Original Clio Audio Upgrade?

[glyn211269]

My Williams 1 has an original Renault/Blaupunkt head unit which is 4x15w and the four 4" speakers in the dash and rear parcelshelf supports. I'd like to keep it this way for originality but it sounds so pants even though the speakers are new Alpine units. So I'm guessing its the poor power output of the head unit that's the issue.

I remember when I was a lad....about 20 years ago.... that you could fit mini amplifiers to boost the power of your head unit. They were about 5" square and 1" thick so pretty easy to hide under the dash.

Does anyone know if you can still get these at all?

Or have any other ideas to get some decent sound whilst keeping the original Renault head unit??

[MAXIBOY]

just swap it out and keep it safe...

[Swervin_Mervin]

There's only so much you can do with a turd source. Making it louder won't help.

I'd go down the route of upgrading the HU to something which has the looks to match the age of the car, and keep the original HU safe.

I ran my valver with a Nakamichi CD35z and it still remains to this day in a different league in terms of sound quality. Takes a slash all over the mainstream manufacturers. Best bet for Nakamichi though is to go used and get it serviced.

Otherwise there's Becker.

[Purple]

The Alpine speakers probably have low sensitivity that needs big amp power. You should try getting speakers with higher sensitivity with higher rated ohms. Probably something with paper cone woofer with coaxial tweeters (though am not sure if coaxials come in 4 inch sizes). Or, if the Alpines are brand new, you should try playing them a bit more to break them. They sometimes come good after a week's play.

[white16valver]

I'd go with the plain-jane-but-awesome-sounds Nakamichi - I've not heard one yet but they're supposed to be amazing :)

Then sort out an 8 or 10 inch sub and amp in the boot and change the existing speakers for some better ones and job done ;)

[MatBrown]

Williams 1 should have a phillips DC521 fitted.


Mat.

[Wobba]

Can barely hear my stereo over the noise of my partly stripped straight through decatted system hehe. Willy 1 speakers SUCK :D