Anyone Actually Upgraded the Leon's Speakers?

[Dean Bufton]

I have been talking myself out of fitting my replacement speakers for far too long now (JBL's). I was wondering if anyone has actually changed their Leon speakers and how the upgrade actually went.

Does the existing Leon speaker wiring link to the K-Bus system? What are the implications?

Have you used speaker wire adapters like these here ?

The factory speakers have connections on the side whereas replacement speakers have conventional connectors at the rear of the driver. How have you routed the cable from the front to the rear of the replacement speaker? Through the inner door skin?

Did the sound improve?

Also any ideas of how I can remove the door sill trims?

Not asking for much am I .

 

[Cupramax]

Dean,

Genesis has put components in his I believe and the Leon door trim removal guides are here....

http://www.seatcupra.net/images/amethyst/door/leonfrontdoorguide.JPG
http://www.seatcupra.net/images/amethyst/door/leonreardoorguide.JPG

 

[Dean Bufton]

Thanks for the links Max but I'm also after info on the door sill trim removals

 

[mrkev]

Speaker upgrades

I'm hoping to do this too but I'm planning to do more than just upgrading the speakers; going to fit an amp too.

Don't know yet how to route the cables from the boot (where the amps are going to go) to each door - it's going to quite difficult I know.

I've already got an amp and a pair of 6 x 9s fitted to a custom made parcel shelf and I though that was difficult!

IMO (and I'm by no means an expert) I would of thought it preferable to amp upgraded speakers as they tend to be higher powered and might even sound worse without doing so.

 

[Dean Bufton]

Mrkev,
I've got the amps to go with the speakers mate . I have a 4-channel JBL for the doors and a mono Kenwood amp for the Sub.

What I was going to do was to run speaker cable from the boot mounted 4 channel amp back to the head unit ISO loom. I would bullet connect the loom so that I could re-connect the speakers back to the head unit at a later date if the amp was removed (I hope I have explained this enough?). Not the last word in quality but more convenient than re-wiring cable to each door.

My main concern at the moment is the factory wiring and KBus system (if it's linked). I'll send Genesis a PM and see if he has any pics of his door installs.

I'll be taking pics of my install as I go just so that when I make a mistake you guys can take the pi55 .

 

[mrkev]

Ah?

Ah!

Hadn't really thought of using the existing wiring like that; good idea. Do you think the standard cabling is up to it? - mind you, it should be up to a reasonable standard! It's certainly easier than going around the whole car with speaker wire myself.

You've got me seriously thinking of doing this now!

Are you planning on upgrading the tweaters as well??

Does anybody know what the standard speaker cable is rated at or how I might be able to find out?

 

[Dean Bufton]

I think that unless your going to spend a load of cash on your speakers (like Genesis has) then the exisitg wiring will do just fine. The sound quality of the exisitng speakers is very impressive but they can only handle 20watts I think. So the only reason I'm upgrading is because I've still got the old stuff from my last car thet just happens to fit the Leon plus I've got some amps. I've got JBL 3-way coaxil speakers for the rear doors and a JBL 2 way component set for the fronts.
Rear - I'll probably disconnect the rear tweeters leaving the full range speakers do the fill in stuff.
Front - I'll disconnect the original tweeter (but leave it in place) and mount the JBL tweeters somewhere near the top of the door panel (not sure yet to be honest).
I just hope it's going to sound good after all the hassle. I've a feeling that my JBL component set will not be an improvement on the factory kit (I hope I'm wrong). Otherwise I'll be saving up for some MB Quarts or Focals which aren't cheap.
Still undecided on a style of boot build yet but I have just built a new sealed box for my trusty old HiFonics Olympian 12 .

 

[genesis]

changing the speakers in a leon is a pretty simple job wouldnt advise using the original wiring though .........
run your own wiring to the speakers and remember to keep both sides the same length for both passenger side and drivers side
focal speakers sound really good in the leon and if you can put a little dynamat inside the door to help dampen it a little
other speakers id reccomend in the leon are the new magnat components
if money is tight or the jl audio or focal if you are willing to spend a little more
the better you install the speakers the better they will sound....

 

[weejim]

hi genesis im goin 2 do an install aswell,im goin 2 run new speaker cable from amp 2 doors,ive got it run 2 doors just now but wat way did u go about gettin cable 2 speakers,did u run it through door plug or sum over way. jim

 

[Steely]

hi genesis im goin 2 do an install aswell,im goin 2 run new speaker cable from amp 2 doors,ive got it run 2 doors just now but wat way did u go about gettin cable 2 speakers,did u run it through door plug or sum over way. jim

posts a tad out of date mate, say 8 years, id get yourself a new thread set up or wait for someone with a more current setup to giv you some advice

 

[mt audio]

lol.oldschool

the leon plugs are hollow rubber,no physical plugs are there so its easy to feed through

 

[genesis]

its a while since i was last on the site (3 years to be exact) but the same is true now as it was then
i would still run new speaker to any speaker which i fitted in the car
regardless of cost
the leon is a very very good car to install aftermarket loudspeakers in but the biggest improvement comes from learning to install them properly in regards to mounting them correctly , sound deadening the doors properly and acoustic treatments to reduce the amount of backwave interferance

believe it or not even the standard speakers in a leon sound actually very good when you do all this treatment

heres some pictures of my old install
these are around ten years old now

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/618841/4
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/232547
http://www.iascauk.com/photos/euros05.html