Uprating the Harman Kardon subwoofer speakers? - Page 2

awvc1 · 1st December 2015, 14:07

probably right - cheers though. So i guess sacrificing a pillow and trying it is probably the only way we can do it as nothing is irreversible here I guess!

Any thoughts on if dynamat or equivalent is worth bothering with on the outer surface of the sub enclosure near where the speakers fit in?

awvc1 · 2nd December 2015, 20:37

should be delivered between 9-11th i'm told. I'm looking forward to this!

awvc1 · 2nd December 2015, 21:02

updated plan too - just replacing the drivers. As JakG said about the wadding effect, it may actually work against me, its hard to tell at this point, but more importantly, I believe it largely inappropriate to do it to a ported bass reflex enclosure from what I've read.

Resonance is desirable in this enclosure, and I suspect it may be shooting myself in the foot to use dynamat. I may decouple the drivers with mdf, but other than replacing them with the rainbows that will be all for now. next update will be when I've got them and fitted them. Wish me luck!

awvc1 · 7th December 2015, 15:45

ok this post is to answer definitively the question - can the drivers be updated in the HK subwoofer to improve it?

So. For those who wish to repeat this themselves, the speakers I used are Rainbow EL-W5 speakers. These arrived today:

They fit perfectly in the harman kardon subwoofer, its just four screws per speaker and the rainbows slotted in fine:

note the woven cone, and the large magnet. I'm not trying to turn into a Rainbow rep, but these are NICE speakers. If you want bass from a 5 inch speaker you need a good one I'd imagine, and this fits the bill.

So does it work?

YES!!!!

The bass response is improved dramatically. A richer bass sound is delivered at the low end, and the punch of the bass if that is what you like is very much increased. I have detected NO port noise induced by this upgrade, and the richness of the sound is detectable even to an untrained ear like mine. Could these speakers sound better in a difference enclosure? Don't know, don't care. They sound great here, and are a vast improvement to me.

I will never be looking to upgrade to a larger sub in my car now - this is perfectly adequate for me. As sound is such a subjective experience, you can only take me at my word, however I invite anyone who is passing my way or at a meet who is curious and I will be happy to let them form their own view by having a listen. Feel free to pm me.

The question is answered definitively - you can improve the bass from the Harman Kardon subwoofer by upgrading the bass drivers inside, a pair of rainbow EL-W5's had done the job beautifully.

Rick-sta · 7th December 2015, 15:59

fantastic work Tony! This has been a question I've wanted an answer to for some time now. Would it be possible to have a listen soon ?

Think I will definately order these speakers. Do you have a link for where you got them from?

awvc1 · 7th December 2015, 16:15

Happy to Rick. Text me about those parts we discussed and you can have a listen when I pick them up. I will pop the link on here after you've had a listen and satisfied yourself I'm not delusional

coolcat · 7th December 2015, 16:17

Hi Tony,

Sounds like (pun intended) you have got yourself a system you are more than happy with........Result all round I would say

Look forward to hearing it in the near future

awvc1 · 7th December 2015, 16:25

Thanks Jeff can't wait , get your opinion too!

awvc1 · 7th December 2015, 16:31

As an aside, this also has the added bonus of demisting the rear window. While testing I steamed up the rear window. Where the bass port in the rear parcel shelf is was a noticeable clear sport

Rick-sta · 10th December 2015, 09:06

Tony popped round mine yesterday which gave me the chance to have a listen to the HK Sub with the rainbow speakers fitted and I have to say wow they've made a massive difference. The sound from it is so clear and there's a big improvement in the bass (thoroughly tested using Prodigy Firestarter

).

I will definitely be ordering a set for the HK sub in my dad's 75

Cheers Tony

1st December 2015, 14:07	#11
awvc1 Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Essex Posts: 1,177 Thanks: 221 Thanked 258 Times in 196 Posts	probably right - cheers though. So i guess sacrificing a pillow and trying it is probably the only way we can do it as nothing is irreversible here I guess! Any thoughts on if dynamat or equivalent is worth bothering with on the outer surface of the sub enclosure near where the speakers fit in? __________________ White Gold ConnSE, 2003 Mods: FBH Revotec Fan Inline 'stat Xenon lights + washers BMW MK4 satnav, clock mod, BT ulf, 16:9 screen & TV upgraded BM54 + BT Aux-in Miracast box Glasses holder Flip Key Spyhole +Jules plenum shield PPD - badges,rear plinth, carpeted heater panels, anchor bolts, reflectors Walnut Dash, handbrake+gearshift Twin Horns Drivers cupholder HK Speakers Chrome bullet mirrors Digital speedo LED interior bulbs Resler interface USB charging sockets x2 Last edited by awvc1; 1st December 2015 at 14:25..

