Speakers galore

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Nick R

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I am not well versed when it comes to car audio. I'll simply leave it at the stock cavalier speakers are beyond underwhelming for bass, even for someone who does not listen to bass very loud. I would like to replace the speakers with these
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4694343

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10569319

My questions-
1. Would the stock HU be able to handle these speakers?
2. Will it be a simple pull old speakers, put new ones in?
3. They are 4-ways speakers (whatever that means) will it cause problems with my current setup?

I don't want to replace the HU for a while because it will be about ~$150 for the deck, installation kit, wiring harness etc.
 
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the speakers will work with your factory radio. However, it may not be that much better than what you have now. Chances are you will have a crisper sound with better highs, but don't expect to much. The idea of 4-way speakers is pretty much a joke. What they are saying is that you are getting a 6x9 woofer, a small midrange driver, a tweeter, and a super tweeter. That is really worthless with it comes to speakers. With a 6x9 you are better of simply with a 2-way or 3way. 4x6 speakers only have the ability to do so much.

Also, factory head units may or may not have built in parametric eq matched to those speakers. Generally oem systems will have a speaker and source which is designed to increase higher bass freq so that with normal listening, it will sound like the sound system produces bass. You may lose the "bass" that you are normally hearing if you swap those speakers.
 
Ok I see.... Well I decided to get the speakers I mentioned in my last post because of the price and recommendation. I think they are 3-way speakers.
 
it is all in the ear, $$ does not equal quality and quality is subjective.
I would not buy sony if they have it away free, check online, they are riding on their brand name.

listen to it before you buy and buy something is provides value.
if you like it then go for it.
 
If you think people get excited about oil, you should check out some of the car audio forums...

The Lanzars you got will be fine-good deal for the $$ and WAY better than your original choice. As far as that adapter...

If you have a router or a jigsaw, I'd really suggest going to Home Depot and picking up some MDF and cutting your own adapter. The added mass and stability will help a bunch.

As far as adding bass response and making everything sound better, it would really help to deaden the door. It'll also make the car a lot quieter. This is more important than an amp or a new head unit, to be honest.

This is an example of 'overkill' for your purposes, but it'll give you a quick idea. A couple sheets of damping material, some closed-cell foam and a little bit of free time will make things way better: http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/diyma-tutorials/27-simple-cheap-effective-door-treatments.html
 
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Originally Posted By: JOD
If you think people get excited about oil, you should check out some of the car audio forums...

The Lanzars you got will be fine-good deal for the $$ and WAY better than your original choice. As far as that adapter...

If you have a router or a jigsaw, I'd really suggest going to Home Depot and picking up some MDF and cutting your own adapter. The added mass and stability will help a bunch.

As far as adding bass response and making everything sound better, it would really help to deaden the door. It'll also make the car a lot quieter. This is more important than an amp or a new head unit, to be honest.

This is an example of 'overkill' for your purposes, but it'll give you a quick idea. A couple sheets of damping material, some closed-cell foam and a little bit of free time will make things way better: http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/diyma-tutorials/27-simple-cheap-effective-door-treatments.html


I disagree. The 8v coming from that head unit is never going to drive a quality speaker like it should. You would trade power for dynamat?
 
Replace the deck before you replace the speakers.

Right now I have the stock 4 by 6 and 6 by 9 speakers in my car and they are more than adequate when backed with proper power. In my friend's car, we changed the speakers but not the head unit. He gets more volume and clarity but not fullness of sound. We have identical cars.

I am going to put in Infinity 4 by 6 plate speakers with bass blockers, and Infinity 3-way (any more than 3-way is just a gimmick) 6 by 9s. I should get much more clarity and be able to listen at higher powers without distortion. The bass blockers are to allow the front speakers to more effectively play the highs and add better staging to my system.

Delco 6 by 9 speakers are 8 ohms, so if you go to an aftermarket speaker, you get twice the juice going to them which should result in higher volume.
 
While your stock speakers are probably not great, it's likely the OEM head unit that's falling short. However, if the goal is just to get more bass and fill in the low end, you'll probably be happier leaving things alone and just add an Infinity Basslink in the trunk and call it a day. Gobs of bass without chopping up your car/wiring. And anyone halfway competent can install this in 20 minutes.

