Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Audio Premium Sound

So, my contour has the 'premium' sound package. Im not impressed. The speakers in the doors are way less than what I was expecting. They distort just a little bit over halfway. Im assuming since the deck is of decent quality and the premium sound has an 'external amp' (wtf is this external amp in watts, where is it, and is it really external or just some twisted truths by Ford). So, im guessing I want to put some 6x9's or 10's in the back dash.

Most of these questions im asking because i don't really want to crack open the dash unless i know what Im going to do and I need some advice from someone who has either replaced or modified the 'factory stuff'.

Does the cd player have rca outs? If so, do they run into the amp? If I want to put in new speakers on the back dash, how much trouble is the seat belt harness that covers good portion of the left side?

And finally what would you guys suggest I do as far as the door speakers go? Leave them in and just add the third set or replace them all together?
Im not looking for a bass boomer...Im past that age now...just clear sound when that Pearl Jam song comes on and I wanna turn it up.

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All comments above are hereby void and may be just plain useless, but my 2000 SE Sport rocks.

The Ford premium amp is located behind the glove compartmnet. You can access it by squeezing the glove compartment sides inward to release the stop tabs - the compartment should then drop all the way down to the floor. The amp is that little 90 pound weakling with the fins. It puts out about 10 watts RMS per channel...with a tail wind...on a good day...when all the planets are in alignment.
I don't know about the factory CD deck, but my original cassette deck did not have RCA outputs. The Blaupunkt that replaced it sounded much better (I bypassed the factory amp) even with the stock speakers. I currently have 3-way 6x9's in my doors and a 200 watt power amp in the trunk. I don't listen to Rap or Hiphop, so the 6x9's are perfectly fine for me. A Nakamichi CD-40z CD deck will be replacing the Blaupunkt soon.

Good luck with whatever you decide upon for your sound system.

-Wes
98 SE Sport

The Factory speakers will sound just fine if you throw the Head unit and amp away.

No, the head unit does not have a RCA outs. Most Ford amps run on speaker level signals (12 volts) so they don't draw high current (High Heat) and still produce high (20) watts.

Get a clothes hanger, cut and bend two pieces into a U shape and stick them in holes at each side of the head unit and pull the unit out.

Stick in any good aftermarket head unit with a high watt rating and you want need that Premium Amp either. Just by pass the amp. Cruchfield sells the jumpers you will need.

I have about four friends who are SVT owners that have done this and they are all now very happy with their systems. And it only cost then a Head Unit ($300) and jumpers.

They may replace their speakers in a year or two but for now their system sound night to day better. A head unit with an internal crossover will help the factory speakers last longer than a year.

Is the amp really 90 pounds, or are you just exagerating? I bypassed the factory amp when I upgraded my whole system, but left the amp there. If I can shave 90 pounds, that's good for about a 1/10th of a seconds off my 1/4 mile time. (Oh yeah, forgot about the 90 pound sub in the trunk, doh!)

my friend and i were talking he owns a contour too. He said the premium sound was supposed to have 6 speakers in the car, not just 4. And premium sound was supposed to be engraved on the speakercovers on the doors. Mine just says STEREO....but i have my msrp and it clearly says CD PLAYER/W Premium .P Premium Sound SYSTEM. Whatya think?

I guess my age is showing. "90 pound weakling" was a term used many years ago to describe a small, weak nerdy guy.
No, the amp does not really weigh 90 pounds, maybe 1.5 to 2 pounds.

The early Contiques had "Premium Sound" on the door panels. The later cars just say "Stereo" (like my car). I don't know what the cut-off year was. My premium sound system had only four speakers; one in each door. There is no longer any trace of this "premium sound" system in my car. I got tired of the abuse.

-Wes
98 SE Sport

98 pound weakling is the perfect expression for this amp!

Couldn't believe when I pulled it out, a deck of playing cards weighs more ... I had "premium sound" in each of my two previous cars and never thought of changing the system (even though I used to be in the retail sound business). Didn't think the theft risk of aftermarket made it worthwhile.

However, after two days with my SVT ... I couldn't live with the crap sound any longer. Out it all went ...

I disagree with the earlier post that the speakers are fine. They are not. Yes, the sound would get better with a decent head unit and bypassing the amp, but when you take a look at replacing the speakers, you will be amazed at the junk Ford put in. They are one-way 5x7's with a magnet weight of about 4 ounces. No body, depth, or colour to them at all.

I worked my way through university selling stereo equipment ... every single person with any knowledge will tell you that the speakers are the most important part. If money is an issue, start with replacing the speakers ... although the lack of juice from the amp makes it worthwhile doing the change all at once.

Johnny Canuck

The Polk dx7's 5x7 3 way speakers sound very good. Weak low end, but I have a cheap 12" Sony sub for the low end. My only complaint is that above half volume, I start to hear a little distortion. I'm driving them with a 50w peak, 19W RMS Sony head unit. If you want great sound, an external 4way amp would help.

Say Johnny,

I admit that the speakers in the car are dual paper cone (no Tweeter) and are not the best speakers. Speakers should be the source for the most distortion (color) in a system. When you put the speakers on good power and they sound better without changing anything else lets you know the signal to the speaker in a SVT is dirty junk.

Anyone who builds systems should know that any speaker used properly can sound better that than the best speaker used improperly.

Yes, I'm saying if you know how to design and build systems, you can go to Radio Shack and buy speakers that sound just as good if not better than Focal's and B&W's in your car. I may be able to go to Radio Shack and buy speakers, head unit and wiring that will sound better and perform just as good as the SVT system.

If you are sending junk to a speaker what do you expect it to produce, sweet music, NOT.

Junk in, Junk out.

For those who can not afford to throw the whole system away it's best to start at the source (head unit and amp) for better sound in the vehicle. The results will be livable (good). Don?t get into that ?I need new speakers? every year loop when it?s your SVT head unit and amp causing your speakers to crap-out.

Later when an individual can replace the speakers, do so. You will then have an even better system that may last 6 years or until you sell the vehicle. The factory speakers are only good for a year in any of my friends? vehicles anyway. I have 10 and 6 year old system that is still here and sound better than my brand new SVT system.

An old audiophile idiom:

Spend 50% of your system budget on the speakers; the other 50% for everything else.

Good advise since in the end, it's the speakers you're listening to. With today's technology and competition, most decks within a given price range will sound about the same. The real variable is in the design dynamics of the speakers. Even here, it is impossible to say brand "X" is better than brand "Z". Opinions are like ass*****, everybody has one. This ass**** likes Infinity, Boston Acoustics & Morel.

Phew! OK, I'm off my soapbox.

-Wes
98 SE Sport

-Wes
98 SE Sport