seeking your 6x8 speaker recommendations

ok guys, I got 4 of the Kicker 40CS684 6"x8" 2-way Car Speakers at $55 a pair and free shipping and the Pioneer DEHX3700U stereo was on sale for $75 and free shipping so I went with that one, all totaled it only cost me $186 shipped.

I looked at the JVC hard but the pioneer had everything it offered and was much cheaper, but the pioneer only had 14 rms where the jvc had 22 rms and both had 50 watt peak but I don't view 8 fewer rms watts as a big deal especially since the speakers are rated to handle as little as 2 rms watts minimum not to mention, the stereo I have now only has 4 rms watts with 15 watts peak so the pioneer triples that power output

stereo - http://www.crutchfield.com/p_130X3700UI/Pioneer-DEH-X3700UI.html?tp=5684
speakers - http://www.crutchfield.com/p_2064CS684/Kicker-40CS684.html?search=kicker_6x8&

 

You'll be happy.

Like I said in your other thread the sound deadening, when done properly, will make the biggest difference for you.

 

yes, I need to order that as well, but before I order this kit, how much do you have left over? did you only use half of it or even less then half of it?

if so I could buy what you have left to do mine if it would be enough to do the back wall, cab corners, and doors?

im going to have to wait to do the back wall and cab corner sound proofing and do the rear speaker swap, that must wait for cooler weather come september.

for now I have to swap out a bad set of power window motors and regulators so i'll sound proof the doors and change those speakers while im in there.

 

Whoa, trippy.

Did you just move the other thread while I was posting in it? Seems like I got caught in a TW wormhole or something.

My answers are in the other thread.

One last bit of advice. By a small amount of decent speaker wire, 14 gauge, to run from the head unit to the new speakers. The stock wires are probably 22 gauge crap.

 

nope, one of the mods must have decided it belonged in the audio section.

its "sorta" funny too, because I had them delete a thread I made in the audio forum specifically because no one posts there so I wasn't getting a single reply over there, but over here I got the help I needed. thank goodness you guys helped me in that thread before it was sent off to die in a dead forum no one posts in.

do you really think I need speaker wire without running an amp? I would hate to start trying to tear everything up trying to run wires through the dash to the doors and rear speakers but if it will make a difference, I will

 

i found very little 1st gen stuff in the audio section. if i remember right the stock speaker wiring is a decent gauge. definetly good enough for 15watts anyways

 

Well, you're taking the center dash et al out to replace the head unit, so you don't have to do any more than run the speaker wire from the back of the head unit to the front doors and rear speakers. Not that hard at all. Just neatly run the speaker wire from behind the head unit to behind the carpet that goes up along the fire wall.

Use a zip tie (tape it to the speaker wire) to push/pull it through the rubber boot that all the wires run through from the cab to the door. And voila.

Since you're not doing the rear speakers now, just hook the speaker wire up to the back of the head unit then leave it rolled up behind the carpet in the foot wells also. Then when you do the rear speakers all you have to do is run it underneath the door sill trim to the rear speakers.

Super easy.

Took me as long to type that ^ than it will for you to run new wire.

 

Pretty sure it's 22 gauge speaker wire.

If I'm spending $300 on upgrades, I'll spend the extra $15 and 15 mins on upgrading the speaker wire.

 

point taken but no reason to go any bigger then the wires coming out the stereo and those are 20 gauge so i'll run some 18 gauge speaker wires to everything. they only have 16 gauge for running the power windows so definitely no need for 14 gauge, that gauge is used for house wiring for lights and ceiling fans.

I will have to see if I can find one with different colors so I don't mix up front and rear speaker wires (I don't trust wire labels) and I get the clear copper vs silver wire mixed up on polarity all the time.

well now you just screwed me all up, because now I have to plan on getting everything wired up like factory oem because I don't just run wires wherever I make sure they are don't to look and work as original. I may just put everything off until the first cool weather in september

 

Shit i was going to let you know i have a pioneer head unit out of mine with harness i dont need.

