Hyundai Azera Audio and Entertainment

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Comments

  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Well...you could always jump a powered wire to the correct wire for the antenna wire in the factory harness.

    Maybe I should try the same thing and see if my reception improves.
  • jaydiggajaydigga Member Posts: 12
    I think that im gonna just buy a cheap harness from walmart or something and take one of the pins out of that. Allmet, maybe you could answer this question I have. When I connected the amp wire to the ACC wire the amp turned on and I got sound. But when I connected to the blue/white power control wire from the back of my Kenwood I got nothing. I always thought that that wire is a 12v source also. It turns on aftermarket amps.
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    The blue/white wire is a power source, but it's not a 12V source. That wire is basically a switch on wire and it only needs a small amount of voltage to do it's job.

    Too bad you're not local, I'd give you one of the few harnesses I went through from Scosche to work with. Good luck!!!

    By the way...in the wiring schematic, which wire in the factory harness is shown to be the one for the antenna???
  • hjc1hjc1 Member Posts: 183
    Now I'm not sure what the correct antenna amp voltage is......
    I just spent the last hour and a half reviewing the shop manual off the hyundai sight.
    I now can not find any info on the voltage. They have changed the format since the last time I looked at this sight. The only reference to voltage was for the XM radio antenna converter which is 5vdc. It is now my guess that the voltage is 12vdc for the window antenna amp. The only sure way to determine the voltage is to measure it....................
    Why can't life be simple :=)
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    That would be too much like right! LOL

    At any rate, if you use the wires on the aftermarket radio that are tagged for a power antenna, you shouldn't have any problems as both the lead for the power antenna and the amp turn on are both low voltage wires. Both components have a wired power wire to them, they just need a touch of juice to activate. So basically...the head unit would most likely seem to have a built in regulator to step the juice down from 12 V to something lower. You think????
  • jaydiggajaydigga Member Posts: 12
    Ok, according to hmaservice.com the antenna amp is 12v. The wiring pin for antenna is listed as the number 23 wire right next to the ground. Its called antenna b+. Does anybody think that grounding the head unit to the firewall instead of the harness ground would remedy my alternator whine?
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Okay...thanks for that info...I'll have to see if there's a wire connecting to it...if not, I'll jump a power wire to it and see what happens.

    As far as the grounding issue, you can try it...I did and there was no change.
  • jkolehjkoleh Member Posts: 38
    I was planning to cancel my XM radio sub--since I do not drive the Azera much during the summer months, called XM to do so--service rep asked if I liked the service, any problems, and why I wanted to cancel--I said price was a little high for amount I would be using it during next 5 months. He offered several price promotions, including a full year for $77, which brough monthly price down to $6.41, or actually less than cancelling, paying a re-start fee, and regular monthly service cost---a good deal.
  • theblackholetheblackhole Member Posts: 62
    Sometime last year I replaced my front door speakers with Infinity Kappa 62.7i's as allmet33 recommended them. He was spot on with his recommendation as usual, and the improvement in overall frequency response & sound stage was well worth the work.

    For me I still wanted a wider sound stage and greater clarity in the highs. I installed a pair of infinity reference 1021t' tweeters this weekend and finally got very close to the sound that I wanted. The sound stage is as wide as the interior cabin now, and the center channel no longer dominates with it's fairly dull sound. I intended to replace the factory tweeters which are jbl (infinity owned) units, but wound up mountind the new 1021t's to the door sail in addition to the stock units in the door panels With the kappa's in the doors, thats alot of tweets for sure but certainly not overbearing.

    I went with the 1021t's because they were silk domes and not metal domes like the kappa's which I thought would be somewhat harsh in such a prominent position up front. Frankly if you're thinking of doing this, the reference 1021t's are good but not overly bright, so if you want bright try thr kappa's.

    The 2nd set of 62.7i's will be put in the rear doors next weekend. After that, maybe an upgrade for the center dash speaker, although I'm not to sure of the accessability of that unit. Those of you who have added amps and larger subs, and swapped out head units probably have far greater sounding systems. At the end of the day, the Infinity Premium sound system in the 06 - 07 models has it's limitations, but can be modified relatively cheaply for big sound gains.
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    I'm glad to hear that adding a set of tweeters has given you the sound you're looking for, however...I wouldn't recommend doing it the way you've done it. I mean...there's nothing wrong with the location, but tying them into the current front speaker/tweeter combo, you have effectively changed the impedance load that the amplifier sees.

