RE: Decent Replacement Speakers for 5k (LONG)

[Todd Phenneger <phen9461@uidaho.edu>]

>    Can anyone in Audiland recommend some decent replacement speakers
>for a stock '87  5Kcstq?  I am looking to replace the original dash,
>front door and rear "trunk" speakers on my car but want to retain the
>original door grillwork and factory look in the car.  My speakers have
>seen better days.  Also, if anyone knows, where is a good source for
>these via Mail-Order.

	Well, the Vifa's from Madisound would be OK as Caliban?? noted.
Personally, in every Audi I have tried them in, we have GREAT luck with
the Boston Rallye Series.  Minimum do two sets of 5.25" co-Axials (one in
back one in front.)  OH, and disconnect the Dash speakers.  With a good
system they are NOT needed and only clutter up the imaging and soundstage.
	For a Better system go with the C700's in the back parcel shelf
(or take off the grill and mount under the parcel shelf for a stealth
look) and then run the Boston Rally 5.25" Separates up front in the stock
location.  Again, disconnect the Dash Junk.  
	Why dissconnect the dash.  Again, Imaging and Soundstage.  In a
car you are VERY limited with speaker placement and the farther you get
the speakers from your ears the less the differential in distance between
the R and L front speakers is.  (well, proportianally at least).  Now,
some will claim that this is not true.  well, sorry, very few people out
there are really Audi'philes and unless you REALLY know what you are doing
and have a proper Crossover set up to delay the sound to the Driver Side
speaker (since the sound has to travel 1/2 the distance to your ears) then
you cant make it work.  Even then, it will sound WAY off to everyone else
in the car.  SO, if you drive with people just mount the speakers far
away.   200 claimed that the speakers in its dash reflected off the
WIndshield.  4kq is the same.  Bull Hunky.  It reflects alright, all over
the car, bouncing off everything it can, finally hitting your ears WAY out
of phase.  
	Mark Chang has a great install page but I DONT agree with putting
tweeters up there and woofers in the door.  Think about it.  When you
listen to home speakers, you have them in front of you, firing at you,
equal distance apart, drivers close to each other as possible.  Sometimes
drivers on either side of the tweeter to get the best imaging.  Should be
the same for a car but you are limited by space so you have to improvise
and use Door Panels or Kick Panels.  You wouldn't take a home speaker and
put it on its back bouncing off the Ceiling, or put just the tweeters up
by the Ceiling bouncing off it with the mid/bass unit in the door firing
at you about 10 feet from the tweeters.  Proportianally this is about what
;you are doing in a car.  1 ft in car is like 4ft in a home.
   The 5ktq has great speaker pods in the stock location in the doors so
use them.  Just mount everything behind the factory grilles.  Looks good,
sounds better.  Now, to finish it off, Get a good head unit with a least 2
Pre-Outs (High voltage a plus) maybe a 3rd non fading Pre-Out if you want
to run a Sub.  Then Hook up appropriate Amplification.  I wont go into
Amps.  
	Anyhow, when you listen to speakers, dont listen to the salesmen.
I've been one and know many.  Most try to sell you what gets THEM the most
money.  Bypass the Cheap room.  Try the Mid Line or High End rooms to fit
your wallet.  More Expensive ISN't always Better.  But Cheap is, well,
Cheap.   Buy what sounds good to YOU.  Not bright, not Dull.  It should
Excite you but not be so bright it will fatigue your ears over time.  I've
found Bostons to be about the Best bang for the buck.  Even sound better
than many MB Quartz and other more Pricey speakers out there.  But as Mark
Chang did, If you find a sweet deal on Some MB'Quartzes, and YOU like
them, buy them.  OR go all out and get some Diamond's or something. :-)
	Amps, again.  Buy quality that sounds good.  Pick the speakers,
then find the Amp that sounds best with them.  There IS a HUGE difference
between amps.  The ones I'm Familiar with.
	Soundstream Reference - Powerful but Bright
	Adcom 	     - Sounds good, not greatest Reliability in
past and SOME models can use some power.  NOt familiar with newest stuff.
	Alpine 	   -   V12? series is supposed to be Ok.
	Sony 	-  Amps seem to be the only thing they make that doesnt
break in a year.  Their ES line usually sounds pretty good.  Worht a try
for the price IMHO
	ADS	-	If you can find one for Cheap.  Buy it.  (If you
like it)
	PPI (Precision Power) 	- Power HOuse.  SOme models sound good to.
Cant think of the model that was so good a few years back.

	There are more so just shop smart.  Many Good speaker companies to
I just am partial to Boston as Every Rally I have bought sounded great
when stacked up against even much more expensive stuff.  C700 Plates will
mount in 4" hole and have great Bass.  Also, if you go Boston, the 51/4"
sounds better than 6.5" in most listeners opinion.  C700 better than 5.25"
Coax, 5.25" Separates better than C700.
	I hope this helps at least a little. :-)
Whew!  I'm putting this in my personal archives.
	L8R

	Todd Phenneger
	1985 4000 quattro / silver / daily driver
	1983 ur-q / black / fixing it up
	1984 4000 quattro / modified/ awaiting Turbo Transplant.
	1987 4000 quattro / Saphire Metallic Blue/ Girlfriend's
	1996 A6q / Volcano / Dads Car
   *****1985 5kt / PARTING OUT!