[jay]

well, i'm pretty sure all the info won't be available until the 3 has been out a little while, but here are some questions in my mind for people to ponder:

1. what size will the front mids be?

2. with the amount the door panels protrude around the front mid speaker area, what kind of available depth can we expect (for those of us looking to run aftermarket mids with a larger depth)?

3. what size will the rear speakers be?

4. same depth question for the rear speakers..how deep?

5. assuming the rear speakers will only be available in the premium system..will the speaker holes in the door frame still be there in the rear doors for the non-upgraded speaker system (obviously the door panels won't have the speaker holes)?

6. will the side airbags and curtains present a problem for those of us who plan on extensively sound dampening/deadening the vehicle?

7. what kind of space are we looking at in the rear cargo area under the carpet (hatch)? does it have significant depth for doing a custom fiberglass sub enclosure and/or amp rack (and if amp rack..how will they get ventilation)?

8. if bose is indeed heading up the stock system design..are we going to be looking at having to rip out individual speaker amps?

9. will the stock wiring be a rat's nest, or will it actually be somewhat clean and easy to remove?

10. how deep will the tweeter pods be?

11. what diameter tweeters will they be?

12. how much space is there inside the dash...for those considering a dash mount sub where the navigation would be (bit crazier here...but it's a possibility)?

13. just how will the process of replacing the stock hu work out (being covered in another thread, but figured i might as well mention it here anyway)?

14. are the speaker grills on the door panels removable (i.e.- separate from the door panel itself, which might make switching mids in and out slightly easier)?

15. will there be stock holes/openings in the firewall to make running wires easier?

well...there you go...just a couple questions i've been pondering in my head. i'm sure there are many more that will come up. if you have the answers to any of these, please respond. feel free to add to the list as well, and hopefully all the questions will be answered in due time as the info is released/discovered. enjoy 8)

 

[anamnesis]

Like you said yourself, it's anyone's guess at this point ... but like you, I also plan on overhauling the sound system (though I will be getting the sedan).

1. Front mid size -- I am estimating 6.5" components, standard fare nowadays, they would be foolish to make them smaller than 6.5" and I have seen pictures anyway, they look big. The MP3 had 6x9 two-ways up front, though.
2. Front mid depth -- anyone's guess.
3. Rear deck size -- I know for a fact the MP3 also had 6x9 three-ways in the rear. Of course, speculating based on the size of the Protege is silly ...
4. Rear deck depth -- does this really matter much for the sedan if the coils are just exposed in the trunk space? Might be an issue for the wagon but I don't know about the sedan.
5. Speaker mounts -- the cars are all cast from the same "mold" so to speak, but only the entry level model comes with 2 speakers. Why would you buy the entry level model?
6. Sound dampening -- anybody's guess.
7. Fiberglass -- I have seen people do crazy things on Minis, Integras/RSX's, Celicas, Hondas, and other tiny cars. I doubt space will be an issue in the hatch!
8. Stock amps -- very likely ... most people do not take into account that the factory head unit will not be immediately compatible with a real amplifier, I am counting on the fact that they will bundle the system with a tiny little amp behind the head unit, probably not per speaker.
9. Stock wiring -- that's ALWAYS a rat's nest! We can only hope their wiring standards improve and they keep all the connections clean and organized with wire tubing ...
10. Tweeter pods -- they are mounted flush into the piece where they A-pillar meets the console (as I have them in my Civic). I think this will make it much easier to do a clean install on aftermarket tweeters since they will have a nice fit in there.
11. Tweeter diam -- they actually look kind of big, I would say 1.5"+
12. Dash space -- dash-mounted sub? You are crazy, hehe ... no clue on the depth there.
13. Stock HU removal -- it's my assumption that we may have to wait awhile for there to be a replacement mount/frame for a new head unit to give it a clean appearance. This is one topic which will be hard to find news on.
14. Front grilles -- they look removable to me but it's anyone's guess.
15. Firewall access -- no clue on that but I'd imagine there will be very few holes for wiring ...

 

[mz6zoomzoom]

You guys assume there will be rear deck speakers?

 

[anamnesis]

Only the entry level models are designated as having two speakers in Canadian GX spec. The GS and GT will have 4 and 6 respectively, with the GT having two tweeters mounted in the aforementioned A-pillar console mounts. In the American market, most compacts come with a minimum of four speakers, so I don't know if this will be the case here also. If the back speakers are not in the rear deck, as you suggest, they will be in the doors. I haven't seen photos of the rear deck or doors so I have no way to know. The Mazdaspeed Protege had 6x9 three-way component speakers in the rear deck, some entry-level Proteges had none. If the 3's rear speakers are in the doors (highly unusal if that is the case) then they will probably be 6.5" two- or three-way units.

 

[mz6zoomzoom]

If the back speakers are not in the rear deck, as you suggest, they will be in the doors.

If the 3's rear speakers are in the doors (highly unusal if that is the case) then they will probably be 6.5" two- or three-way units.

I say that because the 6's rear speakers in the doors. 6.5". It's a true sound stage enviornment - you can't balance the speakers front and back.

