W203 sound system upgrade

[Geoff A]

I would like to get a clearer sound from my '05 c-class estate without breaking the bank. Not not sure of the best way to go, but would like an easy win.
Car has the Audio 20 double-din unit in the dash and runs a 3.5mm aux in, which is plumbed into the CDC, for my ipod.
As far as I can tell, there's two speakers in each front door and one in each rear door - unless anyone can advise me differently.
Can anyone share advice and tips on how to make the standard system better?
Thanks

 

[Alfie]

I would like to get a clearer sound from my '05 c-class estate without breaking the bank. Not not sure of the best way to go, but would like an easy win.
Car has the Audio 20 double-din unit in the dash and runs a 3.5mm aux in, which is plumbed into the CDC, for my ipod.
As far as I can tell, there's two speakers in each front door and one in each rear door - unless anyone can advise me differently.
Can anyone share advice and tips on how to make the standard system better?
Thanks

Weve done a few of these now.

If cost is an issue then I would recommend you change the front speakers for something decent like a set of Morel or JL components. Add to this decent sound insulation and absorption with dynamat and it will hugely improve the sound quality. If you want to go further then look at adding an active Sub for the rear and maybe an amplifier for the new front speakers.

It all boils down to how much you want to spend really.

 

[Geoff A]

Thanks Alfie - I'm not looking to blow hundreds, if it's not necessary. Speakers seem an easy way to make an improvement, and most pairs are £40-80, which is cheap, really. I'm hoping a sensible speaker upgrade will be the best way to go, to improve clarity.
Any thoughts on the rear speakers?

 

[Geoff A]

And what's an active sub...? Other than the hidden nuclear ones

 

[Howard]

A subwoofer with an onboard amp.

Hook it up to the pre outs on the head unit ( or even speaker level input on some ) and away you go.

 

[jaymanek]

I dont think the audio 20 has any Pre Outs?

 

[zenman63]

No pre out is not a problem, any good amp will take high level inputs or fit a JL Audio cleansweep or better still an Audison 10bit.
I think with speakers at 40-80 will be no better than fitted.
Good fronts are £200 plus like Audison voice and focal etc

 

[Geoff A]

My speaker cost was an arbitrary figure plucked from the sky....Would 'better quality' speakers drop straight in?

 

[rickyg-one]

Hi, i only got my car recently and couldn't handle the poor quality of the audio either. I spent 30quid on a pair of JBL 165mm GTO's from ebay, fitted them in an hour, the sound is so much better now ;-) i'd recommend it as a quick fix.

No idea which bin lid manufacturer supplies MB speakers but really they should look at that.

Basically you don't need to spend lots of money to make it sound alot better, to make it sound amazing, as the guys above correctly post, we unfortunately do.

 

[Alfie]

Thanks Alfie - I'm not looking to blow hundreds, if it's not necessary. Speakers seem an easy way to make an improvement, and most pairs are £40-80, which is cheap, really. I'm hoping a sensible speaker upgrade will be the best way to go, to improve clarity.
Any thoughts on the rear speakers?

A decent set of Morels or JL's will be around £200. Dynamat for the doors is about £100 per door fitted.