Help upgrading audio in a Sprinter

[ClosDeBen]

The passenger sprinter has 3 speaker pairs (a pair each for the first 3 rows) but the kids are all plugged into their phones in back so care about the front row only. I've disconnected the stock center speaker which was truly ear splitting. I want the cheapest good system recommendation.

• Replace stock door/dash with component speakers that don't suck and are not too deep (2.5" max I think)
• Sound insulate the doors (and back of front fender?). Not sure how far to go. Even if I'm not listening to music, I enjoy lower noise but it's a big driving box. I don't know how far to go in this department before the ROI tails off steeply.
• Amp/DSP/Sub under passenger seat. So happy there's now car amp reviews here ! So 4 channel if I go no sub, 5 if I do.
• Dayton DSP sounds "good enough", cheap, gets me mostly flat response. (@Jdunk54nl saw you pointed to this at least one thread) Checks that box (I think). The dsp integrated amps are all spendy.
• Passive subs seem worth adding if I bother to remove the passenger seat (and do the amp). 6" will fit. Not much but hopefully sufficient and inexpensive. Just perhaps increases the amp I'd need to buy.
• Do I bother upgrading the center speaker ? The existing one is ear splitting but after unplugging it, I'd forgotten with the right dsp, it still might help the system. It is way forward on the dash just a few inches under the windshield.

Give me your short shopping list. I don't mind spending where it counts if I need to, just trying to back off quickly once the improved sound tails off (and effort/cost increases). Looking forward to a few car speaker reviews. Hopefully others could use the short list too. Way too many choices out there.

 

[amirm]

Replace stock door/dash with component speakers that don't suck and are not too deep (2.5" max I think)

This is the only thing I did to our Sprinter. Had to buy these special gasket on ebay that gives you extra depth to mount a more decent depth speaker (I bought some JBLs). Had to do some messing around to get it to fit. It made some improvement but there is this super lousy center dash mounted speaker that dominates the sound. People usually just disconnect it. I have yet to do that but am going to try.

My door had decent amount of insulation so I did not bother to add more as the rest of the van is noisy anyway.

 

[ClosDeBen]

You're in for a treat disconnecting the center. I'll defer to youtube but the grill pries off easily. No tools to lift the speaker (although I did not manage to successfully unplug the connector before the wired yanked free). Sound went from ear splitting to tolerable. The videos to mount the dash speakers fish the wires through the door made me cry uncle or hand the task to someone who's done it once or twice. Maybe has some talent applying the sound deadening stuff. Just have to choose the replacements.

 

[ClosDeBen]

@Jdunk54nl (or anyone) any advice on component speakers ? I've seen what look like good deals on Hertz MPK 165.p3 and MPK1650.3 ($350/450) on eBay shipped from Italy/Austria. The local audio shop I'll use to insteall but which will install my speakers and has spotty inventory anyway) favors just the Focal Auditors ($150). Access are $50 more.

The Hertz seem to get lots of love on car audio forums. Less certain how objective that is or just bro's who want loud as possible tunes.