Upgraded speakers!

[joeym509]

Wow what a nice improvement. I installed a set of Boston Acoustics SX60 up front, and BA SX85 in the rear, plus while I was at it wired up my door sills! Bean a busy boy but well worth it. So far I am very happy with this speaker combo.Now it's time for (thinkbeer

[J.P.]

I am curious what the stock speakers look like. If you can, please post a pic of the stock units. I am not unhappy with the factory setup, but it is far from impressive sound-wise.

- JP.

[joeym509]

Will try and post a pic in next couple of days, once they are out you can really tell the difference, they are just your basic factory speakers nothing special, and I have a 09 GT with 6 speakers, the upgrade has been well worth it, even with the stock head unit.

[Mark787B]

Cool... I'm about to upgrade myself with components and an amp, I just have to find the time...

[AwaKeN]

So it's 6 1/2 in front and 5 X 7 in the back ? Is it bolt on ?

[DKaz]

No, stock size is 6x8 fronts and rears. 5-1/4" (and apparently 6-1/2", I don't know how) speakers are compatible as long as you have an adapter which Crutchfield will supply (others too, at a cost). Pioneer Premier's D and PRS series 5-1/4"s are supplied with 6"x8" adapters.

I just got Pioneer Premier TS-D820Ps 2-way coaxials for my rears, I got these speakers not much for the power - you don't want the rear speakers to be that powerful anyway - but because they are one of the few coaxials out there with a true crossover on board. They sound fantastic. I didn't go too all out with the rears, from a drivers and passengers perspective you hardly hear the rear speakers anyway, they just provide sound space from the rear. With baby coming along anyway I'd likely turn them down, but I wanted something that sounded decent enough for the drive-in theatre when we sit in the back hatch up. I just wanted simple plug and play installation as well.

I'm planning to get either Premier TS-C520PRS (top of the line Pioneers) components or Hertz HSK-130 (second top of the line from Hertz) or Hertz MLK-165 ($799 MSRP, could probably get them for $600, but these speakers are just the best of the best, the bass is strong and clean, the tweeters plays details so fine you just want to turn the treble all the way up) components for the fronts, they're both 5-1/4" round (except for the MLKs, they don't come in 5-1/4") but in general everyone says that round speakers produce a superior sound to oval speakers.

joeym509, you have to show us how the 6-1/2"s fit. I really want the Milles!

[joeym509]

No, stock size is 6x8 fronts and rears. 5-1/4" (and apparently 6-1/2", I don't know how) speakers are compatible as long as you have an adapter which Crutchfield will supply (others too, at a cost). Pioneer Premier's D and PRS series 5-1/4"s are supplied with 6"x8" adapters.

I just got Pioneer Premier TS-D820Ps 2-way coaxials for my rears, I got these speakers not much for the power - you don't want the rear speakers to be that powerful anyway - but because they are one of the few coaxials out there with a true crossover on board. They sound fantastic. I didn't go too all out with the rears, from a drivers and passengers perspective you hardly hear the rear speakers anyway, they just provide sound space from the rear. With baby coming along anyway I'd likely turn them down, but I wanted something that sounded decent enough for the drive-in theatre when we sit in the back hatch up. I just wanted simple plug and play installation as well.

I'm planning to get either Premier TS-C520PRS (top of the line Pioneers) components or Hertz HSK-130 (second top of the line from Hertz) or Hertz MLK-165 ($799 MSRP, could probably get them for $600, but these speakers are just the best of the best, the bass is strong and clean, the tweeters plays details so fine you just want to turn the treble all the way up) components for the fronts, they're both 5-1/4" round (except for the MLKs, they don't come in 5-1/4") but in general everyone says that round speakers produce a superior sound to oval speakers.

joeym509, you have to show us how the 6-1/2"s fit. I really want the Milles!

