rangerovers.pub
The only place for a coil spring is up Zebedee's arse
Member
avatar
Joined:
Posts: 1228

I'm looking for some replacement door speakers - the 6.5" woofers. All four of mine are in various forms of buggered - either seized or torn foam surrounds. When I've had a working (or mostly working) set the sound has been very good and I'm happy with it. I replaced my two front woofers with those from a cheap FLI Comp 6 component set (not using the included crossovers or tweeters) and at low volumes it was good... but at reasonable-high volumes it was rubbish. Lacked any sort of mid-range bass. Comparing one of these FLI units to a working OEM one, the OEM woofer responds far better to a greater range.

Plenty of suggestions when searching online for replacements, but I can't find any that mention speakers I can get in the UK.

Have any of you fitted something I can get locally that work well? I want to avoid buying used OEM items as of the 8 I now have had / still have, only two are in good enough shape to use.

Member
Joined:
Posts: 2312

You could get a couple of them re-coned/ re-foamed rather than trying to find subtitutes. Somewhere like this: http://www.surreyamps.co.uk/services/speaker-repair-reconing

Member
Joined:
Posts: 125

I got mine from the USA .... 4 Ohm, and fitted them recently. I still have the old Land Rover ones if that's an option.

I think I still have the box for the new ones somewhere if you can't Google them.

Did you get my email about the GROM, btw?

Cheers.

Member
Joined:
Posts: 2312

Here you go Sloth <br>
http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-AMR6357 <br>
Check the part number though. I believe they had different versions (bigger magnet/ voice coil) depending on the spec of the system

Member
avatar
Joined:
Posts: 1228

Sorry Spiggy, I've just replied!

Hmm, I wish I'd thought about the repair option before binning the two ruined woofers from the sub unit!

Seeing as foam repair kits look to be a standard available thing, what I might do is just buy a set of used AMR6357s on eBay. I currently have two of the older variant from my breaker that work fine, so I'll have six in total - four can go in the car and that leaves me with two spare to drop in when needed, and I can repair them as / when they fall apart.

Seems utterly pointless trying to read up on good/bad options... too much to factor in and I was happy with the standard units so I might as well go back to them.

Seeing as the sub does need some new woofers on the other hand means I may as well upgrade them, along with a bigger amp where the CD changer is currently wasting space.

Member
avatar
Joined:
Posts: 8106

50 quid each!! Kin ell, I'm not paying that..... I've seen a number or reasonable looking ones around the £20 each mark and have considered trying a couple in the front doors. I've still got the originals which don't sound bad but as it never had a stereo at all fitted from the factory, it only had the Lo line speaker setup of just the big ones and tweeters in the front doors and a single big one in the rears. I've since added the midrange front and back but my front passenger woofer has seen better days, it starts to rattle long before hitting the threshold of pain. I'm also considering fitting something like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kenwood-KSC-SW11-Compact-Under-Seat-150W-Active-Amplified-Powered-Subwoofer-Sub-/171165909764 under the rear shelf where the sound from the original factory sub would have come out but not taking up as much room (as my toolbox lives in that corner of the boot).

Member
avatar
Joined:
Posts: 1228

Ordered a set of 4 used AMR6357s the other day, should keep me going for a while.

Found out today, my rears (certainly the drivers side) are likely fine too... they're actually shaking bits in the door. The best bit today was my neighbour and I trying to work out what the hell was vibrating the most in the front doors... until I stuck my head through the window and pressed on the plastic trim strip... suddenly no nasty noises! Ordered some 'Silent Coating' sound deadening stuff (bit like Dynamat) to line the door skins for good measure.

The OEM Harmon stuff can take quite a bit of abuse...

While I wait for those bits to appear, its back to Google for some ideas for the sub. Not sure whether its worth trying to find a pair of proper 6.5" subwoofers (with proper external amp) or build a custom box for a 10" sub that would occupy the same space as the OEM unit and remain hidden etc.

Member
Joined:
Posts: 1307

The factory sub (when working) does the job pretty well, and goes plenty loud enough!

I seem to remember somewhere on the other site there was a thread on the subwoofer speakers, and someone posted up some near drop-in replacements for the factory woofers.

I think the main reason they went for 2 smaller woofers (well in the later units - I'm sure the early ones only had one woofer in the box) partly is because the response time is quicker than a single bigger speaker cone.

That being said, I'm sure again on the other site I've seen other installs of a single 10" woofer in where the factory one sits. You could probably get away with using the same factory amplifier if the impedence is the same

Member
avatar
Joined:
Posts: 1228

The older subs did indeed have a single odd sized driver in it - my first P38 had that setup and its currently in the silver one while I decide what to do with the 2x 6.5" version.

I've tried various 6.5" woofers mounted in the box with the standard amp, but I'm just not getting a great result. I think the original units must have been pretty efficient and matched nicely with the standard amplifier - as it did used to be quite noticeable. It could also be down to the head unit I'm using and the way I have it connected. Going with a standard amp would eliminate that concern. Thinking about it, I wonder if that is the case, as the single-driver sub in the car currently sounds about as meh as my various 6.5" experiments.

I want more :) There are plenty of proper 6.5" subwoofer options, but typically they seem hard to lay hands on this side of the pond!

Member
Joined:
Posts: 2312

What size (dimensions inc depth if you have it) and impedance is the single sub Sloth?

Member
Joined:
Posts: 125

Is the 6.5" sub unit the same as the one in the doors?

Member
Joined:
Posts: 1307

Not sure if the actual speakers are the same as what's in the doors...

