Help with audio upgrade in 2008 Legacy

Hi all,

 

I've got a 2008 Legacy 2.5i Limited. I want to upgrade by buying my own speakers etc on my own and then have them professionally installed. I am finding it hard to figure out exactly what i need though. FYI this is my first time upgrading a system in a car so these might be juvenile questions, Sorry!

 

Things I know I need:

4 6 1/2" speakers plus 2 1" tweeters

Subwoofer

Amp

 

I am assuming whichever crutchfield cerfied tech I choose will have any brackets or wiring that I need.

 

Am i missing anything? Thanks!

Welcome to the forum. Uhh... where to start...

 

If you're going to have the speakers professionally installed, is there a reason you wouldn't have the installer also source the speakers? If going that route, I would just have the installer work up an itemized estimate and then have the installer price match the hardware with Crutchfield.

 

Backing up a little further... what are you trying to do, exactly? Get more volume? Better sound? I got a long way with a quality head unit, sub amp & subwoofer.

The right front speaker rattles so i think its blown. I figured that if i am going to replace i,t I might as well make an upgrade to the whole system. I want better sound quality than the stock speakers. I also want to add a sub. I like the tuner because it already has all the options I need (CD, AUX, FM/AM, and SAT)

 

I was planning on getting an estimate but I also reached out to the community because I wanted to see what all i would need. Like I said, total novice.

My limited has the HK system... does yours as well? There is a 7-channel (I think) amp that powers that system. You should keep in mind that you need to match the impedence for that amp, or just replace the amp with a new one. Do some searching on your system in this forum, you'll find what you need.

I am not sure if my system is HK. I bought the car used. I far as I can tell it doesn't. Thanks for your help. As you suggested, i'll probably just get an estimate somewhere and then price check on crutchfield

As per cars101, the HK system is in the 2009 but not the 2008.

Ah... well, scratch what I said in my last post, except for the part about impedance matching, if you're just swapping speakers.

Cool thanks to the both of you! I'll update once i get an estimate so others can find out Specific details about what is needed to upgrade the stock audio system of the 2008 Legacy 2.5i Limited

Do you have manual or auto(digital) climate controls?

I would definitely suggest trying to pick out our own speakers. You need to audition them and make sure you like the sound. Different sets of speakers can sound very different. If you just ask the shop to pick a set for you, you might end up with expensive speakers that you hate.

Bomber - I have auto climate control. They ask this too on crutchfield. Do you know why?

 

DD - good point! Something I haven't thought of but makes complete sense.

IMO, picking your speakers is the most important step. If you have a local car audio shop, chances are they have a wall with most of what they carry installed so you can audition them. Listen to them all, even if they're out of your price range, so you can learn what sounds you like and what you don't. It's not a bad idea to take your own CD so you can hear how they sound with your music. Once you know the sound you like, you can either pick a set you liked at the shop or search the interwebz for something that would suit you better.

 

Pay attention to the tweeter material between sets you like and those you don't, because it's one of the bigger factors. Soft tweeters (like silk) generally aren't nearly as harsh sounding as metal tweeters (like titanium).

Bomber - I have auto climate control. They ask this too on crutchfield. Do you know why?

 

There is an adapter for the manual controls for you to install a new head unit.

Auto climate requires a more expensive adapter that Crutchfield doesn't offer.

DD- thanks for the tips on tweeters.

 

Bomber - so, dumb question, is a "head unit" the same thing as a tuner?

A tuner is a feature of a head unit. Tuner, as in AM/FM. These days, people mostly just call them head units because the tuner is almost always built-in, and the head unit usually does something other than just AM/FM.

I wasn't planning on getting a new head unit. I like the stock one as it already has all the options I will need.

 

Is is still possible to put in new speakers, tweeters, and a sub? I understand that I'll probably need an amp

Yes.

How is the sound quality with the factory 6 disc changer head unit when just upgrading 4 door speakers and running an amp to power them? Worth it? Or does the head unit really hold everything back?