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Last second speaker/amp install questions

Discussion in 'Audio & Video' started by Logans2001, May 28, 2023.

  1. May 28, 2023 at 10:36 AM
    #1
    Logans2001

    Logans2001 [OP] What’s crackin’

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    Installing some 6x8 Kicker coaxial speakers up front with a Pioneer 4 channel amp. I just now learned the difference between coaxial vs component speaker. I also just realized that I do in fact have factory tweeters, somehow I just forgot they were there… don’t ask lol. If I wasn’t so stupid I would rather have gotten a component setup, unfortunately it’s too little too late. I already installed one of the speakers yesterday. I’ve decided that since I’ve already put in all this effort to all the speakers fit (had to cut away part of the speaker bracket) that I’ll just see how these coaxial kickers sound. I have 60 days to change my mind for a different setup.

    My question:
    Since the speakers will have their own speaker wire running to the amp do I need to disconnect my factory tweeter or can that stay plugged in?
     
  2. May 28, 2023 at 11:13 AM
    #2
    Kwikvette

    Kwikvette Chief Executive Officer at Kwik Fab

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    I would disconnect the tweeter.

    Sure you could have your tweeter connected to your factory headunit and to do that you would just have to make sure you run the factory wiring as that feeds power to your door speakers.

    I don't like mis-matching speakers and although most won't notice the difference, I'd hate to have a lot of highs in such a small cabin.

    But to answer your question, if you want to disconnect your tweeter just don't connect the speaker wires coming from your head unit. Make sure they don't come into contact with each other to short out your head unit's internal amp.
     
  3. May 28, 2023 at 11:22 AM
    #3
    rnish

    rnish Well-Known Member

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    Disconnect the OEM tweeter(s). They are not quality tweeters.
     
  4. May 28, 2023 at 11:32 AM
    #4
    Logans2001

    Logans2001 [OP] What’s crackin’

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    Sounds good. I’ll disconnect them.

    Also open to anyone’s opinions and/or experiences between component and coaxial speakers. I know the difference just not the experience.
     
  5. May 28, 2023 at 11:33 AM
    #5
    Kwikvette

    Kwikvette Chief Executive Officer at Kwik Fab

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    More dynamic.

    Less distorion at louder volumes.

    Ability to achieve louder volumes (being powered individually).
     
  6. May 28, 2023 at 11:43 AM
    #6
    Logans2001

    Logans2001 [OP] What’s crackin’

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    Let’s say I do return these and get a component setup. Obviously the woofers will be connected to the amp. What would the aftermarket tweeters connect to for power? Factory wiring? The plan is to connect all 4 woofers to the amp.
     
  7. May 28, 2023 at 11:46 AM
    #7
    Kwikvette

    Kwikvette Chief Executive Officer at Kwik Fab

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    You said you've got a 4 channel amp; 2 channels for woofers and 2 channels for tweeters.

    Depending on your headunit and/or amplifier you could manually adjust your crossover and take care of any nulls or bumps artificially created in your cabin.

    IASCA and several other companies have test discs for dialing in your setup.

    (Former SQL here)
     
  8. May 28, 2023 at 11:48 AM
    #8
    Logans2001

    Logans2001 [OP] What’s crackin’

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    Oh ok. I feel like that’s a shit ton of power for tweeters. I’ll look into those!
     
  9. May 28, 2023 at 11:50 AM
    #9
    Kwikvette

    Kwikvette Chief Executive Officer at Kwik Fab

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    Adjust your gains properly with a multimeter.

    You can't blow a speaker by giving it too much power; the current draw is all dependent on demand and that demand is you turning up the volume and asking your speakers to play louder.

    Speakers blow because they're normally overdriven and underpowered.
     
  10. May 28, 2023 at 12:53 PM
    #10
    soundman98

    soundman98 Well-Known Member

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    A typical component setup has a passive crossover that you would connect the amp to, then 2 outputs, 1 for the woofer, 1 for the tweeter
    The rear coaxial speakers you already ran wire to would stay the same.

    You're thinking too complex here. You're thinking of a bi-amped/full active setup, He's doing a component front channel setup with coaxial in the rear.

    Bi-amped/full active can only work of he's running a network-capable head unit in network mode, or a dsp, or an amp with a khz highpass crossover.

    But he would then still lose the rear coaxials he already ran wire to.
     
  11. May 28, 2023 at 1:00 PM
    #11
    soundman98

    soundman98 Well-Known Member

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    Yes and no. Speakers are mechanical devices like engines.

