Thread: school me on factory speaker locations

Buy decent speakers with proper RMS ratings of at least 50watts. Run them through a 2 channel 100w or 4 channel 50w RMS amplifier. RMS (Root Mean Squared) is the key figure here, peak power is what the speaker is capable of driving, once. Maybe twice. It is an inflated figure used to increase sales. If sound gear doesnt mention RMS then walk away.

Jaycar is your friend. My 4x100w amp blows my ears off, and I have it dialled back to about 30% max volume, yet audio shops say you still require 1000watts of power...

All you need:
4 x 50W RMS per channel head unit (pretty standard)
2 x 4" component speakers
2 x 6" speakers

Your 4" component speakers allow you to put the tweeter in the top of your dash. Like in Puma's. Older dash you use a hole saw.

This brings the high freq detail closer to your ears. The lower 4 inch woofer stays in the factory position but it is improved because it does not have to share space with a tweeter. Better mid's.


6" speakers in the back corners

These will give you your thuds.

Set the head unit to send 70% of volume to the rear speakers. Crank up the volume. Enjoy.

And if you have kids sitting in the back, were would you put the base speakers?

BTW it's crew cab not a wagon.

Tony

There is also option for spacers (available from car audio outlets) on the bottom two 4" speaker to allow more magnet space for a better speaker (based on the same advice about RMS as before). example below...

2 5 1 4" 1" Speaker Spacer Depth Extender Ring 5 25" Fast Free USA Shipping | eBay

The crew cab adds a bit of difficulty for the bass speakers, but depending on your use of the space under the rear seats you could always construct a bit of a box out of ply (rubber or carpet covered depending) to mount speakers and amplifiers if you do lean towards those...

Cheers,

Lou

Originally Posted by TonyC

And if you have kids sitting in the back, were would you put the base speakers?

BTW it's crew cab not a wagon.

Tony

Crew cab you can do 5.25" (maybe squeeze a 6") in the headlining. This img looks like he sqeezed a 6". Issue is more with depth behind lining for magnet/coil. If you use a spacer ring it could get too close to your ear hole for comfort.


In my 90 I have component speakers in the headlining and I don't like it much. It is a bit like having one headphone blaring into your ear, and the other has fallen off.

I would start with component 4" fronts in factory position, tweeter in the top dash and add an active sub somewhere (position not important) to get some low end. If you still want sound coming from the rear of crew cab, maybe you can fit 6x9 speaker boxes under the rear seats or look at headlining but see if you can position them right at the back above rear seats.

Originally Posted by manic

I have these behind my 130 bench seats. They face upwards. Its not ideal but there isnt really anywhere else to put them as they are too big. They slightly push the backrests forwards.

In my crew cab I've got 6'' in the headlining above the front seats, and 6"x9" also in the headlining at the back and facing forward and down. I've also got upgraded 4" speakers in the original position. I have a separate fader between the two front pairs, so I can adjust sound up/down at the front as well as front/back. The speakers fitted in the headlining are screwed to soft timber blocks of suitable shape, that are glued with roofing silicon to the inside of the roof itself, so they are very solidly mounted. I'm reasonably happy with the sound, but I think I'd like to include an amp as on some tracks I get the back speakers popping, and I've heard this is due to insufficient power to the speakers. I'm not finished learning about amps yet, so haven't done anything.
By the way, I don't need the sort of sound that blows the windows out. I've made a reply to a post along these lines before and have tried to post pictures of my setup as others said they were interested, but the uploading took too long and kept timing out. If anyone's got a solution to that issue, I'll provide pix.
Don

Originally Posted by Don 130

In my crew cab I've got 6'' in the headlining above the front seats, and 6"x9" also in the headlining at the back and facing forward and down. I've also got upgraded 4" speakers in the original position. I have a separate fader between the two front pairs, so I can adjust sound up/down at the front as well as front/back. The speakers fitted in the headlining are screwed to soft timber blocks of suitable shape, that are glued with roofing silicon to the inside of the roof itself, so they are very solidly mounted. I'm reasonably happy with the sound, but I think I'd like to include an amp as on some tracks I get the back speakers popping, and I've heard this is due to insufficient power to the speakers. I'm not finished learning about amps yet, so haven't done anything.
By the way, I don't need the sort of sound that blows the windows out. I've made a reply to a post along these lines before and have tried to post pictures of my setup as others said they were interested, but the uploading took too long and kept timing out. If anyone's got a solution to that issue, I'll provide pix.
Don

G'day Don, as I was reading, I'm thinking, gee's, pics would be good
What about emailing them to someone who could then post them up for you. I'd offer, but like you, I get timed out, I think due to being wireless,,

I'd really like to see some examples of where people put them. I rarely use my radio as it just sounds like crap.

Thanks for the info on the speaker quality too Fraz, Manic and Lou,, always good to know what directions to head in, without getting conned.