2nd December 2015, 20:37	#12
awvc1 Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Essex Posts: 1,177 Thanks: 221 Thanked 258 Times in 196 Posts	should be delivered between 9-11th i'm told. I'm looking forward to this! __________________ White Gold ConnSE, 2003 Mods: FBH Revotec Fan Inline 'stat Xenon lights + washers BMW MK4 satnav, clock mod, BT ulf, 16:9 screen & TV upgraded BM54 + BT Aux-in Miracast box Glasses holder Flip Key Spyhole +Jules plenum shield PPD - badges,rear plinth, carpeted heater panels, anchor bolts, reflectors Walnut Dash, handbrake+gearshift Twin Horns Drivers cupholder HK Speakers Chrome bullet mirrors Digital speedo LED interior bulbs Resler interface USB charging sockets x2

2nd December 2015, 21:02	#13
awvc1 Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Essex Posts: 1,177 Thanks: 221 Thanked 258 Times in 196 Posts	updated plan too - just replacing the drivers. As JakG said about the wadding effect, it may actually work against me, its hard to tell at this point, but more importantly, I believe it largely inappropriate to do it to a ported bass reflex enclosure from what I've read. Resonance is desirable in this enclosure, and I suspect it may be shooting myself in the foot to use dynamat. I may decouple the drivers with mdf, but other than replacing them with the rainbows that will be all for now. next update will be when I've got them and fitted them. Wish me luck! __________________ White Gold ConnSE, 2003 Mods: FBH Revotec Fan Inline 'stat Xenon lights + washers BMW MK4 satnav, clock mod, BT ulf, 16:9 screen & TV upgraded BM54 + BT Aux-in Miracast box Glasses holder Flip Key Spyhole +Jules plenum shield PPD - badges,rear plinth, carpeted heater panels, anchor bolts, reflectors Walnut Dash, handbrake+gearshift Twin Horns Drivers cupholder HK Speakers Chrome bullet mirrors Digital speedo LED interior bulbs Resler interface USB charging sockets x2

7th December 2015, 15:45	#14
awvc1 Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Essex Posts: 1,177 Thanks: 221 Thanked 258 Times in 196 Posts	ok this post is to answer definitively the question - can the drivers be updated in the HK subwoofer to improve it? So. For those who wish to repeat this themselves, the speakers I used are Rainbow EL-W5 speakers. These arrived today: They fit perfectly in the harman kardon subwoofer, its just four screws per speaker and the rainbows slotted in fine: note the woven cone, and the large magnet. I'm not trying to turn into a Rainbow rep, but these are NICE speakers. If you want bass from a 5 inch speaker you need a good one I'd imagine, and this fits the bill. So does it work? YES!!!! The bass response is improved dramatically. A richer bass sound is delivered at the low end, and the punch of the bass if that is what you like is very much increased. I have detected NO port noise induced by this upgrade, and the richness of the sound is detectable even to an untrained ear like mine. Could these speakers sound better in a difference enclosure? Don't know, don't care. They sound great here, and are a vast improvement to me. I will never be looking to upgrade to a larger sub in my car now - this is perfectly adequate for me. As sound is such a subjective experience, you can only take me at my word, however I invite anyone who is passing my way or at a meet who is curious and I will be happy to let them form their own view by having a listen. Feel free to pm me. The question is answered definitively - you can improve the bass from the Harman Kardon subwoofer by upgrading the bass drivers inside, a pair of rainbow EL-W5's had done the job beautifully. __________________ White Gold ConnSE, 2003 Mods: FBH Revotec Fan Inline 'stat Xenon lights + washers BMW MK4 satnav, clock mod, BT ulf, 16:9 screen & TV upgraded BM54 + BT Aux-in Miracast box Glasses holder Flip Key Spyhole +Jules plenum shield PPD - badges,rear plinth, carpeted heater panels, anchor bolts, reflectors Walnut Dash, handbrake+gearshift Twin Horns Drivers cupholder HK Speakers Chrome bullet mirrors Digital speedo LED interior bulbs Resler interface USB charging sockets x2

