Plug & Play Speakers?
 

Okay guys and gals, I know I'm being lazy on this one and not searching around the forum for an answer, but I'm hoping someone can just point me in the right direction or even answer my questions for me. I just haven't had time to be involved with the forum much lately. I'm hoping life will change a bit because right now free time is scarce. Anyway, onto the topic at hand.

Last year I replaced the crappy stock radio with a JVC DVD one and that alone improved the sound imensly. I never really planned to get new speakers because, well, I've found myself just driving the car and not even listening to the radio much. So while I was heavy into this forum, I never even researched the details of putting in new speakers.

Ever since I got the car there has been this weird spot on the driver side door panel. Over the past year it's actually gotten larger and much more noticeable. It's like there is a defect in the plastic, or some chemical got spilled or something, and it just keeps getting worse as time goes by. So I'm planning to take the car in to have it replaced.

I was thinking that since I'll have to pull the door panel anyway, this might be the right time to get some new speakers. Now for my questions:

- Since this car has a separate stand alone tweeter, can I just put in any set of speakers and have them work properly? Or do I need to do the whole separate tweeter thing?

- What about the cross over? Where is it in the current car? I don't want to have to run all new wires. I'm just afraid a factory crossover might not be set right for new speakers etc. Are there speakers that I can just plug in and not have to worry about this?

Basically, bottom line, I'm looking for a plain and simple solution here, like a plug and play. I'd like to go to Crutchfield, pick out some Infinity or Focal speakers, then hook them up and I'm good to go. Is this an option with this car?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

Cheers ----- Bonzo :tup:

Yes and no. If you want to do a coaxial speaker you would be able to use an adapter and just install it in the door. however you would have to unplug your tweeter in the dash otherwise it would sound pretty bad. So yes but you would lose quality and imaging.

If you installed a component set installing the woofer in the door and installing the tweeter in the factory location. The set would include a crossover you would use as we. That would be the best way to go but you would have to run new speaker wire, which really is not that hard.

Absolutely go with a component set as bigaudio suggested. Hide the crossovers behind the kick panels in the foot well. The hardest part for me was running the wire. Manipulating the body to door plugs and snaking the wire through the rubber boot took a lot of time and patience. If you have an electrician's tape, use it. I did not figure that out until the second door.

This option is part of my question. How would I unplug the tweeter wire? I mean, where is it? At the head unit there are only 2 wires, a right speaker +/- and a left speaker +/-. So somewhere in-between there is for sure a "split" to run wires to the tweeter and wires to the door. I'm thinking that "split" takes place at a crossover? Yes/no? If so, where is it?

Well, this option will probably sound better, but how about the install? First, running new wires in this car will be a pain I'm sure. Then, Crutchfield doesn't make any mention of tweeter mounting, only door mounting, so how do after market tweeters fit in our cars? Do we need special brackets etc? And if I could just find the location of the factory installed crossover mentioned above, then I'm thinking no new wires would be needed. Couldn't I just tap them at the crossover "split" point? Put the new crossover where the old one is and be good to go? Yes/no? Why not?

Sorry to be such a dumb arse and a pain. I haven't installed car stereos since back in the 80's / 90's when there was no such thing as separate tweeters and subwoofers. Now I'm more of a home stereo guy so this car stuff is a bit Greek to me. I appreciate your teaching me about it now.

Thanks ---- Bonzo :tup:

Yeah, see I'm just not sure I want to get into all that. I just don't listen to the stereo in the car that much. Thought I would, but in this car I don't. I guess I'm just more into the driving experience.

The head unit alone helped with the sound immensely. It's certainly far from great, but 5-6 out of 10 is better than the 1 out of 10 it was from the factory.

I was hoping I could just pop out the old ones and put in some new ones. I'll have to think about it some more.

Thanks ---- Bonzo :tup:

You can, very simply, replace just the door speakers. Leave the existing tweeters. Although running new speaker wires to the door speakers is advisable, it is by no means a necessity. Its been awhile since I changed mine out, but if I remember correctly, the tweeters are wired in parallel with the door speakers, and use only a capacitor to cut lower frequencies to them. Matt may be able to comment on whether or not I am correct when I say that.
Put in your new door speakers, listen to it with factory tweeters, If you decide it doesn't suit you, pop the grilles off, and unplug the tweeters. Problem solved.

Same way as you disconnect the speaker when you take the door off. Remove tweeter grill, unscrew 4 bolts holding that tweeter in, than unplug the molex conector underneeth the tweeter at the base.

Crutchfield is meh anymore, they do not mention your tweeter but they are there. The way the wires are ran is from your head unit is from the head unit to the connector of the tweeter than from there to your woofer in the door. Do yourself a big favor take the extra 20 minutes a door and run new speaker wire and install components. In the Z running speaker wire is very easy. Many write ups on how to even do it as well. But if you insist on throwing your sound quality away go for coaxial speakers and disconnect the tweeter by fallowing the steps above.

If you use a set of polk db's they are pretty much direct fit. The woofer does not require any spacer rings and the new tweeter can be mounted in the old tweeters basket after cutting it out. Or you can order a set of these.

PVC Speaker Adapters - CNC Machined - In Stock or Custom Made

You are correct they are wired in parallel for the base system, which is another reason I recommend running new speaker wire. I know he can easily use the factory wire but not if he does components.

Got it, didn't think to unhook it at that end. Now that you guys have told me about being wired in parallel, this makes total sense.

For me they are a bit like Tire Rack. Great for research, but not necessarily the best to order from. I've always had good luck with Crutchfield though, IF, IF they have the product you want. But they do not always carry the best products. I will never buy from tire Rack again; they are A-holes.

Good to know.

I'll definitely search the forum for those posts before I make any decision. I've found lots of people say certain things are easy and it winds up being a pain. When I think of running wires through door tubing I'm thinking "pain." People said it only took an hour or two to install Dynamat in the trunk and that was a load of crap. Took me more like 10 hours to do it complete and properly.

I wouldn't consider it throwing away. Either way I do this it's going to sound better than stock. So it's more about time I have and the amount of money I want to spend. Like I said in my original post, while I am an audiophile (my home speakers cost $5000), in this car I just don't listen that often. As it sits is "okay". I'm just considering this since I have to pull the door panel anyway.

I went to Crutchfield and there are many model db's listed. All the separate systems listed have round woofers, so those will need a bracket for sure. They don't list any 6x9 separate systems. What you say above sort of implies Polk does in fact make such a beast. You know which it is specifically?

Nice. Perfect.

Thank you very much for all your help. I feel much more knowledgeable now about things and this will help very much in me making a final decision.

Cheers ---- Bonzo :tup:

I'm really glad this is an option. I may or may not go this way, but it's good to know that it's an option. Now I just need to do some forum searching about installs and see how hard running wires would actually be.

Thanks ----- Bonzo :tup:

:tiphat: