# FITTING REAR SPEAKERS



## 97363 (Jan 21, 2006)

I am hoping to fit a set of car stereo speakers to the rear of our Avantgarde 400 but do not have a clue how to.Call me thick but has anyone got any advice.Thanks in advance.Stuart


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

I can remember fitting extra speakers to my car 25 years ago when cars came with two speakers if you were lucky.

You could check out Halfords or a car radio shop first who will probably do you a professional job for not a lot.

If you decide on diyi and if the radio is a powerful one then you can simply cut into the speaker wires from the back of the radio and attach new wires to the new speakers. This will reduce the amount of sound to each speaker though so you should check you have enough volume coming out of each. A better way would be to fit an amplifier - try Maplins. This would give you extra power and possibly enable you to have different volume levels in the back and front.


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## 97363 (Jan 21, 2006)

Thanks for that.Could i not break into the wires to the front two speakers and take a wire from this to the rear speakers?


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

dont see why not


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## bigfoot (May 16, 2005)

If you remove your radio you will probably find either an additional pair of wires or an amplifier output,poss a pair of phono sockets. The former will be a doddle the latter,better but will require a power connection. To avoid any hassle nave you noticed th radio controls having a fader position does it have a front and rear setting? If sp it will have the aforementioned provision. Do you have the radio handbook? that may tell you.Or the radio makers website should have the info.


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## 88927 (May 10, 2005)

Hi
Cutting into existing speaker wiring is definitely not the way to go IMO. The net result will be loading up the amplifier on the head unit possibly leading to early failure. You will get a really rubbish sound out of the speakers and will not be able to balance the sound level fore and aft.
Remember that you need to get the positive and negative wires the correct way round as well or the sound will be even worse.
The correct way to wire the speakers into the head unit is to use the connections on the rear so that each speaker is fed correctly from each channel output of the amplifier, and you will also then have full control over the power being provided to each speaker uniquely. Remember the polarity of the wiring at this stage.
If you feel that this sounds a bit difficult then I would thoroughly recommend buying your new speakers from an outlet that will also fit them for a reasonable price and then you will really enjoy listening to whatever music you select rather than a muffled, garbled noise.

I hope this is helpful

Keith


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Speakers*

Hi Stuart

I did this on the Compass - even I can do it and Oscar's DIY skills are better than mine.

Assuming your radio is the same as mine (factory fitted standard equipment) there are four outlets at the back for wires. Only two are in use.

I wired them to small "domestic" style speakers. OK there were more expensive than car spaeakers and are about 6 x 4 x 3 inches. They are on a small swivel bracket and can be turned to suit your requirements.

Private me if you get stuck and I will send Oscar to help you.

Rapide561


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## RobinHood (May 19, 2005)

Done this a few times now.

A number of questions first to aid the planning:

1. Where are you going to put the additional speakers? - you may have to cut existing cabinetwork (you will need some clearance behind) or fit 'surface mount' enclosures that can get in the way a bit if you're not careful. Best solution depends on layout - cut into corner boards for rear lounge, cut into base of rear cupboards and face downwards (may need to box in inside the cupboard). One way of cutting a round hole is by drilling all the way round a template then using a sharp knife to finish off, a speaker grille will normally overlap the hole by enough to cover off any 'edge'.

2. How are you going to route the speaker wires from the front to the back? Sometimes not as easy as it seems. Usually best if you can run in cabinetwork, but often the fridge or other appliance gets in the way. I've managed to run stuff back to the cabinetwork by putting under the rubber cab floor - the whole plastic footwell usually removes fairly easily to enable this. Last resort is to go under the floor.

Both these questions can be a bit sticky depending on vehicle. Be aware that a number of converters will pre-wire speaker wires to the back during the build stage - it's worth checking.

Whilst Halfords and so on will fit, its the bits above that I wouldn't trust them to do - not the average installation job.

As mentioned above, most fitted radios nowadays come with outputs for four speakers, with a front/rear fade facility. (if it has this facility, then it will be easy to add extra speakers to the wiring)

To check, you will need to remove your radio (you should have had extractors provided with your vehicle, if not, Halfords can provide for a small sum). Usually a set of two pronged 'forks' or a couple of flat section metal probes. (other possibilities exist) you normally pass these into holes or slots in the extreme ends of the front of the radio, and they unlatch a locking system, allowing you to carefully pull the radio forward.

A rats nest of wiring lies behind so be careful. It can also be a bit of a shoe-horn job to get everything back in.

You really need the radio instructions to diagnose the wiring, but there are likely to be two pairs of wires unattached and insulated which will be the spare (rear) speaker leads.

These are the ones to 'jump'

Again, two points:

1. One will be left and one will be right - you need to know which is which to get them the same as the front speakers. (The wiring colours will say which is which, but it isn't unknown for the fronts to have been already reversed. If you wire temporarily, you can test with the balance control). Patently, the wires from these need to go to the correct rear corner.

2. All speakers need to have the same phase. A bit technical, but what it really means is that negative output goes to negative pole on each speaker, and likewise positive to positive. One wrong and your sound suffers. The colour coding on the wires helps, as long as the wire you use to go to the back of the 'van (and you'll need a good length) is easy to differentiate between the two wires. If you don't phase properly, the sound has much less bass, and is 'confused'. (Essentially, the two speakers are pushing and pulling at different times, rather than the same).

If it is a two speaker output (which really isn't likely), it is often possible to add two speakers in series, not in parallel. This means that there is only one continuous wire - out from the radio positive, to the front speaker positive, this speaker negative to the rear speaker positive, and the rear speaker negative to radio negative.

There won't be independent front/rear control of the volume in this case.

(connecting in parallel mentioned above means connecting the positive and negative of each speaker direct to the positive a negative outputs of the radio - i.e. a branched arrangement. Given the specification of most radios and speakers, this is more likely to cause damage to the radio than connecting in series).


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## 88826 (May 9, 2005)

"RobinHood - Be aware that a number of converters will pre-wire speaker wires to the back during the build stage - it's worth checking."

I was considering installing two additional speakers in our Avantegard 200 and found what may be unused pre - wired speaker cables in a harness near the electrical distribution in the offside underbed locker. I am still considering whether to install the rear speakers but can anyone advise what colour wires would normally be used for the speakers.
My apologies for tagging this to the original post.
Bonza


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## RobinHood (May 19, 2005)

Unfortunately, knowing UK converters (and no, I'm not one of those people who think imports are always better) they could have used any bit of wire hanging about. 

The only safe way of checking is to extract the radio and rummage around behind to see if you can match up at that end.

On one of my 'vans (can't remember which), the wires were run through and tied up behind the 'kick panel' in the footwell. Not wired to the radio, but enough spare to run behind the dash when I wanted to connect.


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## 96523 (Oct 14, 2005)

*Speakers in the Back*

We got ours fitted in the MH at our local Halfords. Had to go back to get them put in properly but they work fine now. Total cost including speakers (in indidudal free standing pods with velcro) £35.
What an improvement
Alan


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## 97363 (Jan 21, 2006)

Many thanks for the replies,i have gone with fitting a pair of small domestic speakers in the rear on little swivel brackets,they look good and seem to be working fine.Thanks again all

Stuart


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