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_108BASSLIN/Infinity-Basslink.html?search=basslink&ssi=0

Once you relieve the stock speakers from producing low bass tones they'll perk right up.
 
Trust me, it's not the head unit. The speakers, particularly the rear speakers, are "bottoming out" with any semblence of bass at medium volume or better. It's not the head unit that is the main issue here, its the poor speakers.
 
Originally Posted By: rudolphna
Trust me, it's not the head unit. The speakers, particularly the rear speakers, are "bottoming out" with any semblence of bass at medium volume or better. It's not the head unit that is the main issue here, its the poor speakers.

um, didn't you say you didn't know anything about car audio? oh yeah, you did:
Originally Posted By: rudolphna
I am not well versed when it comes to car audio.


the reason your system sounds like chrap is the lack of power. bass requires lots of power. so either get a new head unit, or a separate powered subwoofer. stock speakers can handle the mids and highs.
 
The GM head unit in my Buick is surprisingly good for a bare-bones OEM unit. The speakers, though, were shot at about 60k miles of light use. No bass, and no highs. Some Kicker speakers from Crutchfield took care of both those issues.
 
Originally Posted By: Jdblya


I disagree. The 8v coming from that head unit is never going to drive a quality speaker like it should. You would trade power for dynamat?


Having run properly mounted speakers in a very well deadened door off of the stock HU when I was switching out HU's and amps, my answer is 'absolutely'.

That said, it's obviously not an either/or thing--having both is better; but given that you have to pull the door card to install the speakers anyway, and given that just throwing power at it will just turn things into a rattle trap, I'd put the highest priority on making things quiet.

Besides, it takes way less power to actually hear your radio when the car is quiet. IMO, the best amp you can buy is a quiet car. You can then actually hear your radio and reasonable volume levels.
 
I've done this both ways in the TL. Upgraded components and it made a nice subtle difference. Went to an aftermarket amp with the facotry HU still in place and what a difference! It even brought the stock rear speakers to life.

I dynamatted the doors and it helped but the car was fairly quiet already.

As I've mentioned installation is everything. I went from the 2-12W6s in a sealed box that rattled the trunk, license plate, rear deck, and just never sounded quite right, to a bandpass that was built with the help of the JL guys just for my car and subs with the port coming out between the ski pass in the rear seat. No rattles whatsoever in the truck or rear deck area. I get a 7db gain and a flat frequency response from 36hz to 90hz. It will miss the lowest of the low rap frequencies but it's incredibly musical now. It's so tight that people think I have 10s until it hits the lows.
 
I may not know alot about sound, but I know when the sound is destroyed because speakers can't handle it. (its the same effect you get with earbuds when you turn the volume up very loud with bass on)
 
Originally Posted By: rudolphna
I may not know alot about sound, but I know when the sound is destroyed because speakers can't handle it. (its the same effect you get with earbuds when you turn the volume up very loud with bass on)


It can make that same type of sound when the amp clips from underpowering the speakers. Much better to have too much power than not enough. Or I should say it's easier to blow speakers with a clipped signal from the amp than more than the rated power for the speakers.

Most will take quite a bit more than they're rated at. My current components are rated at 100rms and I'm pushing 150watts. Not only that but I've run them full range with no crossover when the subs were out and no problems.
 
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Get a new head unit. If you go to aftermarket speakers first, they won't get enough juice to push them very well. I have my stock GM speakers with an aftermarket head unit, and they sound much better than adequate. I know aftermarket speakers would perform better and will head that direction, but with the same stock head unit as me and aftermarket speakers in a different car, the results were not as good as replacing the head unit.

Dollar for dollar, the easiest way to get a decent sounding system is a good quality head unit and then replace the speakers with good quality aftermarket replacements. The speakers get acceptable juice for their sensitivity range, everything is impedence matched, and you have four times the power of a stock head unit driving them.

This is identical Delco CD head units pushing the stock 4 ohm 4 by 6 speakers up front and 8 ohm 6 by 9 speakers rear. The only gain with aftermarket speakers was more volume out of the rears due to them being half the impedence.
 
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