I think part of the reason you often get a 'meh' response from the factory subwoofer with an aftermarket head unit (I get the same in mine, and it's the dual woofer version - originally with a massive amp bolted to the back of the subwoofer speakers!) is because the RR sound system uses a balanced audio signal from the head unit to the amplifiers, which also helps in reducing any line noise in from wiring/earthing issues - whereas pretty much all aftermarket head units with RCA/Phono/whatever you all them outputs for subwoofer channels are all unbalanced outputs... I.E. one of the wires is tied to ground, and (from memory - it's awhile since I looked into it... my day job is making stuff go brighter, not louder!!) you basically get half the signal going through - and having the -ve tied to ground (rather than the other half of the balanced signal, as in the factory setup) gives you more chances of hums, whines, and not as good signal level into the amplifier to start with.

I bet if you put a balanced audio signal into the subwoofer unit, then it would perform a lot better... the problem is getting a head unit which outputs a balanced signal!

Member
avatar
Joined:
Posts: 1228

I'll crack the single-driver sub open again at some point and let you know! I think its a bit of an odd one.

I don't think the speakers that go in the dual-driver sub are the same as the door woofers; stupidly I binned them a while ago before realising I could have repaired them!

My dual sub doesn't have the fancy internal amp - but rather the externally mounted one like the single version. I did at one point have a mono pre-amplifier in front of the amplifier on the old car, which did increase the output, but it still wasn't all that great. Plus, it introduced a nasty pop and power on/off which I couldn't be bothered to deal with, so removed it again.

I think I'm happy with the door speakers now that I've gone back to OEM units, and fitted a bit of sound deadening in the front doors. It might be placebo, or more likely the fact I'm currently almost completely deaf in one ear (which is great...), but it does seem like it has cut down on a bit of road noise too.

enter image description here

Another problem I'd had is with the mid-range speakers, or at least certainly the driver's side would make a nasty noise at certain frequencies at even low-moderate volumes. I compared with the mid-range units from the old car, which are quite different. The older speakers are quite a bit bigger, and on testing them all, none exhibited any strange noises, and they have the connected fixed to the frame rather than flapping about on a cable - one less thing to vibrate.

1996 on top, 1998 below.

enter image description here

Seems LR cheaped out after 1996 and started using these nasty metal fasteners that dig into the plastic posts. Conveniently the posts still have the right holes for the screws used in the early cars.

enter image description here

Member
Joined:
Posts: 1327

Pretty sure I've got 2 sub woofer speakers, know one of them has split, not sure about the other till I hop in the loft, your welcome to them if you want to go down the repair route

Member
avatar
Joined:
Posts: 1228

Hmm, next time you're up there, would you mind taking a note of the model number? That way we can at least check if they are the same as the door speakers.

I think I've settled on actually building a custom enclosure for a 10" sub. Proper 6.5" subs are too pricey over here for my liking. My next problem is actually the number of cables I now have connected to my positive battery post. I have the starter, alternator, fusebox, LPG ecu, and my RL7 blower feed. I need to add a feed for this amplifier, and I want an anderson connector on the front of the car for jump leads... I think I'm going to need a bus bar of some kind at this rate, perhaps on the back of the GEMS/LPG ECU housing if I have room.

Member
Joined:
Posts: 2312

Battery post connector- have a look at these Sloth <br>
http://www.polevolt.co.uk/acatalog/Battery_Terminals.html <br>
I've fitted the BT461 type on mine. Lots of space for extra terminals. Watch the underbonnet clearance on the +ve post though! Wouldn't want that to short through the bonnet to earth although the resulting flash and melting of bodywork would be quite spectacular!

Member
avatar
Joined:
Posts: 1228

What I have now is a bit like BT461, except it has one cable crimped into one end, with another cable attached via the other side of the crimp/bolt...thing, and then the other side that secures the clamp has another big cable on one end, and various little ones on the other :)

Got the car at work today so I might have another look to remind myself properly, but if all else fails I'm thinking of one of these:

http://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/300a-heavy-duty-6-way-busbar-terminal-box.html

I'd leave the starter/alternator cables direct to the battery and take a big cable in place of the P38 fusebox feed from the battery to that busbar, then put the fusebox on the opposite end of the bar. I'd then take my anderson feed from the same post as the battery feed - for maximum current for jump starting etc. Then my blower feed and other 'little' feeds can come off the small studs and be fused appropriately as they are now.

It's the bonnet clearance that concerns me too, especially when I change the battery for an MF31! Plus it is already messy - I have big jump leads and even so, can barely get the positive on nicely as it is.

Member
Joined:
Posts: 2312

Something like this would eliminate the need for separate fusebox/ fuses and could be connected as you suggest above. <br>
http://www.almsolutions.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=89_127&products_id=95 <br>
Even with the extra clearance afforded by the MF31's mid terminals I needed to shave a couple of mil off the BT461 post.

Member
Joined:
Posts: 1327

Sloth wrote:

Hmm, next time you're up there, would you mind taking a note of the model number? That way we can at least check if they are the same as the door speakers.

I think I've settled on actually building a custom enclosure for a 10" sub. Proper 6.5" subs are too pricey over here for my liking. My next problem is actually the number of cables I now have connected to my positive battery post. I have the starter, alternator, fusebox, LPG ecu, and my RL7 blower feed. I need to add a feed for this amplifier, and I want an anderson connector on the front of the car for jump leads... I think I'm going to need a bus bar of some kind at this rate, perhaps on the back of the GEMS/LPG ECU housing if I have room.

Member
Joined:
Posts: 1327

no10chris wrote:

Pretty sure I've got 2 sub woofer speakers, know one of them has split, not sure about the other till I hop in the loft, your welcome to them if you want to go down the repair route

Ok, popped up to loft, no numbers on speakers, only on the cones themselves
42-08138XXX002
00 097

The amp inside mine also is fixed to the magnets,, hope this helps you out