I wish I could but I had the shop do the install. I printed out what I found at crutchfield and what they carried at their shop, took in what CF was including and their prices, the shop matched the price and then $50 bucks to install everything. It only took them 1.5 hours and if I would have tried the install probably would have taken me all day. The used all the stock holes and until you turn it on no one would ever know. Very happy with my choice of speakers. Also just finished painting my calipers, I will wait until tomorrow to put my stickers and wheels back on just to be sure they get good and dry (burnout)(burnout)

[Zenderfall]

I replaced all the speakers with 6x8 Infinity References, and I can say this: The component speaker pair sound substantially better than the coaxials. I placed the compnonents in the front in the stock locations, and the coaxials in the rear, and sitting in front and then rear and listening to the same things I can say that the bass is more pronounced, mids and highss all sound much better. And these are the same "series!" made in the same year.

One day I'll rip out the coaxials and place components in the rear........I would recommend not using coaxials for replacements.

[AwaKeN]

Edited

[DKaz]

I replaced all the speakers with 6x8 Infinity References, and I can say this: The component speaker pair sound substantially better than the coaxials. I placed the compnonents in the front in the stock locations, and the coaxials in the rear, and sitting in front and then rear and listening to the same things I can say that the bass is more pronounced, mids and highss all sound much better. And these are the same "series!" made in the same year.

One day I'll rip out the coaxials and place components in the rear........I would recommend not using coaxials for replacements.

Do the coaxials have a proper crossover onboard at least? Proper separation of frequencies can do wonders. My Pioneer Premier TS-D802Ps have crossovers despite being coaxials, I'd expect the Infinity Reference series would have them as well...

[remarquian]

I am curious what the stock speakers look like. If you can, please post a pic of the stock units. I am not unhappy with the factory setup, but it is far from impressive sound-wise.


I just replaced mine with some cheap Kenwood KFC-C6882ie. Here's a pic of the four I pulled out.

[J.P.]

They look about as good as they sound. At least the magnets appear useful for picking up loose hardware around the shop! Looks like speaker shopping is on the horizon for ours.

- JP.

[Grugster]

I was just speaking to CF about the Infinity Ref's. How hard is it to replace the tweeters? I know that some modification is necessary but did they go in without too much hassle?

[tillyspeed81]

I dunno, but it looked like the 5 had been prewired for tweeters.....anyone know??? I mean when I was changing out my stock speakers and adding dynamat I took off the cover (where the stock tweeter(ricer) should be) and lo-and behold there was a set of wires chillin there.....the wires ran straight down to my stock speakers...so I was thinking of installing a set of tweeters I've had sitting around.....should try it and see if it works....

[bootman]

I dunno, but it looked like the 5 had been prewired for tweeters.....anyone know??? I mean when I was changing out my stock speakers and adding dynamat I took off the cover (where the stock tweeter(ricer) should be) and lo-and behold there was a set of wires chillin there.....the wires ran straight down to my stock speakers...so I was thinking of installing a set of tweeters I've had sitting around.....should try it and see if it works....

They are wired in parallel with the front speakers.
If you add a tweeter, make sure you have some kind of crossover in line.
The stock ones come with a capacitor soldered to them.

[Zenderfall]

I dunno, but it looked like the 5 had been prewired for tweeters.....anyone know??? I mean when I was changing out my stock speakers and adding dynamat I took off the cover (where the stock tweeter(ricer) should be) and lo-and behold there was a set of wires chillin there.....the wires ran straight down to my stock speakers...so I was thinking of installing a set of tweeters I've had sitting around.....should try it and see if it works....

I did that and it is not hard at all, although I removed the original stock tweeters and got a hole saw bit from the hardware store, bored out the hole a little larger so I could mount the Infinity's in there. If you mess it up you can just get the plastic triangular pieces from Mazda.

But its an easy job though. Sounds a lot better than stock.

[Zenderfall]

Do the coaxials have a proper crossover onboard at least? Proper separation of frequencies can do wonders. My Pioneer Premier TS-D802Ps have crossovers despite being coaxials, I'd expect the Infinity Reference series would have them as well...

