| jliveMDX |
after getting inspiration from lausy's upgrade post, I decided to follow his lead and upgrade my front speakers... i bought the same ones he did, the Pioneer TS-1665 model which is rated at 180W peak, 50W normal at 4ohms, sensitivity 92 dB... these are 6 1/2 3 way speakers.... i also got a good deal on dynamat(the original)... here are some pics of my install
these are the components and tools i used |
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| jliveMDX |
| here is a picture of the speaker area after removing the stock speaker.... there are 3 nubs you will need to remove for new speakers... you can see two of them near the top screw hole and one near the lower left screw hole... i used the pliers to rip them off and the boxcutter to cut off any hanging pieces... |
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| jliveMDX |
ok i followed carnut's advice and sealed the speaker... instead of using weather stripping I used dynamat that I got for 10 dollars at best buy designed for front doors... as you can see in the pic I had to cut the edges tgo make it fit in the area behind the grill... i advise using a boxcutter to make the cuts since you can h9old up the dynamat to the area to see what exactly needs to get cut off... once the area is covered with dynamat, mark off where exsiting holes you will use to mount the speaker... i could only line up one hole up top....
you can also see that i cut a hole in t he middle of the dynamat... i drew an circle on the dynamat using the cutout in the first picture..... i recommend using highlighter to draw that circle |
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| jliveMDX |
here is finished product... i drilled one extra hole at the bottom and used the existing hole up top.... to connect the wires I bought a wiring harness for acura/honda from circuit city for 6 bucks... you can see it in the first pic.... i didnt have a drill to make the extra holes so i used a power screwdriver which did the trick.... i dont think you need anymorte than two screws to mount especially since the dynamat provides a good seal....
another tip, do all of this work with the windows rolled fully down... this way you see if anything touches the window... you dont wanna go thru this then find out everytime you roll down the window, you knock a connection loose.. my apologies on the blurry pic.... |
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| jliveMDX |
if anyone is interested here is a pic of the stock speakers... they are alpines 30W, 4 ohms and only one way.... im keeping them since my car is a lease and i will be swapping these back in once i turn the car in.....
the results of the upgrade??? AWESOME!!! the highs are really crisp now and the bass no londer drowns out the highs and mids... i already put in a JL sub so i was fine in the bass dept but now everything seems to be in balance.... i will probably do the rears at some point but I understand its a bit more involved so ill wait till carnut posts his pics....
the speakers ran me 55 at millionbuy.com(they're 95 in Best buy), 6 bucks for the harness, 10 bucks for the dynamat.... not bad for the improvement in sound... much thanks to lausy and carnut for the advice...... |
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| BellTeck |
Good work JLive !!!
I know who to call know when I want to do mine !! :D I have to admit I was suprised to hear that the factory speakers were alpine and not bose .. must be part of that cost savings thing. Go Figure. So you can tell a big difference with only the fronts? Looks good !!
TECK! |
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| Mjaime |
| One question jliveMDX. Why the 3-way speakers instead of woofers?. If We already have the tweeters you don't think that when they are apart you get a more realistic sound?. |
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| Macky |
quote:
Originally posted by BellTeck
Good work JLive !!!
I know who to call know when I want to do mine !! :D I have to admit I was suprised to hear that the factory speakers were alpine and not bose .. must be part of that cost savings thing. Go Figure. So you can tell a big difference with only the fronts? Looks good !!
TECK!
Teck,
jliveMDX probably doesn't have the Touring Package. BTW, Bose speakers upfront for Touring were just 25W, 4ohms. |
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| BellTeck |
quote:
Originally posted by Macky
Teck,
jliveMDX probably doesn't have the Touring Package. BTW, Bose speakers upfront for Touring were just 25W, 4ohms.
Your right Macky,
He even says he has a GG Base ... My bad. :rolleyes:
I still think the Bose system is not as bad as some say it is .. I agree at times more power is needed but a lot of that is the recording on the CD or tape ( if still used ). I make almost all my CDs and before the burn I go through a couple of tests and volume is one of them, treble/bass is another, cutoffs/skips, etc etc.. All of these things can be repaired or adjusted that can make a BIG difference in the quality of your system.
Sorry Jlive to get on a rant on your speaker thread .. looks good
:D
TECK! |
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| jliveMDX |
yeah teck i do have a GG Base... wasnt impressed enough with the Bose to warrant the extra 2600..... even if I had the Bose, I'd still recommend an upgrade, there's just no way stock speakers will ever give the same output as an aftermarket brand... BTW, I agree with you on the impact the CD quality has on the overall sound... SOme CD's I put in sound weak, but then some just kick a$$.... Since I burn everything(thank god for the internet) I try to tweak it to get the best sound.....
mjaime - I already have a subwoofer installed.... Look at my post from earlier with pics.... It's a JL Audio 10 inch 10W0 powered by a Kenwood amp in an enclosure.. That provides the punch I need... the crisp highs I now get is worth the upgrade alone, plus I can get some more bass response from the front speakers... |
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| DigitalMDX |
Great pictures, thank you!
