Need update on 2016 speaker size etc

[xtasy]

Hey guys, I'm planning to upgrade the speakers on my Mazda CX5.
I bought the sport model, knowing that I don't want the crappy bose system. Especially after experiencing it on both my speed3 and speed6.

I understand that most of you get a huge improvement upgrading or adding speakers to the front dash.

My CX5 is the sport model with the 400$ Infotainment option with 4 speakers. I'm wondering if the RMS output is the same as the non infotainment unit. (debating whether or not to amp the speakers or not)

Also if the speaker size for the 2016 is the same as the 2015? I'll be using 3.5'' polk speakers for the dash and probably alpine speakers for the rest of the car. (assuming it is 6.5 front and 5.25 rear)

Also wondering if there's any other secret location where Mazda added wiring but didn't add speakers.

Will be posting up photos once I get all the speaker size figured out.
Thanks a bunch!

 

[ryan4130]

I've read that there is not wiring to the other speaker locations since the Bose and stock harnesses are different.

 

[xtasy]

Updating this thread, Put in the 3.5' polk speakers in the front dash. Didn't know the center dash also have a 3.5 speaker slot. Will be ordering that tonight.

The the wiring is routed there already. Driver side is a little bit harder to install. There's a plastic piece of the dash pushing against the speakers. You can screw it down all the way and it'll work. I took the extra step and dremel some of the plastic off. With the added 3.5 speakers on the dash, it definitely sounds a lot better.

Will be doing door speakers next, I'll update on the speaker size once I get to it.

 

[yrwei52]

Updating this thread, Put in the 3.5' polk speakers in the front dash. Didn't know the center dash also have a 3.5 speaker slot. Will be ordering that tonight.

Don't waste your time and money to order another 3 Polk speaker as there is no wiring for center dash speaker if you don't have Bose. Besides, front center dash speaker is for Bose Centerpoint surround sound and it's good for movie watching. Many people, including me, feel the center dash speaker in Bose system is sounded too strong for music even if your turned the Centerpoint off!

Let us know what is the size of your OEM door speakers (should be 5" for all 4 speakers in Sport). Posting some pictures would be great!

 

[RG_Flyer]

Let us know what is the size of your OEM door speakers (should be 5" for all 4 speakers in Sport). Posting some pictures would be great!

Agree on the photos. As for size, everything I have read indicates 6-1/2's for the front and read doors.

 

[xtasy]

Don't waste your time and money to order another 3 Polk speaker as there is no wiring for center dash speaker if you don't have Bose. Besides, front center dash speaker is for Bose Centerpoint surround sound and it's good for movie watching. Many people, including me, feel the center dash speaker in Bose system is sounded too strong for music even if your turned the Centerpoint off!

Let us know what is the size of your OEM door speakers (should be 5" for all 4 speakers in Sport). Posting some pictures would be great!

Wished I read this before ordering another set of 3.5 polks. Luckily I have a friend with a CX-5. So i'll be installing it on her car
Also, I read everywhere else it is 6 1/2 speaker all around? I already bought 6 3/4 speakers. Going to get it to fit someway or another.

I'm waiting for my baffles to get here, then i'll be cracking the door panels open. Cross finger it is 6.5

 

[yrwei52]

Also, I read everywhere else it is 6 1/2 speaker all around? I already bought 6 3/4 speakers. Going to get it to fit someway or another.

OEM door speakers are having different sizes between Bose and none-Bose. For 2016 Bose system, it has 9" Nd woofers at front and 5" wide-range speakers at rear. For non-Bose, it should have 5" wide-range speakers at front and rear. But you can fit 6" speaker for doors on non-Bose as the door metal frame itself can fit up to 9" at front and 7" speakers at rear with different collars / adapter-rings for different speaker sizes.

The OEM Bose dash speakers actually are 3" mid-range Twiddler's. But 3" Polk DB351 coaxial can barely fit in.

 

[Ride92]

The polks db351 seems to be the speaker of choice for front replacement even in the 2016 with the Bose, why? What makes these polks so good? I'm leery of doing anything to the car as far as audio but if it's a night and day difference I would consider it.

 

[twiztedlemon]

OEM door speakers are having different sizes between Bose and none-Bose. For 2016 Bose system, it has 9" Nd woofers at front and 5" wide-range speakers at rear. For non-Bose, it should have 5" wide-range speakers at front and rear. But you can fit 6" speaker for doors on non-Bose as the door metal frame itself can fit up to 9" at front and 7" speakers at rear with different collars / adapter-rings for different speaker sizes.

The OEM Bose dash speakers actually are 3" mid-range Twiddler's. But 3" Polk DB351 coaxial can barely fit in.

