93 Accord EX Wagon Radio Replacement
 

I just bought a 1993 Accord EX Wagon which I love but the stock radio sounds terrible. At first I thought the speakers were blown, but now I think it's probably the radio. In order to get the volume to a "normal" level, I have to set the volume knob to 80%. Also, in order to make the tone sound somewhat acceptable, I have to set the bass as low as possible and the treble as high as possible. So basically, the volume is way too low for some reason and the tone is way too bassy for some reason.

Has anyone had a similar problem?

If I replace the radio and everything sounds okay, I don't really plan on replacing and/or adding speakers which means a 4 channel radio should be sufficient. Also, I really only care about USB/Aux Input. After checking Crutchfield, this radio was the cheapest one I could find that included free installation gear: JVC KD-X40 Digital media receiver at Crutchfield.com

Any input will be greatly appreciated.

The stock speakers are almost 20 years old. You need to visually inspect them. If the surrounds are damaged, they need to be replaced.

Certainly, a new head unit is a must. Start there but visually inspect the speakers.

Thanks. Do you know of any features that my new receiver must have? I count five total speakers in my car. Will four channels of preamp output suffice? This is probably a stupid question, but is the preamp built into the receiver or is it somewhere else in the car?

I really only picked the JVC KD-X40 because it's the cheapest receiver that both fits my car and includes USB/Aux inputs. But as long as it's not missing any important features, I think I'll be satisfied.

nothing important is necessary. you should count either four or six speakers in the car. describe the locations of the speakers you have found. i suspect tweeters in the upper dash corners (1" or so), one in each front door (6.5" woofers), and two in the rear (6.5" woofers)

The METRA 99-7892 mounting kit, and 70-1720 wiring harness are required for your head unit install. if you buy from crutchfield they will give these to you.

the head unit choice is yours to make. research different features, even read the owner's manual to make sure it does what you want. just about any head unit will work for your application.

if you do indeed have 5 speakers, one may be a rear sub. in that case, either leave it disconnected or interface with the factory amp. is this a US or Euro car?

I count 5 total speakers. 2 in the front doors, 2 in the rear ceiling and a sub in the rear driver-side wall. However, upon closer inspection, the driver-side rear roof speaker doesn't seem to be outputting anything but the sub and other 3 speakers do.

well, an aftermarket head unit won't be capable of powering the sub. so you will need to interface with the factory amp. Crutchfield should be able to give you the wire harness required for proper integration.