Audio installer recommendations - UK

[Gooner]

Hi all

I’m considering upgrading the audio and wonder if anyone had any recommendations on an installer in the UK (preferably within a couple of hours of Cambs).

I see Cambridge Car Audio offer an Emira upgrade, but the price seems very toppy given the prices they are likely paying for the components…………..Maybe that’s the reality of an upgrade for the Emira, but is like to see if I can find something more palatable!

Anyone have any recommendations for someone they have used for their current Emira or indeed used in the past for a custom install?

Thanks

 

[Gooner]

I’ve reached out to a few installers and one has suggested that we could keep the Kef Uni-Q driver in the door, add an aftermarket DSP amplifier and throw a subwoofer into the mix.

Clearly a much cheaper upgrade than a custom install (although the amp isn’t a cheap bit of kit).

Anyone done this / have any views? Be interested to hear any thoughts.

Thanks

 

[JimH]

Not a recommendation as I know nothing about them but close to you :

Upgrade the sound system in your Lotus Emira today! — Cambridge Car Audio

Lotus Emira Sound System Upgrade! Audio Upgrade Packages specifically designed for your Lotus Emira by Cambridge Car Audio!

www.cambridgecar.audio

Keep scrolling down......

 

[Gooner]

Yeah, saw these guys. I’m sure they’d do a great job, but the price…………….

 

[Davebeats]

Not sure how far you are from Kent,

@KJWEmira​

Has done some very impressive work on his Emira

​

 

[lynchy73]

I’ve reached out to a few installers and one has suggested that we could keep the Kef Uni-Q driver in the door, add an aftermarket DSP amplifier and throw a subwoofer into the mix.

Clearly a much cheaper upgrade than a custom install (although the amp isn’t a cheap bit of kit).

Anyone done this / have any views? Be interested to hear any thoughts.

Thanks

This sounds like a good option. The subwoofer is the weakest link in the standard system IMO and I’d be very curious to see what improvements you could get from the kef drivers with a better amp and some processing. If I was gonna upgrade, this is the route I’d take. However, due to the lack of mid bass in the front doors, it might be difficult to get a fully satisfactory result.

Even if this didn’t get you to where you want to be with the sound, you could then swap out the kef drivers and still use the upgraded dsp amp. No harm having an amp that would suit the existing setup, but also work with replacement driver setup.

Personally, I wouldn’t bother aiming for really high end audio in the Emira, it’s not the car for that.

 

[Gooner]

Picked up my car from the installer yesterday and really pleased with the improvement.

The upgraded sub has delivered a massive improvement in my view. Installer kept the centre speaker as well as the door drivers and managed to get a decent improvement out of them (although the installer said the quality of them is not really up to standard KEF Q driver).

The Audison Forza AF M12.14 was added, but the installer also needed to utilise an extender for additional inputs (something to do with the amp only having 8, but needing 11).

The biggest issue and one for others to be aware of is that you can’t (at least not easily at all), remove the OEM amp. This was to do with how it’s connected but I’m not going to pretend to understand the challenge! As a result, the installer had to utilise the new amp after the OEM one which was not what he had intended to, or hoped to do, and was “suboptimal”.

Also about 45 sheets of sound deadening installed - floor, roof, bulk head, doors etc. Every bit of the car has had a layer installed, with multiple layers in some areas where it was possible.

All in all, I’m pleased and if I wanted to could now go a step further by changing the door drivers and adding tweeter, but I’m more than happy for now so that a project for later down the line!

 

[Beachbum]

Hope you dont mind me asking, but whats the ball park cost?