7th December 2015, 15:59	#15
Rick-sta This is my second home MG ZT 2.0 CDTI+ in Typhoon, MG TF 135 in Typhoon & Rover 75 Connoisseur CDTI SE in Pearl Black Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Norfolk Posts: 7,534 Thanks: 2,718 Thanked 2,827 Times in 1,462 Posts	fantastic work Tony! This has been a question I've wanted an answer to for some time now. Would it be possible to have a listen soon ? Think I will definately order these speakers. Do you have a link for where you got them from? __________________ How to retrofit Cruise Control on a diesel with no OEM wiring in place: Link How to retrofit heated electric memory seats with no OEM wiring in place: Link How to operate FBH and ATC via text Link How to restore cloudy projector headlights Link

7th December 2015, 16:15	#16
awvc1 Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Essex Posts: 1,177 Thanks: 221 Thanked 258 Times in 196 Posts	Happy to Rick. Text me about those parts we discussed and you can have a listen when I pick them up. I will pop the link on here after you've had a listen and satisfied yourself I'm not delusional __________________ White Gold ConnSE, 2003 Mods: FBH Revotec Fan Inline 'stat Xenon lights + washers BMW MK4 satnav, clock mod, BT ulf, 16:9 screen & TV upgraded BM54 + BT Aux-in Miracast box Glasses holder Flip Key Spyhole +Jules plenum shield PPD - badges,rear plinth, carpeted heater panels, anchor bolts, reflectors Walnut Dash, handbrake+gearshift Twin Horns Drivers cupholder HK Speakers Chrome bullet mirrors Digital speedo LED interior bulbs Resler interface USB charging sockets x2

7th December 2015, 16:17	#17
coolcat This is my second home Audi Q3 TDI S-Line Quattro Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Clacton On Sea/On the boat somewhere Posts: 51,211 Thanks: 9,890 Thanked 12,235 Times in 8,232 Posts	Hi Tony, Sounds like (pun intended) you have got yourself a system you are more than happy with........Result all round I would say Look forward to hearing it in the near future __________________ Jeff.

7th December 2015, 16:25	#18
awvc1 Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Essex Posts: 1,177 Thanks: 221 Thanked 258 Times in 196 Posts	Thanks Jeff can't wait , get your opinion too! __________________ White Gold ConnSE, 2003 Mods: FBH Revotec Fan Inline 'stat Xenon lights + washers BMW MK4 satnav, clock mod, BT ulf, 16:9 screen & TV upgraded BM54 + BT Aux-in Miracast box Glasses holder Flip Key Spyhole +Jules plenum shield PPD - badges,rear plinth, carpeted heater panels, anchor bolts, reflectors Walnut Dash, handbrake+gearshift Twin Horns Drivers cupholder HK Speakers Chrome bullet mirrors Digital speedo LED interior bulbs Resler interface USB charging sockets x2

7th December 2015, 16:31	#19
awvc1 Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Essex Posts: 1,177 Thanks: 221 Thanked 258 Times in 196 Posts	As an aside, this also has the added bonus of demisting the rear window. While testing I steamed up the rear window. Where the bass port in the rear parcel shelf is was a noticeable clear sport __________________ White Gold ConnSE, 2003 Mods: FBH Revotec Fan Inline 'stat Xenon lights + washers BMW MK4 satnav, clock mod, BT ulf, 16:9 screen & TV upgraded BM54 + BT Aux-in Miracast box Glasses holder Flip Key Spyhole +Jules plenum shield PPD - badges,rear plinth, carpeted heater panels, anchor bolts, reflectors Walnut Dash, handbrake+gearshift Twin Horns Drivers cupholder HK Speakers Chrome bullet mirrors Digital speedo LED interior bulbs Resler interface USB charging sockets x2

10th December 2015, 09:06	#20
Rick-sta This is my second home MG ZT 2.0 CDTI+ in Typhoon, MG TF 135 in Typhoon & Rover 75 Connoisseur CDTI SE in Pearl Black Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Norfolk Posts: 7,534 Thanks: 2,718 Thanked 2,827 Times in 1,462 Posts	Tony popped round mine yesterday which gave me the chance to have a listen to the HK Sub with the rainbow speakers fitted and I have to say wow they've made a massive difference. The sound from it is so clear and there's a big improvement in the bass (thoroughly tested using Prodigy Firestarter ). I will definitely be ordering a set for the HK sub in my dad's 75 Cheers Tony __________________ How to retrofit Cruise Control on a diesel with no OEM wiring in place: Link How to retrofit heated electric memory seats with no OEM wiring in place: Link How to operate FBH and ATC via text Link How to restore cloudy projector headlights Link