Ideal Aftermarket Audio System for Model S

[matt_in_ca]

I'm curious as to whether anyone without the UHFS has installed and can recommend aftermarket speakers for the rear liftgate?

 

[matt_in_ca]

Ok, just did my system upgrade today, and boy am I thrilled!

This is what I did:

Thanks to trayloader, I went with Eton 200.2 for the front doors and a-pillers:

ETON POW 200.2 20 cm 2-Wege Kompo System Compo Speaker Car Speaker | eBay

For the rear doors, I went with Focal 165x2:

Focal PS 165X2 6.5" 80 Watts RMS 2-Way Component Speakers System

WHAT A DIFFERENCE!! Like trayloader, I didn't go with a subwoofer or amp. Just the aforementioned. And the sound is absolutely beautiful. The 8" Etons are rich with bass. I played with the equalizer and balance for quite a while after the install and settled on the attached parameters, which allows the Focals to complement the Etons perfectly.


An amp and subwoofer are options for the future, but for right now, the sound is loud enough and super rich. So I'm a happy camper.

Some install photos are also attached, showing the custom ring the installer fabricated to allow the speakers to sit properly.

Many thanks to trayloader for his guidance on this project!

 

[trayloader]

Great to hear this success story !

They will sound even better after some days of burning in when the rubber is softning and the membranes.

One last tip from recording engineers and audiophiles:

On the equalizer take out frequencies instead of lifting all the bands in order to avoid distortion.

In your case take a setting where your bass is the only one which is going past zero and correct the other ones accordingly like you did.

Have fun and enjoy the space in the trunk

 

[davidc18]

thanks for the updates

 

[cyphear]

Very interesting. Is the bass actually good with the ETON setup, or just a lot better, but not all that great? It seems like the stock head unit would not put out enough power (rated at 200w) to push good bass with 8" speakers.

So you need to fabricate custom spacer to install an 8" speaker in a model S? That's the only way it'll fit, even though the UHFSS has an 8" speaker? I'm guessing you would need to ruin an UHFSS speaker to get the parts you need.

I do like the simplicity of not having to run wire to amps or subs.

 

[matt_in_ca]

Very interesting. Is the bass actually good with the ETON setup, or just a lot better, but not all that great? It seems like the stock head unit would not put out enough power (rated at 200w) to push good bass with 8" speakers.

So you need to fabricate custom spacer to install an 8" speaker in a model S? That's the only way it'll fit, even though the UHFSS has an 8" speaker? I'm guessing you would need to ruin an UHFSS speaker to get the parts you need.

I do like the simplicity of not having to run wire to amps or subs.

I think the answer to your question is relative. If you're into hip hop, then the ETON setup probably won't be sufficient, as it won't "hit" or thump enough. But if you're into rock, classical, EDM, etc., the ETONs sound AWESOME.

It's not just better than the originals, it's actually very, very good. Deep, rich bass. I think it's a good starting point, for if it's not sufficient, you can add the Light Harmonic amp and subwoofer.

And I think a bit of fabrication comes with the territory of anything that isn't factory designed or drop in. It wasn't a big deal for my shop (or big expense for me) to put together the spacing.

Matt

 

[Pinegreen]

I think the answer to your question is relative. If you're into hip hop, then the ETON setup probably won't be sufficient, as it won't "hit" or thump enough. But if you're into rock, classical, EDM, etc., the ETONs sound AWESOME.

It's not just better than the originals, it's actually very, very good. Deep, rich bass. I think it's a good starting point, for if it's not sufficient, you can add the Light Harmonic amp and subwoofer.

And I think a bit of fabrication comes with the territory of anything that isn't factory designed or drop in. It wasn't a big deal for my shop (or big expense for me) to put together the spacing.

Matt

So from what I understand, the Eton's are 3 ohms and the stocks are 2 ohms. I'm guessing the additional ohm doesn't really have an affect on anything? Also, you pretty much bought the Etons only for the 8" speaker and did not use the tweeters for anything correct? I have a 2017 MS with the PUP that includes the UHFS and am considering changing out at least the door speakers. Do you think this would make any difference in the sound if I already have the UHFS? Thanks.

 

[matt_in_ca]

So from what I understand, the Eton's are 3 ohms and the stocks are 2 ohms. I'm guessing the additional ohm doesn't really have an affect on anything?

Technically speaking, I don't know. Acoustically, it sounds fine to me, all the way up to volume 11.

Also, you pretty much bought the Etons only for the 8" speaker and did not use the tweeters for anything correct?

That's incorrect. I put the speakers in the A-pillars, replacing those that came with the car.

I have a 2017 MS with the PUP that includes the UHFS and am considering changing out at least the door speakers. Do you think this would make any difference in the sound if I already have the UHFS? Thanks.

I don't know. I've never heard the UHFS.

 

[ACA Man]

I should have got into the Tesla car audio business.

 

[Pinegreen]

Technically speaking, I don't know. Acoustically, it sounds fine to me, all the way up to volume 11.


That's incorrect. I put the speakers in the A-pillars, replacing those that came with the car.


I don't know. I've never heard the UHFS.