1) What is the process of getting the grill/cover off to access the speakers.
2) Does the grill snap/pop/screw back on fairly easily?
Thanks!!! |
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| jliveMDX |
Digital, it's very easy to take the grill off.... If you look in the upper left corner of the driver side grill(under the armrest) and look around the edge you can see a little indentation where you can place a flat head screwdriver to pry up the grill... The grill is flimsy so you wanna be careful not to break it.... It snaps back in place real easy too.....
In the pic above it would be on the right side, under the armrest where the white hole is..... |
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| lausy |
Jlive,
Excellent documentation. I'm glad you're happy with your upgrade. Sorry I couldn't post any pictures for the rears but it's not much harder than the fronts. You just have to use the box cutter to cut the rain shield and bent back the little nubs and you're done. It makes a bigger difference when you change the rears because you get a cleaner sound with amazing highs and better lows. |
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| MDX_Omaha |
quote:
Originally posted by Macky
Teck,
jliveMDX probably doesn't have the Touring Package. BTW, Bose speakers upfront for Touring were just 25W, 4ohms.
I just upgraded my front speakers with the same Pioneers and dynamat. I have the Bose system. My speakers look exactly the same as the Alpines except they have an adhesive label on them that says Bose and the part number.
Thanks much for all the advice and excellent documentation in this forum! I'm going to replace the rears next, and someday the amps. |
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| jliveMDX |
| hey omaha, did you use the dynamat like I did or did u put it behind the speaker opening???? the way u described it in the other thread kinda confused me.... or post ur pics if u dont mind.... |
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| MDX_Omaha |
quote:
Originally posted by jliveMDX
hey omaha, did you use the dynamat like I did or did u put it behind the speaker opening???? the way u described it in the other thread kinda confused me.... or post ur pics if u dont mind....
Jlive, I got the Dynamat with the foil on one side. I didn't realize they had two kinds. Apparently the type with foil is for higher temp locations.
Anyway, for the front speakers, I installed it just like you did, except that I didn't cut out the middle. I just cut an "X" in the middle part and pushed it in so that it is stuck inside the cone part of the door panel. I didn't put any Dynamat behind the speaker on the outer door panel. I didn't think about that, but that might have its own advantages as well.
For the sub, I just cut a big rectangular sheet (approx 12' x 14") and stuck it to the inside of the outer vehicle panel behind the sub. I didn't use any around the sub frame.
I'm very impressed with the increase in sound quality! Pioneer makes some good automotive and marine speakers. I put some of Pioneer's best marine speakers in the boat last spring and the difference is amazing. :D
I can now hear the inadequacies of the rear door speakers, so they have to come out also. I'm not sure whether to go with another set of TS-1665's or go with the TS-G1645 two-ways for the rear. :rolleyes:
Regards,
John in Omaha |
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| lungc_98 |
Omaha
I have also replaced the OEM speakers with the same Pioneers (both front and rear). Now you get me interest in adding the Dynamat. I beleive you used the XTREME version. How many sheets of Dynamat (or size) do think I need for the front , rear, and subwoofer areas. Also, I think you have replaced the OEM sub. Can you tell me the model number? Many thanks!!:) |
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| MDX_Omaha |
quote:
Originally posted by lungc_98
Omaha
I have also replaced the OEM speakers with the same Pioneers (both front and rear). Now you get me interest in adding the Dynamat. I beleive you used the XTREME version. How many sheets of Dynamat (or size) do think I need for the front , rear, and subwoofer areas. Also, I think you have replaced the OEM sub. Can you tell me the model number? Many thanks!!:)
This was my first experience with Dynamat. I hadn't heard of it until I read about it in this forum. I checked the box and it was the extreme version. A one sheet roll that was 4 sq. ft. I have plenty left over to do the rear speakers. I can visualize how it might help dampen and reflect sound from an area such as the plastic door mounts, or the vibration of the sheet metal behind the sub. I can't speak with authority on its acoustic benefits. Perhaps someone else can.
On the sub, I was looking for a relatively low cost, high efficiency sub, due to the 2-ohm low powered Bose amp. I got the Pioneer TS-W28C. It is a long stroke design and also designed for small enclosures. I might replace the sub if/when I replace the amp. Any suggestions on amp replacement are welcome!