    Personally...I would have removed the factory tweeters (or just disconnected them) and placed the aftermarket ones in the location you chose. After all...being higher up is a better location as it's closer to the level of your ears.

    The Reference tweeters are indeed, a more natural sounding tweeter as compared to the Kappa.

    I think you'll also hear a difference when you change out the speakers in the rear door as well. However, it's not that big a deal really as those provide rear fill sound more than anything. When you listen to a song, close your eyes...the music SHOULD sound like it wraps around you, but the voice(s) from the singer(s) should sound like they are in front of you. If you fade the music to the front...you'll notice the rear speakers drop out. When you fade it back to the "0" setting, you'll hear the rear speakers come back in, but they are hardly dominating...just providing rear fill.

    The factory sub...it's not great and it's not terrible. It's pretty decent and actually more than decent depending on how you listen to your music. If you like a lot of bass heavy music, you'll feel that the sub is deficient when it comes to handling really low frequencies. If you like more jazz, county or vocal heavy music, the factory system can sound pretty amazing (for a factory system). However, you are correct...with very little money, the sound quality can be upgraded and the changes can be HUGE.
  • theblackholetheblackhole Member Posts: 62
    The reference tweeters are rated at 2.65 ohms. My thought was the fact that they were tweeters with a crossover I could easily get away with wiring them as I did as they would not draw much power at all. If it were a pair of mid bass driver which requires far more power to drive I would have never done it that way for fear the amp would not be comfortable driving the changed impedance. All that said, you're a better informed on the audio technology front than I am, I'll disconnect the stock units this weekend. Thanks for all the great advice.
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    You still have to be careful...it isn't a matter of having a crossover...that simply blocks/directs frequencies. Since I don't know how you wired them...the lower door speakers are 2 ohm, the factory tweeters are 4 ohm and now you've added a 2.65 ohm tweeter on top of that.

    The amp is only kicking out 45 watts to all the speakers it's driving (double for the sub since it's a dual voice coil sub). However, when you start changing loads (impedence) at the amp, you change how the amp works. If you create an unstable load, over time...the amp could eventually burn out. Not saying it will happen, but the possibility is there. On the flip side, if it's wired in such a way that the load on the amp is truly stable (4 ohms being optimum) then you don't have to worry.

    What I would do is play around with it. Unhook the harness from the factory tweeter and insert bared ends of the wire leads for the Reference tweets and see how it sounds. I'm not saying it can't be done or that it won't work. The world of electronics can be funny sometimes. If you're not the type that cranks your music up...then you may never experience any problems with the set up the way you have it now. But...if you do crank it up from time to time...you could end up frying a speaker/tweeter or burn out channels on your amp. If you burn out the amp...you're creating a whole new mess to deal with.
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Curiosity got the best of me, I had to see how to get to the center channel speaker in the dash of my '06 Azera. I took a thin bladed flat blade screw driver and inserted it between the dash and the grille and lightly pried up. With some light effort, it budged and finally lifted (without breaking). Beneath is a 4" speaker held in by 2 screws (a short handled philips screwdriver makes short work of these). The speaker lifts out effortlessly.

    I had a 4x6" JBL speaker laying around from a previous install I had done and I wanted to see if the sound quality would improve by putting in place of the factory one. I ran a short length of speaker wire and pushed bared ends into the speaker wire harness and wrapped the other end around the corresponding terminals on the speaker and dropped it in place. Turning on the sound system greeted me with even more clarity in the music as there was now a much more efficient speaker in place.

    If you have already replaced the door speakers with some aftermarket speakers, do yourself a favor and your system some justice and replace the center channel speaker. The 4x6" speaker I used was just for testing, I'm planning on going with the Infinity Kappa 42.9I. The reason for this choice is the speaker is has a 2 ohm impedence like the factory one it'll replace. Another nice feature is the tweeter can be twisted one way or the other to change it's output by +/- 3 dB (which could help with those that think the center channel is way to domineering).

    Looking at the speakers, you can simply break off two of the tabs and use the other two to secure it in place after you've connected your wires. Pop the grille back in place and you're good to go. If you're wondering which wire to connect to which terminal...from what I recall, there was a red wire and a dark wire...the red wire is positive (making the other negative). However, if you want to make sure...turn the factory speaker upside down (magnet up) and make a note of which wire is going to which terminal, then when connecting the aftermarket speaker, turn it upside down and connect the wires accordingly.

