There are probably plenty of people that would never install a stereo in a Sonett. For them, the sound of engine is enough entertainment. Well that ain't me. I am starting to put some serious commuting miles on the Sonett and a car stereo goes a long way toward drowning out the busted exaust. 

I already had an amplifier so that was a no cost item. What I didn't have were speakers. Back when I had my Ford Contour I had some really nice MB Quart speakers up front. I checked ebay and craigslist and was surprised to see speakers like those are still pricey. 

I was lamenting to one of my friends back in Illinois about how I would likely never have as nice of a stereo as I had in the Contour when he offered to give me his MB Quart speakers. See, back when I was 16 I bought a bunch of stereo equipment at whole sale while on a trip to California. Half was for me, half was for my friend. We both got the same model MB Quart speakers. Mine burned up in the Contour, literally, not figuratively. His on the other hand got installed in two different vehicles before finally being boxed up and put in a storage unit where they sat for 5 years. 

Now, some 17 years later, I am reunited with the MB Quarts I bought in California so long ago. I am lucky to have such generous friends.

I installed the pair of speakers in the front kick panels in the Sonett. The Sonett originally had a single speaker up on the dash. This speaker was impossbile to get out so I left it there. It is also terribly blown so I don't use it. I just leave the AM/FM Casette deck in the Sonett turned off. The MB Quarts on the other hand are directly connected to the US Amps 4300x amp in the trunk, which I connect my phone to via 3.5mm to RCA adapter. I control the volume through my phone. 

Installing the MB Quarts was a challenge because the kick panels never had speakers in them before. I enlarged the holes intended to provide access to the door hinges to accomdate a 5.25" speaker, and drilled a couple other holes for the tweaters.

The cross over got magnets stuck to their back and mounted on the inside of the kick panel to the metal frame. All of this took some time as it was difficult to physically get access to kick panel sheet metal with cutting tools.

Once it was all installed though, I think it looks great and I am very happy with the results. I was initially concerned about having only front speakers in the Sonett. I have heard other systems with front's only and found them to be less immersive than a 4 speaker setup. The Sonett has a small enough cab however, and that slanted rear window, that the sound is very immersive. I would never think of adding another set of speakers in the rear.

Preview Image Size Thumbnail Small Medium Large

Smll Med Lrg MB Quart 214.03 CX, circa 1998, will be installed in the Sonett	Smll Med Lrg	Smll Med Lrg	Smll Med Lrg
Smll Med Lrg	Smll Med Lrg I will elarge that hole that provides access to the door hinges	Smll Med Lrg midrange and tweeter are ready to be mounted	Smll Med Lrg
Smll Med Lrg	Smll Med Lrg	Smll Med Lrg the cross over for the component speakers, QM 215.03 CX	Smll Med Lrg adhesive magnets installed on the back of the cross overs
Smll Med Lrg all wires hooked up	Smll Med Lrg magnets on cross over keep it in place inside the kick panel	Smll Med Lrg left side done, ready for protective grills	Smll Med Lrg right side cutout. I didn't have another raised tweeter mount so this one had to be more flush
Smll Med Lrg note the tweater is more recessed	Smll Med Lrg new fuse block for amp	Smll Med Lrg	Smll Med Lrg amp power and ground connected
Smll Med Lrg no head unit means no auto-on for amp. For now, I have wired up a manual switch, ghetto but works	Smll Med Lrg grills installed	Smll Med Lrg	Smll Med Lrg shot of the finished product. I am very happy with the acoustics