Upgrading Speakers

[chevy4x4trucks]

I'm looking to get the best bang for my buck.  I want to upgrade all 4 speakers in my truck to something w/ a little better quality.  Does anyone have any recommendations on brands or even specific speakers would be better.  I'm looking to spend no more than 200 bucks for all four speakers.

 

Thank you in advance for your radio expertise.

[LarryE]

kicker impulse or  kicker resolutions

[NeXuS1]

DEI Studio Series components. compares with BA pros and other high end speakers and will fit in low space applications.

 

the 4" components even have a plate to make them fit into 4x6 locations.

 

200 for all 4 might be a challage. i'll see what i can find in your price range.

[XSaNiTy]

i have Blaupunkt Overdrive 6.5" components and i think they are great athough Blaupunkt seems to have a bad rap for some reason (most people who dont like them have never listened to them).  anyway, i paid only $120 for the set because they were the last years model and were being closed out.  crutchfield.com has these kind of specials and you can save a lot if you get lucky.  new, these speakers cost $190 so i thought it was a good deal.

[FIRECAT]

I'm an MBQuart guy, but that is probably out of your price range.  I also like Clarion's speakers and they are priced more in your range.

[RyanbabZ71]

went to best buy tonight.  My gf's mom bought her a new head unit for her escort for an xmas gift.  I was looking around and the speaker bug bit me.  I think ill replace the rears and maybe add a little something something.  

 

Cant wait till spring

[sierra1]

I was playing around with my PITIFUL factory stereo, and found something interesting.  If you cut the rear speakers off with the fader, it sounds a lot better.  Don't even think of using the "autotone" BS, it just makes it sound obnoxious!  Seems to be best with the treble set flat, and the bass turned up a little bit.  At least it's tolerable.

 

I guess it's either the bass trying to get through those tiny back speakers, or its the lack of any real power the H/U has, but it is a lot better.  

 

I was looking at a Sony MP3 player at the place that sold me my remote starter (going in Monday, no more teeth chattering for 10 minutes after I start the truck in the morning!).  It's on sale for $269+ install,  about 310 or so all together.  I really have the hots to replace the stock junker!  And all those MP3s I 've downloaded over the last six months with my cable modem wouldn't have to be converted to CD audio.

 

If I do get the new H/U, I'm going to have them put bass blockers on the back speakers and I should be ok for a while until it's sub time!  The front speakers aren't that bad, my friend is running  the high end pioneer DSP H/U through them, and they are as good as a lot of the aftermarkets I've heard.  He's running them high pass, with (I think) 150hz cutoff.  Tightens them right up.

[FIRECAT]

Sierra,

Your absolutely right.  Then first thing I did to mine was lose the stock head unit and put in my Clarion CD player and my Clarion EQ/DSP/Crossover, this gave me the ability to cut out the lower frequencies that give the stock speakers fits.  Its not as good as also adding new speakers, but it sure beats stock.

 

Ryan, it would sound better if you upgraded your front speakers first, I really don't think you'll notice much of a difference in just changing the rear speakers, especially if you have a stock head unit.

 

[RyanbabZ71]

firecat

 

actually the drivers side rear speaker sounds horrible.  Crack squeals the noises coming out of it aint sweet music.  

 

I have to see how to remove the door panels and then go from there

[sierra1]

Well, I just might, if I can hold on to one of the two paychecks I got last night, be able to swing that sony MP3 H/U.  Gotta look at the bilz...

[Markeaux]

I have Cerwin Vega 6002 (6.5") coaxial speaks (from Crutchfield) all around in my 01 Tahoe LT. I think they have been replaced by the HED-162, at least the specs are the same and they look identical to my 6002's.  Anyway the 6002's have sparkly clear highs and really good lows ... I think a pair of them for your fronts would be great for you, they are only like $100 a pair - then you could choose a set of 4x6's(?) for the rear and probably get by with a $200 outlay for all 4.

 

I originally went with the 6002's as a cheap+quick stop-gap until possibly going with components, but they sound so good I'm sticking with em for a good long while.

 

Oh, btw, in case you don't already know www.radiosandmore.com has a oem-style 12 disc changer what easily interfaces directly to the am/fm/cd plus they have a Y-cable that allows keeping the optional external cassette.

[sierra1]

Well, it looks like I'm going stereo shopping Monday!  I managed to keep some loot, and with what a friend owes me, I can swing it!  I'm going to pass on the Sony H/U though, it has issues with MP3 playing, and sound quality.

 

Looks like the JVC KD-SH99 is the king of bang for the buck right now.  Sent searching on the web, and found no real complaints about it from owners, LOTS for the Sony.

[sierra1]

 Well, I couldn't find anyone locally that had the JVC H/U for anything less than $400!  I made up a test CD, and while they were putting in my remote starter, I played with the MP3 H/Us they had, and ended up getting the Sony, it sounds fine.  It does have a minor issue with cutting off about a quarter of a sec off the beginning of each track, but most of the time, it's fine.  This can be solved with a little MP3 editing program.  Supposedly, this can be automated, so all you do is highlight the files, and click, and it adds a short tone and .25 seconds of silence.  Apparently the tone is needed for the player to detect the beginning of the file.

 

Ryan- GET A NEW HEAD UNIT!!  You won't be sorry!  I knew the stocker was weak, but I wasn't sure how weak until 8 last night, when they finished my truck!  I listened to a live CD of big band jazz (I like it, but mostly just because it sounds awesome on a good system) on the old H/U, on the way to the car stereo place.  The bass was mushy, and it just sounded.....bad.  I had them put "bass Blockers" on the rear speakers (they will be gone soon), to cut off the low end.  They used the 1800 hz ones (sounds too high to me, but that what EVERYONE recommended).  As soon as I turned it on, I knew I had waited too long to get rid of the stocker.  All you need to do is buy a decent pair of rears, and you would be fine.

 

I could actually turn it up to painful levels before the Bass started getting bad (the front speakers are not that bad sounding with a little bit of power going to them!)  I might even keep them in there after I get the sub and amp, I will try them a while, and see if I get tired of them.  Now, I would say it sounds as good or better than the infinity setup that was in my Jeep Grand Cherokee.  It doesn't have the big amp in the back yet, but I would say it plays as loud, and seems a little cleaner too.  

 

Now, I'm just waitin for that IRS refund, and sub+amp, here I come!!

[badpewterz]

i would go with mb quart my self

i got my 4x6 rears for 85

i have kennwood seperates in the front they sound great too about 160 from crutchfield

 

but i would second the head unit too

new alpine all the way great power, good options , and there prices arnt bad anymore(espicaly on ebay)

i will be replacing my pos pannasonic cd w/ and alpine soon

 

keith

[FIRECAT]

i would go with mb quart my self

 

i will be replacing my pos pannasonic cd w/ and alpine soon

 

keith

I agree with you on the Quarts, but not on the Alpine.  I don't know if Alpine's have gotten better, but my brother had 2 Alpine's fail during competition.  Since then been a Clarion man and have had no problems at all.