    Happy listening!!! :shades:
  • hjc1hjc1 Member Posts: 183
    Looks like an easy job for a speaker upgrade. The 42.9i requires almost 1¾" space
    above the speaker. Is there enough room so the grill will snap on ???
    Also is there room below so the magnet will clear ???
    These speaker are only available in pairs so I guess you will end up with a spare
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    The 42.9i requires almost 1¾" space above the speaker.

    Actually my friend, the 1 7/8" space is how much space you really need if you mount the speaker from the top. In other words, dropping it into a speaker location, the magnet extends down 1 7/8". There is PLENTY of room under the dash for the magnet of any aftermarket 4" speaker you put in there, that's hardly an issue in this case.

    The speaker sits down in a cavity a little bit. The JBL 4x6 speaker would have fit fine, but the frame of the speaker got in the way of the grille going all the way down. The edge of the grille towards you was up maybe an 1/8".

    The other thing I did was shave off the ring that's on the underside of the grille, if you have a rotary tool with a cut-off wheel, it'll make short work of it. If not a sharp knife and a steady hand will work too.

    Yeah...I was thinking that very same thing, unless I come across and Azera owner that wants to upgrade then we can go half or I'll hold onto the spare and if someone wants it, they can buy it from me.

    I suggest looking on Ebay for a good price if you go with the Infinity Kappa. The JBL GTO is about $50/pr. at Sonic Electronix, but the JBL Power and Infinty Kappas are above $80/pr. On Ebay, you might be able to find a really good price for them though.

    Another note: If you feel the center channel is dominating the front sound stage, then you may opt to go for any 4" speaker that has a 4 ohm impedance as it won't sound as loud as compared to putting in a speaker with a 2 ohm impedance.
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    The Infinity Kappa 42.9i sell for $130/pr + s&h. at Crutchfield. Sonic Electronix has them for $85/pr. + s&h. On Ebay, you can find them for $74/pr. + free s&h.

    Crutchfield does carry last years model (Kappa 42.7i). there won't be any difference in the performance, but they are selling it for $70/pr + s&h.

    The JBL P462 (Power Series) are on Ebay for $66/pr. +s&h.

    The JBL GTO427's are on Ebay for $40/pr. + s&h. On Crutchfield, they sell for $100/pr.
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Okay, I was bored last night so...

    I took that JBL GTO6427 4x6" speaker I had pulled from a car I did an install on recently. It was a pair, but one of them had a surround coming apart from the frame. No need to waste a freebie, right? I do think I'll be upgrading to the Infinity Kappa 42.9i at a later date because I like the adjustable tweeter. But the JBL will do nicely for now.

    Well...I pulled the grille up and really took a look at the mounting area. To mount the 4x6" speaker, it would require me to cut out the mounting brackets for the OEM speaker. Basically...one I start, there's no turning back. With rotary tool in hand, I cut out around each bracket, marked holes using the speaker as my guide and drilled holes (very sturdy plastic in the dash). If you go with a 4" speaker, then you won't have to do any cutting and you shouldn't have to do any drilling, just mount it as the OEM speaker was mounted.

    I clipped the wire harness from the OEM speaker (which is nothing more than a paper cone mid-driver...
    imageSee more Car Pictures at CarSpace.com

    I used some butt connectors to add a 10" piece of speaker wire to make connecting the new speaker a breeze. Slid the new speaker into place and installed the screws with no problem...
    imageSee more Car Pictures at CarSpace.com

    As you see, the speaker fits in there with no problem, but the key was...will the grille go back on with no problem? The answer..yes, it looks like it never was taken out, but the sound...OMG, so much cleaner, clearer and much crisper detail. I think having a two-way speaker in the center position makes a world of difference because now you have them across the entire front sound stage (high notes are not limited to only left and right).

    If you want improved sound, I highly recommend this swap out (if you do the door speakers as well).

