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Guide To Complete Stereo Installation Focus Mk2


Mr_Spock
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No issues, cheap (£270 in Norway), delivers great power without getting hot, small and easy to install, looks great. Sounds great with my Infinity Kappa component Speakers.

I mainly choose the Kappa amplifiers, because I use Kappa Speakers in the car (and the specs) - and I have been very pleased with the choise. But I would surely been happy with another brand too.

good luck on your amplifier hunt :)

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That's good to hear. There's a deal on eBay for £230 including shipping, which isn't bad considering. How many watts rms does the Kappa Speakers need?

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That's good to hear. There's a deal on Ebay for £230 including shipping, which isn't bad considering. How many watts rms does the Kappa speakers need?

Looks like a good deal on the Kappa :)

The Kappa Perfect 6.1 are rated at 100W nom. and 400W max. power handling, with a sensitivity of 90 dB.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hey Guys,

Firstly i'm new here so Hello to All!!

Secondly.... loving this install. Definitely given me food for thought.

Thirdly.... the reason why i am here.

OK..

I have put a 3rd party (Alpine) headunit into my 2009 Mk2 Focus Zetec. I've had battery issues ever since its gone in. I've done 5-6 ice installs in the past so i know the basics, making sure ignition is, permanent is the right way round etc. However having took it to severly different garges (not Ford) i got told nothing was wrong. I got the battery replaced 2 months ago with a extra large Bosch!.

I decided to take it to Ford to see what they could come up with. After a day of diagonostics they said its the stereo intereferring with the Canbus system, so when i lock the car it doesnt go into "Power Saving". I didnt realise i has canbus as the stereo worked straight away with no issues.

Due to replacing the original door Speakers with new ones, and making a bit of a hash with the wiring. I cant put the original one back nor do i want it. As my new HU has BT, AUX etc.

So i'm thinking of running a 12v volt permant either straight from the battery (as its a pretty simple job with the location of the gromit) or off the cigarette light in the "center console glove box" then taking the ignition off the cigarette lighter in the center console. Then i would run new speaker cable through out the car as i'm about to put a 4 channel amp in anyways.

So my question is.... by hardwiring the headunit from these points, will i bypass the canbus system? and secondly i took the spare gromit off from below where the door loom goes into the car and there was no hole? Do i need to drill this out?

Many Thanks

Chris

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  • 1 month later...

I also laid a well over-dimensioned + cable for the Head Unit. All + cables with proper fuse mounted close to the battery.

Cable collector:

IMG_8720web_zpsc08a688c.jpg

Interested in more detail on this part where you run a dedicated positive feed from the battery to the head unit,

When doing this; do you also run a dedicated earth feed from head unit to the battery,

Have you fitted a relay to this feed for ignition on

Or

is it a permanent live to headunit?

Is there much difference to be gained if the head units internal amp is not being used?

Very interested in response mate,

Thanks very much.

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  • 3 months later...

This was the first thread that got me thinking about upgrading my own car audio system. The Silent Coat I can vouch for make a significant difference.

How's the car holding up Mr_Spock? Any future upgrades planned?

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  • 3 months later...

Excellent post Mr Spock. You are a man that reminds me of myself back in the 80's when I did installs. Love the fact you use Infinity as they are my favourite and have been for decades. A little OTT in places but what the heck. Am intrigued tho by why you have a direct feed to your head unit. Not necessary in my opinion but if you're happy with it then so am I. Do you still have the same car as it's been a couple of years now since your build?

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Thank you for positive responses.

There are a lot of solutions I used, just because I had the cable and it was easy to do. I am a big fan of overdoing things :)

The stereo install still works perfectly.

Lately I have been using som time to manually adjusting sound parameters to get an more even frequency respons - mostly in the lower frequencys. It makes a huge improvement.

I used the UMIK-1 usb microphone from MiniDSP:

http://www.minidsp.com/products/acoustic-measurement/umik-1

and using the REW free software:

http://www.roomeqwizard.com/

With these on a laptop you have very good and easy to use tool.

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My pleasure Mr Spock. I've spent quite some time reading Hassan thread. I've been out of the car hifi scene for over 20 years and things have come a long way since. Head units with multi layer sound processors and microphones to listen to the car and then self adjust! Wow. To much for me personally.im 53 and my ears are not audiophile quality anymore. Standard systems nowadays are very good but can be improved to many levels. I intend to add a sub (one I have already, 6th order bandpass ported box) then replace front Speakers with Infinity driven by my punch 150 Rockford. Rears driven by the cars amp (think I'd have to use a dual amp balancer). Keep up your good work.

