What kindof speakers should I get? (1 Viewer)

[seremify007]

After finding out that installing a sub into my Civic is gonna be very difficult (requires disconnecting rear speakers, adding wiring for the amp power, etc...) or costly (if I want to retain rear speakers, I need to buy some special unit which accepts the speaker outputs from my deck), I've decided to just replace the 4 speakers in my car with good quality speakers.

So what kindof speakers should I replace them with? I won't be using an amp so they won't be super powerful, but just some decent quality output would be good. I'm thinking the front would be splits so that I get decent treble from the tweeters, but I'm not sure how to go about getting more bass from the back two without installing subwoofers? Honda offered an upgrade pack called "Bass Works" whereby they had this little control unit with two knobs ("gain" and "high cut") along with two improved speakers, and I was hoping that I would be able to do something similar to that with aftermarket speakers. Does anyone know what that control unit thing is? Someone told me it's just an external crossover unit (and not an amp).

Cheers!

 

[Gangels]

Ones that make noise

 

[loquasagacious]

Thanks for the input gangels...

RE: the question;

Yes the honda thingy was an external crossover with a low pass filter.

I think you're on the right track with your thinking, my take would be:

Front: Splits either a pack or custom.

Rear: 6x9s for extra bass or conventional 6" both using low pass filters.

 

[seremify007]

Thanks for your advice loquasagacious, I know this is probably pushing it, but if I were to buy really really good (budget: $400) for a pair of speakers in the rear (I think my car can only take 6" because of the grill... not 6x9- but shall investigate further), do you think I would be able to get sufficient bass? I realise it probably won't be anywhere near the 10" or 12" subwoofer I wanted initially, but I'm thinking this is probably the easiest way to do things without them having to fully pull apart from my car to install wiring for amp/subwoofer.

 

[loquasagacious]

That all depends on what you regard as sufficient bass....

It will certainly be less bass than with a sub but as for enough its hard to say because its personal preference.

I doubt you will be 'doofing' along with them, highly unlikely you will feel the bass and you will probably miss out on some low frequency sound - my advice would be to get an audio shop to set up a test rig for you eg a head unit+crossover+speakers and have a listen. Though if you do bear in mind that the test rig must have more bass than you want to hear because the car makes so many of its own low-frequency noises that interefere that it knocks out some of the loudness eg you will notice the volume difference between your sound system when the engine is running and when it is not.

Tell the shop you want lots of bass from the rear speakers and they should be able to hook you up with ones that handle lower frequencies better and can take more wattage than normal. Though because its only a 6" diametre as opposed to 12" there's a hell of a lot less surface area which means less air moved, less 'loudness' etc.

 

[7th Sign]

isnt this a new car?

U will probly void your 2 year warrenty...

 

[Pace_T]

i thought u were banned

 

[seremify007]

isnt this a new car?

U will probly void your 2 year warrenty...

It's 5 year actually >_> ... but the reason why I'm replacing speakers is because that way it won't void the warranty. Ripping everything out to install wiring for the sub and amp will void the warranty though.

 

[seremify007]

This is what the back of my car looks like inside the boot... I was wondering if you think I can fit 6x9s in there or if I'll be forced to use 6"? Also wondering where I would put the external crossover unit/low pass thingy if I got it.

Btw do you have any idea what that black box is? I'm thinking it might be related to the rear brake light behind the glass (which is disconnected 'coz I have a LED tailight on the spoiler)...

That all depends on what you regard as sufficient bass....

It will certainly be less bass than with a sub but as for enough its hard to say because its personal preference.

I doubt you will be 'doofing' along with them, highly unlikely you will feel the bass and you will probably miss out on some low frequency sound - my advice would be to get an audio shop to set up a test rig for you eg a head unit+crossover+speakers and have a listen. Though if you do bear in mind that the test rig must have more bass than you want to hear because the car makes so many of its own low-frequency noises that interefere that it knocks out some of the loudness eg you will notice the volume difference between your sound system when the engine is running and when it is not.

Tell the shop you want lots of bass from the rear speakers and they should be able to hook you up with ones that handle lower frequencies better and can take more wattage than normal. Though because its only a 6" diametre as opposed to 12" there's a hell of a lot less surface area which means less air moved, less 'loudness' etc.

Yeh I'm planning to go back to Lifestyle and ask them to show me what it'll be like. I don't mind the lack of 'doof' as long as there's bass- I remember liking the Mini Cooper Harmon Kardon system which had no subwoofer; and I like.. more balanced music with decent bass, rather than heaps of bass.

 

[loquasagacious]

Unfortunately 6" are your only option given those mounts.

As far as the crossover depending on its aesthitics, how much you wanted to adjust it on the go and its mounting options my guess would be it would end up in the boot attatched to either the underside of the parcel shelf (seen in pic) or the back of a seat/etc.

If you got a DIN mountable one (assuming they exist??) it could be mounted in the dash and tweaked on the move.

Black box, no idea sorry, follow the wires if you're curious.

 

[seremify007]

I just found out from someone who ordered the Bass Works (dealer upgrade) for the sound system;

The Kit comes with two 6.5" speakers. The cones and magnets are beefier than the stock units but

nothing like you would get from a decent set of aftermarket units. It also comes with a crossover

unit that night have a small built in amp. It obtains the inputs from the original wiring

(Left/Right rear channel) and gets power from the boot light and brake light via an all in one

harness.

I got the kit from a US dealer for about $450 shipped... the result is that the sound is fuller

but its not going to gie you sub bass performance. Im disappointed with the fronts actually.. we

should get tweeters to brighten things up alittle.

(URL: http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?p=693747#post693747)

I guess at least this means I can get 6.5"!... I'm pretty sure I'll get components in the front, and ordinary 6.5" in the rear.

Don't mind this stupid Q, but just to confirm, with component/splits, you can put the tweeter and the woofer in the one speaker mould right (ie. you don't need to have them placed seperately)?

 

[the truth]

if you wanna put the tweeter and the speaker in the same mount you might as well get co-axils... that is if i havnt gotten what yah meant? but yeah jvc and fusion have nice pairs of coaxils for the fronts which are at good prices. to bad yah cant get 6x9 in the back but 6's should work well and shouldnt be underpowered since your using the headunit for power. but yeah important to let you ears decide which speakers you should get as so iv heard...

 

[loquasagacious]

Ok I should've been more precise when I refer to a 6" I am in fact referring to a 6.5" - its a standard size.

And I think the truth is (ironically enough given his username) correct the whole point of splits is that they are split and it would thus be impossble to re-combine them.

If you want to use just one mount then get a decent set of coaxials - if two mounts are acceptable then probably mount the splits at the base of the A-pillar.