Speaker Upgrades

[SirBrass]

Basically you ignore factory wiring and remove the factory tweeter and 3.5" midrange and factory woofer, and remove the factory x-overs. The component speakers come with their own x-overs and are already set properly. The tweeters and woofers should fit in the factory locations just fine, iirc.

The crossover that comes with the speakers routes the correct frequencies to the proper speaker: the tweeter highs go to the tweeter and the other frequencies go to the woofer. It's at the external amp level that you use the amp's built in high-pass and lo-pass filters to channel the subwoofer frequencies only to the sub (set the low-pass on the sub channel and the high pass on the speaker channels).

[frsbaum]

Hey pseudo, I actually just did my install this past weekend with the Alpine 6.5s and the SPS-410. It was a lot of work, but same amount of effort that doing any speaker swap would be. Here is what I learned.

1. The 6.5s fit no problem in the door. I made a new bracket out of MDF and put down dynamat between the metal body and the MDF bracket. Use the Alpine bracket as a template. I used the Metra adapter for the doors as the OEMs connect from the top/outside and the Alpines connect from the backside (inside the door). Just route the Metra extension through the hole that the OEM harness comes out of (I think I routed between the window slide rail and the inner door panel. Check you don't get interference with the power window before you put the door panel back on). I cut out that super cheap plastic weather "liner" and covered the holes with more Dynamat.

2. I put the 410s in the back. They won't fit in the factory brackets without some serious modification, so I again made a new bracket out of MDF (add a second layer for thickness to the top bolt holes for proper offset). I re-used the OEM wire couplers after cutting them off the speakers and soldered to the new wiring for the speakers. Slot the holes in the bracket so that you can line it up with the speaker grill. Remember to buy longer screws and washers ($2). Add Dynamat again to whatever you see. I drove the car to work one day without the rear speakers installed and there was a noticeable "something missing" feeling.

3. The 410s DO NOT fit in the front. There isn't enough depth before you hit the HVAC vents. The Tweeters from the the SPR will pop right in to the OEM grill (put some foam or felt around the edge still like you would any speaker). Since I removed the front 3.5s, I used the glue strips to attached the Crossovers onto the HVAC vents. For wiring, I cut off the OEM coupler and just soldered in the new connections to go to the Crossover. You can trim the extra wire first and when you are done wrap the wiring in felt or cushion tape to prevent rattles.

Everything sounds way better than the stock. I can hear an actual sound stage now and the music isn't muddled. I have the Alpine in-line amp ready to go, thinking I will hang (using dense foam and zip ties) from the IP hanger beam behind the radio OR screw it into the glove box (will fit still with the OM). Then of course bypass the factory amp in the trunk and remove for 1 lb of weight down. I already have the Alpine CDE-HD149BT installed. I'll do some tuning and possibly more sound deadening when I get the amp installed.

[mid_life_crisis]

Originally Posted by 6-Shift

The largest subwoofer you will need for balanced sound (like a home hi fi system) would be a 10" with correctly powered amplifier. A subwoofer is vital though.

Edit: I have an alpine type e 10" from a couple years ago in a truck box in my car currently and it completely satisfies my desire for bass. It doesn't take much for such a small cabin.

Disagree. A sub is not vital if you properly prep the doors and install the right separates. I put in a three way Hertz with passive crossovers and a good 2 channel amp and it sounded great. I then made the mistake of borrowing my kid's sub for a day. Now I have to put one in. If I never heard the sub I absolutely would not miss it. But I have, so now I'm screwed. That whole "feeling" as opposed to just hearing the music.

[subwaynm]

Originally Posted by TRD_86

I'm on the same boat and waiting for any good by this black Friday, but you need to get the new alpine HU to make it sound qood. Here is my choice in order.
1) A 6.5" component focal K2 front.
2) Infinity kappa
3) Alpine is the least pick.

I'm with you; I really like Infinity Speakers. I have them in my 73 VW Super Beetle with a 12" Sub behind the rear seat. Sure would be nice to have them in the Doors of my FR-S. Might look into that sooner than later

[6-Shift]

Originally Posted by mid_life_crisis

Disagree. A sub is not vital if you properly prep the doors and install the right separates. I put in a three way Hertz with passive crossovers and a good 2 channel amp and it sounded great. I then made the mistake of borrowing my kid's sub for a day. Now I have to put one in. If I never heard the sub I absolutely would not miss it. But I have, so now I'm screwed. That whole "feeling" as opposed to just hearing the music.