 

[anamnesis]

I say that because the 6's rear speakers in the doors. 6.5". It's a true sound stage enviornment - you can't balance the speakers front and back.

Not sure what you mean by "true" sound stage environment ... that seems to contradict your statement that you can't balance the sound ... :?:

 

[anamnesis]

MZ6 is right ... I just saw pics of the inside of the rear doors for the first time today (from the Sydney Show pics on another thread) and the rear speakers are indeed on the doors just as they are on the 6.

I'm still curious what you mean by that being a "true sound environment" though if you can't balance the sound as well ...

 

[jay]

You guys assume there will be rear deck speakers?

never said anything about rear deck. i just said rear speakers, as in the ones seen in the pics of the rear doors of the hatch (and most likely will appear in the sedan as well).

 

[jay]

Like you said yourself, it's anyone's guess at this point ... but like you, I also plan on overhauling the sound system (though I will be getting the sedan).

1. Front mid size -- I am estimating 6.5" components, standard fare nowadays, they would be foolish to make them smaller than 6.5" and I have seen pictures anyway, they look big. The MP3 had 6x9 two-ways up front, though.
2. Front mid depth -- anyone's guess.
3. Rear deck size -- I know for a fact the MP3 also had 6x9 three-ways in the rear. Of course, speculating based on the size of the Protege is silly ...
4. Rear deck depth -- does this really matter much for the sedan if the coils are just exposed in the trunk space? Might be an issue for the wagon but I don't know about the sedan.
5. Speaker mounts -- the cars are all cast from the same "mold" so to speak, but only the entry level model comes with 2 speakers. Why would you buy the entry level model?
6. Sound dampening -- anybody's guess.
7. Fiberglass -- I have seen people do crazy things on Minis, Integras/RSX's, Celicas, Hondas, and other tiny cars. I doubt space will be an issue in the hatch!
8. Stock amps -- very likely ... most people do not take into account that the factory head unit will not be immediately compatible with a real amplifier, I am counting on the fact that they will bundle the system with a tiny little amp behind the head unit, probably not per speaker.
9. Stock wiring -- that's ALWAYS a rat's nest! We can only hope their wiring standards improve and they keep all the connections clean and organized with wire tubing ...
10. Tweeter pods -- they are mounted flush into the piece where they A-pillar meets the console (as I have them in my Civic). I think this will make it much easier to do a clean install on aftermarket tweeters since they will have a nice fit in there.
11. Tweeter diam -- they actually look kind of big, I would say 1.5"+
12. Dash space -- dash-mounted sub? You are crazy, hehe ... no clue on the depth there.
13. Stock HU removal -- it's my assumption that we may have to wait awhile for there to be a replacement mount/frame for a new head unit to give it a clean appearance. This is one topic which will be hard to find news on.
14. Front grilles -- they look removable to me but it's anyone's guess.
15. Firewall access -- no clue on that but I'd imagine there will be very few holes for wiring ...

1. i am also assuming it will be 6.5" mids up front, although i will reserve hopes for when the specs are actually out.

2. front mid depth -- with the room between the grill and panel...it looks like there will be sufficient depth with the use of a nice thick spacer. ideally, i'd like to fit up to (or even beyond) a 4" depth without interfering with the window tract, but most likely we'll be looking at somewhere around 3-3.5" of available depth before the window becomes a problem.

3. i know the hatch will have its rear speakers in the rear doors, and i am assuming the sedan will be configured in the same way..therefore it should not have any rear-deck speakers (at least not stock anyway :wink: ).

4. since i'm assuming the rears will be in-doors..yes, depth matters :wink:.

5. i won't be getting the entry-level, but trims/options are not set in stone yet, so i'm simply pondering.

6. agreed

7. pondering different types of possible fiberglass racks/enclosures in the rear for the hatch.

8. wouldn't count individual speaker amps out as bose has been known to use them in that figuration in many bose-equipped vehicles. it would definitely make things easier if there were just one amp located behind the stock hu...or somewhere easy to reach (not like the lexus is300, where the stock amp is wedged between the glove box and side panel).

9. definitely...the less the stock mess, the easier it makes to replace it. hopefully things don't get too complicated electrically in the 3.

10. original question was how deep of a tweeter will the pods allow well aware of where the pods are located..and they also look like they have significant depth to work with..a very good thing for those deeper small format tweets such as the seas lotus.

11. yes..another good thing, allowing a slightly larger format tweet. wonder how the stock aiming is...hehe. oh well...won't really be using it either way as my tweets have a 4" diameter so they'll more than likely be going into mini-kicks.

12. hopefully a/c is located farther down, allowing a bit more depth under the area where the nav screen would be. this could allow a shallow, small-enclosure sub to be mounted in a custom fiberglass enclosure in the area where the nav screen would be. upfront bass is definitely always a tempting thought.

13. metra will most likely take a while to come out with a dash kit, if any at all. until then (or after even), there's always custom molding one for yourself.

14. ditto

15. yes..hoping there won't be any firewall drilling necessary. if it comes down to it though...that wire is getting through one way or another :twisted:

 

[mz6zoomzoom]

I say that because the 6's rear speakers in the doors. 6.5". It's a true sound stage enviornment - you can't balance the speakers front and back.