So what exact size would one go for exatly in a 2016 cx 5 touring ( non Bose ) you said up to 9in with mounting bracket ect. 9 in circlular/6x9 ? Looking to throw 6 new speakers to give me some way better sound quality as well as volume. ( especially when I figure what signal processor I want to get my subs going. ) in all, what's a depth/size I need to buy for fronts and rears where I can get most bang for buck and not too much hassle. Not big into "modifying" the cars structures and safety..


And I'm seeing 3.5 for dash. I'm good on that one! But doors are the hangup. Never would I thought so many speakers sizes in one model!

Btw crutch says 6 3/4 for rear? -.- 6.5 front?

 

[B-ham Gary]

The polks db351 seems to be the speaker of choice for front replacement even in the 2016 with the Bose, why? What makes these polks so good? I'm leery of doing anything to the car as far as audio but if it's a night and day difference I would consider it.

Ditto. I'd be willing to make the effort to upgrade my 2016 non-Bose Touring if I can get an idea of the difference the Polks make.

 

[JonW]

The Polk db351s in the dash have incredible clarity and much better high frequency response than the OEM speakers.

I put 8in. Lanzar 3 way coax speakers in the front doors and with an auxiliary amp (Alpine) the bass is great snd well defined, not muddy at all. I left the rear door speakers alone as I dont hear them in the front seats.

 

[twiztedlemon]

I'm going to guess aftermarket head unit ? With keeping the functionality of the cx5 we are limited to sound processors or LOC. anyone have a recommendation? I don't care how good any speaker or sub is..... You feed it a crap signal and that's all you get....And these infotainment systems will do just that sadly

 

[twiztedlemon]

Ditto. I'd be willing to make the effort to upgrade my 2016 non-Bose Touring if I can get an idea of the difference the Polks make.

The front polks from what I gather are just a larger than 3 1/4 speaker set that is just an over all good speaker and fits. It doesn't have to be the Polk but I'd prob say it would have to be a 3 1/4 vs the polks 3 1/2? Ehh I'll look it up. Heck if it gets this much publicity it's gotta be decent. And its mainly going to be your higher freqs. I'm asking around, shopping, and rationalizing the different options. But I'd def consider doing more than speakers. While yes they will help, our headunits won't push them at all really power wise and signal to them will be horrible. I'd say a LOC or Sig processor unless your up to changing the head unit. I myself am personally not with all the integration involved with it.

 

[JonW]

The head unit amp is not terrible and has enough power to push the Polk DB351s in the dash. However if adding the Lanzar VX830s or the less efficient Polk DB651s in the door you'll need more power to drive them to sound good at normal listening volumes.

The Alpine KTP-445U is a class D 4-channel Power Pack Amplifier that generates very little heat and can therefore be placed anywhere. It can also operate in bridge mode to increase power to just two speakers (ie. the front four) instead of four speakers (all 6 which include the rear doors). It has the ability to get it's input from the head unit's speaker wires which is what I'm doing since there is no line output from the head unit.

Before 2016 the std. non-Bose amplifier was attached to the screen unit and you could hang the KTP-44U behind it from a large wire loom or bar (I can't remember which it was), but in 2016 the head unit amp moved to the right side by the wheel well. I couldn't find any place to put it near there that did not interfere with closing the glove compartment or other things, so I just placed it in the bottom of the glove compartment with a piece of cardboard on top to act as a false bottom for other things in the glove box.

At the moment I'm not running the Alpine in bridge mode and there's plenty of power to drive the front speakers. For yucks one day I may change the switch in it to bridge mode to see how much difference the extra power makes.

If you install the Alpine unit you need to read the instructions very carefully, especially how to set the gain when using speaker level input, and which wires to connect to your speakers when using bridge mode. Everything else is pretty straightforward.

 

[WHM]

With the Polk db351s in the dash can you put the dash grill back on properly? Would it make a difference in the clarity of the sound to just replace these dash speakers? Have a 2016 CX5 touring, no Bose. Just looking for some improvement without replacing the whole system or anything complicated.

 

[JonW]

With the Polk db351s in the dash can you put the dash grill back on properly? Would it make a difference in the clarity of the sound to just replace these dash speakers? Have a 2016 CX5 touring, no Bose. Just looking for some improvement without replacing the whole system or anything complicated.

Yes and yes.

 

[16CX-5GSAWD]

Ditto. I'd be willing to make the effort to upgrade my 2016 non-Bose Touring if I can get an idea of the difference the Polks make.

Trust your ears huge difference between stock 6 speaker dash tweeters and Polk db351.(yes) The stock Navigation sound like it coming from left knee with stock tweeters or just behind your left hip, now with Polk db351 sound like it coming from the dash left side when navigation interrupts the radio. Radio sound stage moved from knees with stock tweeter to the dash in front of you with Polk db351.

When installing base blocker on positive lead one way the cap will sound louder if the cap is reverse than it won't sound balanced.