This was an excellent forum suggestion, thanks!!

[djprov431]

After reviewing many forum posts about these, I had my go-to tint and audio guy install the Alpine S-S10TW tweeters. He's more of a OCD perfectionist than I am -- he takes everthing apart, tests impedence and polarity, etc -- his suggestions after reading the formum posts I shared and doing my install was: use the provided filters, hook the wires to the tweeters and not the mids, validate your polarity -- audibly he stated there wasn't a very big difference in sound between the two possible connections, but the reason not to use the mid connection had something to do with the possibility of damaging the amp....he said the tweeter signal should be used with the tweeter speaker in the most simple explanation. He also trimmed some plastic to get a flush mount in the grill area, backed everything with foam and anti-vibration material, and said the factory tape job on the wire harness was insane. -- it's so perfectly done it looks 100% factory.
The sound is soooo very much better - you can clearly hear music at ear level and it fills the cabin so much better. So stupid of Lotus to cheap out and give us empty grills. Blah!!!

 

[Jinba ittai]

How much did this mod cost?

 

[djprov431]

How much did this mod cost?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SC4WVTR?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1

+ $300 install -- so $400!

 

[Six Speed Stephen]

I need to find someone who can do this for me!

 

[sixtyy]

Is this the replacement for KEF?

 

[patrickramdial]

as a person who likes KEF as a brand, I just wanted to point out that the KEF speakers that come with the emiras are their Uni-Q speakers that have a full range (the tweeter is built into the center). So the "empty" grills are on purpose for the cars that dont get the cool KEF speakers.

Do they sound great though? eh... The KEFs in my house sound better for sure.

 

[Orchardbike]

as a person who likes KEF as a brand, I just wanted to point out that the KEF speakers that come with the emiras are their Uni-Q speakers that have a full range (the tweeter is built into the center). So the "empty" grills are on purpose for the cars that dont get the cool KEF speakers.

Do they sound great though? eh... The KEFs in my house sound better for sure.

Agreed. KEF are a very well respected premium speaker manufacturer that have won multiple awards for their ‘house’ speakers. Car audio is notoriously difficult to get right and more so in a small car. Things outside of the speaker itself affect the sound.
I agree that the sound in the Emira is not the best but if anyone’s heard a base audio F-type then you’ll know it could have been a lot worse and far more problematic to upgrade.

 

[sixtyy]

KEF fan too. The speaker in car is no where as good as my home speaker. Probably because the restricted space. KEF just lacks experience on car speakers.

 

[Orchardbike]

I also think that the uni-q design (tweeter on the same axis as the mid-range speaker) doesn’t work in the Emira due to its mounting position. The size of the mid-range driver dictates that the speaker has to go fairly low down I. The door and then the tweeter is not in the ideal position. So the design has worked against them in this installation.

 

[Beachbum]

Where did these new Tweeters go?
I'm assuming in the A-Pilar, but could someone confirm

 

[geoffbland]

Where did these new Tweeters go?
I'm assuming in the A-Pilar, but could someone confirm

It's the A-Pillar - I believe this is the thread referred to --> https://www.emiraforum.com/threads/initial-results-after-adding-tweeters.5742/

 

[djprov431]

Is this the replacement for KEF?

Not a replacement, an addition to the empty A piller tweeter grills

 

[centerpunch]

Maybe a mod could change the subject line of this thread to something descriptive of the content, like:

Very happy with addition of Alpine tweeters

 

[Thirdgen89gta]

I still don’t understand who in their right mind designed the premium audio option and left the a-pillar tweeter location’s empty. It boggles my mind

And the KEF audio is crap. Complete crap. The bass is muddy. The highs are missing. And probably the 2nd worst is the imaging. There is zero stage presence.

However the worst has to be the insanely uneven frequency response shift when volume increases.

I would rather Lotus built the car with an aftermarket double din deck so we could easily replace the audio system. Instead right now we can’t replace the amp at all because it’s built into the infotainment.

 

[RS3R_X]

I still don’t understand who in their right mind designed the premium audio option and left the a-pillar tweeter location’s empty. It boggles my mind

And the KEF audio is crap. Complete crap. The bass is muddy. The highs are missing. And probably the 2nd worst is the imaging. There is zero stage presence.