    My next move will be to replace the tweeters; which, as per Harman-Kardon's OEM department, are 4 ohm tweeters. So keep that in mind if you should decide you want to upgrade your tweeters.
  • justinrwjustinrw Member Posts: 18
    This forum is very useful. I just had my 07 azera totaled out (got rear-ended, wasn't my fault)....so I went ahead and got another one, used. Unfortunately, it came with the disc changer / cassette combo. I don't want the cassette player, but the dealer said he couldn't help me. I was happy with the 6 disc cd changer I had in my old one. Is anyone aware of how I can get one of these without paying an arm and a leg for it? Anyone willing to do a trade?

    If that isn't going to be feasible, does anyone have any recommendations for install kits and new head units that fit the 07 azera limited?

    Thanks in advance!!
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    You've come to the right place my friend.

    What exactly do you expect of your new head unit? Pioneer has a slick new unit (without the tape player), they also have a new 6-disc in dash unit as well.

    My question to you would be...how much are you willing to spend??? If you're truly happy with the factory 6-disc changer, I can let you have mine for $50 + s&h. It's been sitting in the box my aftermarket unit came in for the last 2 years. Only problem is...I don't know if it uses the same wiring harness as the base sound system you seem to have.

    There's plenty of options out there. What color is your dash, tan, black or gray?

    This is some stuff I've done with my system...
    Car Audio Upgrades Photo Album
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    If you're on a budget and want a nice unit...
    Kenwood DPX-302

    Clarion DUZ385SAT

    A lil more money, more features...
    Kenwood DPX-502

    JVC KW-XG700

    Pioneer FH-P8000BT

    If music rip capability catches your fancy...
    Clarion DFX675MC

    All are nice units capable of giving you all the features you could want.
  • theblackholetheblackhole Member Posts: 62
    Mike- I haven't checked this site in quite a while, and lo and behold you've posted some great info, as usual for all of us. I have a deal for you. I'll buy the pair of infinity kappa 42.9i's and send ya the other for free.
    After all the replys and info you've shared, I'd be honored to do this for you. I'll send a private email with my contact info to ya.
  • megarockmegarock Member Posts: 16
    This is an awesome forum! I really admire you guys!
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Warren, my good friend. These forums exist so that we can share ideas, suggestions and info. I really don't have a problem with sharing what I know if it can make someone's life a little easier when they want to upgrade their sound system. I know some of the headaches I've dealt with and if I can help someone avoid them...that's good enough for me.

    I replied to your email and again...thank you very much for the thought, but I am unable to utilize a 4" speaker anymore. The reason...I did an install for someone recently and he had a pair of JBL GTO Series 4x6" speakers in his dash that I replaced with some Infinity Reference 4x6" plate speakers (separate woofer and tweeter). One of the JBL speakers had the surround coming apart from the frame, but the other was was just fine. So...I decided to see if it would work in my dash since it was a 2 ohm speaker.

    After about 5 minutes with my rotary tool, I cut out the brackets that hold the 4" speaker in, drilled new holes for the 4x6" speaker and...VOILA!!!

    Here is how it looks without the grille in place...
    image

    Here's a pic of the factory speaker...
    image
  • justinrwjustinrw Member Posts: 18
    Thanks for the fast reply! And thanks for the 6 units you posted links for. My dash is tan, with the brown upper. After seeing the pictures of your car, I think I'm going to take my white car back and get a black one (kidding). Sweet ride though. I'd really like to try and match the dash color, but I think that is going to limit my options big time. If I found the perfect unit, I'd pay up to $500 or $600, but I'd rather keep it under $300.

    At the same time, I would really consider dealing with you for your 6 cd factory unit. Let me think on that for a little bit.
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    No problem at all.

    As you see...I too have the tan dash and to me...a black radio just wouldn't look right, thus...I ended up with the Pioneer unit you see in the pics. If I were to go with anything else, it would have to be a double din unit with a screen.

    There's a few units with screens that are reasonably priced, but no sure how you feel about brand name...