The Bose sub is light weight and 2-1/2" deep. I would guess it weighs quite a bit less than one of the 6-1/2" Pioneer TS-1665's. I was always under the impression that sound required air movement and loud, tight sound requires a lot of air movement pushed quickly by the speaker. The Bose sub's design seems to defy that logic.
I've attached pics of the removed Bose sub and of the Pioneer installed in the MDX. |
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| David A. Rey |
Omaha
What is the deepest sub that will fit? I just ordered a Kicker, but it is 5" deep. |
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| MDX_Omaha |
Sorry about the late reply. I didn't measure distance, but I think you'll be OK. I would need to check the depth of the one I put in to completely verify, and will do that this weekend if you need.
Regards,
John |
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| David A. Rey |
Omaha
No worries! I'll receive the stuff Monday and I'll find out then. Thanks. |
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| Mushman |
Hey anyone out there,
I am going to do the speakers to in my base. Wil lprobably go with Polk Audio since I can get a deal on it. I will definitelypost some pics.
With the sub, i want to replace the factory one without changing the amp and want it to fit in the same spot. Does the JL you installed fit?
Please let me know since I plan ondoing this within a week or so.
Thanks |
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| David A. Rey |
FYI
I tried to install the kicker VR 10" subwoofer and it did not fit! it has a top mounting depth of 5". It was too deep and bumped against side of the vehicle.:mad: |
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| MDX_Omaha |
quote:
Originally posted by David A. Rey
FYI
I tried to install the kicker VR 10" subwoofer and it did not fit! it has a top mounting depth of 5". It was too deep and bumped against side of the vehicle.:mad:
David, sorry to hear about that. My Pioneer appears to be closer to 4-1/2 or 4-3/4" mounting depth.
John in Omaha |
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| aggie |
quote:
Originally posted by jliveMDX
after getting inspiration from lausy's upgrade post
Well should I say after getting inspired from your post I decided to do the same. I upgraded the front and back passenger doors with the same Pioneer TS-1665 6 1/2 3-way speakers with Dynamat (except my Dynamat looks different, one side shiny metallic). I also upgraded the bose 10'' sub with the Pioneer TS-W28C sub.
If you thought the front door speakers were cheap, take a look at the back ones, they are even worse even though they are 6 1/2''. In order to get the Pioneer speakers in the back passenger doors, I had to slightly modify the white housings the speakers sit in. First I had to cut off the 3 little tabs sticking out the front and then I had to saw off the back third (back with the vents) because the speaker was too deep. Once the tabs and back 1/3 are cut off, you can place the Pioneer speaker in the housing and twist for a perfect fit (and even use the same 3 pilot holes already in the housing. All in all, it took me 30 minutes to plan and execute the back speaker install.
For the sub, I drilled 4 new holes in the back. Not too bad.
The whole installation cost me around $350.00 and about 2 1/2 hours total. The result is like you said, great!!! The mids and highs are incredibly rich and clear. I am even deaf (my wife thinks so anyway) and it sounds really nice. The only let down is the lack of control over the sub. I think that it needs more power than the stock system can deliver. I also think it needs a better housing (a custom box) but my wife will never go for that. We both like the extra room in the back.
I have to say that anyone out there who can scrape up $350 and a few hours, you won't be disappointed. It really makes a difference.
Thanks to everyone who posted on this thread. Take care.
:D |
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| kuroyama |
| Thanks to all who've supplied information in this thread. I went ahead and also replaced the front speakers with the Pioneer TS-A665, and as others have said, the improvement is significant. I replaced the left front first and compared the 2 front speakers and the stock (bose) sounds very muddy. After replacing both fronts, now the rear speakers sound dull and muddy, so I'm going to have to replace those also. |
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| jliveMDX |
does anyone have a pic of the rear speaker well?? i wanna see what this rain guard thing looks like that i'll have to cut if i wanna upgrade my rears.
thanks |
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| mcclendons |
| I went with the 2 ways Pioneers in the back (same 3 way in front) and did NOT have to cut the rail cover. Perfect fit. The speakers are a little smaller and slightly less efficient (but very slightly. I am very happy with that approach. |
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| marne |
I've been following this thread with interest, since the consensus is that I will be less than delighted with the Bose system in my soon-to-be delivered '02 Touring. So I spent some time today looking for the cited Pioneer speakers online. I found lots of folks selling the TS-A1665's, but nobody selling Pioneer 10" subs model TS-W28C. The only reference I could find to those was on eBay, where someone had about 8 auctions for returned/damaged/nonfunctional speakers.
However, I found lots of folks selling Pioneer TS-W245C 10" subwoofers. Does anyone know whether these are the designated replacements for the TS-W28C's? Do the TS-W245C's have the same key dimension (4"-4.5" mounting depth) which would allow them to be installed in our shallow rear sub compartment?
