You are here: Forums Sedans Mazda6 Mazda6 Accessories and Modifications

Mazda6 Accessories and Modifications

353 messages,  Last post on Sep 13, 2009 at 2:02 PM

You are in the Mazda6 Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens

What is this discussion about? Mazda MAZDA6, Sedan

Messages Page 3 of 36 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... 36 Prev Next Last

Go To Msg # Search This Discussion

#21 of 353 Roush 6? by 84fordman Feb 27, 2003 (6:08 pm)
Any information on the Roush modified 6?   http://speed.supercars.net/boardpics/2003-1-26/951980-RacingMania- ca.jpg
#22 of 353 Stereo Update by stretchsje Mar 09, 2003 (12:31 pm)
I have a American made 2003 2.3l Manual Mazda6 with the standard stereo system.   The stock stereo was miserable when I bought it. After a bit of use, it began to sound a little better. I may have been becoming accustomed to its muddy sound, but I also think the speakers opened up a bit with some use. The stereo ships (and sounds best) with the bass, midrange, and treble all raised on the factory equalizer, with treble getting the highest boost. There's no one area that the stereo isn't good at- it's all of them. No highs, limited lows, lack of clarity and presence- it's all there. It's the kind of sound you get from a typical FM radio station, only you're listening to a CD. Then again, if you only listen to radio- the stock stereo will do you fine.   My standards are higher.   The '6 is a very quiet car, and the stock stereo had plenty of volume with the windows up. In fact, the car is so quiet, the speed-sensitive volume control is virtually useless. That is, until you roll down the windows. Roll them down, and you're inviting wind noise into the equation- something the stock stereo cannot compete with. The stereo is only adequate with the windows up, though if the stereo were capable of playing louder, the speed-sensitive volume would be very useful to compensate for wind noise.   Let's make it better.   I purchased an amplifier, four component speakers, and a line-out converter. Here's what I've found:   - The line-out converter can be used to produce marvelous sound, but it begins to break up around "14" or "15" on the stereo's dial. A line-out converter converts your existing amplifier's output, so you are amplifying its distortion if it produces some. I suspected the distortion was coming from the stock amplifier, so I adjusted the gain on my aftermarket amplifier so "15" is as loud as I wanted to go.   - The stock speakers are extremely efficient. I replaced them with very efficient speakers- 92db with 1 watt of power (at 1 meter), and they were significantly quieter. Because of this, replacing the factory speakers without adding an amplifier will probably not produce enough volume.   - The line-out converter will make engine noises if it is grounded. Do not connect the ground wire- it is not needed. Even more annoying is the whine when the wipers are used. Do not ground the line-out converter!   - Use a line-out converter rated for 25 or more watts. I tried two- one of which was rated to a mere 15 watts. This did not attenuate the signal enough, and produced an audible pop when seeking new tracks on the CD player. I switched to an 80 watt converter, and it removed all these sub-harmonic artifacts. Or, at least, it attenuated them enough that I couldn't hear them.   - Do not use the rear output. It is useless. The rear speakers are attenuated so that a loud "beep" comes from them whenever a button on the console is pressed, but little music comes from them. You are best splitting the signal to your front speakers twice, the "beep" is much quieter in relation to the music.   - The stock speakers cannot handle a bigger amplifier than the stock one. Give them more power and they will begin to break up, though a better amplifier will sound much cleaner.   - The stock speakers are 6" x 8" in all four doors. The tweeters appear to be ~3/4" mylar domes with a single capacitor as a crossover. To use the stock housing will not take a tweeter with an outside diameter of over 1 1/4 inches (if that). For mounting larger tweeters, you will need to cut. I'm currently experimenting here.   - When mounting a tweeter behind the factory housing, it will sound harsh. This is due to the tweeter playing through two speaker grills- its integrated one and the factory one. The difference is not subtle. The only solution is to not mount your new tweeters behind the factory mount's grill. As mentioned, I'm currently experimenting. I expect a 1 5/8" circular hole and some black epoxy will do the trick.   - Smaller (and round) woofers tend to have better off-axis response as they extend into the upper frequency range. This allows them to blend more seamlessly with the tweeters, which are mounted a far two feet above them near the windows. Since the factory woofers are 6" x 8", I replaced them with 5 1/4" woofers in the front and used a mounting adapter.   - The mounting adapters I used were thin and flimsy. VERY thin and flimsy. One of the utmost important things in quality sound is isolating vibrations, so I did my best to stiffen them. I used a pair of the brackets on each side. Once the woofer was mounted in the bracket, I used sealant to around the inside of the woofer frame to make sure I had a good seal between the woofer and brackets. Once the entire fixture was mounted, I covered it with dynamat sound insulation.   - I used dynamat sheets, but the doors were too abnormal and curvy for this. I'd strongly recommend using the spray-on dynamat instead, assuming it works as well. Hindsight is 20/20...   - I filter the bass out of the front speakers and matched the crossover frequency to a small subwoofer. The subwoofer resides under the passenger's seat, so phase issues are not too problematic. The woofer plays clearly into the passenger compartment rather than fighting to be heard from the rear (where most woofers are placed). The rear speakers, which are larger, run full-range.   - I have the rear tweeters mounted on the rear deck, but this sounds weird for rear passengers. I may disconnect them completely to keep the soundstage up front. My front components allow tweeter level adjustment, and the tweeters can be set to play loudly to adjust for the second set of woofers.   - I removed the dash and cut the wires coming from the stock head unit. The speaker outputs are the 8 wires on the top of the head unit wiring harness (four to each side of the latch). I spliced these, and ran connections to and from the amplifier to this splice. It was rather simple to run wires from the dash, alongside the 5-spd, and out near the parking brake to the amplifier under the seat. My line-out converter is mounted right next to the shifter, and I ran RCA outputs thereon out. Speaker wires come back in from under the seat and back into the dash.   - It's apparent after examining wiring diagrams and seeing the actual wiring harness that the premium Bose option would replace the factory amplifier outputs with preamplifier outputs. For those with the bose option, you could run the exact same wiring, but skip using a line-out converter. The Bose system appears not to have a preamplified subwoofer channel.
#23 of 353 Stretch - awesome job! by ashutoshsm Mar 09, 2003 (5:53 pm)
And as I get more and more interested in considering the sedan and not waiting for the hatch, I have a questio for you ... you wrote ... - It's apparent after examining wiring diagrams and seeing the actual wiring harness that the premium Bose option would replace the factory amplifier outputs with preamplifier outputs. For those with the bose option, you could run the exact same wiring, but skip using a line-out converter. The Bose system appears not to have a preamplified subwoofer channel.   I assume someone provided the wiring diagrams. How nice. My question is - considering the Bose option gives you a Sub, better amp and a 6-CD changer, would it be advisable to get the Bose option to start with, and perhaps replace speakers, if needed, down the line? The pre-outs are already available, and a better amp, if needed, could drive front speakers and the stock (Bose) sub. The financial equation is not greatly changed, not to mention the fact that the system will not need immediate changes. I basically plan to hold out until Satellite radio add-on options become available, preferably XM ('coz Sirius sucks ) and would prefer to change everything at one go when the satellite (radio) picture (awful pun!) is clearer.
#24 of 353 by stretchsje Mar 09, 2003 (6:47 pm)
assume someone provided the wiring diagrams. How nice. My question is - considering the Bose option gives you a Sub, better amp and a 6-CD changer, would it be advisable to get the Bose option to start with, and perhaps replace speakers, if needed, down the line? The pre-outs are already available, and a better amp, if needed, could drive front speakers and the stock (Bose) sub. The financial equation is not greatly changed, not to mention the fact that the system will not need immediate changes. I basically plan to hold out until Satellite radio add-on options become available, preferably XM ('coz Sirius sucks ) and would prefer to change everything at one go when the satellite (radio) picture (awful pun!) is clearer.   Awful pun.   In theory, that's a terrific idea. Unfortunately, it's one I cannot answer. I've heard lots of terrible things about how Bose integrates their systems. I've heard they run on 1 ohm loads, which means aftermarket speakers would be getting about 1/4th of the system's rated power. I've also read that some Bose systems share a common ground. These are things you'd have to change in your design.   If, that is, what I've read is true. I have no substantiated evidence that these Bose traits apply to this car.
#25 of 353 BTW, an update on the wheels by stretchsje Mar 09, 2003 (7:28 pm)
I posted incorrect information earlier.   The stock 16" alloys are 16x7", 55mm offset. The stock 17" alloys are 17x7", 60mm offset.   Both are 5x114.3mm bolt patter (5x4.5")   My 17" OEM alloys + tires arrive this week!
#26 of 353 17" OEM Alloys without the sport package! by stretchsje Mar 10, 2003 (10:13 am)
Me? I only wanted alloy wheels. Today, I got 'em. They're used from sport package equipped '6 and cost me $500 (with tires, before shipping). That's about the same price my dealer wanted for them, but without tires. The 17" tires are Michelin Pilots.     I post this here to show off. Er- I mean, I post here because SO many people complained about the option packages! Well, looky what I did to my $17,201 car. With about a thousand more dollars, I have a better-than-Bose stereo system and the Mazda 17" alloy wheels for less than what Mazda charges for their respective packages. Ask your dealer about aftermarket options and work around the screwy packages!   The steering seems to provide much more feedback with these wheels. The ride feels stiffer, yet more controlled. I'd even say more comfortabe- the shocks do a better job controlling bumps than the 16" mushy tires did. I haven't noticed any tire noise, but I haven't driven them on the highway yet either. So far, there's nothing I miss from the standard 16" wheel/tires.
#27 of 353 Nice! by mazdafun Mar 10, 2003 (12:09 pm)
#28 of 353 17" wheels look awesome! by ashutoshsm Mar 10, 2003 (1:47 pm)
And while I agree that the exterior looks about as good as the SP (I like the front air dam, am non-committal/un-opionanted about the side sills and thoroughly detest the spoiler) - I am absolutely in love with the sport interior (black, adn the elctro-luminiscent gauges).   My car has a beige interior - and while I DID get it used, which may explain the current crappy condition - I know my next car's interior will be darker I wish they offered a dark grey, slate grey (like the exterior color) with the sport package. That, with a Lapis Blue exterior, would be (my idea of) ideal
#29 of 353 17" Polished Wheels by wotolliver Mar 10, 2003 (2:49 pm)
I have ordered a red 6S with Sport Package. Has anyone had the wheels polished? I like high polished wheels better than chrome. The price in Arizona is about $100.00 per wheel.
#30 of 353 Stretch by dinu01 Mar 10, 2003 (3:58 pm)
Dude, what a nice car   Seriously, that's the way to go> Base 6, add alloys and a system and you're in business.   Dinu

Messages Page 3 of 36 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... 36 Prev Next Last

Go To Msg # Search This Discussion

You are here: Forums Sedans Mazda6 Mazda6 Accessories and Modifications