Speaker upgrade question

I'm sure this has been covered before... I want to swap the crap 6x9s to decent ones driven by the stock (non JBL) head unit. I bought Pioneer 3 way 6x9s, my question is, when I install these should I just cut and cap the tweeters at the speaker ( keeping the harness because they are wired in series) or do I need to install new tweeters as well to make this work and sound better? I appreceiate any advice, Thanks!!

 

the tweeters are technically wired in parallel with the main 6x9's, the wiring just so happens to have junction points on the tweeter side and not the harness side of the wiring.

You can leave the tweeters, or chop off the connector and make sure like colors on the tweeter side are joined together so power gets down to the main speaker.

 

I'm sorry, you're right they are wired in parallel. Just so I'm clear, I can leave everything as is and just connect the 6x9s via harness. Is there an internal crossover on the non JBL Head units that I can adjust? If not, will I need a crossover to handle signal between these two speakers?

 

Why not just replace the tweeters while you’re in there. I believe it will sound much better. While you’re at it, the stock, back speakers are also crap!

 

The "plan" is to run the rear speakers to a small amp and install an 8 in. driver... I think I will just do the tweeters as well like you said.

 

This. Spend the 25 bucks for some tweeters and replace the Junk stock tweeters.

DO NOTE: Stock tweeter wiring (if you went by color) is backwards. The black on the tweeter side is actually the positive to the main speaker on the harness side. They do this to "increase the stage".... wire up all positives to positives and call it good with the aftermarket tweeters.

 

Normally I would agree to replace your tweeters, but you bought 3 way speakers that already have tweeters. If you replace the stock tweeters you'll be running two aftermarket tweeters.... the tweeter in the 3 way pioneers and what ever you replace the stock tweeters.
I would either dump the 3 way 6x9s and get a 2 way 6x9 and replace the tweeters. Or you can bypass the stock tweeters if you stick with the 3 way speakers.

If you going to run an amp. Get a 5 channel amp. 4 channels for the mid range and highs and one channel for a sub.

 

The stock “tweeters” are so much a tweeter as a tiny midrange from my point of view. I say out in the Pioneers, disconnect and bypass the factory tweeters.

Personally, I put an Infinity Reference component set in my front doors, dumped the factory tweets, used the plugs and wiring off the stock tweeters to build mini bypasses (just connect the like colored wires and plug them back into the harness) and ran new wires from my passive crossovers up to the tweeters.

 

I rock pioneer 3 way 6x9's and Pioneer tweeters in the doors of my double cab and it sounds great.... soo....

 

I did that too... I took a call thru Bluetooth and my ears wanted to bleed. The stock tweeters aren't very powerful. I added an amp to give my aftermarket speakers more than 20 watts and stock tweeters were screaming like banshees. Some people are ok with that. I guess I have more sensitive ears or recognizea better quality sound. The 3 way 6x9 are sitting on a shelf and I bought 2 way JL Audio with crossovers and component tweeters that replaced the stock tweeters.

 

Stock tweeters are long gone! Those things were utter junk!

 

The polarity is reversed on the tweeter because of the capacitor used as the crossover. The signal is inverted on the output side of the cap.
Doing this keeps the speakers in phase.

 

'hmm that i did not know. Either way just pay attention when wiring in aftermarket tweeters and dont go by the coloring on the stock tweeter side wiring as its opposite of the main speaker.

 

Those Pioneers are 90 watt RMS each, I have a two channel amp that does 80 watts each RMS (all 4 ohm), so I'm thinking that should work well. The revised "plan" is to send the rear signals to a powered 10 inch driver which has its own amp and crossover. I'd rather have an 8 but everything I found with an enclosure was more than I wanted to pay... I'm not crazy about running two power wires to the battery but I've seen worse...

 

Don't run two power wires. Spilt you positive with a distribution block near the two amps. Run the power wire to the back and spilt with the distrubtion block. Im not necessarily recommending this one, but you should get the idea.

$10 LEIGESAUDIO 0/2/4 Gauge in 4/8 Gauge Out 2 Way Amp Copper Power Distribution Block for Car Audio Splitter (1PACK)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D1JLN8N/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_bjkLEbY6D04EC

I have a distribution block and run two amps. In hindsight, I would rather have one 5 channel amp for everything. I feel like I lost valuable storage space adding the amp for door speakers. Stay away from the JL stealthbox too. It makes the plastic storage bins rattle. JL audio equipment is good stuff. If you want bass without the rattle i recommend just taking the bins out. At first, I didn't want a cheap box that I had to remove the storage bins. But who cares if you have bins or not when the back seats are up. It's a tradeoff between space or sound.

 

There are no crossovers in the stock hu to my knowledge. I do know that putting a new hu breathed some life into these crappy speakers. What a difference!

I'm gonna guess that the capacitor for the stock tweeter is part of it. I haven't opened my doors to check it out.

With sound, the higher the frequency, the more directional it becomes. Having mids and tweets aimed at your calf is no bueno.

I'd suggest going with a 2 or 3 way component speaker system. Move the second speaker to the existing tweeter location. For the third (tweeter), put those on paint sticks and find the spot that gives the best sound and mount them there.

Remember, the sound is only as good as it's source. The stock hu.... Not so much.

Go check out crutchfield.com . They make it easy with wiring/mounting adapters. They'll even splice out the harness adapter to the hu wiring if you're so inclined; making it truly plug and play.

One more thing, you said the tweeters were long gone. After listening at volume, turn it down for a song. The voice coils get hot. Keeping them moving while they cool down at the lower volume will significantly reduce the chance of them warping when you turn it off.

Good luck. Be cool, be safe

 

If adding a sub to the non-JBL head unit just remember it tries to compensate for bass at low volume levels. Pretty sure there's nothing you can do about it. If my volume is below 20 on the head unit the bass is super loud... I have to briefly turn it up to like 25-30 so the bass goes back to normal then I can turn it back down again. Weird, and annoying.

 

I have the same problem. I added an amp remote gain control for that. Its below the blank switch panel on the left side of the cubby.

 

In my opinion just do the tweeters as well. You already have the panels off and it will take an extra 5 minutes per door max. The total cost of the tweeters and mounting hardware shouldn't be more than $50 a door either. I put in some pioneer speakers and tweeters in a few years ago and I feel like i noticed a bigger improvement with the tweeter swap than the mid swap.

 

Ummm... is your truck in drive with nobody in the driver seat?