    Boss Audio BV9055

    XO Vision XOD1737

    TKO Audio BH-626DD

    Dual (by Panasonic) XDVD8265

    Power Acoustik PTID-7350NBT

    Jensen VM9022

    Panasonic CQ-VW100U

    Now the key to any of these will be how it opens up. If the face opens by arms sliding out at the bottom causing the face to slide down to reveal the CD/DVD slot...it can work. Like the Panasonic model...

    image

    If the face opens by flipping down, you may run into some problems.
  • hjc1hjc1 Member Posts: 183
    I just installed the Infinity 42.9i and is not a direct fit. The magnet hits part of the plastic ductwork in the dash. fortunately by adjusting the speaker you can get one of the screws to hold it down but it won't line up properly for the other screw. The fix is to use a ¾" fender washer which will allow you to make a good connection to the second screw. The pink wire is the positive wire. I had to modify the grill so it would close properly. It an easy fix..just cut out the plastic bars on the under side of the grill I can honestly say I don't hears much improvement in sound quality. maybe the 4x6 is a better way to go.
    however for me it's not worth the trouble as far as I'm concerned. I realy do beleive that if anyone can hear an improvement.... it's the placebo effect or under 40 years of age :=)
    Oh another hint
    To remove the grill and to protect the dash from any damage I used a 1½" putty knife. I took a 3" putty knife and placed it under the smaller knife that way when you pry the grill off all the pressure is on the larger putty knife and won't dent the
    dash. best to start on the right side of the grill....... take your time this grill did not want to come off easily
  • theblackholetheblackhole Member Posts: 62
    Thanks so much for the tips!
    Unfortunarely for me the box arrived from my ebay seller today. I just emailed him and said I didn't open the box, because it's so light there's nothing inside. This ought to be an interesting deal! I'm a 100% feedback ebayer, so if the venorr gives me grief, I'm sure paypal or UPS will work with me. Either way, I was hoping to have them by this past Friday to install 1 of them over the Labor Day weekend. It might be a little longer now...
    FWIW I replaced the door speakers with Kappa's and added 2 front tweeters as well. The door speakers in front make a big difference, and the tweeters (Infinity Reference) really widen the soundstage. 2006 with infinity premium sound system.
    Thanks again!
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Hey guys, sorry I'm just now responding. I apologize for my oversight on the speaker. The magnet on the Kappa 42.9i is bigger than that on the JBL 4x6" speaker I used in my install. The fender washer is indeed one solution and another would be to position the speaker in the opening and turn the mounting tabs so that each is over the edge of the opening and use a couple of self-tapping screws to mount it in place.

    As far as the grille, there's a ring that needs to be removed. A rotary tool or sharp knife and steady hand will make quick work of it.

    Concerning no improvement in sound quality...I really find that hard to believe considering the component being replaced. Were talking about a paper, single cone speaker being replaced with a two way speaker made of much better materials and much more efficient with the power being supplied to it. I can't tell you what you're supposed to hear as we all hear differently, but I'm quite surprised to read that you didn't notice any improvement in sound quality. Another thing would be if you ever listened to the music loud and hear a song that really made the speakers work and hear the distortion with the OEM speaker, play that same song at the same levels with the new speaker and you'll find that it doesn't distort and won't distort as easily as the OEM speakers.

    Another thing could be if you are only replacing the center speaker, then you may not notice a difference because you're only changing one speaker out of 5 (excluding tweeters and sub). A more dramatic improvement in sound would be replacing the door speakers.

    The grille removal, yes...it does require a firm, but gentle hand. The dash is very pliable and will regain it's shape when you're done. Just don't use a jagged, dirty screw driver or putty knife and you'll be okay.

    Again, I apologize for my oversight, but as you can see...with a tiny bit of effort...it can still work.
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Hey Warren...I'm sorry to hear you got shipped a box of nothing. I certainly hope it was simply an oversight on their part and they take care of you. I've dealt with Ebay a lot (my entire sound system came from vendors on there) and never had any problems at all.

    Hope to hear you were able to get the speakers and complete your install.

    Mike
  • theblackholetheblackhole Member Posts: 62
    Hey Mike-
    The ebay seller called me yesterday and informed my that I'm the 3rd complaint he's had in 10 days regarding an empty box being received. He's opened an investigation with UPS and forwarded me the link to the case. He has a receipt for my package at 5lbs, as well as for the others, so it appears as though someone at his local UPS may be out of a job soon. Like you, I've enjoyed ebay and have never had any issues.
    The additional tips on mounting and grill removal are most appreciated!
    Best,
    Warren
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Warren,

    I'm sorry to hear that this will delay your project. That really sucks man! I'm glad to hear they are on top of it as they should be. Good luck to an expeditious resolution.

    No problem, just trying to make sure I post everything I know and have encountered to make it a little easier for the the next person.

