Rear Speaker Discussion

Poseur · Aug 19, 2005

Rudy23 said:
I did just that and have to admit that you are right. The car I saw was a 2000 Honda Civic Hatchback with Alpine head unit, amp and front speakers and front tweeters (mounted right above the speaker, facing the driver). The rear were the Honda stock ones and were not amped. It had been professionally setup and the sound was just bloody amazing!

Indeed the rear don't do a lot in a properly setup car. (2thumbs)

AWESOME! glad to hear you've heard what I'm talking about. That's prettymuch about how I've bene running things, but getting tricky with my frontstage's necessitated just killing the back all together. Honestly from the backseat it still sounds great according to everyone who's been back there (including myself) Sure eventually I may add some rear speakers back into the mix, but that'll be for 4.1 surround sound, and even stranger, I'll likely be making some form of pod contraptions to replicate that stereo-horrible sedan off theback window situation that I've hated forever.

1sty · Aug 19, 2005

Poseur said:
Some of the knowing ones here are either being nice about it, or they've just finally caved in to the masses with their herd mentality. Beleive me, I know I have to deal with it at work all the time and it's really mostly just not worth it, but in here where people are theoretically atleast curious about what might sound halfway decent, NO I'm not gonna humor it. the usual crutchfield-esque recipe of car audio that involves upgrading all speakers and powering them off of a deck doesnt' even really add much volume infact it generally takes away bass responce.

The excuses that the knowledgeable kids inhere have offeredup for rear speakers are primarily just that EXCUSES... It does not mean they think it's the best idea in the world, simply stating that there is SOME potential application.

The best cars I have heard have all had rear speakers. But they were some of the best compition cars out there that used the rears in the ways I mentioned.

Other then that, I can see no fault with someone wanting rear speakers to entertain there passangers or if they just happen to like being consumed by sound. I am of the belief that the person paying the money, should get whatever they want. If it makes no sense to you and I then so be it. I will explain the difference but its ultimatly not my money and not my decision.

I do think that you are very right in that most people that crave rear speakers, have never heard a properly setup car. Typicly they have only heard rigged POS systems a buddy bought at a Ciriut City craptastic sale on audiobahn and sony.

badboyeee · Aug 20, 2005

I am thinking about putting my midbass Alpine type X speakers in my rear doors to add more midbass. Is this a bad idea? I was planning to power them with only my head unit without the crossover and tweeters.

chuyler1 · Aug 20, 2005

If you lack midbass...most likely your crossovers are set incorrectly or you need an eq.

1sty · Aug 20, 2005

badboyeee said:
I am thinking about putting my midbass Alpine type X speakers in my rear doors to add more midbass. Is this a bad idea? I was planning to power them with only my head unit without the crossover and tweeters.

There are several problems with your plan.
First, more midbass and deck power are mutualy exclusive terms. You need an amp to power any aftermarket speaker to pump out more midbass then the factory speakers are capable of. Type X are not one of the more effecient speakers out there either so power is even more important.
Second, you will need the speakers to be crossed over high pass to get the most output from them without distortion.
Third, although its bess, midbass is still directional. If you put it behind you then the idea of a sound stage is losed as the highs will be the only thing high and infront of you, the rear will be pulled down and toward the rear.

You time and money is better spend properly amping the front speakers. If the fronts can not provide enough midbass then its time to upgrade them to ones that can. Or you could always run subs to a higher frequency to cover some of the midbass range.

toucci · Dec 16, 2005

I just removed my stock rear speakers. They were really screwing things up with my infinity components up front and stock sub in the rear. Now the fader controls the power going to the sub and not the crappy sounding speakers. I don't think I'll replace them with anything; I prefer the front sound stage anyways. With door speakers not in the dash you get plenty of fill anyways.

chuyler1 · Dec 16, 2005

Another has resisted the temptation of the dark side.

tsunami · Dec 19, 2005

i have stock rear speakers running off of stock stereo and faded almost to nothing... every person that gets in my car thinks the sound is amazing and can't believe there is no rear speaker set up when they ask about the details....

got wake? · Apr 2, 2006

i just kind of skimmed over this thread, but overall it seems pretty good. the only reason why i would use rear speakers is if i needed a better blend between a mid-range from a 2-way comp set and the sub, or if i wanted to play around with using the rear speakers to cancel out some of the destructive sound waves that bounce back from the rear of the vehicle. neither scenario is something for the beginner to try.

chuyler1 · Apr 3, 2006

They can also be used very carefully to raise the sound stage (rear deck install) or help center the imaging...but as you said, those aren't beginner tuning exercises and they would require a bandpass crossover and eq.

blondee_yvr · Jun 17, 2006

I just caught this thread.

I made the mistake of swapping my rear stock speakers with MTX's and Infinities in the front. I am terribly disappointed with the rear speakers. The volume on them is poor even with the fader at 5 or 6 toward the rears. The bass and sound is so weak it's not funny.