Also, a question for mcclendons: Which model of Pioneer 2-ways did you choose for your rear speakers?
Thanks to all!!!
--Marne |
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| mcclendons |
Marne,
I used the Pioneer 1645s in the back, 1665 in front. the 1645s fit w/o cutting. There is a post about Infinity speakers as well....and I agree....I am happy w/Pioneers but would use Infinity or Polfk if doing again. Have them in other cars, and like better.
BTW, I got my Pioneer sub (the 28) at Best Buy |
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| Mocking-DX |
| hi everybody. been monitoring this site for a while. So glad to find a site like this coz it's always been helpful like my old integra site a i came from. Anyway, I also replaced my front and rear speakers with infinity 652s, separates in the fronts. The highs are a lot better wit some improvement on the bass. I guess ishouldused dynamat as well-buying some this weekend. Planning to replace the sub speaker soon. One thing though is that I hear some rattling when I close the doors and listen outside the car.---DYMAMAT is calling me I guess:p |
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| Xtreme MDX |
| If you really want a real "dead door", use the dynamat on both the door and the panel surface where the actual door panel is mounted. You can also use the spray can Dynamat application to cover some parts that the Dynamat sheet can not cover. To get the mat to lay flatter on curved surfaces use a heat gun and a roller with a rubber wheel. I have been working with Dynamat for years now and the heat gun does help to ease the application of the mat. You should also consider Dynamating the rear license plate since a lot of vibration noises can originate from it. There are other brands also, including Cascade,Rockford Fosgate just to name a few, other applications include MDF panels sandwiched with Dynamat for a true dead subwoofer box. There are brush on types,spray on, etc...... |
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| Xtreme MDX |
| to avoid cutting into the weather guards you should build speaker baffles out of MDF instead, this is a better option. You might have to cut part of the tunnel tube from the oem speaker grill to accomodate the speakers but at least you do not defeat the effectiveness of the weather guards in protecting your speakers from the elements. |
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| Eruption |
Need some help choosing speakers. Never been a big fan of Bose(except for their noice cancelling headphones) so I am looking at replacing the speakers when my MDX arrives.
Has anyone listened to and compared the Infinity 652's vs. Kappa 62.1i? As with many audio places its hard to find somewhere that carry's all of them in one place. Driving around tonight only found two stores that carry the Kappa's(not the correct size though). I like the 652's better than the Pioneer's but if you had a choice between the 652's and Kappas for $10+ more a pair its would seem like a no brainer but I am reading on CarReview.com(like audioreview.com) that most people are running these off an external amp so I not sure on the spec's if they are a good fit off the Touring/Bose.
Infinity Kappa
frequency response 50-20,000 Hz
recommended power range 8-70 watts RMS
peak power handling 140 watts
sensitivity 89 dB
depth 2-9/16"
Infinity 652
sensitivity 92 dB
frequency response 54-20,000 Hz
recommended power range 2-60 watts RMS
peak power handling 180 watts
top-mount depth 2-1/16"
Pioneer
frequency response 30-30,000 Hz
power range 2-50 watts
peak power handling 180 watts
sensitivity 91 dB
top-mount depth 2-5/16"
Any ideas, thanks!
Steve...
2002 RedRock Touring/Nav(soon....) |
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| mcclendons |
| Upgrading from the Bose, you will in effect lose allot of power from the amp (going from a 2 ohm to 4 ohm speaker). Given that, speaker efficiency is a concern. The 652s have a 92 db sensitivity, which is about as high as you will find. The Kappa's are a full 3db (read twice the power for same sound level) lower in efficiency. As the Kappas require "twice the power", you will see common use of amps. The 652s are probably your better choice. |
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| Mocking-DX |
| i have the 652's in my rear doors. I think they sound a lot better than the pioneers. |
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| Mocking-DX |
extreme MDX
Do you think stuffing the surrounding of the sub enclosure with foam will make a difference with regards to rattling i hear outside the car? I did not want to spray the inside panels with dynamat as there might be wires or hoses that will get covered. |
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| Alvin |
quote:
Originally posted by Mjaime
One question jliveMDX. Why the 3-way speakers instead of woofers?. If We already have the tweeters you don't think that when they are apart you get a more realistic sound?.
Having little experience with sound systems, I was wondering about this question myself and noone seems to have posted an answer. Why does one use 3-way up front instead of 2-way when there is a separate tweeter? Thanks in advance for the education. |
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| Mjaime |
Good News, Bad News
I just finish the installation of my front speaker and I hope my experience help some people who have not decide what to do.
I have the base model which comes with Alpine 4 Ohms.