    Mike
  • megarockmegarock Member Posts: 16
    I know that a meaningful diagram of the amp wire harness would be very useful for most of the DIY enthousiasts out there who are willing to hook up an additional subwoofer or replace the current amp with an aftermarket. This is a picture of the harness when the amp is taken out:

    image

    There is the diagram with a description:
    image

    So far I have always believed that the tweeters (4 ohm) have dedicated channels from the amp but turns out that they are in a parralel connection with the door drivers (2 ohm) which gives an overall load of 1.33 ohm which cannot be true. I wonder if indeed they are connected in series making 6 ohm altogether?! Any ideas?
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    So far I have always believed that the tweeters (4 ohm) have dedicated channels from the amp but turns out that they are in a parralel connection with the door drivers (2 ohm) which gives an overall load of 1.33 ohm which cannot be true. I wonder if indeed they are connected in series making 6 ohm altogether?! Any ideas?

    The tweeters are NOT wired in parallel with the lower door speakers. The tweeters have a dedicated channel on the amp.

    Breakdown of the 7-channel amp...

    Channel 1 - Center channel (2 ohm)
    Channel 2 - Tweeters wired in parallel (2 ohm combined load)
    Channel 3 - Right front mid-driver (2 ohm)
    Channel 4 - Left front mid-driver (2 ohm)
    Channel 5 - Right rear coaxial (2 ohm)
    Channel 6 - Left rear coaxial (2 ohm)
    Channel 7 - Dual 4 ohm voice coil subwoofer (most likely wired in parallel to create a 2 ohm load at the amp.

    All speakers are channels are driven with 45 watts rms of power, the subwoofer gets a combined 90 watts.

    Don't know where you got your info, but mine is coming straight from the Infinity OEM department that created the system.
  • blkazziultblkazziult Member Posts: 4
    On my Black 07 Azera Limited Ultimate I have the light, almost white, interior. Didn't think about this when I bought it to drive my kids around in. Needless to say the interior gets dirty quickly. I can clean most of it up but the fine mesh speaker covers on the doors just won't clean. I'm thinking about replacing them but it appears they are part of the door cover. I've even thought about spray painting them black. I have my dealer looking into possibly getting some black replacements. Does anyone have any experience with this or suggestions?
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    blkassiult...I can tell you that you're best bet is to get some Resolve fabric cleaner and work the stains out. I've had the door covers off and removing the speaker grille to change out the cloth would be quite tricky to pull off. I mean...you would be able to remove it, but with the way it's constructed, putting it all back together would be the tricky part. You would need some industrial strength cement to hold it back in place or now how to melt the tabs again that currently hold it all in place (along with various screws).

    I say this because I have the beige interior and my grille cloth also has a few scuff marks on them. I was actually thinking about removing it altogether and replacing it with the Infinity Kappa grilles that came with the speakers I installed, but...It would require a lot of fiberglassing to make it happen and I just don't have the time.

    I'm not saying it can't be done, it's more a matter of are you sure you want to go through everything it'll take to get it done.

    Good luck!!!
  • blkazziultblkazziult Member Posts: 4
    Thanks for the info, that's what I was looking for. It sounds like it's not just a pop off the grill thing and I don't have the time either to mess with it. I'll see what the dealer says but I better just get out my Resolve or Shout and start scrubbing : )
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Trust me, I wish it were as simple at that.

    A couple of things to try...

    Mr. Clean Magic Eraser...does wonders on cleaning the dash and leather surfaces, could work on the grille cloth as well. If you use them on your leather, make sure you apply a leather conditioner afterwards.

    When you use the Resolve or Shout, use a soft bristled toothbrush to scrub the material.

    Good luck with it.
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Blkazziult....I just test drove an '09 Azera and they switched the speaker grilles from cloth covers to plastic covers. Maybe you can try to get '09 door panels and swap yours out. Just a thought.
  • rminorrminor Member Posts: 40
    I have a Sirius portable radio in my truck and was wondering if it could be connected to the XM antenna in my Azera ('07 Ultimate). I like Sirius more and would like to be able to use it instead.. I would be canceling my XM sub. I know portable XM and Sirius radios use the same antenna connection plug. Thanks
  • megarockmegarock Member Posts: 16
    My previous post would not be complete without noting the following:

    image

    where:
    8-16 Driver Speaker
    7-15 Passenger Speaker
    6-14 Center Speaker
    5-13 Left Rear Speaker

    This information is entirely based on the schematics from hmaservice.com. Yesterday I finally got some time to fiddle around and disconnected the 8-16 wires just to find out that both Driver door speaker and tweeter were then muted. Obviously this set of component speakers are sharing one and the same OUT channel from the infinity amp but what's more interesting is that I measured 2.8ohms impedance at the very same wires which theoretically cannot be matched to whatever combination of 2ohm door speaker with a 4ohm tweeter.