Thanks for the info. Sorry, I must have confused yours for Trayloader where he said he didn't use the tweeters from the Eton set.

Yes yes and no.
I installed those.
I have no more need for a sub woofer

Second row:
There is absolutely no need to install those in the second row since there is no bass. Never will. There they cut digitally all bass off to not have overlapping sinus waves. What you can do since you throw away from the Eton set the tweeters anyway-

 

[cyphear]

I think I'm going to go with the ETONs.

That's incorrect. I put the speakers in the A-pillars, replacing those that came with the car.

Matt, in your pics, the tweeter is in the door. Did you take it out and move it up to the A-pillar? Or am I missing something (there a secondary component tweeter?)

Treyloader, have you heard the UHFS? Any opinions on how your setup compares to it?

 

[Saimaannorppa]

Retrofitting aftermarket speaker elements to a factory audio system gives you random results, no matter how good the elements are.

Why? Your factory amps are tuned for the 1$ factory speakers with DSP, not for your high end elements. Sound quality is almost guaranteed to be less than optimal.

There needs to be DSP between the source and new elements to negate that. And a proper tuning of the DSP.

 

[matt_in_ca]

I think I'm going to go with the ETONs.



Matt, in your pics, the tweeter is in the door. Did you take it out and move it up to the A-pillar? Or am I missing something (there a secondary component tweeter?)

Treyloader, have you heard the UHFS? Any opinions on how your setup compares to it?

The door photos with the tweeter in the woofer is of the rear door. That's the Focal unit. The Etons are components, so the tweeters are separate and can be installed in the A pillar.

 

[trayloader]

I think I'm going to go with the ETONs.



Trayloader, have you heard the UHFS? Any opinions on how your setup compares to it?

I think subjectively the ETONS are a 90% match to the premium sound if you don´t depend on hardcore boomin HipHop bass.
The bass is there anyway and fat, but dryer and closer than with a box in the back.
Since Tesla is not offering to this day a software solution to make up for bass in low volume (a.k.a loudness), this is where the
UHFS is a tad bit fuller, and "rounder". Past 5 on the volume the ETON solution is amazing, yet with a weaker amp, and that alone is a
tremendous achivement.
The high frequencies, no matter if achieved through the extra ones provided in the ETON kit (whcih I didn´t install), or through better speakers in the second row, are more than on par.
The most important part is to fix the resonating door unit, and this is where Tesla could´ve been a bit more precise. My installation images pointed this out (earlier posts here).

Yet I still listen to a lot of R&B and Jamiroquai

Hope this helps.

 

[elderforester]

Hello Forumites,

Just ordered MS with standard audio. Since there is no subwoofer in the system, any suggestions for a drop-in subwoofer which neatly fits into the (empty) cavity?

Or those with experience, should I just go with the Eton solution outlined in previous posts, keeping the standard MS amp?

 

[artisjr]

You have many choices... At first I went with NVX, but I am an audiophile so I changed to an Illusion Carbon C10. I had custom work done. Attached are some pics.

The first is the NVX. The last two are the Illusion. The custom work is the lighted "T" and the installer autographed it! It ties in with my lighted puddles lights, lighted rear T and (of course) lighted rear appliqué.

Good luck!

 

[ACA Man]

You have many choices... At first I went with NVX, but I am an audiophile so I changed to an Illusion Carbon C10. I had custom work done. Attached are some pics.

The first is the NVX. The last two are the Illusion. The custom work is the lighted "T" and the installer autographed it! It ties in with my lighted puddles lights, lighted rear T and (of course) lighted rear appliqué.

Good luck!

Thanks for sharing.

I wonder what home system you have.

 

[artisjr]

Old school Bowers and Wilkins Floor standers 600 series...

 

[Qbenjamin]

Ok, just did my system upgrade today, and boy am I thrilled!

This is what I did:

Thanks to trayloader, I went with Eton 200.2 for the front doors and a-pillers:

ETON POW 200.2 20 cm 2-Wege Kompo System Compo Speaker Car Speaker | eBay

For the rear doors, I went with Focal 165x2:

Focal PS 165X2 6.5" 80 Watts RMS 2-Way Component Speakers System

WHAT A DIFFERENCE!! Like trayloader, I didn't go with a subwoofer or amp. Just the aforementioned. And the sound is absolutely beautiful. The 8" Etons are rich with bass. I played with the equalizer and balance for quite a while after the install and settled on the attached parameters, which allows the Focals to complement the Etons perfectly.
View attachment 270091 View attachment 270092 View attachment 270093 View attachment 270094

An amp and subwoofer are options for the future, but for right now, the sound is loud enough and super rich. So I'm a happy camper.

Some install photos are also attached, showing the custom ring the installer fabricated to allow the speakers to sit properly.

Many thanks to trayloader for his guidance on this project!

I'm shocked you noticed a difference at all if you didn't add an aftermarket amplifier. I pretty much gutted all the factory speakers and went aftermarket, but I added a 5 channel Alpine amp to power everything. I have to admit that turning my volume to 4 out of 11 can be overkill though.

 

[ACA Man]

Old school Bowers and Wilkins Floor standers 600 series...

Not bad.