I bought the Infinity 605cs, 2-90 watts and 92 db, which in my opinion are very good.
I replaced only one, put Dynamat and put the cover back in place. Then I called 3 friends and my wife and without telling them where was the Alpine nor the Infinity, put the bass and treble to the max, I ask at this time to seat in the rear and I started to play music from side to side to see if they could appreciate the difference.
If you expect louder music because the speakers are better. DO NOT waste your money.
Do they sound better at normal level ?, I'm talking turning the knob up to 90%. None of the 4 people ask could tell the difference.
Do you like to play your music loud and also bass-heavy music?.
Well here there is a big difference and they all agree to point out the better bass handling of the Infinity. I do and that is the reason I also replaced my other speaker after this test.
Keep in mind that I did not install an amplifier, crossover, wires or anything like it. |
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| Mjaime |
Mocking-DX
My next project will be to change the rear speaker and as you did, I chose the Infinity 652 which give me 92 db and an extra tweeter in the rear, but when I tried in the rear the Infinity 605 that I installed in the front just to see how they could be mounted, could not figure out the way to do it since I think you will have to use the same plastic and screw holes that come with the factory ones and the hole is too small and the frame of the speaker hit the door frame. How can I attach the speaker to this plastic cover?. Thank you. |
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| proskunetes |
quote:
Originally posted by Xtreme MDX
to avoid cutting into the weather guards you should build speaker baffles out of MDF instead, this is a better option. You might have to cut part of the tunnel tube from the oem speaker grill to accomodate the speakers but at least you do not defeat the effectiveness of the weather guards in protecting your speakers from the elements.
I was wondering what "speaker baffles" and "MDF" are? I want to install the reference 652i speakers but I'm reluctant to cut out the plastic and if there is a way to do that, I would opt for that. So my next question is, " is the above procedure for this particular speaker?
One more thing, in the privious post before this one, you mentioned dynamating the rear license plate. This may sound like a silly question but do you put dynamat on the car or the plate?
Thanks in advance,
Dai |
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| Mjaime |
License plate
I have a Acura plate frame and put three pieces of Velcro between the plate and the frame , but only in the bottom part and rattling is gone now when you close the door. The size of Velcro is about 3/4 by 3/4. Almost a year and still there. |
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| Mocking-DX |
MJaime
after removing the stock speakers i removed the plastic frame from the door panel. Now fit the 652s into the plastic you removed and see where you have to trim the plastic to make the 652s fit. I cut a piece on the bottom where the speaker connectors bump to the plastic. You might want to dynamat the door panel including the body panel behind it(helps control the rattle you will hear on the outside). Then I srewed the plastic back to the door using the 2 bottom screws. conect your speaker wires and screw the 652s using the top screw. Then I drilled 3 holes for the 652s through the door panel(metal). some you might have to drill through the plastic and rain guard. I think I use 1/8" drill bit. Then I used #10 1 1/2 all purpose screws(they're a little easier to put than a metal screw). I actually put dynamat between the speaker and the plastic. hope this helps.
the front speakers using the 605cs is alittle trickier to put coz of the crossover box. BUt i did it--hard
:mad: |
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| Mocking-DX |
alvin
I actually plnned on puting a three way myself coz i think it would give me a better midrange. but i have a component 605cs up front and using a crossover. I'm afraid the crossover will cut off much midrange that makes the midrange lacking. But maybe i can bypass the crossover and connect the 3 way directly to the main speaker wire and leave the tweeer conected to the crossover. Hopefully this doesn't make the sound too bright. |
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| Xtreme MDX |
Speaker baffles: The actual mounting pod for the speaker to accomodate an aftermarket speaker installation. Easier if made out of wood but there are some customized aluminum or other materials out there. Most aftermarket speakers can accomodate the oem mounting holes but the mounting depth is a problem, the speaker baffle will act as a bridge for to seal the gap between the oem mounting surface and the aftermarket speakers.
MDF: Medium Density Fibreboard, compressed wood you find at your local hardware store. MDF is used in the building of speaker boxes because the density of this wood is effective in reducing ressonance or vibration that we hear as a ringing noise, this reduces the speakers efficiency thus the speakers sound "canny", the more you can reduce these ressonance the more you can get a purer clean sounding system.
Foam stuffing: Okey for home use but bad if you use this on the doors because of the elements, rain,water, snow moisture will stick to the foam and build up mildew, and eventually rot.
