Speaker Brand Recommendations

[asilverblazer]

Alright I searched and read all the threads about "speakers"... None of them are really direct recommendations.

 

Heres what I'm planning. Keep my factory head unit no bose, no navigation, replace all the door speakers, maybe the tweeters in the a-pillar. Add an amplifier and later add some subs and amps. I don't want to do any modifiactions that will prevent me from returning the truck to stock.

 

I prefer to go with coaxial speakers in the doors, or if it is simple to add components in the front utilizing the factory door woofer and tweeter a-pillar I am open to this.

 

For the amp I want speaker level inputs and a preamp out.

 

I want it loud and excellent sound quality with more emphasis on quality. Roughly 200$ budget for speakers, and 150$ for amp.

 

What would you buy and why? (Not I have these in my truck and like them)

 

Please and thank you in advance.

[stormrider]

I have JLAudio in mine. Some say they are on the expensive side but I have been running this brand for years and have never had an issue period.

 

I will add a caveat about your description. Others may chime in with other experiences but I will tell you mine.

I wanted to keep my factory head unit because I like the display, fit finish in the dash etc.

I have my work done by the best audio place in the area. many competition wins, voted best etc. They told me I may have problems with doing this adn the harnesses needed becuse there are no RCA jacks etc.

I had all four speakers replaced, added JL's stealth box, and two Kenwood digital amps (run much cooler and less noise, actually none). one to run the sub and the other to run the door speakers. My door chimes are gone, I am having issues with the speakers fading out, the functionality of the head unit is decreased as far as the fade and balance. The amps shut off when the ignition is turned off. All of which is related to the special harnesses for the factory unit. After much deliberation the factory unit is coming out and will be replaced. I am also going to change to Sirius because I can.

I should have known better becuse I had similar issues doing this with my Colorado but I always learn the hard way

 

I hope this helps

 

storm

[MarkD]

Infinity Kappas for the rear are awesome for the price. I installed mine first and they would outplay the factory fronts.

 

I think I bought them from crutchfield to keep the catalogs comming.

[Wingnut]

If you throw an amp on any aftermarket mids/tweets they're going to blow you away on how much better they're going to sound than factory.

 

BUT

 

You'll lose what little bass you have. Factory speakers play the entire range of sound. Aftermarket speakers will only play within their frequency response range, which is (by design) mids and highs only.

 

You'll really want to add subs at the same time or you'll be disappointed with the sound. It'll sound tinny and bright and gutless.

 

To answer what brand? Not counting subs...In the last 10 years or so I've ran some high end MB Quart stuff (think $1,000 components just for the front doors), I've run Infinity plates and components, I've run Kicker coaxials, I've run Boston Acoustics, I've run Alpine, all the way down to some cheapy Pioneers...I've currently got Focal coaxials and Boston Acoustic plates filling Fred with noise (in addition to a couple of Kicker Comp V/R 10" subs). I'd say that any coaxials of a decent brand that cost more than $100 will make you happy. Components are just the same thing...Just slightly better because you can tune them somewhat with tweeter placement. I've not been in the doors or behind the dash on the 900 trucks yet so I couldn't tell you if the extra work on the install would be worth it to go component. My only gripe about installing components has always been you have to find a good place to mount the big ass crossover boxes that come with them. Like 3" x 4" x 1" sized brick that has to be dry and hard mounted to make sure the wires don't come loose. I'd usually bolt them inside the doors, but I don't know if you'll have room for that.

[alaska511]

I have the latest Kappas in my rear doors, and the JBL Power Series in my fronts. I am very pleased.

[stadt11]

My vote is for Alpine, they're not the most expensive, but IMO they sound just as good as the expensive speakers.

[VMax2007]

Stock Bose FTW!!!

 

 

 

[08_Denali_22]

Alpine FTW. I have a set of Type-X Pros on their way here via UPS right now. I've always been very impressed with their products. From their amps, decks, and speakers. Infinity Kappa's are nice too but I'm not fond of their tweeters. A little to bright/harsh for me. Personally if your going to amp the speakers I would run components and lose the rear speakers all together. They are nothing more than filler on an extended cab truck. Spend the money on a nice set of components and an amp combo for the front.

 

For the OEM integration I would either go with the JL Cleansweep, Rockford Fosgate 3sixty.2, or the Alpine PXE-H650 Imprint unit if money is not a problem. If your staying on a budget you could go with a Line Out Converter or LOC as its commonly called. The LOC will tap into the factory speaker wires and give you RCA preouts for you amp. The other signal processors that I mentioned would do a lot more and I would love to tell you all about them but I would typing for ever. It would be better if you took a look on the manufacturer's web site. I'm not going to lie, they are a little pricey though.

