Premium Audio Upgrade for less than $250

Do you tend to turn up your radio or leave it a low to moderate levels during your daily driving? If you turn it up, then expect to be wanting more from your other speakers. Higher volumes is typically where the stock speakers noticably sound like crap. Once you install the Subie/Kicker tweeters, you'll begin to realize this once you turn up the volume because the tweeters will sound good (cleaner/fuller), but the other speakers will sound slightly off & muddy by comparison.

 

The answer is -- it depends. On my mood, on the song. Mostly at moderate levels, but I turn it up regularly. But I am older and don't tend to want the volumes I've wanted in the past. I've been trying to listen closely to hear where it is off, and the tweeters are definitely off, just kind of subdued. I don't want or expect it to get loud, more looking for clarity and balance. That's why I want to change one thing at a time before I change anything else so I can decide. Everyone is different, some people want vibrating bass, some want highs that rip through your brain. I'm probably in the middle somewhere.

 

So my sound deadening came in well after the install. (Weeks) do those that have done it think it’s worth taking the door panels and speakers out again to put the sound deadening in?

 

Since you bought it, you might as well.

Personally, I did not add any because (stock) this truck is already about as quiet as most of my previous vehicles AFTER installed sound deadening. That being said, there is always room for improvement and lowering the noise floor does ultimately improve things a bit (but with diminishing returns).

 

Im on board just ordered the tweeters and the kickers! My wife hates tacomaworld.

 

(Not mine, found on TW)


But in all seriousness, those tweeters were (I believe) a second Taco mod fully supported by my wife. Even according to her, it makes a huge difference in sound.

Edit. She doesn't know I have door speakers sitting in a cart at Crutchfield

 

Where are you going with this? The post I quoted said, “...the amp is pretty strong on the head unit. It HAS to be to power those dinky factory speakers.” This is simply not true. The speakers ARE designed efficiently to play sufficiently loud with low power requirement.

I can’t find the words “quality” or “sound better” anywhere in my post that you quoted. Nor anything in my post alluding to these words. I have JBL components which are also a sensitive speaker. These Kenwoods (https://www.crutchfield.com/p_113XR1703H/Kenwood-Excelon-XR-1703HR.html?tp=106&avf=Y) probably sound fantastic, but at 83 dB sensitivity, you would not want to run these off this “pretty strong head unit.”

Don’t put words into my mouth (post?) that I didn’t say. My post was strictly about the relationship between power and sensitivity or efficiency.

 

Outside of the much improved highs, the stock system seems to have "muddy" bass. If you are not a big person on detail of the tunes, this may not be an issue. However, I wanted better sound and the new speakers really made a big difference.

 

Which front speakers did you go with?

This is why I want to start with the tweeters based on what everyone is saying, listen, and then go from there. I am sure I will do at least front speakers, I just want to hear it with the tweeters before I decide which ones. It's all personal preference, and I don't want my truck stereo to sound like mid-range ear buds. While I am impressed with the level of engineering that went into the stock systems (wtf is up with those tiny magnets? are they rare earth or something?), I know they aren't great. But they were obviously designed that way to get the most out of the power they are getting. Or, maybe it was accountants, who knows. My biggest concern is the head unit's ability to drive an aftermarket speaker efficiently, and I don't want to spread what power is there across a bunch of extra tweeters if that's not what it needs for my preferences. But I won't know what I think it needs until I hear it. That's kind of what is great about this upgrade, it's non-invasive and you can do one thing at a time.

 

Oh my!!!

Let me start by saying I have always been nervous about pulling interior door panels off. I always thought I would break a clip or that stuff would rattle.

I bought the Subaru tweeters to start with. The install was not bad at all. I went really slow and even played with my dog a bit during the install and I was done in an hour.

The sound? Wow!!! Not only is it much louder, it is so much clearer. I can’t believe how muddy the stock speakers were. I am going to give it a bit to see if I want to replace the other speakers. Stoked for now.

Thanks for this thread!!!

 

I was wondering, did you consider the alpine type s since they’re pretty much the same price? I’m trying to decide between the two.

 

Does anyone have a step by step instruction on how to install these speakers?

I was getting ready to install these speakers today and I’m already lost by just opening the box. I have no idea where all these hardware are supposed to attach, is there a left and right speaker? The kickers also came with a grill? Am I supposed to install that too?

The 6X9 adapters also didn’t come with any hardware but the 6 3/4 did.

Sorry, I have no audio experience whatsoever...

Any input will help before I say screw this and go with oem audio and have them install their kit lol

Thx guys

 

Check out the video on page 1 of this thread.

 

I did. But it’s not related on how to mount these kicker speakers/adapters.

My main concern is all these hardware and extra plugs that the kickers came with.

 

You do not use the grills. Attach the speakers to the mounts like this (another member's photo I found)...



Screws were included with mine. I had to angle them slightly to fit all four corners. Make sure the hole for the wire feed is upward when bolting to truck door.

Also, you need to break off the inner tabs on the round rear mounts with a pliers to fit the speakers to them.

Hope that helps you some.

 

It does, thank you. You said screws came with your 6X9 adapters? @The Desert Fox

 

Yes, mine did. 4 black screws.

 

OK kids... finally went out and took a look at the stock speakers and the capacitor that works as the crossover component. The stock cap is rated @ 2.2uF so a quick check and that puts the high pass filter up around 12K hertz.. So basically very very little sound was passing thru that stock speaker.

The Subbie replacement... I forgot to look before installing mine but someone posted a pic of one and I "think" the new crossover high pass filter is some where around 800 Hz, so pretty much full range cept for the deep bass.

Makes sense ... the stock speaker and the replacement are pretty close in size when looking at the magnets. Probably a change of capacitors on the stock speaker would make a world of difference.

That all said - the upgrade Subbie speaker still has a electrolytic cap on it... they sound like ass and although the speaker is worlds apart from the stock as far as sound goes, it's still not all that great IMHO.

Instead of not hearing much of any sounds at all due to the stock crossover high pass, now we hear almost all of the sound frequencies sans the deep bass but with that capacitor in there it's a little harsh at higher volumes (again FOR ME).

I'm going to replace my door speakers as soon as the weather warms up some and then take another look at the Subbie speakers. Also I'm going to change the stock cap out for something a lot better sounding and lower the capacitance a bunch to let more sound in on the stock speaker and test.... First I'm going to replace all the door speaks then come back to the tweeters. I think I can find a happy medium just with a simple capacitor swap.

 

Interesting info. I'm assuming capacitors are inexpensive?

 

Those Subaru tweeters aren't going to play anywhere near 800 Hz audibly without shitting the bed. More like 4-5 kHz.