Aftermarket component speakers

[westslope]

I want to (finally) replace the stock component speakers in the '93 pathfinder. 4 5"X7" mids and 4 1" tweeters.

 

The aftermarket deck is a modest Alpine CDE-9843. The RMS power output is 16 watts X 4; Peak output is 45 watts. The original amps have been removed.

 

I'm not interested in taking up space with a sub-woofer. Any recommendations? My expectations are low. I want something a little better than what I currently have.

 

 

 

 

crutchfield.ca has a staff pick: an Alpine SPR-50C Type-R 5-1/4" component speaker system C$249.99

 

,... or a JL Audio C3-570 Evolution™ C3 Series 5"x7" convertible component speaker system C$399.99

 

I don't want to spend a lot of money for what is basically a noisy vehicle.

 

 

 

 

Suggestions?

 

 

 

 

 

[Slartibartfast]

When I blew out the factory Clarions in the doors (scared me half to death, I was a noob and thought the tire had gone), I swapped in a set of boss audio speakers from Radioshack. Can't have been more than $40 for the pair. We had to do a little router work to the stock mounts to get them it (I may have gotten the 6x9s), but they've worked quite well since, even with the factory amps/rear speakers/tweeters. I could replace the rear speakers, and the tweeters, and wire it all up, and still not have spent nearly as much as the systems you linked to. These look more like what you'd get if you wanted to rattle some windows. Oh, wait, Pathfinder windows rattle anyway.

 

That said, a proper setup would probably sound much better, and complement your higher-end head unit. All down to what you want it to do.

[adamzan]

Cheap systems sound cheap. To be honest if you stick with an el cheapo speaker its worse than the oem speakers which were actually quite nice when new. I put out for the higher end infinity speakers and a good kenwood deck, with an infinity bass-link (compact self powered sub) and it sounds great amazing.

 

Alpine makes great stuff.

[westslope]

adamzan,

 

The idea here is to get something that is an improvement over the 17-year old OEM component speakers.

 

I always thought that component speakers were 'better' than coaxial 2-way or 3-way speakers. A sales person at Vision Electronics in Langley, B.C. suggested that inexpensive coaxial speakers would produce better sound than very cheap component speakers.

 

Vision Electronics only has a 5 1/4" mid-speaker and 1" tweeter component set by Kicker 11KS52 for $189. ($130/set for installation.) Nothing larger fits according to the sales person at Vision Electronics. 5X7 was not available in component speakers. On the other hand crutchfield.ca advertises various speakers that are compatible with the '93 pathie: 5 1/4", 6 3/4", 5" X 7", 6" X 8"

 

With everything else equal 6"+ speakers would be better than 5 1/4" speakers, no?

 

 

 

 

I like the idea of a 10" sub-woofer but where do I put it? In the trunk of the low-rider I don't have? Sometimes the pathie gets stuffed with outdoor gear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[adamzan]

That is the unit I have. The way I have it set up, I can easily remove it when I head off for the weekend somewhere.

 

To be honest the factory tweeters are pretty good for what they are, and if it were me I would just leave them alone.

 

Sorry if I came off sounding like an ass earlier it just seems that lately everyone on this site has become such a cheap bastage. Did we all become Italian overnight?

[Tungsten]

Infinity Kappa series component speakers will give you the best sound for your money.

[sewebster]

Why is a component speaker supposed to be better than a regular speaker where you just run some wire?

[Tungsten]

 

A component system is better for the following 3 reasons:

 

1. Component systems have better cross over systems.

2. Component systems allow you to aim the tweeters.

3. Component systems can usually handle more power.

[sewebster]

So the crossover is some other box you have shoved under your dash? Or is it integrated into one of the speakers?

[westslope]

Component systems have external crossovers. I gather some put those in the door. Some coaxial speakers have built-in crossovers.

 

Here is one explanation of the differences: Car Audio Speakers Overview

 

More thoughts on the differences:Coaxials versus Components Speakers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sewebster]

Component systems have external crossovers. I gather some put those in the door. Some coaxial speakers have built-in crossovers.

 

Here is one explanation of the differences: Car Audio Speakers Overview

 

More thoughts on the differences:Coaxials versus Components Speakers

 

Thanks for the education guys. I guess I really didn't know anything about car audio. I now wonder what I've really done by modifying the audio system that was in the truck when I bought it. There were 2 speakers in the front doors, 2 in the back panels, 4 tweeters and a sub. I just removed the tweeters and sub and got the other 4 speakers working properly (some stuff had come disconnected). But maybe the reason it sounds bad now is that I have only half a component system or something. Probably worth investigating.

 

I'm assuming though, that there is an even lower tech version of all this, where you just have a speaker set with one element per speaker that is designed to produce the whole frequency range (albeit poorly). So I guess you need to be able to distinguish between that and the low frequency part of a component system.

 

I was getting hung up on the terminology before. To me, coaxial and component are two types of cables.

[ditchdiggerjcf]

Thanks for the education guys. I guess I really didn't know anything about car audio. I now wonder what I've really done by modifying the audio system that was in the truck when I bought it. There were 2 speakers in the front doors, 2 in the back panels, 4 tweeters and a sub. I just removed the tweeters and sub and got the other 4 speakers working properly (some stuff had come disconnected). But maybe the reason it sounds bad now is that I have only half a component system or something. Probably worth investigating.

 

I'm assuming though, that there is an even lower tech version of all this, where you just have a speaker set with one element per speaker that is designed to produce the whole frequency range (albeit poorly). So I guess you need to be able to distinguish between that and the low frequency part of a component system.

 

I was getting hung up on the terminology before. To me, coaxial and component are two types of cables.

Polk audio is the only way to fly.

[westslope]

Polk audio is the only way to fly.

 

I have bookshelf Polk Audio speakers for the home theatre system. I have not encountered any 5"X7" or 6 1/2" component speakers by Polk audio near home. Alpine, MTX, etc. yes. crutchfield.ca has these 6 1/2" Polk audio speakers for $219. Apparently they fit.