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My pleasure Mr Spock. I've spent quite some time reading Hassan thread. I've been out of the car hifi scene for over 20 years and things have come a long way since. Head units with multi layer sound processors and microphones to listen to the car and then self adjust! Wow. To much for me personally.im 53 and my ears are not audiophile quality anymore. Standard systems nowadays are very good but can be improved to many levels. I intend to add a sub (one I have already, 6th order bandpass ported box) then replace front speakers with Infinity driven by my punch 150 Rockford. Rears driven by the cars amp (think I'd have to use a dual amp balancer). Keep up your good work.

Good to read that I am not the only oldtimer who likes good sound quality in the car - I'm 52 :)

You are so right about todays stereo components - compared to those back in the old days. Your plans sound great.

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I installed an usb interface some time ago:

IMG_8939web_zps1fcfeb78.jpg

IMG_8946web_zps600637fd.jpg

Perfect fit, got it from eBay. The cd-player have 2 usb connections on the back side - used on of these.

Just had the timing belt and the front shock absorbers replaced - the Focus have around 90k km (55k miles?) on the meter.

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I installed an usb interface some time ago:

IMG_8939web_zps1fcfeb78.jpg

IMG_8946web_zps600637fd.jpg

Perfect fit, got it from Ebay. The cd-player have 2 usb connections on the back side - used on of these.

Just had the timing belt and the front shock absorbers replaced - the Focus have around 90k km (55k miles?) on the meter.

It looks like its been factory fitted very tidy mate :)

My focus is 2010 and has 175,000km on clock your milage is very low indeed

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Thanks Lenny :)

I installed a dashcam - used a 12V relay - switching by the ignition/stereo + , controlling the 12V socket in front of the gear stick:

IMG_8942web_zpsdec50423.jpg

Camera behind the rear-view mirror:

IMG_8952_zps6d0adc8a.jpg

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Very tidy install. Looks totally stock, which is the way I like it

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Interested in more detail on this part where you run a dedicated positive feed from the battery to the head unit,

When doing this; do you also run a dedicated earth feed from head unit to the battery,

Have you fitted a relay to this feed for ignition on

Or

is it a permanent live to headunit?

Is there much difference to be gained if the head units internal amp is not being used?

Very interested in response mate,

Thanks very much.

Missed these questions about ignition on and live + to the head unit.

I used the 12V Ignition (switched) that controlled the old head unit - to the new. And the new 6mm2 cable is a constant 12V +. I made a new 12 negative connection to the head unit - using a more solid cable and connected it to a good connection point behind the head unit in the dash somewhere.

I don't think there much difference in SQ by turning the internal amps off - but it's a nice nerd feature :) I think the Pioneer DEH-PRS80's better quality dac and electronic components overall - are more significant in SQ. And further it's wide tuning abilities. The only thing missing - is that the equalizer should be parametric.

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Very tidy install. Looks totally stock, which is the way I like it

Thanks Hassen - are you happy with the Focals?

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Thanks Hassen - are you happy with the Focals?

Honestly, I couldn't be happier with the Focal 165KR. Since I upgraded the amplifier to the Rockford Fosgate, these Speakers just sing! I really like the Focal sound to the point that I was thinking of getting home Speakers from Focal, until I realised how much they cost and then had to reconsider. Maybe in the future when I have some disposable income :P

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Honestly, I couldn't be happier with the Focal 165KR. Since I upgraded the amplifier to the Rockford Fosgate, these speakers just sing! I really like the Focal sound to the point that I was thinking of getting home speakers from Focal, until I realised how much they cost and then had to reconsider. Maybe in the future when I have some disposable income :P

That is great!

Focal are on top of my list if I upgrade the fronts in the future.

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Well worth auditioning them before buying. I was lucky to find a shop, in Mauritius while visiting my parents, that had it on demo. Even in Ireland, there are no shops as far as I know that have them on demo.

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  • 1 year later...

Hi,

I'm currently installing new audio in my Ford Focus 2008 Mk2, it's the 1.8 flexfuel. I'm from Norway too.

I took the driver side door of, I did not manage to figure out how to disconnect the wireharness from the car to the door, so I stripped the whole harness of the door and feed it through the holes in the door.

I found that there are 2 plugs connecting in the car, but only 1 are wires in from the car door, this mean one could drill out the plug that is not in use and feed the speaker cables through there. Maybe the plug that is not in use is for alarm?

I decided not to do this anyway, but I want to use the hole beside the where the door wires goes in the car. I'm trying to feed the new speaker cables through where the door wires goes. It looks like there is foam or something above. Have anyone managed to do this?

There are other holes further down, but I can't find a hole on the inside except for these that are used for covers etc. Did you use the hole meant for the cover Mr Spook?

 

 

IMG_20160825_203929.jpg

IMG_20160825_203951.jpg

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