued (and looked a bit too much like something from a flying saucer for my conservative tastes ) Versus: Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben_J85JTY Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 To be honest I got mine second hand from eBay, I wasn't aware they had been discontinued. I think the SWE 1000 will probably be the replacement. Not quite as "out there" styling wise and with the addition of a remote control. I wonder if anybody had fitted a full sub enclosure under the seats using the void between the chassis rails? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Crikey, the Balupunkt is much smaller! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 I have a sub in a modified cubby box. It works well and the amp is in the battery box. I bought the bits (including the box) from a chap on here, but had to modify it so much to fit my setup, that it turned into a real faff! Those powered enclosures are a much tidier solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 I have a small kenwood unit which is basically an 8" driver in a sealed box integrated with the amp etc. that we use in the Fabia which far outperforms it's size - However, it is not as compact as the Blaupunkt above. I had been considering resurrecting some bits of sub I had kicking about, but that is a far neater solution. cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted August 19, 2011 Author Share Posted August 19, 2011 I have a small kenwood unit which is basically an 8" driver in a sealed box integrated with the amp etc. that we use in the Fabia which far outperforms it's size - However, it is not as compact as the Blaupunkt above. I had been considering resurrecting some bits of sub I had kicking about, but that is a far neater solution. cheers. Likewise, I was going to build something - but for an amp & drivers it was going to cost more - and probably not be as tidy or small. I have some 40mm thick Aluminium slabs - which I thought might make a nice, acoustically dead box - and an engine crane to lift it Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GL88 Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 I'm glad this has come up to remind me. A while back I fitted a decent Kenwood head unit and small under dash speakers in my 90CSW. As Si says that was good but too tinny. Next stage was to fit a pair of 7" (I think) units into 'Defendoor' enclosures either side of the back door which was much better and I was happy for a year. But last week I hired a cheap Hundai i30 for work and drove a fair distance out on the motorway in the morning listening to Radio 4 concluding that the steering was much worse than the Defender, the fuel consumption very little better, the radio pretty poor and wishing the 90 was insured to drive for work. On the way back I decided to hook up my iPhone using the lead in the glove box and it was absolutel fantastic!!! Nothing like the kit in the house but it blew away the Kenwood gear I'd installed. Messing about led to the conclusion that the difference was purely down to the Hyundai having a sub so that will be the next step. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deej Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 I'm in a similar situation with my Disco, in that I don't think the factory speakers sound particularly bad, they just lack any sort of low frequency due to their size (and the fact that there is no resonance chamber in the door panel). I'm going to get one of the Blaupunkt units Si recommended and stick it where the dickie seats were in the boot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 I built an accoustic box to house a pair of 6x9s. It sits where a cubby box would go and its padded top makes a comfy arm rest. The speakers face into driver's and passenger's legs. The speakers are driven by an Alpine amp, can't remember the output but the sound is excellent and easily drowns out all noise at motorway speeds (yes I know mine's a V8 but there's plenty of other noise to overcome, wind, tyres, gears etc). The amp is fixed behind the seats. Thing to note is these 6x9s have plastic cones, not paper, for better moisture tolerance. My first paper coned set didn't last beyond the first wet winter, lol When I went auto, the shifter was built into this box, robbing some of the carefully calculated air volume, but sound is still good and bassy. The standard position 4" speakers have been upgraded too, but there's a limit what you can get from such a small diameter speaker. If you have a look here you'll see the guts of the creation that is now nicely upholstered Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Repair My Landrover Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 I fiited this into my 110 and it sounds pretty damn good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I fiited this into my 110 and it sounds pretty damn good. Hmmm, not sure those with a 90 could spare that much space Does look good though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crowmann Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Mad waste of space. Plus the acoustics of all that bare metal will be rubbish. Smarter and better ............ The useless fridge has gone replaced by a compressor one that works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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