Speaker choices: If you are planning on not using amps use the speaker with the higher sensitvity, if you are planning on usiing aftermarket amps then it's okey to use the speakers with the lower sensitivity. Note that the compromise between the lower sensitivity is that they usually sound cleaner less distortion compared to speakers with higher sensitivity speakers, higher sensitivity speakers require less power to run them but they do distort at lower sound levels compared the the latter. |
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| mikedan |
quote:
Originally posted by Mjaime
My next project will be to change the rear speaker and as you did, I chose the Infinity 652 which give me 92 db and an extra tweeter in the rear
Did you try this yet? I'd like to replace my fronts with Infinity 652i's as they're relatively inexpensive (for Infinity speakers, which I love) and this stock system stinks. I got the Bose system assuming I'd get a richer sound. But from my ears and from seeing the pictures here, it appears this isn't the case. All I can hear is bass.
I'll happily pick up a pair of 652i's if they'll fit in the front door as easily as everyone says they will. |
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| Mjaime |
| I just received today my new 652's and will follow Mocking-DX installation guide. As an update, let me tell you that when I put my second speaker in the front the quality of the sound improved to a level that I did not expected before. Very happy with the result. Cannot wait to put my new toys. |
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| Mjaime |
Here I explain the modification I did to the plastic cover found in the rear speakers in order to install the Infinity 652”s (6 ˝ -two way).
1. Here you can see the factory plastic cover, the new speaker and the ring that come with the new speakers that will be used.
2. Cut the 3 little pieces of plastic that holds the factory speaker using a utility knife. The top of the cover must to be flat.
3. I used a marker to show the part of plastic you need to cut-out to fit the rear connectors of the speaker and as you see that little square will also have to come out because the speaker bumps to the cover with something that have in the back of it.
4. This is the most important trick. Put the ring that come with the speaker on top of the plastic cover and rotate this one until the holes of the ring matched the holes of the plastic cover. You will find out that these holes matched in three different times. Choose the one in which the connectors in the rear of the speaker fit better in the open hole of the plastic cover. By doing this you do not have to make new holes to the metal of the door and can use the same screws of the factory speaker. |
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| Mjaime |
6. This is the little thing in the rear of the speakers that bumps in the plastic cover.
7. Here you can see the 2 pieces that I had marked and the 3 little pieces that I cutout in the pic 2.
8. A closer look. |
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| Mjaime |
9. The final product.
10. Here I show how the holes of the ring matched with the ones of the speaker perfectly. |
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| Mjaime |
| 11. If you ever tried to take the rear speaker out, you know how hard are to disconnect and I think this speaker-wiring adaptor come very handy. They came with my order. |
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| proskunetes |
Thanks for the pictures of the rear speakers it was very timely and answered a 1000 questions. In fact, I've been searching this site all day today to no avail, just to see if anyone's installed 6 1/2"s in the rear since a couple of members stated that the rears size will accomodate 5 1/4".
Now my only question is, "for the rear speaker, where do you put the dynamat?" |
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| Mocking-DX |
mjaime
nice job. just don.t forget to use dynamat on the door and the subwoofer. this helps improve the sound quality. |
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| Mjaime |
Here I am again with more and more pics.
I used Dynamat as Mocking-DX suggest me to do. I hope I did it the right way. It took more time to cut the Dynamat than installing the speakers. I had a minor problem when putting back one of the grille covers because was bumping in the bottom part against the new speaker, so I bent it a little bit. I'm talking about the rounded circle inside the grille cover that has foam all around. |
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| proskunetes |
Mjaime,
I wanted to just say thanks for the post with the pictures. After seeing/reading your post, I went ahead and changed my speakers with no problems. I put reference 652i for front and rear.
Some tips for future installers:
-Cutting the dynamat did take the most amount of time. Use some paper to make a template to trace the dynamat and then cut it. Also cutting the hole in the dynamat for the speakers is easiest after you attaching the dynamat.
-Dynamat: Instead of buying the 2 packs of the speaker kits which comes in a pair (10"x10")square sheets, pay a few bucks more and buy 1 speaker kit and one 4 sq. ft. kit. With the extra dynamat that's left, put some on the inside door panel of every door through the speaker hole...
-Before putting on the dynamat, try to remember where the top screw hole is. In the rear, you use all three screw holes so if you can find the top screw, the other's should line up. |
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| Eruption |
Mjaime - Your pictures were right on!!! Dropped in 4 Inifinity 652's, layed down some x-Dynamat and the Red is really Rocking now! Best $180 upgrade i have added. Its like night and day.
Mcclendons - Thanks for the speaker details on the Kappa's earlier!
I haven't spent enought time with it yet but I actually think I will keep the Bose SUB(that and I couldn't find anything that would fit in the same space :) But I did Dynamat the sub area and that did make an improvement.
For anyone looking for a good deal for the 652's I ordered mine from BuyLoud.com $69 a pair, they carry dynamat($25-30 and the shipping($10) 5 days ground, was pretty decent as well. Best Buy had the speaker adpaters($5each).
