Wanted to share a install that worked out quite nice.
Stock Polaris overhead unit. $150
Sony Mex-BT100 Headunit (Amazon) $150
Sony 6.5 inch (Amazon) Mega Bass speakers $40
RGB controller (Amazon). $25
The head unit is a high power unit. Believe it or not it pushes out 100+ Watts. (Many videos on it and it’s tested and true watts)
The 2 overhead speakers (front speakers) are normal 3 way speakers getting 25w each. The rear output of the Head unit can be switched as a Sub woofer output 50 Watts. So I’m gonna run 2 6.5inc subs in the under dash compartment.
The RGB controller will control interior LED lights and a switch to turn on and off the Under body lights.
Nice install! I didn’t think those kits could still be had so I hatched a plan to go a different direction. I’m going to install a Bluetooth enable amp with speakers in the lower dash and under the seat on my E4. I will just stream music from my phone. A side benefit is that there is no head unit for the bad guys to get off with. I’ve found super cheap Chinese ones online that I might try (will probably sound terrible), otherwise I’ll just order something like below:
I went the Bluetooth amp route also as I couldn’t believe head units were still $100+. I got this amp, not competition and definitely not 400w but works great.
First amp I had I was getting major ground noise from the 12v Gem feed, so the new one I have powered by a portable car jumper battery pack and no ground loop issues.
I had seen that one and wondered how well it worked. I’m not looking to spend a fortune since road noise and wind will negate any sound quality anywar. I just added that amp to my wishlist in Amazon.What did you use for speakers?
Sony has 2 MEX style Headunits.
Mex BT-100= $160 100 Watts
Mex BT 500= $100 50 Watts
For the price a Sony 1 and done has my vote. It’s got the built in blue tooth and Mic for phone calls hands free, Sirius XM Pandora, Ect the list go’s on. And best of all all the settings like bass and treble ect are on don onnyour phone so you don’t have to “Learn” some complicated procedure to open menues ect to adjust somthing simply open your Sony Stereo app on your phone and all the adjustments are right their
With the (Polaris ) Overhead system the speaker magnets are real close to hitting the roof. So big 6.5 inch speakers with big magnets will hit the underside of the roof. I have some of the kicker speakers and they would not fit. Have you guys mounted the kicker speakers in your overhead unit yett? I was thinking I could or would install a Plexy LED ring to space the soeaker down and away from hitting the roof. It would work as a interior light and as some cool mood lighting
I cut my 8” pair into the back seat body below the seat. Stupid giant deep cycle batteries were to big and got in the way of the magnets. So I had to install a spacer ring to get them mounted.
I just can’t cut into the cars “Pan” to install speakers. The underdash seems like a good altertinatve because it’s a piec the can easily be replaced. As a person that buys used Gems I hate when people install speakers any where in the floor pan resale go’s way down, and people tend to steer clear. So I avoid that mod at all cost.
Yea, I didn’t want to at first, planned on putting them on rear wall between back seats but didn’t realize the magnet size and didn’t want to build a custom box.
May regret it later, but that’s the yang to the ying of modifying stuff…
@grantwest, why can’t you cut into the pan? Have you had a bad experience with it or are you just afraid you will or that people will be scared off by it? I was planning on doing that and don’t expect to have any problems but…
Cutting into the floor pan is fine. It’s just a part that’s hard to replace or repair if yournsecide you don’t want speakers their any more.
Installing overhead fixes 2 issues. #1 you don’t cause any damage to your existing car. #2 because the overhead speakers are so close to your ears you don’t have to BLAST your system to hear it .you can hear your music with very little volume.
You don’t need to drive around the hood blasting your music going 7mph looking like a dumb A$$.
Lol @grantwest one of my neighbors has a gas cart and a while back outran is when I was borrowing my blind aunts club car. So every time we see him my son says we need to race him with the new one since we have super cat speed…
I didn’t realize there even was an overhead thing that would fit mine, though once the wife saw the amazon bill for all the parts and pieces I had got it wouldn’t have mattered anyway, though I returned half of them.
@grantwest that makes sense. I didn’t think you could still get the overhead unit any longer. How does it mount? Do you have to drill screw holes for it? @2002, Amazon knows they have a problem and keep offering me a free business account. My wife and my daughter use my Prime account and we all get updates on each other’s shipments. I’m sure Amazon’s analytics have shown them that my purchases have declined precipitously since that feature was enabled. I have shifted many of my purchases elsewhere to avoid financial accountability
Ha! Unfortunately I require the oversight otherwise I would mass order everything I thought I needed at the moment to install when I got to it. End up changing my plans and be outside of the return window…
I for one was bummed when I noticed my used GEM had 4 massive holes cut in the front and back of the front seat pan. Having the radio cut into the center console annoyed me too, but hey, I rolled with it and just put in the new gear and live with it.
Putting in one of those bluetooth amps sure is tempting though. THen I’d just have to find a new glove box door someplace.
