Boston Acoustics All Around

Sitting in AV Sound Design right now, Herndon, Virginia. The 430 spider is in the bay. Brought my own gear for the install, a pair of 5.25 BA ProSE's for the pitiful, but expensive, Ferrari sub box, a pair of 6.5 BA ProSE's for the doors, and a 900 watt BA amp for the boot. When done, only examining the speaker grills will reveal any alteration. Goodbye and good riddance to the stock Ferrari speakers.

I asked my dealer what that sub box option cost, and he thinks it's around, $4k, four thousand dollars for a single crappy two voice 5.25 speaker and a passive 5.25. It's about $25 worth of gear and maybe $100 worth of box. Unbelievable.

Pro ProSE's aren't reference standard, but one notch below. They're going to sound incredible. We'll push a little more of the bass spectrum to the box, which seems silly with the smaller speakers back there, but it's a psychological thing. you expect to hear bass behind you. These speakers should pull off a really full, heart pounding sound in a remarkably low profile, no visible mod. I'm hoping I don't need to replace the head unit to get what I want. I'll know as soon as we turn the key and put in the code. I'd rather keep the garbage head unit it came with so nobody ever even thinks of cutting my top to get to it. Hopefully the signal from that POS is good enough. I expect it is.

 

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Im using Polk competition and it is just insane loud with a superior sound quality!!!

I think DonJuan is the man since he has Focal on his car!!

 

Wow cool. I'm really curious to know quick updates as mine is in the shop on Wednesday and would love to do the upgrade. I have the stock upgraded system and it blows.

What Polks you using? Thanks!

 

http://www.crutchfield.com/s_107MM6501/Polk-Audio-MM6501.html?tp=106&nvpair=FFBrand%7cPolk+Audio

 

Cool thanks! I'm a stereo idiot so you did not install an amp? That's your entire system? Looks like an easy install. Sorry about the novice questions.

 

I'd take the BA's over the Focal's, and have. Obviously depends on models, but for what I like, BA's are better. I like really crisp highs. BA's better for that. I'm also putting BA's biggest amp behind four relatively small speakers, and Focal's actually known for being a little more sensitive, blow up easier. My system will be clear, crisp, and pretty bulletproof at the volumes I'll be using.
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Very nice!

 

Spent all day in the stereo shop and finally was given a ride home at rush hour. They're having minor issues everywhere. the tweets didn't quite fit, so customizing. The 5.25's don't quite fit, so a little customizing. They didn't realize the thing had an amp in it to begin with, and that cost time. Don't blame them. For how little output, it's hard to believe more than the deck was driving them. So I sat in a cinema showroom watching moving and eating, hanging out here and keeping up with email. Felt like quite the bum. Would have felt much more productive doing that from the golf course.

 

It will all be worth it when it's done. Should be great sound.

Mike

 

Going to be crisp and clear, that's for sure. i misunderstood how to spec out the amp, and ended up shopping based on peak. The amp wasn't that much, less than the all digital alpine that would have been second choice, but I way overpowered. That's actually a good thing. It's distortion that blows speakers, not wattage. But as it is, we'll be throttling the 900w amp I dropped in to about 1/3 power. Going to make for crystal clear sound. Really looking forward to it.

 

It's amazing that you have to go through the time and expense to install something that the factory should have done in every car. Every time I turn on that (so called) sound system in my 430 I want to be sick. Actually I feel like an idiot to own a car with such a cheap, ill conceived and worthless sound system.

Save the "engine symphony" crap. If I want to listen to the engine I can turn off the sound system. Of course the design is so ridiculous, you need the manual to find the on button. What a joke. Ferrari should be ashamed to put their name on it.

 

I have not heard the stereo system in the 458, but there is truth to this in the 430. And it should not be. The sound system in a Ferrari should not take a back seat to anything.

But it does.

Mike

 

Absolutely. I'm keeping the head unit because it's such a POS that it's a theft deterrent. I'm going to have to force myself (yech) to learn how to use it now though. As it is, I'm not even sure how to use the CD changer. Figured it out once in the 360, but forget. Now that it's going to be worth listening to, I'll need to figure out how to cycle through the discs.

 

I'm thinking the horrid stereos Ferrari puts in it's cars are part of the plan to keep us listening to the symphony coming out of the tail-pipes.

It's worked for me...

 

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I love the sound of the engine best of all but my wife and I do like to listen to the stereo once in a while. It is a joke and a definite embarrassment .

 

Not satisfied. Going to have to add an 8" subwoofer under the dash. Sound isn't clear either. Shop says it's the crappy head unit. Getting a second opinion on that. Don't want the car to look modified in any way. Might be headed for a new deck and changer, too.

 

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Looking forward to your outcome. I already put an iPod adapter in mine and love to hear tunes. I jacked with my stock stereo today trying to get some decent sound out of it and it just plain ******* I N G BLOWS.

 

Make sure you replace that moisture barrier that was cut out in the boot. The first time water shoots under the car it's going to enter the boot and fry your amps and whatever other modules you have up there. Been there, done that.

 

Yes, a professional installer told me the same thing.

 

I don't know, Rick Reuss uses the factory head unit and gets amazing sound out of the cars- even using many of the factory components in many cases. He simply knows how to tune the cars.

 

I was a huge BA fan for many years but BA isn't what it used to be but their top of the line series sounds decent but there are better choices for the money. A space saver Kicker or Pioneer sub will sound tons better than the overpriced junk from the factory ...

I'm using Focals with kicker sub

for such an expensive car, the stereo SuKs!

 

I have the Focals as well with 2 6.5 DD subs in ported box with an Audison LRX 5.1.
It sounds and looks incredible. No holes drilled and nothing cut on. The factory stereo is the worse innate ever seen in a sports car and I come from the Chevy world.

 

I might try these for their simplicity...apparently plug & play. Anyone here have or listened to them?

http://dynamtechgroup.com/ferrari-radio.php

 

Just ordered top line Kenwood head unit with changer to replace the Becker. Need to figure out the sub. FOW suggests an 8" under the head unit. Fine. Need to figure that out. If anyone knows anyone experienced in doing that particular enclosure, would be great, greatly appreciated.