Help w/560 SL Sound System

[SLeazy Rider]

I need some help upgrading the sound system in a 1987 560 SL. I have just about decided upon replacing the old Becker head unit with a Nakamichi CD-300. I have chosen that head unit because of the supposed sound quality and because its cosmetics don't clash with the classic interior of my Benz. I still have to decide what to do for the in-dash speakers, two speakers to go in the back deck and an amp.

Regarding the front in-dash speakers, I had decided upon Infinity Kappas until I found out that they are rated at 2 ohms and the Nakamichi head unit specifies speakers at no less than 4 ohms; apparently anything less than 4 ohms will cause the head unit to run hot. I then thought about running the amp to all 4 speakers so that I could run the Infinities with the Nak. Would that extra power solve the problem and keep the Nak from running hot? If not, I am thinking about the Boston Acostic S35's, which are rated at 4 ohms. Any other opinions or suggestions?

Regarding the rear speakers, I don't know whether I should go with two small (8") dedicated subwoofers or two additional 2 or 3-way speakers (with or without a small sub or tube under the seat). In other words, will the upgraded front speakers provide enough mids and highs so that I can just go with subs in the back, or do I need 4 speakers, with a sub elsewhere?

Finally, if I go with just subs in the rear deck should I get a mono amp to run those subs or should I get a 4-channel amp to run all four speakers? Will the new Nak head unit provide enough power to run the front speakers without using the external amp?

If it makes a difference, I listen to a wide variety of music including traditional jazz, pop, classic rock, reggae, etc. Sorry for being so long-winded but thanks in advance for your help.

Glenn

[Noeljb]

Originally Posted by SLeazy Rider

I need some help upgrading the sound system in a 1987 560 SL.

OK

Originally Posted by SLeazy Rider

I have chosen that head unit because of the supposed sound quality

Sound quality in a convertable? I mean good quality sound is nice and I like it too. But in a car I am not going to spend big bucks for 20 to 30,000 Hz I want features.

Originally Posted by SLeazy Rider

I had decided upon Infinity Kappas until I found out that they are rated at 2 ohms and the Nakamichi head unit specifies speakers at no less than 4 ohms, then thought about running the amp to all 4 speakers so that I could run the Infinities with the Nak. Would that extra power solve the problem and keep the Nak from running hot? If not, I am thinking about the Boston Acostic S35's, which are rated at 4 ohms. Any other opinions or suggestions?

Ok the two Ohms is to close to a direct short for the amp you have chosen. If you were to wire two, 2 Ohm speakers in series it will give you 4 Ohms total. Be sure you understand wiring in searies. If you wire two, 2 Ohm speakers in Parallel you will get 1 Ohm which will toast your radio. The radio should have four outputs one for each speaker, each of these outputs need a 4 Ohm load. This is series ---O----O----, and this is parallel ==O==O. I recomend you find 4 Ohm speakers

Originally Posted by SLeazy Rider

Regarding the rear speakers, I don't know whether I should go with two small (8") dedicated subwoofers or two additional 2 or 3-way speakers (with or without a small sub or tube under the seat). In other words, will the upgraded front speakers provide enough mids and highs so that I can just go with subs in the back, or do I need 4 speakers, with a sub elsewhere?

I would have to know more about the location and orientation of the front speakers to judge that. I would go with a good front and a pair of 2 or 3 way in the rear. If the radio has a sub out conection I would use it for a dedicated sub. If you must have a sub then get a speaker design as a sub hook it up as manufturer sugests. It should have a coil in it to kill all the mid and highs leaving the lows for the sub.

Originally Posted by SLeazy Rider

Finally, if I go with just subs in the rear deck should I get a mono amp to run those subs or should I get a 4-channel amp to run all four speakers? Will the new Nak head unit provide enough power to run the front speakers without using the external amp?

If the head is any good at all (and it sounds like you have researched it out prety good) it should provide ample power to push the fronts and rears.

Originally Posted by SLeazy Rider

If it makes a difference, I listen to a wide variety of music including traditional jazz, pop, classic rock, reggae, etc. Sorry for being so long-winded but thanks in advance for your help.

Glenn

I find all music sounds about the same at 130+ . . . . . . . . . . . Distracting, except for that "Radar lovin" song. It just makes me go faster.

[SLeazy Rider]

Thanks for the input. After reading your reply, I'm leaning toward just installing four 2 or 3-way speakers and either leaving out the dedicated sub altogether or putting a small one underneath one of the seats. I still think I need some sort of external amp to get the most out of the system at all volume levels.

Any and all other opinions are most welcome.

Glenn

[page62]

Originally Posted by Noeljb

Sound quality in a convertable? I mean good quality sound is nice and I like it too. But in a car I am not going to spend big bucks for 20 to 30,000 Hz I want features.

'Fraid I'm gonna agree with Noel on this point. A nice sport exhaust is the best sound system money can buy for an SL.

