As usual I’m not content with the factory fitted stereo and decided it was time to improve it without going over the top. Ideally I want a system that has reasonable bass, smooth treble, can play MP3s/AACs from Flash memory, connects to an iPod/iPhone, is easy to use, uses the steering wheel controls, doesn’t stand out and doesn’t need a sub in the boot. Not the shortest list but possible.
Initially I wanted to keep the standard head unit because it’s highly unlikely to be stolen and uses the dash display which is pretty much in the line of site when driving. I bought a proper Renault USB interface and plumbed it in. It works well but because of the limitations of the head unit and the dash display it makes it hard to find songs, navigate to other folders, etc. A different head unit seemed the only way to go. Currently I’ve got a Pioneer out of my XM in the Scenic, it’s a good unit but has some strange quirks so I’ll replace it with something else at some point.
My attention then turned to the door speakers, looking at the size of the doors and speaker enclosure I’d assumed that the Scenic used 6.5” drivers so it would be easy to find a pair of something decent and just put them into place. However the front door speakers aren’t 6.5” they’re 5” or there abouts, if that isn’t enough of an handicap the magnets on the speakers are tiny which isn’t a good sign, they could be high flux low weight rare earth magnets but I doubt Renault would do that on a mainstream car. The trouble with 5” speakers is a lack of cone area which along with other key specs has a bearing on the bass available, sure you can offset cone area with cone extension (travel) but the choice is smaller and the price rises not to mention that the drivers get ‘longer’. Careful measurement of the speaker housing showed that a 6” driver would fit so that presented possibilities, a couple of companies make a 6” specifically for the purpose but you’re looking at £100+ for what could be a marginal improvement. After searching the web I found some JVCs on offer that looked like they’d trim down OK to fit the space available, being on offer I only stood to lose £20 if it didn’t work out.
The drivers are around 10mm too big to fit in the enclosures, trimming a 5mm slice off was easy with a pair of 'aircraft' snips. Care was needed not to bend the driver basket or cut into the cone surround that bonds the speaker cone to the basket. Sorry about the blurred photo!
To enable the drivers to sit flush, which makes it easier to get a good seal and provide support for the now weaken baskets, it was necessary to cut off the weather shield and enlarge the hole. This is easily done with a wood file then cleaned up/smoothed out using a metal file or abrasive paper.
It was clear at this point that easiest mounting option would be to glue the drivers into position. The enclosures mounting area was slightly abraded to help adhesion, I decided on using Silcone sealant so that if it doesn't work out it will be possible to remove the drivers without destroying the speaker enclosure and it has good sealing properties. A pair of loom adapters was purchased from Liquidice on eBay to allow the door card to be removed without fiddling around with the speakers spade terminals.
Here's how it looks from the front. Maximum cone size whilst retaining the factory look. The grills fit fine.
More to follow.
Steve.