    Speakers blow when heat is created faster than they can dissipate. Underdriven and underpowered are two conditions, but incorrectly set gains or crossovers that input a distorted signal, or a signal outside the mechanical limitations of the speaker will also create the condition to blow a speaker.

    To your point, we can add a 5,000hp-capable fuel pump to a lawn mower engine(same as 100w into a 15w rms tweeter). The engine will run just the same. It's when the idle speed is adjusted to 30,000rpm that the engine blows up because it's operating outside it's mechanical limitations.
     
  12. May 28, 2023 at 1:04 PM
    #12
    Kwikvette

    Kwikvette Chief Executive Officer at Kwik Fab

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    I don't see anywhere the mention of rears being used; he only mentioned upgraded speakers up front with no mention of the rears.

    And to my credit, I did (in the same post) make mention of hardware if it offers such adjustments.

    Some components (or many that I've seen) allow the use of separate amplification per speaker so it would be far from a complex setup.
     
    soundman98[QUOTED] likes this.
  13. May 28, 2023 at 1:06 PM
    #13
    Kwikvette

    Kwikvette Chief Executive Officer at Kwik Fab

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    You're right; properly adjusting his gains would prevent him from "blowing" his speakers though.

    Ideally, an amplifier chosen for the sole purpose of running components is ideal and really none of us has asked what amplifier he is running?
     
    soundman98[QUOTED] likes this.
  14. May 28, 2023 at 1:22 PM
    #14
    rnish

    rnish Well-Known Member

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    Component setup: The power for each channel will go into a xover. The xover will handle (split) the power and frequency to tweeter and woofer. Four channel amp can handle 4 tweeter/woofer pair. There will be 1 xover for each tweeter & woofer.
     
  15. May 28, 2023 at 2:09 PM
    #15
    Logans2001

    Logans2001 [OP] What’s crackin’

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    Thanks for all the replies.

    I’ve decided I’m gonna return these kicker coaxials. Just reinstalled the old speakers, which as it turns out, are also coaxial.. they’re Rockford fosgate 5-1/4” two way speakers that I bought years ago. They’re on crutchfield for $50, probably the cheapest ones on the website lol. There’s nothing particularly wrong with them but I’d like the upgrade and I wanna do it properly so I don’t care much about testing these coax kickers.

    Anyways, I’m exchanging them for a kicker component setup.

    I’ll be running a Pioneer GM-DX874 amp.
    https://www.crutchfield.com/p_130GMDX874/Pioneer-GM-DX874.html?tp=115&carstereo=AftermarketUnknown
     
  16. May 28, 2023 at 2:17 PM
    #16
    Logans2001

    Logans2001 [OP] What’s crackin’

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    After talking to a crutchfield advisor idk if I should be paring these cheap Rockford fosgates to the amp if I were to move them to the back of the cab. Additionally, I’m not sure how well the factory woofers would pair to the amp either.

    Thought process:
    Run two channel for now with the component kickers when they come in. Leave the factory woofers in the back alone, connected to factory wiring to head unit. Can I do that? If so, I’d do that for now until I feel financially comfortable to replace the rear woofers with kicker 6x8s as well and then connect those to amp, completing the 4 channel.
     
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  17. May 28, 2023 at 3:22 PM
    #17
    TruckGuy63

    TruckGuy63 Well-Known Member

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    I did component up front and coax in the rear doors with a sub
    4 channel amp 50X4
    Sub amp 400x1 sounds awesome
     
    Deeahgee and Logans2001[OP] like this.
  18. May 28, 2023 at 3:24 PM
    #18
    Kwikvette

    Kwikvette Chief Executive Officer at Kwik Fab

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    I'd ignore the rears altogether.

    They'll mess with your soundstage.
     
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  19. May 28, 2023 at 3:48 PM
    #19
    soundman98

    soundman98 Well-Known Member

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    Yes, that will work fine. Just don't tell the speakers! Only disadvantage is that it's sometimes harder to balance the front and rear in that case as it's using 2 different levels of power, but it won't hurt anything.


    I would agree with kwikvette to ignore the rears. But then I haven't ran rear speakers in about 15 years.

    That amp would need some additional external filtering in order to run the tweeters and door woofers though
     
  20. May 29, 2023 at 1:07 AM
    #20
    Logans2001

    Logans2001 [OP] What’s crackin’

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    Copy that. Sounds like I’ll be sticking to the fronts for now. Your guys input is just what I needed. I’m learning as I go here, so thank you!
     
    soundman98 likes this.

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