Stock 09 Elantra
 

There are many posts related to what to upgrade first on your car to improve the audio, however many say it depends a lot on the specific setup you have stock (i.e. stock speakers sound better than they did 10 years ago, and better still in more expensive vehicles that have aftermarket support from the factory).

in my case, i have a 09 Elantra L (4 speaker setup). i do not want to add a sub (space, weight) or preferably an amp... as WELL, i like the look of the stock deck. Question is, with my setup, would replacing just the front speakers with a high end set of components be worth while (as a mechanic at the dealership said), or would it be a waste of time since they would be underpowered by the stock hu?

i was thinking a nice set op components up front with the tweeter high on the door would be a nice improvement, what do you guys think?

Definitely replace the speakers with a decent component set. You really should add an amp though to benefit the most. A 50x2 amp will be plenty and they are small enough to tuck under a front seat most of the time, taking up zero room.

Thx for the reply. My stock deck will turn up to "30", but i never have it higher than 24. again, i prefer quality to quantity and am trying to cut costs. is it true that amps make tlhe music sound cleaner at higher volumes? or throughout the whole spectrum. (i.e. would a good component set sound clean at 24 as well, giving me better performance at a decent volume)?

as this is true it will not be enough power to make your aftermarket component set shine.. they love power and the more they get the better they sound.. within reason. and you can tie into your factory deck and use line to level converters to go into the amps if they do not already have speaker level input... just my 2 cents. but amps make a world of difference

The problem with the factory deck is it's limited power output......it will drive components with no problem, but the improvement you're looking for will be limited by the deck. A separate amp will really make the biggest difference in the SQ, the new speakers are designed to handle a lot more power than the factory ones and you will find the volume at '24' on the dial will be substantially louder than before.

Keeping the cost factor in mind, it doesn't take very much power to do the trick. A decent 4 channel amp that produces 25-30W per channel is easy to find used for $50-$100 tops.

HTH

so with that being said, would i be wasting my time upgrading the speakers to components if i decided to gi without an amp?... and can i get away with thestock hu?

I think I answered that already but.....No and Yes.....:smilie_da

Here's a perfect example of an amp you could consider....Take a look ....:D

HTH

IMO if you are not going to add an amp, stick to coaxial speakers. You will be disappointed with components on stock power.

I agree with Dukk on this one completely