McIntosh system replacement speakers

[Guest]

Hi all,

I rather like the McIntosh system in my Legacy... unfortunately the speakers, in typical McIntosh fashion, are giving up the ghost.

Now if they are 4 ohm speakers, it'd be easy to put some aftermarket replacements in... unfortunately they're 8 ohm which presents a couple of problems:

1 - I don't know if the McIntosh amp will be happy driving a 4 ohm load.

2 - If I did put in 4 ohm components (say some Alpine components) they'll be significiantly louder then everything else in the system thereby upsetting the balance.

So has anyone actually done this? Has someone found replacement speakers that work in this system?

[Scoobydoo]

Yes it will handle 4ohm speakers fine. And yes they will be louder but that's why you have a volume knob.

[Guest]

Louder is fine, it is the louder in comparison to the rest of the system that is the problem.

Then again, I should do that little mod to the amp to boost the sub level anyway

So you've actually run 4 ohm speakers on the McIntosh amp before and it doesn't fry itself?

[Scoobydoo]

Well actually nah I never have, TBH the only cars I've installed speakers into which had the macintosh system, they also replaced the headunit to an aftermarket one so I had to bypass the amp altogether. That actually means you lose the sound from the front speakers, and also the factory "sub" if you have one (which is actually just a high-passed 6x9). The rears will still play if you use the factory loom.

Honestly if you want to upgrade things, then you should probably ditch the factory stuff. It's good as far as factory stuff goes, but it's old and when you want to listen to something nice, even a standard headunit will put out almost as much power as those old Macintosh amps. Then you won't have to worry about ohms and you'll have a lot more flexibilty in what you can run

[Guest]

I find the balance of the McIntosh gear to be very good and it pounds as hard as I need when you wind it up.

By the time I put in a system that I think would be as good (new headunit, new front components, new rear two ways, new sub and an amp to drive it all), I'd have spent around $2k which I'm just not willing to spend on it.

Oh, and little things like the volume knob being on the correct side of the car is nice

[Scoobydoo]

I guess if you want to go new, then yeah you might be right. But you can get very good gear second hand. Could probably get a pretty decent system for $1000, if you're not concerned with brands or matching equipment.

[B4 2000]

a related question,

one of my front doors speaker is fu**d, and if the McIntosh amp would run 4ohm speakers; do i have to change to whole 4 speakers or is it ok to change only teh ones in the front?

[dubbedup]

 B4 2000 said:

a related question,

one of my front doors speaker is fu**d, and if the McIntosh amp would run 4ohm speakers; do i have to change to whole 4 speakers or is it ok to change only teh ones in the front?

i got one fucked one too so if you upgrade i want your other goodish one hahaha

[B4 2000]

 dubbedup']

[quote name='B4 2000 said:

a related question,

one of my front doors speaker is fu**d, and if the McIntosh amp would run 4ohm speakers; do i have to change to whole 4 speakers or is it ok to change only teh ones in the front?

/quote]

i got one ****ed one too so if you upgrade i want your other goodish one hahaha

lol give me the one you've got, i like the McIntosh system

[Scoobydoo]

You will want to run speakers of the same type.

[Guest]

I figure I could get away with just replacing the front two... the rears aren't all that important so if they're quieter then the fronts who cares.

My concern is the balance with the factory sub i.e. there wouldn't be any balance, the fronts will be so much louder.

In terms of second hand gear, the thought had crossed my mind.

[Scoobydoo]

Well since that is your main concern, then the only thing to do would be to get factory replacements. There are lots of cars being wrecked which you can probably get some out of, call a wrecker and see what they can do for you.

Or just get a small 8" sub & 2 channel amp for a few hundy and just replace the crappy 6x9. With a little bit of innovation you'll probably be able to fit an 8" in the same space.

Or get a better 6x9 and run it as a sub, with low frequencies only from a small amp.

I've never played with a factory sub so I don't know exactly what you can do, I'm just putting other options out there.

[Guest]

 Scoobydoo said:

Well since that is your main concern, then the only thing to do would be to get factory replacements. There are lots of cars being wrecked which you can probably get some out of, call a wrecker and see what they can do for you.

Or just get a small 8" sub & 2 channel amp for a few hundy and just replace the crappy 6x9. With a little bit of innovation you'll probably be able to fit an 8" in the same space.

Or get a better 6x9 and run it as a sub, with low frequencies only from a small amp.

I've never played with a factory sub so I don't know exactly what you can do, I'm just putting other options out there.

Yep, there are plenty of them being wrecked... unfortunately most of them have the same problem :

I had wondered about replacing the 6x9 sub with a modern 6x9... I can't see any reason for it not to work. I've been doing some research into new headunits (in preparation for just having to bite the bullet and replace it all) and so far I'm pretty underwhelmed (i.e. nothing has jumped out at me and said BUY ME!!!) but I'll keep looking

[Scoobydoo]

Well if you are interested, then I'd suggest registering on www.nzicemag.co.nz. It's a forum for ICE and there's lots of good deals and info to be had, and you may even be able to get someone in your area to do the install for you.

[Guest boostin]

Aren't house speakers 8 ohms? Surely you can find some speakers to fit?

[Scoobydoo]

Yeah you can get 8-ohm speakers designed for home audio use. thats another option.

[Guest]

I've actually been told from two seperate sources, that the McIntosh amp is cable of driving 4 ohm speakers... one source said it'd be fine down to 2 ohms!

avgeek also reports that it is a very nice wee amp... 4x40w into 8 ohms, 4 x 70w into 4 ohms with a fifth channel being created for the sub (so the amp has a crossover in it). I suspect the fifth channel is the same power as the others.

Interestingly, I've also discovered that the 6x9 sub in the back is actually 4 ohms anyway!

Oh, and the THD figures for the McIntosh amp are extremely good... 0.004% into 8 ohms is home hifi quality!

It's just a shame that the amp creates the sub channel...

Anyway, I've scored some new fronts to put in and a new 6x9 to put in the rear (although it doesn't drop right in so I may have to change them). I need to whip the amp out and to avgeeks variable sub channel gain mod first though

[Guest]

Update time (for those who may be interested).

I got my Infinity front components (Reference series 6030cs) in on Sunday night. They're pretty crisp at the moment as they need some run in time and I feel I've lost a little mid range but I'm wondering if that is due to the EQ settings in the McIntosh amp.

I've also picked up noticable hiss which is easily apparent when the volume is turned right down. I suspect this is because the Infinity's are 2 Ohm (what Infinity call True 4 Ohm).

I've sourced a new headunit to replace the McIntosh as I'm tired of the dodgy CD player and the lack of other features. I'm hoping to chuck it in tonight and I may end up running the fronts off the headunit to start with just to see whether the hiss is still there.

[Scoobydoo]

Yeah I think you'll find you won't have quite as much mid-bass with aftermarket speakers than with the factory ones... i don't know why this is, but has been the case on almost all factory -> aftermarket speaker installs I've done on a Subaru. But the mid-high end will be so much nice than a crappy paper cone speaker.

[Guest]

Mid bass seems fine, it is the warm mid range for vocals etc that seems a little lacking but I'm hoping they loosen up and warm up a little with some run-in time and I'll definitely try without the factory amp just in case the EQ in the factory McIntosh amp dulls that range down a little which is possible considering the factory door speakers were two ways + a tweeter.