EASY tweeter upgrade! (3rd gen non-JBL)

Interesting. Well, if reports on here are correct and I at least won't LOSE volume (volume level on the stock is as loud as I ever need it to be anyhow) without an AMP and installing the CSs I should be fine but I guess we'll see. I really only want to tear the doors apart once

 

I'm with you on only tearing the doors apart once! I had actually called them to see if the KS's would be better choice since they had the BOGOHO sale going on and she talked me in to downgrading. Maybe if I ever come kayaking in Tennessee we can compare. Sorry not trying to hijack the tweeter thread!

 

If you dig whitewater (Class III-IV) this is a great place to be - keep me posted!

 

In a related topic... do others experience sound degradation over XM vs. bluetooth. In my wife's CR-V and my previous SUV, I never noticed any real difference in sound quality, but not so in the Tacoma. The sounds seems lossy (highs and lows are muddy despite adjusting the EQ) but then when I turn on the exact same station/music through the XM app on my phone, the sound is night and day different. Not sure if this has anything to do with the speakers - wouldn't think so, but do others experience this difference in sound quality from bluetooth to XM?

 

I really only use usb and sirius and the sirius is sort of muddy in comparison. But when I go to fm it makes sirius sound like a cd.

 

I pulled the trigger on JL C2-650x both up front and in the back (because the 3-way 6x9's wouldn't fit the front), a JL JX400/4D 4-channel amp, with Dynamat on all 4 doors.

The guys at the shop I went to talked me into trying this as-is for a couple of weeks with the understanding that I could trade up to a 5 channel amp for the difference in cost if I decided I needed to add a sub later (which I'll probably do unless something drastic happens during break-in). I'd have them upgrade the tweeters at that point too.

Definitely a whole lot cleaner sounding already. Looking forward to seeing if it gets better as the speakers break-in.

 

Thank you for posting this video, it was a huge help. I just upgraded my tweeters to these and immediately noticed the improvement.

Despite being quite handy around the house, I find I hate doing anything with vehicles (too many breakable plastic parts which are shockingly expensive) but this was straight forward.

 

Anyone find any other Subaru upgrade speakers that directly mount and plug into the Tacoma?

I don't really care to use mounting rings or adapter harnesses.

 

The only way you can mount speakers in these doors is with mounting rings

 

Don't do the FAST rings... just use weatherstrip from Home Depot / Lowe's. The fast rings were terrible when I switched out my speakers and I used the weatherstripping and it worked great.

 

The shop I went to talked me into dynamat. I figured I was paying them to do it, so what the hell.

 

That will help keep some of the outside noise out... I covered all my doors w/ something from Noico that I got off Amazon. Had good reviews, was easy to install.

 

Installed these front speakers over the weekend - massive improvement in clarity, mid, and treble and while bass isn't as loud it is much clearer and less muddy. I think one of the things I like most is that with the factory speakers i felt like I had to crank it to near max to actually hear most of the sound spectrum. With these I can have it at 1/3 volume and have great clarity. That said, i'm actually amazed after seeing the factory speakers that they could put out as much as they did. They weigh as much as a small piece of cardboard and feel like they are made of the same. Pretty remarkable they could get any sound at all out of those paper-thin things!

Unfortunately while forcing the mounts (those mounts don't like up right and require some add'l drilling) I slipped and punctured one of my rears.

Amazing customer service though - I called Crutchfield this morning, primarily hoping I could still get a replacement pair for the 1/2 off I bought those for. Honestly explained what happened - I was clumsy and punctured a new speaker. Without hesitation, the representative is overnighting me a new set and label to return the others free of charge. Service has gotten so bad in so many areas I just don't know what to do with myself when I get GOOD service and that's spectacular.

Thanks again for the tips... very nice sound for not a lot of money. And I was indeed surprised to hear the increase in volume output with an aftermarket set of speakers on a factory head unit! Last couple of times I've done this, buying a set of speakers leads to buying an amp which leads to buying a sub, etc., and I'm confident that once I get the rears installed I'll be very happy with the full setup.

 

Thank you for the input! i am leaning towards installing these same speakers. did you have an trouble with the installation beside puncturing the speaker? also, do you feel the need to add a sub? i feel like the bass with the factory speakers is pretty good, but is sloppy.

Thanks!

 

I won't need to add a sub - especially once I get the rears replaced. the only challenges I had were:

1. Assuming the speaker mounts (front) were the same for both sides. I ended up having to take them both off their mounts and remount to the other so the holes on the mounts would line up properly with the holes in the door.
2. The holes on the mounts don't entirely line up - I had to drill a couple of additional pilot holes to make them work, but it worked and they mounted snugly once that was done.

Otherwise not too bad. Taking the doors apart was the scary part, but if you follow those OEM+ Audio videos linked on this thread it's pretty easy. I could pull them apart again in less than 2 mins now

 

Awesome! That's what I wanted to hear! Did you install any weather stripping or sound deadening? Sorry for the many questions

 

I didn't actually - was in a bit of a hurry, but I have some stripping I plan to put in there when I get the time. that said I'm not getting rattle or distortion without it at present...

 

Ordered OP @IndyFastlane's suggested Subaru tweeters and @mrproduxn's list in post #112. Hope to install Sat the 30th. Look forward to some decent sounds.

 

Glad I went with this $4 option. Mark at Caraudio fabrication was the only review I could find on YouTube or anywhere...and it wasn't really a review..more like a sponsored statement that the FAST rings 'just' work. Highly skeptical. Apparently, install shops have been using weatherstripping stacked up only around the speaker to the door card for years and years.

 

Holy smokes what a difference. Looking forward to hearing it in my truck.