    I also replaced the center speaker with a 4" coaxial Hertz ECX http://www.hertzaudiovideo.com/default_en.htm in order to add some highs to the front stage, but the installation was not as easy as I expected. The dashboard hole was too wide to hold the new speaker and I had to cut open the plastic grille (remove the plastic grids) and screw it underneath ensuring that the front of the speaker is air tight to the rear sound waves.

    Allmet33, I noticed that you have removed the plastic ring aroung the OEM door speakers mounted with rivets - please advise how can I remove the rivets and keep the rings in one peace, in case I want to use them for the installation of the aftermarket coaxials (JBL GTO as you have recommended)? Any particular reason to remove the rings completely?
  • hjc1hjc1 Member Posts: 183
    The proper way to measure impedance is to use an audio oscillator and a AC voltmeter.... you just can't use a volt ohm meter and get a correct impedance reading
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Megarock...

    Not sure exactly how you went about figuring things out. Personally, I contacted the good folks at Infinity's OEM department and they shared everything with me.

    The tweeter and front lower driver do not share a channel on the amp...the tweeters actually are on one channel, thus...two 4 ohm speakers wired in parallel on that channel provide a 2 ohm impedence. The rest of the speakers in the entire set up are 2 ohm speakers, except for the subwoofer, which has dual 4 ohm voice coils. Again, wired in parallel...making for a 2 ohm load at the amp.

    Don't know why you had problems replacing the center channel speaker. The Infinity Kappa fits in there with the only problem being the large magnet on the back bumping into the ducting under the dash, but can be offset slightly to work. The original speaker in that location is a 4" speaker. :confuse:

    Why did you cut open the plastic grille to install the center channel??? The grille pops off with only minor effort. The only thing I had to remove was the plastic from the underside of the grille that extends down to meet the oem speaker.

    What I did to remove the plastic ring that's riveted in...use a drill bit that's a little larger than the hole you see in the head of the rivet and simply drill it out. Once you've drilled all the rivets out...the ring comes off with ease. Removal of the rings is necessary because the speakers are actually built into the rings. The aftermarket speakers you get should have an adapter ring to fit 6.75" openings. I know the Kappas have that, I'm pretty sure the GTO's will as well.
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    I just received an email back from the OEM Infinity Dept...

    "The size of the current center channel is 10cm. While you can use the 4x6 or 5.25 mid-woofers (2 ohm) some of the advantages you might hope to get will be negated by the center channel equalization. There is a 183 Hz high pass and a 7800 Hz low pass filter applied to the 10cm center. Both of your choices will operate down to approximately 80 Hz and out to 16 kHz. You would be throwing a lot of performance away. The Reference 1021T will work in this application provided the recommended capacitor is used."

    Personally, I feel this would keep the sound the way it is with the voice being dominant in the center speaker, but the music not spreading across the front sound stage. I can tell you, since replacing my center channel with the JBL 4x6" speaker...I've noticed that the front soundstage is much more balanced with music seeming to fill the entire front stage, but the voices are still centered as they should be.

    As you see, the information also says there would be a loss of performance. Not quite sure what was meant by that because I have not noticed a drop in performance at all. If anything, there's been an increase in listening enjoyment. To me, that's what performance is measured by in the end.

    Just sharing all I can with everyone, that's all.
  • megarockmegarock Member Posts: 16
    I did not cut the grill to open it, I popped it off with an effort. What I cut were the grids in the hole of the plastic cover because I wanted to mount the speaker to its bottom:
    image

    The front imaging became more clear and transparent after the replacement of the center speaker previously characterized as dull. What was meant by loss of performance could be that using a wide range unit for a replacement speaker is irrelevant in this case due to the relatively limited frequency spectrum. Thanks for the shared information, the more we know - the better we utilize the potential of the equipment. I think it makes sense for a central speaker to have primarily vocal frequencies as otherwise the stereo effect will be lost somehow.
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Oohhhhhhhhhh...okay, I'm with you now. You must have instrument sensitive ears to hear a difference between the sound with the plastic grid in place and without.