Yes they do but they are small pieces attached to the speaker, rather than an enclosure with large parts in them like the components. I'll agree you can do wonders but in the end, physics dictate how well the speaker sounds. I have both component and coaxials from the same company same lineup and same year products and if I could do it again I will not put coaxials in at all.

[Heat]

Zenderfall, is this the component speaker you picked up for the front:

Infinity Reference 6820cs ($140)

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_1086820CS/Infinity-Reference-6820cs.html?showAll=Y&tp=92

I'm interested in replacing at least my front speakers now but have never installed a component speaker system. What's the wiring like?

[Heat]

Zenderfall, is this the component speaker you picked up for the front:

Infinity Reference 6820cs ($140)

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_1086820CS/Infinity-Reference-6820cs.html?showAll=Y&tp=92

I'm interested in replacing at least my front speakers now but have never installed a component speaker system. What's the wiring like?
Well, I've bought the Infinity Reference 6820cs and hope to get them in this coming weekend.

What's the wiring like? I see a couple of tweeter houses on my '09 Sport so I assume the tweeters will go there.

I also picked up some 2-way Infinity Reference speakers (6822cf) for the rear, and a new head unit (JVC KD-S100). The component and 2-way speakers, plus the head unit, for $270 at Crutchfield (though I got a returned head unit, saving $20, and I had $20 in credit so $230).

The install kit for the radio is on backorder so I won't be able to do that for a while.

[mac_mac]

I had ordered a pair of tweeter from Taiwan and replaced it with my Sony speaker.

[Zenderfall]

Zenderfall, is this the component speaker you picked up for the front:

Infinity Reference 6820cs ($140)

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_1086820CS/Infinity-Reference-6820cs.html?showAll=Y&tp=92

I'm interested in replacing at least my front speakers now but have never installed a component speaker system. What's the wiring like?

Those are the exact speakers I have up front. Although I paid far less for them new (do an eBay search and you'll find brand new ones for less than that)

Not difficult at all to install. The fun part was taking the triangular black pieces inside to drill them out for the new tweeters. When I have some time I'll post pics.

You have a choice of where to put the crossovers, I put mine in the door, there is a good space towards the rear armrest for it, although some might find a better space near the front console somewhere.

As far as wiring, I noticed there wasn't a crossover in the original speakers/tweeters. They were simply wired "together" with perhaps some resister packaging in the speakers. Cheap design, no wonder I couldn't hear anything from the original tweeters.

If I was to do this again, I'd install components in the rears, as I sadly placed the coaxials of the same brand, same lineup, same year, except they sound oh so......only slightly better than stock.

[Heat]

... The fun part was taking the triangular black pieces inside to drill them out for the new tweeters. When I have some time I'll post pics...
Yes, please post the pics. I went ahead and picked up the 6820cs speakers and the 6822cf (the coaxials), along with a new head unit (JVC KD-S100). I happened to catch a really neat little sale Crutchfield was having - I spent $270 and got the two pairs of speakers and the receiver though I got $20 off because I picked up a returned head unit, as well as another $20 off due to a credit I had with them from an order a couple of years ago, so $230. Kit, harnesses, and shipping included.

This is all sitting in my garage, the kit was on backorder (through Crutchfield), but no reason I can't put the speakers in which I hope to do this weekend.

[Zenderfall]

I posted a close-up pic from straight on and from the back. All I did was use a hole saw the same size as described in the installation manual. I completely drilled out the hole and mounted the Infinity speakers in, then wired it up.

As you can see, I also angled the tweeters back almost all the way.

And no, my glass is not cracked, its a reflection...the first pic doesn't have a crack in the window....

Not difficult at all. The sound is considerably improved over stock. I do recommend the component sets for the rear speakers as well.

[rweatherford]

I've been looking at the Pioneer TS-D720C component set. Anyone have any experience? Thinking about just replacing the front.

[Zenderfall]

I've been looking at the Pioneer TS-D720C component set. Anyone have any experience? Thinking about just replacing the front.

Those are round 6 1/2" speakers. Will they even fit without cutting?