Not sure what you mean by "true" sound stage environment ... that seems to contradict your statement that you can't balance the sound ... :?:

A true soundsystem is NOT meant to be balanced front/rear. Sound is supposed to come from the front and a bit from the sides - just as if you were at a concert.


That being said, I prefer rear deck speakers. I'm just saying hte logic for not having them.

 

[jay]

the rear door/deck speakers aren't necessary at all for a true stage environment. as far as sq purposes are concerned..the only real purpose they could serve would be to house a set of dedicated midbass drivers for added support in the midbass frequencies. other than that...rear deck speaker holes (sedan) could serve as base holes for forming larger cutouts to house sub(s) in an ib setup.

 

[jay]

You guys assume there will be rear deck speakers?

never said anything about rear deck. i just said rear speakers, as in the ones seen in the pics of the rear doors of the hatch (and most likely will appear in the sedan as well).

and it is now confirmed that the sedan's rear speakers are located in the rear doors...thanks to a pic (or two) from the sydney auto show...check the multimedia forum for the pics.

 

[anamnesis]

MZ6 is right ... I just saw pics of the inside of the rear doors for the first time today (from the Sydney Show pics on another thread) and the rear speakers are indeed on the doors just as they are on the 6.

I love quoting myself.

 

[mz6zoomzoom]

LOL go anamnesis

 

[jay]

haha, i really must read more carefully.

 

[anamnesis]

Jay,

What's your take on custom enclosures? I currently have a Civic with a dual 12" enclosure, it's a decent box, very heavy but not ported or anything. My qualm with it is that it slides around in the trunk, and I plan on migrating my system (at least the speakers) to my 3. I don't think I want to install my subs the same way in a box like that though due to all the sliding ... as I will inevitably be driving my 3 like a maniac and it is much more responsive than a Civic. I don't want the box sliding all over my trunk.

Aside from removing the spare tire to make a complete fiberglass replacement for the trunk, what kind of options are available for mouting subs in a trunk so that they stay put? Individual enclosures on either side? I am not sure what is the most cost effective way to go. I will probably buy smaller 10" subs but am undecided still. How expensive is it to get a custom made fiberglass trunk with sub and amp mounts anyway?

 

[jay]

Jay,

What's your take on custom enclosures? I currently have a Civic with a dual 12" enclosure, it's a decent box, very heavy but not ported or anything. My qualm with it is that it slides around in the trunk, and I plan on migrating my system (at least the speakers) to my 3. I don't think I want to install my subs the same way in a box like that though due to all the sliding ... as I will inevitably be driving my 3 like a maniac and it is much more responsive than a Civic. I don't want the box sliding all over my trunk.

Aside from removing the spare tire to make a complete fiberglass replacement for the trunk, what kind of options are available for mouting subs in a trunk so that they stay put? Individual enclosures on either side? I am not sure what is the most cost effective way to go. I will probably buy smaller 10" subs but am undecided still. How expensive is it to get a custom made fiberglass trunk with sub and amp mounts anyway?

well...with any sub enclosure...you need to bolt it down so it doesn't slide around. it's actually not a good idea to just put the enclosure in and allow it to slide. in the case of a serious accident...that box could prove fatal. as far as the 3 is concerned, you could use the same box if you wanted..just make sure it is securely bolted down.

there are many ways to mount subs in a trunk, and it's usually a matter of how complicated you want to get with the install. individual enclosures on both sides would work, but you'll probably have to deal with some cancellation/phasing issues. you could get a bit crazier and mount them infinite baffle in the rear deck...but that would mean sealing off your trunk from the cabin...not to mention alot of time spent re-working the rear deck...and probably requiring the removal of the rear glass while you're doing the work. honestly, if you want something simple..your best bet is just a well-built box that will sit against the rear seats, but be formed to somewhat fit the contours of the trunk. you can do this by cutting the face of the enclosure (side that the subs will be mounted on) so that it fits to the contours of the trunk. the rest of the box can be square or wedged to keep things simple. an easy way to go about shaping the face is by using cardboard cutouts for test fitment first so you get a good base to start from. hope that gives you an idea of what you can do. as far as how much it costs to get a custom fiberglass trunk made...i couldn't tell you because i'd do the work myself. if you're getting someone else to do it...i would guesstimate anywhere from several hundred to well over a thousand for a full fiberglass trunk with enclosures and amp racks.

 

[jay]

look at the speaker grill closely. there appears to be quite a bit of door panel residing behind it. any thoughts? wonder if or how this might affect speaker size/depth...

 

[jay]

well, with mazda's U.S. specs released..we are still in the dark about most of the speaker questions. this is what we know for sure now, according to mazda's spec sheets:

i model will have four full-range door-mounted speakers
s model will have four full-range door-mounted speakers and two tweeters

well...at least we know all the models will come with rear door speakers. guess we'll just have to wait for more detailed speaker info.

 

[SP33D]

The spec sheet didnt say anything about BOSE. That is good news IMO.