 

The best advice anyone can give you for speaker recommendations is for you to swing into a few shops and listen to as many brands and models as possible. I mean its all up to personal preference.

[asilverblazer]

I am leaning towards either Infinity's or Alpine. I don't think I am going to go with components. I have a pari of 10" subs and an amp for them laying around, although they are about six years old, so if I really need more bass I can get it with building a new box.

 

If I were to go with Alpine I am leaning towards the SPS-600's or the Infinity Reference 6022i, or Kappa 62.9i...

 

Amp?

[asilverblazer]

Alpine FTW. I have a set of Type-X Pros on their way here via UPS right now. I've always been very impressed with their products. From their amps, decks, and speakers. Infinity Kappa's are nice too but I'm not fond of their tweeters. A little to bright/harsh for me. I like the highs... so don't think that would be an issue.

 

Personally if your going to amp the speakers I would run components and lose the rear speakers all together. They are nothing more than filler on an extended cab truck. Sorry, I can't do that, its one of those little things that would annoy me.

 

Spend the money on a nice set of components and an amp combo for the front. Are you suggesting using the factory woofer tweeter locations?

 

For the OEM integration I would either go with the JL Cleansweep, Rockford Fosgate 3sixty.2, or the Alpine PXE-H650 Imprint unit if money is not a problem. If your staying on a budget you could go with a Line Out Converter or LOC as its commonly called. The LOC will tap into the factory speaker wires and give you RCA preouts for you amp. The other signal processors that I mentioned would do a lot more and I would love to tell you all about them but I would typing for ever. It would be better if you took a look on the manufacturer's web site. I'm not going to lie, they are a little pricey though. Why will getting an amp with speaker level inputs not work? Why do I need these other items?

 

The best advice anyone can give you for speaker recommendations is for you to swing into a few shops and listen to as many brands and models as possible. I mean its all up to personal preference.

[asilverblazer]

How does this sound:

 

4 of the Alpine SPS-600's in the doors powered by the Alpine MRP-F600 and using my current subs and amp if required?

 

I would take speaker input off the headunit to the amp then run wire from the amp to the speakers... Since the amp has preamp outs, I can run from that to my sub amp with RCA cable.

[stadt11]

I was told, by Crutchfield, that the MRP-F300 will power the SPS-600c's & SPS-600's just fine.

[asilverblazer]

The speakers can handle up to 80 watts continually, wouldn't the 100 from the larger amp be better? I always heard a little more is better than a little less. Not questioning you, but I wonder what their reasoning is. Maybe they are saying the smaller amp would be sufficient for most users, after all it would be far better than running them off the factory head unit, and about what most after market head units would deliver.

[punmax]

Stock Bose FTW!!!

 

 

 

 

+1

[08_Denali_22]

The reason that your going to need the LOC is for the amps. The 4 channel amps you have listed will work without the LOC but the sub amp probably won't. For that your going to need the LOC. Unless I'm mistaken. The sound quality might suffer aswell using the speaker wire inputs insteadof RCA's but I could be wrong. I don't know.

 

Yes I was referring to putting components in the front factory locations. The adapter your going to need to mount the speakers in front doors won't matter if you use the coaxials or the component woofers. Its the same adapter. The only two hurdles your going to have is mounting the crossover somewhere and mounting the tweeter in the factory spot. Neither issue should be very difficult to overcome. In fact I think I remember seeing a thread on here with pictures with someone mounting a set of Infinity tweeters in the factory location.

 

The reason that I said I wouldn't throw speakers in the rear was with a decent set of components in the front powered by an amp you won't really be able to tell the difference. Having a sub in the rear is only going to help this. Not only that it will help a lot with the sound staging in the vehicle. What I mean by that it will sound more like you are at a concert with the band playing in front of you, not behind you. Plus with the size of an extended cab or standerd cab the interior space is fairly small. To the point having amped speakers playing behind you might "confuse" your ears. With me having a crew cab I'm probably going to end up putting speakers in the rear only because of the larger space. I will listen to the components only in the front first to decide if the rear will be necessary.

 

I would go with the MRP-F600 I'm a big fan of overpowering the speakers than underpowering. I have however run the the same Type-S coaxials off of the MRP-F300 in my girlfriends grand am. They did very well I must say, I do think they might sound a little better with more power. The Type-S's will take the extra power; just don't go crazy with the gain. In fact I have a set of those exact coaxials that are going in my rear doors that are going to be seeing 124W rms from my Alpine PDX 4.100 amp.