(I heard a stock 560SL the other day. It sounded wheezy compared to my not-quite-stock-exhaust 450SL.)

[seatonone2]

when the top is down and your cruseing at 80 or 90 miles per hour, the sound system does not matter. spend your money on a good looking lady, you will enjoy her a lot more in that convertable than any raggie music you might want to listen to. (you wont be able to hear her at that speed ether, but thats what makes it so enjoyable!)
steve

[SLeazy Rider]

Thanks guys but, (1) I already have the love of my life so no need to go looking for another lady, and (2) while I agree that a quality sound system is lost on a convertible with the top down, my car is a daily driver that keeps its hard top on for about half the year. I'm willing to put some money into the system for those cold months, if I can only figure out what to buy.

Glenn

[page62]

Makes sense. I'm sure the Boston Acoustics will be okay up front. You've got it pretty much figured out. I'm not sure the subs and an amp are all that necessary -- with component speakers on the rear deck, you've got a pretty good acoustic chamber underneath for bass.

I've never actually driven my car with the hard top on there. It just sits in my storage room, taking up space and mocking me...

[coleyjf]

Hi

Juts a thought of something "I DIDN'T LOOK" for on my replacement head -

With the top down you get all sorts of strange reflections on the head unit so make sure it's easy to read - mine has an LCD type display and when it's sunny you can't read it at all.

Regarding the rear speakers - my 107 had rear speakers fitted before I had the car, but not in the rear deck - in the side panels (where the seat belts are housed) about half way up between the deck and the "top-latch" handles . These are relatively small 4.5" 120 watt RMS drivers with a 5" black cover. As I have a rear seat conversion there was no way they could have been fitted in the deck anyway, but they look quite "original" and it wasn't 'till I read the original spec on the car and after seeing some of the posts on this site that I realised they weren't!

Good "head" hunting!

cheers

Jim

[nobby]

Always lots of opinions on sound for a 107.

New 3 1/2" dash speakers, new head unit, new 6 x 9 2 or 3 way speakers mounted on a newly made parcel shelf (even I couldn't cut the original) and an amp in the trunk mounted on a newly made cover that covers the jack assy. Get a windscreen and hear your tunes at any speed.



PS....I have a custom exhaust that sounds amazing tooling around town and becomes more quiet...seemingly...at higher speeds on the highways.

[Noeljb]

Originally Posted by SLeazy Rider

Thanks guys but, (1) I already have the love of my life so no need to go looking for another lady,

Glenn

Pics we want pics!!!!! Oh and pics of the car too.

[GSMITH]

Glenn,
This is my suggestions and the way my 86 560sl is setup.
Alpine cassette deck 4" dual cone front 6x9 MB Quartz tri's rears in deck.
Fronts power by head unit 25W rears powered by Alpine 50Wx2 amp.
This is the way I got the car. I did have to replace the front speaker that
were blown out and I added low frequency blocker caps to the front.

Use 4" speakers in the front. This will help balance the midrange front to back.
Rear 6x9 will sound good with the hardtop on. With the soft top up the rear
speakers will loose some of their punch. With the top down if you do not
have a wind screen the wind turbulance will kill the sound. I made my own
windscreen and it does not have mesh across the horizontal opening. The
solid panel helps the mid-low's but pretty much kills the hi's. I am reconsidering
my setup and think the only way to get good mid-hi's from the rear would
be by building a custom enclosure that would raise and tilt the rears to the
front and move windscreen to the rear of the opening. I am also considering
a subwoofer but I do not see how they would fit under the front seat so
that would have to be added to the bottom of the enclosure.

I did a google search on the Nakamichi CD-300 you selected and found that
it is rated at 30W max. Funny thing was this thread was in the search results.
Anyway 30W will be ok for the front but is weak for the rears. The position
of the rear deck and seats makes it hard for rear speakers to be heard. Once
the top is off with the 30W max rating you will hardly hear them.

Mine is also a daily driver but I put the hard top on in the Summer and off
from Fall to the end of Spring. So with Fall near I better start the design
of the enclosure.

Hope this helps you out. Gary

[SLeazy Rider]

Thanks Gary. That reinforces a lot of what I've learned since I posted the original question. At this point, I've ordered the Nak deck (should arrive Monday), and I have pretty much decided upon the Boston Acoustics S35's for the front and probably Kicker SSMB 8" mid-bass speakers for the back. Haven't decided on the amp yet but am looking for a good sound quality multi-channel amp that puts out about 400W. Then, with the top down but the windows and windscreen up, I should be able to hear just about everything. What I have to compromise is the really low frequencies that only a dedicated subwoofer will reach, but I don't listen to bass-heavy music anyway.

For those of you who really want to learn a lot about car audio, you may want to check out www.caraudioforum.com. It was a blessing for an electronics idiot like me.

Glenn