Again thanks for all the help!!! |
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| David A. Rey |
| Eruption, did you use the speaker adapters for the front and back? Or just for the rear? |
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| proskunetes |
Hope you don't mind me answering...
Both the front and rear take the same adapter... Without them, it would not be impossible but much more difficult. There are 4 wires attached to the factory end that comes off the factory speaker and if you don't use the speaker adapter, you have to deal with all 4 of the wires...
Also, particularly the rear speaker wire that comes out of the door is very short. The adapters will make it easier to work with; in fact, i tied a loose knot in the adapters to shorten them
Best Buy - $5 a pair... you need two pairs.
Mjaime, it looks like you started a trend... Next thing you know, people will probably be cutting cargo trays to make floor mats.:D |
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| David A. Rey |
| Proskunetes, I apologize, I meant to say the metal speaker adapter rings! Do you need those for the front and back and do they come with the Infinity 652i's or have to be purchased separately. |
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| proskunetes |
The Infinity Reference 652I's comes with those speaker rings (brackets), grills, and plenty of extra screws. You don't need the grills and most of the screws except for the real small ones...
For the rear: I did use the metal speaker brackets and then used the very small screws (it think they're less than 1/4" long) that came with the infinity speakers to attack the speakers to the metal ring... No extra holes to make or drill and very solid.
For front:
I opted not to used them in that it didn't seem necessary since the dynamat does provide a good seal. I just simply used the original screws.
However, I did contemplate using the bracket. Whether you use them or not, you would still use the existing top screw-hole and would still need at least two new screw hole locations... If you use the brackets, it would just be a matter of attaching the speaker using the same 1/4" small screws that you used in the rear.
By the way, I used all the original screws and they worked fine; I didn't even have to predrill a hole... just applied pressure and they went in. If you don't use the metal brackets in front, you might want to find another screw since you only have 3 of the 4 sides but 3 seemed sturdy enough for me. |
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| Casique |
Proskunetes
Thanks a lot! By the way, how do you like the Manik side steps? |
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| proskunetes |
Manik sidesteps:
I really-really like them. The stainless steel ones compliment the MDX beautifully!!! they absolutely look like they were made for the X...
I contemplated heavily for the OEM sidesteps because they were about an inch wider but the black just doesn't do what the polished stainless steel does aesthetically. But in all honesty, I chose to get the Maniks mostly because of the cost factor so I didn't know how good they would look until I got them on. (Acura sidesteps were quoted by dealers in the area for $549, but I got both black and the polished steel sidesteps for under $600... )
There is a lady who owns the bakery in the plaza that I work at, she drives an Emerald Green MDX. She's has the touring one topped the works (front trim, gold finish, running boards, etc.) but she always has this look of envy when I drive in. Personally, I think she's upset because my base looks better than hers and I spent a fraction of the $$$ she spent. (I hope she's not a member of this forum :confused: ). I could just be imagining all this, but for now, I have to make sure she's not following me home. I just know that one of these days, I'm going to look outside and find those sidesteps gone. Just to tease her, I think I let her listen to my stereo tomorrow with the speaker upgrade and let her think that the Base model comes with a better sounding stereo than the Bose. :p |
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| nwaring |
First off this is a GREAT thread. We have wanted to upgrade the sound in the MDX without getting into high-end components and with all the posting from everyone we are going ahead with the 652i's, the Pioneer sub, and dynamat. I have been having a hard time finding the Pioneer TS-W28C sub that MDX_Omaha used. Pioneer doesn't even list it on there website, but today I finally stumbled onto them at our local Sears (they actually had 12 in stock). Sears.com also lists them. Someone posted that you can get them at Best Buys but the closest one to us is 50 miles away.
Thanks Eruption on the “great” price tip for the 652i’s at BuyLoud.com. I have dealt with Crutchfield for years but they didn’t get this order.
Thanks everyone.
:) |
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| mikedan |
| OK, I've got most of the stuff I'll need for my speaker upgrade - Infinity 652i's, Dynamat, wiring harness. I'm wondering about wiring the harness. Which color do I hook to positive and which to negative? I know black is usually negative, but I thought I'd ask... nothing worse than a speaker wired in reverse. |
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| Eruption |
Do they have connectors on them already?
My wiring harness had different size prefasten connectors for + & -, I couldn't go wrong. Never had to pull out the electrical tape as well.
