I'd like to upgrade. Any suggestions ? Can I just replace speakers, or do I need a new head unit and amp? If so, which one fits with existing controls of the car?

 

Unless you are going to really invest some solid funds then I would say set a budget limit for speakers. Please dont ask what are best until you have a "REALISTIC total amount your are willing to spend. Then some of us can start to ask questions to get a better idea based on answers and your cost budget , listening preferences in sound what would work best for you application.

 

In my 2016 I am running, factory MZD connect, a Audiocontrol LC6i convertor, Kenwood 4ch amp under the passengers seat and Alpine type R speakers in the doors. Once funds allow I will add a sub & amp in the boot.

 

Go to Crutchfield: Car Stereo, Speakers, Home Theater, Pro Audio, 4k TV and enter your car's info. Now you can shop for speakers that fit, along with the rest. If you're really intent on upgrading, I'd start with the speakers and go from there.

Crutchfield's prices are very competitive with other dealers and their tech support is second to none. I've purchased stuff from them for many years with zero complaints.

 

Agreed on Crutchfield. They'll get you on the right track.

(And I miss the days when cars all had either a DIN or double DIN opening for the radio and all it took was a wiring harness to have a snazzy new stereo. I'm getting old.)

 

As a grey hair myself, I look back fondly on those days. Integration is nice, but you lose a lot of painless avenues for easy upgrades.

 

LOL this really makes me feel old... I remember only a single radio swap before they called it DIN! But then I was what is now called an Audiophile back then . My first car in 1975 was a 1966 Buick Le Sabre 2 door. I ran a Kraco 8 track stereos with a "SEPERATE aftermarket FM reception unit 4 door speakers and the infamous Jensen Tri-x 2's in the rear . Oh and here is one not many would have even known existed... an under the dash adjustable reverberation unit. The 8 track I played were true QUAD sound and lessening top Pink Floyd "Money" was just fantastic.


As for suggestions, Crutch field is a fair place to go but they will still ask question to narrow down first what fits the budget and then what will work best to produce the sound desired in that budget. Most system adding a pair of tweeter and a powered sub-woofer . Generally simply replace the factory speakers with matched ohms as factory speakers and a low RMS speaker replacement will work as long as one is not pushing the tiny amp that is in the head unit or factory separate. If you get carried away with high RMS speakers you can over load the amp and either damage it or the sound reproduction sounds like crap!

Here is my "complete" BOSE upgrade stereo system on my 2018 MAZDA 3
This was a PIA to integrate it into the MAZDA BOSE and on board factory computer system
https://www.mazdaforum.com/forum/maz...like-do-44018/

 

Back in the mid 90s I test drove a Sonata that I ended up buying and the radio didn't work worth a darn. I figured everything would need replacing so I turned it off and didn't even pay any attention to it. I picked up an Alpine head unit for it (and had a heck of a time putting it in because it didn't use the standard wiring harness for that car. A harness for a Supra fit but the wires went to completely different things. It took a volt meter and a couple blown fuses to get it all right.) When it finally powered on it surprised the heck out of me. I hadn't paid enough attention to notice the giant factory Polk Audio amp under the passenger seat or the 14 speakers throughout the car. There was a blown 6.5" in the back that I replaced but other than that the thing was amazing. (Of course I ended up adding another amp under the drivers seat and a pair of subs and cd changer in the trunk.) That was probably the best sounding car I ever had and it kind of made me catch that car audio bug for many years.

I had quite the opposite experience a few years back I thought I'd cranked things up too loud and blown a speaker. They had a good deal at Best Buy where if you bought two pairs of Pioneers the 2nd was half price and they would install them for free. Unfortunately the new ones had no mid range and sounded like crap compared to the factory ones and worse yet I didn't even have a blown speaker. It turned out the CD I'd been listening to was just produced to sound crackly. That was an really unfortunate.

 

Yes it is addicting and expensive.

The extreme Audifile ....... I once measured the total air volume in a 1982 Camaro (in the year 1982) and subtracted my mass to come up with the best speaker use and and by playing and logging pink noise found the best type and location for speaker placement. In the end there were 36 speakers installed but you could only physically see 4. Everything else was in stock or custom fabricated panels. This was long before national stereo contests and super upgraded stereos system were just beginning!

 

My cousin's hubby used to run the car stereo department at a place that backed up to my subdivision in the late 90s. They had competitions there sometimes during the summer and I swore I could hear them from my house 3/4 mile away lol. My own had enough to shake rearview mirrors off but not be heard that far away lol