However the worst has to be the insanely uneven frequency response shift when volume increases.

I would rather Lotus built the car with an aftermarket double din deck so we could easily replace the audio system. Instead right now we can’t replace the amp at all because it’s built into the infotainment.

As someone who competes in car audio sound quality, I have no idea what you are talking about. The optional KEF system stages and images perfectly from BOTH seats! It being a two seat tune makes it a unicorn in the audio world. Listen to Micheal Jackson's Thriller in the beginning where he walks across the sound stage. It sound and images the same in both seats. Stage depth is good, not great, but again from a unicorn I'm good with that. The mid bass is a little low for my liking, but not absent. My only complaints are the lack of volume and the garbage sub they included that turns the quarter panel it is mounted into a rattle can at volume on certain tracks(Boz Scaggs - Thanks to you). I disabled the piped in engine noise at the dealership. I've added sound deadening between the engine compartment and the cabin of the car. On a tuning mic it plays from 20hz-20khz.

I'm planning on adding a Helix V Twelve MK 2, possibly upgrading the mid bass, and replacing the factory sub with a pair of Truly TD65S subs in a KEF KC62 setup. I'm doing a pass thru on the highs, mids, and mid bass. The added power should address the lack of volume. Having actual subs that can do what they are supposed to instead of whatever they were thinking with the stock sub will fill out the low end.

 

[Jinba ittai]

As someone who competes in car audio sound quality, I have no idea what you are talking about. The optional KEF system stages and images perfectly from BOTH seats! It being a two seat tune makes it a unicorn in the audio world. Listen to Micheal Jackson's Thriller in the beginning where he walks across the sound stage. It sound and images the same in both seats. Stage depth is good, not great, but again from a unicorn I'm good with that. The mid bass is a little low for my liking, but not absent. My only complaints are the lack of volume and the garbage sub they included that turns the quarter panel it is mounted into a rattle can at volume on certain tracks(Boz Scaggs - Thanks to you). I disabled the piped in engine noise at the dealership. I've added sound deadening between the engine compartment and the cabin of the car. On a tuning mic it plays from 20hz-20khz.

I'm planning on adding a Helix V Twelve MK 2, possibly upgrading the mid bass, and replacing the factory sub with a pair of Truly TD65S subs in a KEF KC62 setup. I'm doing a pass thru on the highs, mids, and mid bass. The added power should address the lack of volume. Having actual subs that can do what they are supposed to instead of whatever they were thinking with the stock sub will fill out the low end.

Do you agree with the “the insanely uneven frequency response shift when volume increases.”? I’m not an audiophile and I noticed that in my car immediately.

 

[RS3R_X]

Do you agree with the “the insanely uneven frequency response shift when volume increases.”? I’m not an audiophile and I noticed that in my car immediately.

That went away when I disabled the piped in engine noise.

 

[Jinba ittai]

That went away when I disabled the piped in engine noise.

Hmmm. I have the v6 so I don’t think that’s my issue. I have to turn it up quite loud for the low range to sound balanced.

 

[Nova]

Unpopular opinion, it sadly seems, but the stock KEF system has *PLENTY* of high frequency output, as confirmed by multiple measurements. Adding more is going to make everything sound shrill and sibilant. To me, adding the Pioneer tweeters to the KEF system is putting ketchup on steak. The whole haphazard way this mod is being passed around - which amp output to connect to, filter or no filter, whether polarity matters or not - shows me that no one involved has any idea what they are doing.

I am not posting this to change the minds of people who have done this mod. I just would like to plead with people who are considering this mod to reconsider.

 

[RS3R_X]

Hmmm. I have the v6 so I don’t think that’s my issue. I have to turn it up quite loud for the low range to sound balanced.

What you are hearing is the mid bass going from in front of you to behind you. That occurs from panel vibration pulling its source further back and making that more noticeable. Sound deadening the mount and panel as I have done will take care of that.

For the i4 disabling the piped in engine noise told the system that it was in accessory and removed all the other nonsense it was doing. The mid bass drivers and sub were piping in engine noise from AMG. There is a blue and green striped wire in the harness that tells the amp what the RPMs of the engine are and that adjusts the volume of the added noise and decreases the mid bass/sub output. Disabling that makes it think it is in accessory mode.