Which Speakers Sound Good W/stock Amps

[Pathylogical]

I read the heated discussion on speaker sizes already but I need to know a bit more.

 

I need to replace all stock speakers in a 95.

 

I will probably go with 5x6 or 5x7 though I am thinking of 6.5's in the doors.

 

What I want to know is with the scrawny amps, which speakers have you used that sound really good.

Brand, model # if you can.

 

Right now my door speakers are duct taped back together and believe it or not still don't sound terrible. The rears all the foam rotted completely. I don't have big bucks for a whole component system etc.

 

If you put speakers in the stock system and it sounded as good as the stock once did please let me know what they are.

 

Thanks in advance all

Dan

[GhostPath]

I read the heated discussion on speaker sizes already but I need to know a bit more.

 

I need to replace all stock speakers in a 95.

 

I will probably go with 5x6 or 5x7 though I am thinking of 6.5's in the doors.

 

What I want to know is with the scrawny amps, which speakers have you used that sound really good.

Brand, model # if you can.

 

Right now my door speakers are duct taped back together and believe it or not still don't sound terrible. The rears all the foam rotted completely. I don't have big bucks for a whole component system etc.

 

If you put speakers in the stock system and it sounded as good as the stock once did please let me know what they are.

 

Thanks in advance all

Dan

 

I have a similar problem with my 93. All of my speakers are blown and cannot produce anything resembling bass. From what I've read here, with no modifications 4x6s will fit in the front, 5x7s will fit in the back.

 

I'm going to replace my fronts with 4x6 Infinity Reference 6412cfp speakers ($35 including shipping from eBay - about 1/3rd retail, new in box) and the rears with the 5x7/6x8 Infinity Reference 6812cf speakers ($55 including shipping from eBay about 2/3rds retail, new in box). They're inexpensive and extremely highly rated.

 

The fronts get here later this week (I think) - the rears get here in about a week and a half.

Edited July 10, 2007 by GhostPath

[Pathylogical]

I have a similar problem with my 93. All of my speakers are blown and cannot produce anything resembling bass. From what I've read here, with no modifications 4x6s will fit in the front, 5x7s will fit in the back.

 

I'm going to replace my fronts with 4x6 Infinity Reference 6412cfp speakers ($35 including shipping from eBay - about 1/3rd retail, new in box) and the rears with the 5x7/6x8 Infinity Reference 6812cf speakers ($55 including shipping from eBay about 2/3rds retail, new in box). They're inexpensive and extremely highly rated.

 

The fronts get here later this week (I think) - the rears get here in about a week and a half.

 

Hey let me know how they sound if you don't mind.

I was very pleased with the factory sound until they went. I just don't trust buying a speaker no one has laid ears on. I looked at the POLK 5x7's at best buy but I went back and they sounded worse than I remember.

 

The problem is in not knowing what kinda power we have in the factory amps and what after market spec will sound best with it.

 

Anyone else!

 

And Thanks

[SkinnyPedal]

Having just been through this, go out and drop $200 on a 4 channel aftermarket amp and completely bypass the factory amp, or better still find one on fleabay. Almost anything (including nothing) will be better than the factory amp.

[GhostPath]

Having just been through this, go out and drop $200 on a 4 channel aftermarket amp and completely bypass the factory amp, or better still find one on fleabay. Almost anything (including nothing) will be better than the factory amp.

 

 

I'm not going overboard with the stereo; I have a Pioneer Premier 200W high power head unit and I'll use that in place of the amp iif need be.

Edited July 10, 2007 by GhostPath

[90seven]

Do you still have the stock headunit? If you have an aftermarket headunit, just bypass the amps and run them off the new headunit.

[Simon]

I'm not going overboard with the stereo; I have a Pioneer Premier 200W high power head unit and I'll use that in place of the amp iif need be.

 

 

That's what SkinnyPedal was referring to by "nothing" is better than factory amps, and he's right. Your aftermarket deck will never sound right through the stock amps.

 

Run new wires, or bypass the stock amps in the right rear quarter panel. You'll be much happier, even if you don't run an amp for your speakers.

[adamzan]

i like the stock sound, although, my speakers aren't blown.....

[ILoveMyPatty]

Pretty much any aftermarket speaker will sound better than the stocks. Pioneers are decent, and cheap. Alpine is a little overpriced for the quality. Infinity is great for the price. Any of these brands run off of an aftermarket deck will sound 100x better than the stock setup. Bypass the amps most definitely. If you end up getting high powered speakers, find a 4 channel off eBay or something and power them with that, like was said earlier.