Should I get my stock rears reinstalled speakers to improve the sound? Perhaps I should get an amp and sub to get more power to the rears and improve the bass?

Poseur · Jun 18, 2006

READ the thread. Then re-ask. In reality, to answer you, I would say that it depends upon what your definition of "improved sound" is. The general consensus answer from the more informed users in here you're going to get is going to be leave them out. As for what's going to sound best to you, yes re-installing the stock speakers should yield you more bass.

blondee_yvr · Jun 18, 2006

Mazda3

I skimmed the thread before posting I am still unclear if I should add a sub and amp and if it would increase volume of the rears. I thought asking questions is appropriate here, not biting me in the ass by telling me to READ the thread. The title of this thread is Rear Speaker Discussion. I may be a newb here, but I think we should be here to help others not give them attitude. I would like some constructive help here, is that too much too ask? I am surprised I wasn't told to google for the answer, instead of posting a question.

Any how, I read the threads where users said to leave them out, I don't share that opinion as I like to have some depth in the rears.

I dunno if my case is typical or something is wrong but another poster mentioned in another thread that the Mazda3 output in the rears is less than the fronts as measured by a line-out converter. The MTX's in store sounded better in the bass department than the Infinities did. That's why I had them go in the rears.

Poseur, cut me some slack, 'k?

got wake? · Jun 18, 2006

blondee_yvr said:
Poseur, cut me some slack, 'k?

realize that most of us don't prefer the use of rear speakers. but if you want more output from them, you need to send them more power. stock speakers are designed to work off 15 watts, but aftermarket speakers (especially good ones) are designed to operate of much more. the only way to get more output is to send more power to them.

as for getting an amp for a sub and the rears, WHY? 99.99% of the time i recomend amping the fronts and the sub with a 3/4 channel amp. do you go to a concert and face away from the stage? that is effectively the sound you would create by amping the rears and not the fronts.

blondee_yvr · Jun 21, 2006

got wake? said:
realize that most of us don't prefer the use of rear speakers. but if you want more output from them, you need to send them more power. stock speakers are designed to work off 15 watts, but aftermarket speakers (especially good ones) are designed to operate of much more. the only way to get more output is to send more power to them.

as for getting an amp for a sub and the rears, WHY? 99.99% of the time i recomend amping the fronts and the sub with a 3/4 channel amp. do you go to a concert and face away from the stage? that is effectively the sound you would create by amping the rears and not the fronts.

Would you suggest then getting an amp and sub and ditching the new speakers in the rear and going with the OEM ones? The sound from the rears and the new speakers is so pathetic it's like they are not even there.

got wake? · Jun 22, 2006

blondee_yvr said:
Would you suggest then getting an amp and sub and ditching the new speakers in the rear and going with the OEM ones? The sound from the rears and the new speakers is so pathetic it's like they are not even there.

i'd ditch rear speakers completely. i haven't used rear speakers in probably 5-6 years and have no complaints. you can mount an 8 or a pair of 8's in an enclosure that fires through the empty rear deck speaker holes. you could also mount the amp to that, so you really wouldn't lose any trunk space.

blondee_yvr · Jun 23, 2006

got wake? said:
i'd ditch rear speakers completely. i haven't used rear speakers in probably 5-6 years and have no complaints. you can mount an 8 or a pair of 8's in an enclosure that fires through the empty rear deck speaker holes. you could also mount the amp to that, so you really wouldn't lose any trunk space.

that probably would cost quite a few bucks with labor et al and would require a fair bit of dynamat? btw, i go nuts with rattles and squeaks.

blondee_yvr · Jun 24, 2006

got wake? said:
as for getting an amp for a sub and the rears, WHY? 99.99% of the time i recomend amping the fronts and the sub with a 3/4 channel amp. do you go to a concert and face away from the stage? that is effectively the sound you would create by amping the rears and not the fronts.

Actually, I do prefer the sound away from the front somewhat, I dunno why but I guess it's personal preference.

Speaking of 3/4 channel amp. Someone said that you can power the front and rears along with a sub with a 4 channel amp? The amp would have to be pretty powerful, no?

got wake? · Jun 24, 2006

blondee_yvr said:
that probably would cost quite a few bucks with labor et al and would require a fair bit of dynamat? btw, i go nuts with rattles and squeaks.

it's a suggestion, nothing mandatory.

got wake? · Jun 24, 2006

blondee_yvr said:
Actually, I do prefer the sound away from the front somewhat, I dunno why but I guess it's personal preference.

Speaking of 3/4 channel amp. Someone said that you can power the front and rears along with a sub with a 4 channel amp? The amp would have to be pretty powerful, no?

a lot of things are possible, it's all in how things are setup with passive x-overs.

Rear Speaker Discussion

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