Steve... |
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| cardingtr |
| For the sub, anybody tried the Kicker Comp 10" yet? Its a free air sub and top mount <5" deep. Saw it at Fry's for $80. |
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| Casique |
cardingtr
Yes I tried the kicker comp 10, and it did NOT fit! It needed another 3/4 inch of depth. Sorry.. |
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| cardingtr |
| Whew! I almost bought one online. Thanks. |
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| mobat |
| HEY JIVE NICE INSTALL I AM VERY HAPPY TO SEE THIS THREAD ...I WAS WONDERING WHERE DID U GET YOUR SPEAKERS AND HOW MUCH DID THEY COST |
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| cardingtr |
quote:
Originally posted by Casique
cardingtr
Yes I tried the kicker comp 10, and it did NOT fit! It needed another 3/4 inch of depth. Sorry..
Did you try the Comp 1c104 or the Comp VR model? The two has different cutout diameter and depth. the "regular" model not VR seems to fit based on numbers I see and although its rated lower power, because it can be mounted free air after reading the features, it might sound better.
I got the Pioneer TS 28 sub and it needs some sort of padding to increase depth. The magnet is hitting the panel, and the mounting hole don't match. For $44.00 at sears what the heck, I bought it to try out.
I'll get the Kicker today for comparison... |
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| Casique |
cardingtr
I tried the comp VR 10.. |
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| cardingtr |
I installed the Kicker Comp today and the difference is night and day. Free air sub for this location really makes a difference. I will install the amp then I will take pics. I am in the process of wiring it from the battery. Should be done by Saturday.
The amp looks cool too. Any suggestion where to put it? |
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| Alvin |
quote:
Originally posted by Paulfung
<>
Ah, so that's why I couldn't hear anything when I upgraded the speakers to the most expensive Boston Acoustic components I could find.
If I would've known this minor 2 ohm fact, I would have purchased Soundstream's 2 ohm component speakers. They seem to be made of very high quality materials and are the only 2 ohm component speakers I have ever seen. WWW.soundstream.com
As it is, I used the smallest Soundstream amps made, to power the satellites and their smallest mono amp for the sub. They both fit side by side under the driver's seat, powered with 8 ga and speakered with 16 ga (the door harness was no fun, but have you seen the power & speaker wires on the amp harness?!). I could've saved a lot of effort had I known about the Bose 2ohm speakers, but I can't complain about the sound, and the Soundstream is still more powerful (clean power of course) than the Bose running at 2ohm. I never used the fade control anyways, so I paralleled the front and rears so the 2 ch. amp gets a 2 ohm load anyhow. Work's great, but costs a lot of sweat.
This is from another thread, but I wanted to post it here for all you hardcore stereo types. I was very interested in this post and checked out the website, www.soundstream.com , the SPL speakers are 2 ohm. I'm planning to upgrade my system, but don't know squat about designing a sound system. I only want to do the speakers.
Anybody have any idea if these speakers are any good? Any feedback here or by PM would be appreciated. |
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| vmishra |
Hi cardingtr,
I was curious to know why you chose to go for a sub-amp when you already see a "night and day" improvemement by just replacing the stock woofer with the Kicker Comp 1c104 ?
I am looking to do the same upgrade. You response will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
-Vishal
quote:
Originally posted by cardingtr
I installed the Kicker Comp today and the difference is night and day. Free air sub for this location really makes a difference. I will install the amp then I will take pics. I am in the process of wiring it from the battery. Should be done by Saturday.
The amp looks cool too. Any suggestion where to put it?
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| cardingtr |
Yes there is a big difference. The amp even made it cleaner and louder but you can't really tweak it loud because of location limitation. The panel vibrates everywhere but if you just blend it with the sound its fine. I tried dynamat on the outer panel and around the sub without improvement. Overall I'm impressed.
Cost:
Autotek SS amp: $130.00 at Fry's. I choosed it for the looks. I don't really have comparison guide.
Amplifier installation kit(Monster cable): $60.00
RCA conversion kit: I forgot the price.
Kicker Comp 1C104 10" sub: $80.00
Dynamat: $29.00 (didn't help I think.)
I fried the fuse the first time I installed the amp.
AfterI'm done with hard wiring from the battery, connected it to amps and..sparks!! I thought my amp is dead. Thank God its the fuse thats dead.
Tip: remove the fuse that runs from the battery until all connections are done.
I probably will remove the inner panel(the black one the borders the cargo) and line it with fiberglass. Thats the only solution I can think of if I really need to get loud but its not needed for now. |
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| cardingtr |
OK, here's the sub. The screws, I made new holes to the edges of speaker because for its size the sub barely rides on the hole.
For the dynamat, I followed the advice from here to just slap it in and slice it from the middle. I used the blade cutter as my roller. |
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| cardingtr |
| my amp on the headrest storage..I place the amp in the middle so I can still pull in/out the headrests. |
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| cardingtr |
| here's a closer view. I choose this just for looks..:) |
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