Replacing the Stock Speakers/ Non Bose
 

What is the best size to fit in the Doors?
What about the Dash? Is there a replacment for them.
Has any one used the small spots behind the seat on the side? Looks like 4"
keeping the stock head unit.
Doing this on a Budget :mad:, just looking increase the sound quality.

Thanks for the help.

The stock speakers really are junk. I replaced them with Polk (601's as I recall) 6.5" woofers and matching tweeters for the dash using the Polk supplied crossover. The Polk speakers are way better than stock and produce strong volume and extend the high and low response. In my opinion you'll still want more bass. I'm considering a low profile self powered sub (about $200).

The rear speaker locations are setup for 3.5" speakers and there is an output from the head unit for rear speakers but I'm not sure if it's a pre amp output or an amplified output. Also many forum members feel that the rear speakers are actually counter productive because they move the "sound stage" from the dash to somewhere in the middle of the cabin.

At some point someone is going to tell you to get a new head unit and drop the stock unit because it's junk. Well I don't think it's junk but it has real limitations. Some of them are: It's difficult/costly/impossible to add the rear speakers or a sub woofer or sat radio or HD radio or play MP3's & DVD's or connect/integrate an ipod/iphone or add blue tooth. A new head unit can solve all of these problems.

My advice (and I'm not an expert) is to do a front speaker upgrade and see what you think. If want more bass or need more features you're going to want a new head unit because it will have many more features than the stock unit, will easily accommodate expansion and probably cost less in the long run.

I've done the speakers and I'm still looking for more (blue tooth, compact self-powered sub woofer, rear speakers {maybe I will regret it, if so I'll just adjust the fader} and rear mounted USB ipod interface). I haven't found the exact head unit I want but you can expect to spend $200 on the subwoofer, $450 on a double DIN DVD capable (non navigation) head unit, $100 for the rear speakers and another $100 for installation accessories. These prices are for good but by no means high end equipment and the assume that you do all of the work yourself.

Guard Dad: So you only replaced the speakers and are still ruunning the stock HU?? How does those Polks sound with 4+- watts RMS? Are you afraid of underpowering and ruining them?

Yep, new speakers with the stock head unit. Sound is much improved and the volume is good too. But 6.5" speakers (even the Polk speakers) are still limited when it comes to deep bass.

Most folks go with new speakers, new head unit, external amp(s) and a large sub woofer(s) spending $1-2k, too rich for me. The system I'm considering is more modest and doesn't take up much room in the cabin but sacrifices some performance for cost and space savings.

thanks. I really need to get a new system in this car but was going to wait til i could do both the HU and speakers together. Now im reconsidering.... either the polk dbs now and hu later or polk mm and hu later? hmm......

I dont really want to spend a fortune on a system, esp since im tired of having large subs.

Have you considered a small amp and a powered sub. Im not looking for a lot of bump so i was thinking about a bazooka 8" sub and small amp to run either just my fronts or fronts and sub. Even though the bazooka isnt ideal it still allows for space and is easy to take out if needed. and ss long as it is able to keep up with the music i listen too and the SQ isnt too bad.

from experience i can tell you just by adding a good set of component speakers
to the base HU will make a world of difference. I put a set of JBL's in mine.

of course after that you always want more so i did end up putting a DD jvc
unit in with bluetooth for hands free calling and to sync with my iphone.

I have to sort of disagree. There are plenty of great speakers out there that can be used without a sub just as long as you give them enough clean power to do so and also dampen the doors against rattles. I installed a set of image dynamics speakers in Cali, before we even had the sub in the components being powered by the amp were shaking the mirro pretty well and creating very clear sound with 110 watts.

If I were in your shoes I would get the polk mm's than a alpine head unit than this little baby. Ask trooper we were both blown away by the power this little amp put out and its plug and play!

http://www.alpine-usa.com/product/view/ktp-445/

The polk db's are good if you run them off a stock head unit. However they will sound better with a aftermarket head unit and even better with a amp powering them.

As to small powered subs, the Sound Ordinance B8-PT from Crutchfield ($200.00) has received positive comments on this forum. I like its modest size and the positive comments about the sound, but certainly a custom sub box featuring large speakers and a powerful amp would sound better at considerably higher cost in dollars and space. One thing I can say is that audio upgrades are just like horsepower upgrades, your wallet is the real limiting factor.

i just replaced my base 6.5 with jbl 6x9 3way , what a huge difference !!! all with the stock hu.

hmmm.... interesting.

Now im excited cause those crappy speakers need to go, now!

so, that being said, my first upgrade is the speakers and in a few months a Kenwood dnx-6960.

Should i get the polk mm or db? Is there really that big of a difference between the two?

OP: sorry if i jacked your thread!!!!

MM should be amped but you could run them without doing so. The db's you can run from a head unit.

If i have the MM6501s running off the stock hu for a few months and then off a Kenwood hu for a few months, do you think they will be underpowered enough to ruin them? Theres only about a $60 or so difference on amazon.com, so i dont want to pass them up.

Thanks!

I would say in that case wait and put them in when you get the new head unit because you are going to have to run new speaker wire either way when you put them in.

Does the stock wiring from the car have to be cut to run Components set?

underpowering won't ruin them. what blows speakers is clipping (unclean signal from the amp). When you turn push the amp too hard, it will send a distorted signal tot he speaker. this is what blows the voice coil. Underpowering a speaker may not let the speaker reach its full potenial volume but it you aren't beating on the power scource it will be safe.