[Cleser]

OK SMARTIES! I own a Smart 453 with the JBL Audio - which is pretty darn good - however - I would like to get a bit of ambient sound from the back as well as being presented with all the sound up front. so I'm looking for suggestions.

there are two openings in the rear quarter panels - is that for return air or are their speakers (if there are, I don't seem to hear them)

could I add speakers to these panels

has anybody upgraded their audio for more of a "surround sound"

suggestions?

thanks in advance
-cody

 

[jwight]

I think you already have rear speakers:

http://www.jbl.com/content?ContentID=smart

 

[Cleser]

time to check out somethings

THANKS for the reply, I don't hear anything from the two rear quarter panels - i'll need to get some test audio tracks and see what's up.

Maybe time to visit my dealer and check out another auto to see if my JBL is working and distributing the sound correctly.

-c

 

[10470]

... I don't hear anything from the two rear quarter panels...

Adjust your fader setting for more rear sound?

 

[FiveSpeed]

Adjust your fader setting for more rear sound?

I have not seen a fader setting, only balance, bass, and treble.

I have JBL.

 

[10470]

I have not seen a fader setting, only balance, bass, and treble.



I have JBL.

I just assumed there'd be a fader with the JBL. Maybe not, due to the small cabin?

Seems that if you can balance it left/right, you should be able to do the same front/rear.

 

[ElementalDragon]

Yea, there's no fade adjustment on the radio. I guess cause they figure there's no real reason to have to adjust the sound to the rear of the car since... well... nobody can sit back there.

 

[10470]

guess cause... nobody can sit back there.

Seems they never met my dog.

 

[FiveSpeed]

Pretty dumb not to have a fader on an "upgraded" sound system. It's very tough to determine if any sound is coming from the "rear" speakers.

 

[ElementalDragon]

Well.... i don't think there's anything "Surround" about the sound system in the Smart... so it's not that huge of a flaw. There is no front and rear channel. It's left and right.... 2.1 if you will. Only difference is there are multiple speakers on each channel to help more evenly spread the sound. Plus, if they did that, i'm sure they'd have to also have two different head units available, one for each sound system.... since the non-JBL doesn't include nearly as many speakers.

 

[Gortok]

Pretty dumb not to have a fader on an "upgraded" sound system. It's very tough to determine if any sound is coming from the "rear" speakers.

+1

 

[ElementalDragon]

Like i said... a "fader" would only really be a necessity if it were actually set up as such. Long story short, that doesn't seem to be the case. The 6.5" speakers in the doors are what put out the broadest range of sound. Then there's the tweeters in the A-pillars for the high's. The front mid and two rear speakers are probably more for fill-in audio... and then the sub for the bass. Nothing really seems like it'd be set up for front left, rear left, etc... Even the subwoofer has two audio connections... left and right channels, to make sure that it's getting an audio signal no matter what.

 

[Stretchmobile]

I put front and rear speakers in my 450 and it made a big difference. With the fade balanced just right, you could close your eyes and not tell where the music was coming from. I'm going to pull the rear panels on my 453 and see what size speaker will fit. I know there isn't any in there right now.

 

[PhilDPerv]

My current 453 has the standard speaker set up (ie non JLB non sub) , however the Multi-Media headunit (I belive not available as an option over there) does have the ability to fade between left and right (it would appear in the menu that you also would be able to fade between front and rear if JLB was fitted , although again not in mine as I have a Cab) , now the sound is a lot better than the previous two models , but still can be improved upon , just balancing between left and right can make a great difference to the experience.
I would at one stage like to get speakers into the rear to even the sound a bit more , and also a bit more of a volume boost ... some songs at times have to be played louder then the head-unit allows (cabby being loud doesn't help matters)

 

[FiveSpeed]

I like to put the fader 1 or 2 clicks rear. I've been using my smart for 7+ months and can't remember noticing sound or bass from the back. It's odd. What I suspect is Daimler/smart/Renaut didn't want to build two verions of the non-Navi headunit and the base model has no rear speakers ergo no "fader" button.

I guess if I cared enough I could find a copy of the Renault Twingo owner's manual and see what it says but I think "design compromise" is likely the answer or "cost savings."

Just seems like an odd place to make such a decision.

 

[jwight]

The fortwo is so small you can just move your head around to get the same effect...

 

[FiveSpeed]

Looks like the ForFour stereo has a fader and automatic volume increase (I don't think our cars have that but can't remember):

 

[Stretchmobile]

This is what is behind the panel.

Evidently there is some kind of bucket to hold the speakers which must be pretty small. 3" or so. It must mount on the 3 studs sticking out of the tridion.

 

[ElementalDragon]

Yea, they're probably designed for, and the JBL system probably uses, 3.5" speakers on each side in the rear... same size as i believe the one front and center on the dash is. Another reason there wouldn't be much point to a fader, since you'd be taking sound output away from the more prominent speakers.

And of course the ForFour would have a fader option in the settings. It also comes with 6 speakers standard (one mid-range in each door, and a tweeter on each mirror triangle by the A-pillar) compared to the ForTwo's standard what... 4 speakers (one mid-range in both doors, and two tweets on the mirror triangles)? The JBL system in the ForFour bumps it up to 10 speakers.

 

[steelman]

This is what is behind the panel.

Evidently there is some kind of bucket to hold the speakers which must be pretty small. 3" or so. It must mount on the 3 studs sticking out of the tridion.

Strechmobile - Can't tell from the picture, are there speaker wires back there? Would be great to know.


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