    If the sound system were a true surround system, I would agree with it making sense for the sound to be focused on the vocal frequency range. However, it's a music system and that part was ignored. When you're at a concert, if you close your eyes...music fills the entire front stage in front of you...from left to right with no gaps. When you hear the singer's voice, it is centralized (for the most part). This is what the OEM set-up lacks with how they set up the frequency cut offs. With the aftermarket speaker in place, it now allows for a greater frequency range to come through to include the musical along with the vocal, so the sound stage is more complete all the way across, but still centralizing the vocals.

    The one thing they did get right is the rear speakers are not dominant at all. You really don't know they are playing unless a sound is designed to come from the rear or is you fade them out, then you miss it. I just wish they have paid more attention to the subwoofer and put one in that could handle the lower frequencies a lot better. It's really good down to about 80 Hz, but below that...it really struggles. Thus, that is why I removed it from my set-up. Any bass below 80 Hz with the music turned up caused the sub to distort like crazy and sound awful.
  • megarockmegarock Member Posts: 16
    I've always wondered what kind of components they have used for the amp, but unfortunately I cannot tell without dismentling the transistors from the radiator.
    Here is a pictue with the cover off:

    image
  • hjc1hjc1 Member Posts: 183
    Hello allmet
    Question ....
    If the OEM center speaker has a high and low cutoff from the amp how can replacing an upgrade speaker improve the sound.??? I replaced the OEM center speaker with the upgrade Inf. co-ax and did not notice ANY improvement in the sound stage. My Son also said he heard no difference between the OEM and the upgrade speaker ....... Now I know why
    If your using the OEM amp and IT HAS BUILT IN CUT OFF and can hear the difference then it's called Psycho Acoustics ( If you believe it will sound better it will) That's why many audio company's put all kinds of Bling on their products
    to make it more Hi Tec looking
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Hjc1...to answer your question, the amp may have cut offs and that really doesn't matter. It just means that the speakers you use to replace the OEM's with will work in the same parameters. However, the aftermarket speakers are more effecient and use better materials for better overall quality in the product itself and the performance of that product.

    The cut off only controls the frequencies that will reach (or not) the speaker, that's it nothing more.

    What type of speaker did your son replace the center channel with? If it was a 4 ohm speaker, there's your answer. You hindered the performance of the amp because that would cut in half the power going to the speaker itself. If he used a 2 ohm speaker such as a JBL or Infinity product, him not hearing a difference means he may just not have an ear for it.

    Then again, I can't say simply changing out the center channel will make that much of a difference if you don't take care of the door speakers as well. All of my speakers up front have been changed, except for the OEM tweeters. The change in sounds is significant, much clearer, definitely cleaner and I can play my music louder without worrying about distortion.
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Megarock...best thing you can do is contact Harman-Becker and ask them. The guys there have been pretty forthcoming concerning their products used in the Hyundai Azera, at least with me they have.

    I will say this much, the components used are good quality, but they are not the top notch stuff audiophiles would expect in a high end system. You could definitely find better by going aftermarket, but that would require a lot of work ripping out the old and running new wire and such.

    Personally, I feel the OEM amp is just fine for running the speakers so I kept it in use. Plus, I didn't want to buy a 5.1 channel amp just to keep the function of the center channel. So...option #2 is to go with quality speakers and beef up the bass with an aftermarket sub set up which is exactly what I did and I am completely satisified with the results.

    I guarantee if you were to hear my system compared to an OEM system you'll hear a big difference in the quality of sound (even if I cut the subs off). Granted, the speakers won't play as low as the OEM sub, but the overall sound is cleaner and livlier in performance. When I cut the subs on...the OEM system doesn't stand a chance because the OEM sub cannot play as low as my aftermarket subs, nor can it handle high volumes without distorting easily and sounding like crap.
  • hjc1hjc1 Member Posts: 183
    The Infinity Reference series Co-Ax speaker 2 ohms......
    I used a diagnostic CD test disc that sweep several frequencies plus tests for 5.1 performance. Because of the narrow frequency range of the center speaker it does warrant the expense of replacing that speaker .... however it does made sense to replace the door speakers
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