MACH 460 Sound System - Opinions

For your average human, this is plenty of stereo.

For your average audiophile, it leaves a lot to be desired. Volume isn't there, for one... but even more than that, lower bass frequencies are distorted, and to me it seems like there's an entire block of frequencies missing from the upper midrange area. Maybe it's just me.

Is there any part of the system worth keeping? It depends on what you're doing and what your budget is. I think, honestly, the only real part worth saving is the speaker pods on the doors (as well as the other factory speaker locations). You can replace them.

The Mach 460 works in an odd manner. One amp controls the four bass channels, one controls the four mid/treble channels. The inputs require an adapter to interface to RCA.

If you're doing a full system install, scrap it all. The upper door speaker locations are pretty good... you might argue that the left is too close... but for factory placement, I've seen much worse. Run your own amplifiers and a good set of components or coaxials. With the number of speaker locations available, you should be able to make it sound pretty nice. Add a real bass rig in the trunk (custom boxes are available specifically for Mustangs of this generation) and you'll be good to go.

In a perfect world, I'd probably put 6 channels amplified in my 97 Cobra (Mach 460 as well), plus a pair of 12's in the trunk, then borrow the oscilloscope from work and tune it up right.

I need the wiring and the speakers and I have the rest... well, need the box for the subs too cause my '88 GT hatch box just won't quite fit..

JS

I agree completely with JS. I've always owned 'high end' audio equipment, and the Mach system is a dissapointment. I had it in my '02 GT, my current '03 Cobra, and a similar system in my '02 Explorer. The Explorer sounds okay, but the Mustang(s) suck! As soon as my Cobra is out of warranty, I'm gonna rip out that piece'o'shit stereo.

The basic problem is the tonal balance. As JS said, there are sections of the spectrum that just aren't there. Also, I could live with its lack of deep bass, but the poor damping makes the bass sound muddy and undefined.

The good news is that the Cobra moves like a bat-out-of hell, so the lousy Mach460 sound gets drowned-out by the supercharger whine, the Borla catback's growl, and my screams of joy.

Bob '03 Cobra coupe

Thanks for all the good info.

Greg in NJ

Why wait till you're out of warranty?

Borla catback? Can you give me a little detail about this. I know shit about cars. Some friends mentioned the possibility of getting a catback. Does it void the warranty? Thanks.

Greg in NJ

I replaced the head unit with a Sony and it was 100 times better. Still not in the same league with compitition systems, but really, who has the money?

Dan

What model head unit did you buy?

Mike

There's a bit of a functionality benefit if you like the Sony's controls, but I'm not sure how much better the sound would be.

Reason? Either the Sony is being run through the factory amps and speakers, which wouldn't provide much of a benefit, or it's running the speakers full-range with the internal amp, which would probably be worse. The only real way to make a Mach 460 sound the way a performance stereo should sound is outboard amps and new speakers all the way around, and you're right... it gets costly.

JS

Wouldn't it lose allot, considering a Sony head unit (4 ohm) & the mach 460 speakers being 8 ohm. I agree with JS, let it be, or rip it all out & do it right.

I'm not sure about ohms, watts and whatever else people need to tell themselves when spending an outrageous amount of money on a stereo system. I know it works. The sound with the stock unit was extremely low, I only need to turn the new one up a 1/4 and it's giving me a headache. I don't know which head unit I have, it controls my cd changer and is in the lower end of the scale. Like I said, no where near the quality you can get if you buy all new equipment and match them to each other, but I can't afford that.

Dan

I'm not knocking anyone's stereo. I've done some schooling for electronics, though, and have done more stereo installs than I can remember. Depending on how it's hooked up, 1/4 might be maxxing out the factory amps (much the same as turning the stock stereo up to the top and then some). It's probably at the verge of distortion there as well. There could be some sound quality improvement. I just said it would be minimal at best. The point is that you're happy with it. That's all you (and your installer if applicable) need to care about.

JS

Who knows?. I'll take the old one off your hands for a few bucks.

at 23 Apr 2004, R. Rikoski [ snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.net] wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@netnews.comcast.net:

First of, Sound is a very subjective thing. A couple of people in our club have Mach 460's. I like how they sound. But I prefer my own setup over the Mach 460. I currently run a Pioneer DEH-P3500, with Pioneer TS-A6870R's in the back and Pioneer TS-A6880R's in the front doors. With the head unit set up the way I like it, I love the sound that I'm getting now and would not swap for a Mach 460.