I wasted all weekend and about $50 replacing all the clad aluminum wiring i just ripped out form my car, replacing it with real copper 14 gauge. I didnt like that it wouldn't take to soldering like copper, and well, OCD is a bitch.



Looking at the stock wiring, its all real copper, looks like 16-18 gauge. It will be fine for what youre doing. I would look into a way to pin into the stock plugs as to not disturb the factory plugs.



Btw, weird thing with the front speakers. The female end of the factory speaker plug, it was so arranged that i could not remove the speaker from the housing without either cutting the wire or de-soldering the cable form the speaker. The plug was too large to pull through the mounting point. I tried to get the pins out, but ruined the plugs in the process.

Also i should have mentioned sooner.

I pulled the head unit from mine if you're interested. Its a Pioneer DEH-P4300. Has the bracket and storage bin, also has the harness.

 

damn dude, I would have jumped all over it but its too late now I had to buy the little kit to get the storage tray. I like ity for holding things lik mail, receipts, and nuts and bolts stuff im going to the store to replace.

I had an old kenwood KDC-155U that was pulled from my last truck that I was trying to use but it was acting sketchy in the face plate connection because the menu functions wouldn't work. I couldn't even turn the tuner on at first but after putting the face plate on and off about 6 times it started working right. I still don't trust it though and that's why I bought that weak ass DUAL 1228 unit I have now. I hate removable face plates, maybe some people do take em off but I would never remove it anyway, so why have one if you can avoid it, plus I know many who had their stereo stolen anyway even without the face plate so its not much of a theft deterrent device at all. if you look at all the face plates on sale on ebay you get an idea how many had their radio stolen even without it. besides, crooks know the face plate is in the glove box or console because your not going to carry it around in your damn pocket lol.

I understand going with 16 gauge if using an amp but the voltages your running a simple 18 gauge is al you need but the OCD in me appreciates the overkill on wiring, it may not help to go bigger but it sure cant hurt anything either that's for sure. basically the bottle neck is at the stereo so as long as its the same size as the stereo plug wire, that's all the signal your gonna get from it even if you went to 10 gauge wire. im pretty sure the standard wire size coming out of all stereo are only 18 gauge wires at best and some "cheaper" versions I have seen with 20 gauge wires.

the OCD in me knows I need to upgrade the wires if im upgrading speakers so while im frustrated at "one more thing to do" im so glad to be reminded I need to do it.

im getting the 18 gauge (maybe 16 if the price is the same) in red and black colored speaker wires and will have to put wire labels even though I hate them because they always seam to come off or be unreadable when you need them.

it "looks" to me like the truck wiring harness is using 20 gauge wire for the speaker wires and it steps down to 22 gauge at the door wiring harness.

thanks for the heads up on the speaker removal, I will watch for that, I hope mine just comes right out.

since im running all new wires I don't have to worry about the speaker plug.

 

ok, bought 100ft of 16 gauge red/black speaker wire off ebay $16 shipped

also the raamat kit #1 ordered, it costs $160 now plus $25 shipping so its $185 out the door but it still seams to be a good value based on other products like it

I started this thinking to keep it under $200 and now I've spent $500 but its a good investment since im keeping this truck forever

 

Damn. I spent $120 shipped to my door for kit #1.

Did you ask for the TW discount?

 

Oh and TW logic dictates: Since you've spent $500, you might as well spend another $150 and get an amp and sub.

 

^^^ your $500 in already. just aswell to finish off a complete system with a small sub to take care of the low end.

 

I checked and no they didnt, but I called Jason and he said he would apply the discount to my order and refund the difference but even still I don't see where it will be a huge difference taking 5% off would only be $8.

the kits now sells for $159 so prices must have gone up

 

And so it begins....

 

subs and amps are for young people

an old gray-haired fart like me don't need all that shit, at my age all a sub does is make you rush home to go to the bathroom lol.

but I do want, is a good quality sound from a basic setup and I think you guys helped me do just that

 

subs and amps are for people who want good sound.

 

I'm not that young. But I love listening to music.

Will do so till the day I die.