[k9sar]

I threw a pair of 5x7 pioneer cheapo's from Walmart into the front doors and they sound MUCH better than the gaping holes I had there before. I guess it's all in your point of reference.

[GhostPath]

Disregard what I said about the Infinity speakers. They didn't work. I got a set of Kenwood KFC-C5780ie, and have half-finished installing them. I'll post this again in a separate post once these are installed. This post is dealing specifically with what can be installed in my truck without creating or using adapters and retaining the completely stock appearance on the outside (the better to discourage theft).

 

Recap: Vehicle is a 93 XE 2WD, ovoid/rectangular speaker grilles, no sign of anything but the base stock audio system (head unit missing). Car has four main speakers, and what appears to be four separate tweeters.

 

First, I found that the fronts were not 4x6, but 5x7. To make matters worse, NOTHING in the CarToys or Earmark car audio store fit directly in the front plastic bracket. The original equipment Clarion 5x7 speakers used a shallow basket, and the brackets are formed accordingly. As others have noted, some 5x7s fit better than others. NONE of the 2007 or 2006 production Pioneer 5x7/6x8s fit into the basket, the hole spacings on them were just wildly off, and even the shallow basket speakers would require an adapter plate to be made to replace the original plastic brackets, because there was no way to make that work.

 

Most current production 5x7s have a larger, wider basket that won't fit quite right. The closest fit I could find was a set of Kenwood KFC-C5780ie speakers. These *almost* fit in the plastic bracket, but they didn't quite fit in - they stuck up about 1/4" and wouldn't properly seat. I modified the original plastic brackets with a Dremel (the originals could still be put back in).

 

In the back, I installed another pair of the Kenwoods. I had to take a tin snips to the bracket area to accomodate the wider basket. They fit just fine now, and I could replace the OEM speakers if I wished to. I could have built a spacer, but then, again, I wouldn't be able to reuse the original speaker grilles, and they would have protruded out into the cargo bay.

 

I'll post pictures later.

Edited July 16, 2007 by GhostPath

[k9sar]

I had to enlarge the opening in the plastic mounting thingies in my doors in order to get my speakers to sit in there snugly. I also had to heat and push out the back a bit to accomodate the depth. Not hard, just made a mess with the plastic shavings and a dremel.

 

No pics but I have the passenger door to do yet so maybe I'll snap a few.

[Pathylogical]

Good advice all so far. You know i do have the stock head unit but the display has gone out as is fairly common so a new head unit with 200+ watts seems a good idea without going to a new amp. I am still uncertain what to go with for speakers but I think i will change the head unit first.

 

I saw 4x6 2way's and 4 way's at wally world both pioneer and i am guessing they would be the easiest to fit. I don't mind modifying as it is a twelve year old vehicle and all mine.

 

I just don't want to go too crazy and cost is an issue.

 

My big thing is like the gentleman earlier said. I liked the stock sound untill they blew. I don't need comp level speakers I just want it to sound the best it can at a resonable price.

 

Any sugeestions on reasonable speaker replacements are still welcome.

[GhostPath]

Good advice all so far. You know i do have the stock head unit but the display has gone out as is fairly common so a new head unit with 200+ watts seems a good idea without going to a new amp. I am still uncertain what to go with for speakers but I think i will change the head unit first.

 

I saw 4x6 2way's and 4 way's at wally world both pioneer and i am guessing they would be the easiest to fit. I don't mind modifying as it is a twelve year old vehicle and all mine.

 

I just don't want to go too crazy and cost is an issue.

 

My big thing is like the gentleman earlier said. I liked the stock sound untill they blew. I don't need comp level speakers I just want it to sound the best it can at a resonable price.

 

Any sugeestions on reasonable speaker replacements are still welcome.

 

 

I suspect that all the different info on what speakers fit is due to the three different audio systems that were available. I have the 8 speaker system.

 

On my 93 XE, 4x6s would NOT fit without adapters; the 4x6 speakers were too small to fit the mounting holes.

 

I got one set of Kenwoods for $59 at a local store, but I got my second set off eBay for $35. They seem to be the ones that fit with the least modification.

Edited July 16, 2007 by GhostPath

[Pathylogical]

I suspect that all the different info on what speakers fit is due to the three different audio systems that were available. I have the 8 speaker system.

 

On my 93 XE, 4x6s would NOT fit without adapters; the 4x6 speakers were too small to fit the mounting holes.

 

I got one set of Kenwoods for $59 at a local store, but I got my second set off eBay for $35. They seem to be the ones that fit with the least modification.

 

 

I think mine is the eight speaker. I have two pillar tweets, two in the door, two in the back roof and two more tweets in front of those pointed forward.

 

The door and cealing speakers look the same but a bit different watt ratings. They look to be 4x6 or 4x7.

 

How do you measure a speaker? outside edge of spider housing? Mounting hole to mounting hole? speaker edge itself?

[GhostPath]

I think mine is the eight speaker. I have two pillar tweets, two in the door, two in the back roof and two more tweets in front of those pointed forward.

 

The door and cealing speakers look the same but a bit different watt ratings. They look to be 4x6 or 4x7.

 

How do you measure a speaker? outside edge of spider housing? Mounting hole to mounting hole? speaker edge itself?

 

 

Measure the speaker, not the bracket.

[Poormans Finder]

I put a set of Jensen 6.5" components in the front doors with the tweeters mounted in the upper door panel. They sound great with my new pioneer head unit. It took me a while to find these speakers as cost was an issue for me as well, but I finally went into a smaller stereo shop and they had these on display. These speakers were the floor model and they were the last set he had so he gave me the set with crossovers and everything for $70. Might be worth looking around to try to find a deal. And the 6.5" fit fine in the front door. They don't sit flush like the old speakers did but they more than clear the door panel and I didn't have to cut the door itself at all for them to fit. Only problem would be that now my front windows don't roll down all the way as they hit the magnet on the back of the speaker, but they still go down 3/4 of the way so I can live with it. Good luck in your search!

[ILoveMyPatty]

Personally, I have a set of 6.5" JBL Gto Components, with the tweeters in a home made fiberglass pod on the a-pillar panel. I have Alpine Type S 6x9s in the back, running off of a small amp.

I would suggest getting decent speakers, whatever size and running all of them off of an amp.

[ticker]

That's what SkinnyPedal was referring to by "nothing" is better than factory amps, and he's right. Your aftermarket deck will never sound right through the stock amps.

 

Its funny my front speakers sound great running the aftermarket deck through the amp, the rear speakers sound like crap though.

[93blackonblack]

i tried the 6x9's on the front of my 93, didnt fit at all, no way they were going in, so i bough some cheap 4" speakers and they fit in the stock bezel, i think im going to do the same for the back, my stock ones were dry rotter and blown all to hell but still sound decent if your not pumping the bass, my tweeters are fine though nothing wrong with them at all, still sound good and load as hell. my one question where is this factory amp? theres a fuse for it but theres also a fuse spot for the heated seats and i dont know if my model came with eather and how do i find out? pm me lol

[95shakinPF]

Ive run 5x7s boston acoustics off of the stock amp and am very happy! you should do some research on the speakers rms(root-means-squared) power rating! this is actual continuous power. The boston acoustics 5x7 are 35 watts to 50 watts rms(not peak). Im not sure what the stock amp produces in rms wattage but im pretty sure its between that cuz they sound crystal clear and loud! If you use something with an rms of 150 watts your gonna seriously underpower your speaker and distortion is your worst enemy!! hope I helped! Oh Yeah! MODEL # Boston Acoustics S85 (5x7 or 6x8 are the same basket,same speaker bolt holes are slotted)! You hafta bend a little tab on the ends of the baskets and they bolt right in!! I have replaced my stk deck with a sony c/d player running thru the existing wires with an adapter harness,which runs thru the stk amps! I am extremely happy with the soumd and have had many compliments!

Edited September 23, 2007 by 95shakinPF

[Mr. Pickles]

With the stock amps, most anything aftermarket will sound ok. The question is, do you want to *crank* it? If not, off you go. If so, it doesn't have to be expensive. I'd suggest not using the "hi-power" aftermarket stereo's power, but that's up to you, and it should be ok for normal radio listening. I'd go with a decent aftermarket stereo, anything from Pioneer, Kenwood, or Alpine, up to Sony and Eclipse or better.

 

I'd strongly suggest you bypass the stock amps if you plan any sort of serious cranking, or subwoofer, and such. A basic 4 channel amp will work, especially those that allow a full system plus a sub on a seperate amp. You can match many head units with amps, and can pick and choose components. If its on their dime, I'd let the shop deal with it, and if you have any thoughts about maybe upgrading, ask them to leave a long set of RCA jacks for subs or something down the line, as well as a remote wire.

[BLouisGod]

I just wired my Pioneer deck (45x4) directly to my 4 5X7's running speaker wire directly throughout the truck. I can crank it and get it pretty loud, it serves its purpose.