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New member Username: MayqswetVirginia Beach, VA Post Number: 4 Registered: Jan-09 | Thanks for the advice I got last year on upgrading my system. I ended up spending as little as possible and replaced my 3" factory dash speakers with 3.5" Infinity Reference speakers. It made a big improvement in the sound stage and brightness and really opened up the music. Now, I've got about $400 to spend getting ready to have the local BestBuy install BQuiet in my front and rear doors (bought a roll of it on Ebay). Would a pair of component speakers in the front make a big difference over the improvement I got with the Infinity's? If so, I'd rather get the install done while the door panel's already off. Also, should I just leave the 2-ways in the rear door as is, or upgrade them to Inifinity Reference to match the dash speakers? Also, the guys at Crutchfield advised me to get the Sound Ordnance B-8PT 120W powered sub to make up for the very anemic factory sub. Any comments/advice? |
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New member Username: Deadrx7convPost Number: 1 Registered: Aug-10 | The front doors are woofers. It depends on what signal is going to the doors from the factory amp. No one knows if the amp is active or if each factory speaker has passive crossover circuitry. The improvement in sound from your dash hints that any upgrade should sound better. Can't expect much from what rolled down the Toyota assembly line regardless of the fancy JBL name. Since the front door uses 6"x9" speakers, I would definitely stick with them. A 6x9 has almost the surface area of an 8" round. So, 6.5" speakers will lose some of the bass from the front doors and I wouldn't shrink the speaker size there. Plenty of quality 6x9's at crutchfield, sonicelectronix, woofersetc.... Infinity Reference or Kappa are easy choices. The rear door would most likely benefit from the 6.5" to 6.75" component or higher-end coaxial speakers as JBL calls the rear door full-ranges. Audiojunkies might not care for rear fill since it might conflict with front image. But, I usually drive with passenger and always use rear fill for my guests. The stock hatch mounted sub is 8". Simply replacing the sub will do wonders. You'll have to measure the depth since a <4" depth would only allow shallow subs. There also might be an inch or so of top space(add a spacer for a 4-5" deep sub). You may need a carpenter or stereo shop to cut some mdf/plywood/plastic to make a sub spacer ring after tracing the old/new subs. Since you already have Infiniti Reference in the dash, it would be easy and affordable to install Infiniti 6x9's in the front doors, 6.5/6.75's in the rear doors, and upgrade the the sub. Infiniti 8" sub is ~5.5" deep and might not fit(take hatch depth measurement). But, Pioneer, Kenwood, MTX, Kicker,..... make shallow mount subs. The partsexpress website has great quality 8" subwoofers in the $65-100 price range, and some are relatively shallow. ANY and ALL types of soundproofing helps everywhere. All four doors, under carpet, and the hatch will benefit. And, some stuffing/filling in the rear hatch might assist the stock or aftermarket sub. Under chassis spray-on soundproofing is another/additional option. Good luck. BTW, I've been gathering components for my '08 JBL Highlander Limited. I'm going with Critical Mass speakers since they are light and shallow::: RS3.5 for the dash, RS6 for the rear doors, RS69 for the front doors, and a TangBand or Dayton 8" sub from Partsexpress. Eventually, maybe in a year or 2, I'll rip out the JBL amp and Toyota radio. |
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New member Username: MayqswetVirginia Beach, VA Post Number: 5 Registered: Jan-09 | Thanks for the response. I had some BQuiet installed in all 4 doors and some 6.5" Infinity Kappas in the rear doors. It really improved the bass response but I may get the tailgate done too. Maybe it'll help the sub a little more. if not, I may go with the Infinity BassLink under the driver's seat or under the 3rd row seat (which stays folded down all the time). Oddly enough, the system almost sounds like it has a little distortion in it since right after the new speakers/BeQuiet. i wonder if the Kappas in the rear doors are responsible, or if my ears are playing tricks on me. I wish i would have thought to ask them to see if a full range coaxial speaker could be driven with a normal range from the front door speaker leads. it sure would be nice if this were the case. If so, I might look for some 6x9 components and go with the BassLink to fill in for the 6x9 woofers. One more thought. Crutchfield sells baffles to go around a speaker. Do you think that would be a good idea for the Infinity 3.5" kappas in the dash? BTW, I checked out the Critical Mass website. Holy cow, those must be some great speakers for those prices... |
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New member Username: Deadrx7convPost Number: 7 Registered: Aug-10 | If you can't insulate behind the speaker, using a baffle usually helps. I hunted online for my speakers. You'd be surprised how many people buy stuff, or get as gifts, and then don't ever use it. My speakers were new in box purchased second hand from either ebay, craigslist, or some other forum. I would never pay the retail price for those CriticalMass speakers. But, I prefer my Focal's and Boston Acoustics that I've used in other cars. The CM's sound go. Still need to put more time on them before I draw a full conclusion. Give the Kappas some time to break in. |