Yeah that's the big difference for me, I do a lot of driving and being able to feel the kick drums and bass makes the rest of the components sound better. I have no desire to upgrade my tweeters or door speakers now. just my .02 though

[MidnightRunner]

If you're really feeling daring, the rear 4s have tons of room around them if you wanted to set up a custom bracket to replace the 4s with a 6 or even a shallow 8.

Sent from my LG-P769 using Tapatalk

[mid_life_crisis]

Originally Posted by MidnightRunner

If you're really feeling daring, the rear 4s have tons of room around them if you wanted to set up a custom bracket to replace the 4s with a 6 or even a shallow 8.

Sent from my LG-P769 using Tapatalk

Problem there is it would take more than just a bracket. You'd need to create an enclosure out of that space and cut a big hole in the panel, which means those speakers have to go with the car if you ever sell it.
There are a couple of companies making what passes for decent sounding 6.5 or 7 inch subs (okay, at that size it's more like a deep bass driver as opposed to a subwoofer, but I didn't name them) that might fit quite nicely and really pump up the low end.

[MidnightRunner]

Originally Posted by mid_life_crisis

Problem there is it would take more than just a bracket. You'd need to create an enclosure out of that space and cut a big hole in the panel, which means those speakers have to go with the car if you ever sell it.
There are a couple of companies making what passes for decent sounding 6.5 or 7 inch subs (okay, at that size it's more like a deep bass driver as opposed to a subwoofer, but I didn't name them) that might fit quite nicely and really pump up the low end.

True, true. I'm sure that someone with good fabrication skills can make something out of the rear speaker slots. I opened out everything with my speaker setup, and it was quite surprising how much wasted space sits back there with those headunit powered, useless 4s. The 4s themselves sit in brackets making them even more useless.

I ran a 12 in the trunk of mine, but now I might go with an 8 to save some space. Really limited room back there, and even more so when you use your car for functional trips like the grocery store, pool store, etc.

Sent from my LG-P769 using Tapatalk

[SirBrass]

The rear speakers are pretty useless but still vital to sound stage fill. Your main definition and clarity will come from the door and dash speakers and the sub (you should have one if you like audio). The rear speakers just need to be good enough to fill the stage and keep the bass from feeling like it's all coming from the back. Decent 4" speakers can do this. You'll want better if you carry passengers in the back (like if you're a tiny Asian and so are your passengers ), but otherwise, just go with good type-s 4" or the Infinity or Polk equivalents. No need to spend big on custom enclosures and such for those speakers.

[MidnightRunner]

Originally Posted by SirBrass

just go with good type-s 4" or the Infinity or Polk equivalents.

Might need more powers though. Those run on power straight from the headunit. Have you swapped yours yet?

Sent from my LG-P769 using Tapatalk

[SirBrass]

For 4"? Just drive them from the HU and amp the rest.

And no I haven't swapped anything yet. My car is still at the repair shop. I've been driving a rental now for longer than I've been driving the BRZ (see: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...ostcount=18262 )

[MidnightRunner]

Originally Posted by SirBrass

For 4"? Just drive them from the HU and amp the rest.

And no I haven't swapped anything yet. My car is still at the repair shop. I've been driving a rental now for longer than I've been driving the BRZ (see: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...ostcount=18262 )

Sorry to hear that. Never trust a bonneville driver.

And my ktp455u is on the way, so I might run two separate lines to the 4s to use all 4 channels. I'll compare the hu powered speaker with the amp to see if there really is a big difference. If not I'll provably bridge the amp to two channels for my doors.

Hopefully you could get your car back and the damage wouldn't be noticeable. My brother's g37 was rear ended and the chassis was all f'd up.

Sent from my LG-P769 using Tapatalk

[mid_life_crisis]

Originally Posted by SirBrass

The rear speakers are pretty useless but still vital to sound stage fill. [snip] .

But their location bites even for rear fill. Too low and close to the front seats. If you insist on rear fill, move them to the rear deck.

[SirBrass]

Not really.

When I had my sti, I put my rear satellites (type r components) near the front seats on the door cards of the rear doors & it brought the bass part of the stage forward.

As far as my car, repairs were completed today & I go to pick her up in a few hours. No chassis or frame damage, just rear bumper damage that was fixed or replaced. Should drive just the same.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk