Car speakers and size

[masraum]

One of the big door speakers in my car is blown. I think it's the foam based on past experience. My car has an 8" and, I'm pretty sure a ~3" in the door, and the speaker with the problem is the 8".

Looking on the Car Audio Innovations website, they sell two speaker kits, and both kits use 6.5" primary drivers. I would assume based on my lack of speaker knowledge that going to a smaller driver would be a bit of a downgrade in some way (frequency response?). Or is it that they are such a high quality speaker that they are still an upgrade despite being smaller? Or is the size not really that important?

I'd love to get one of Rod Birch's kits, but frankly, I'm not prepared to spend that much on speakers, especially at Christmas time. Maybe 'll wait until bonus time comes around and get his cheaper kit (which is still $750), which replaces all 6 speakers in the car (it's got 7, but one is unused since I upgraded the headunit and amp).

[stevej37]

Crutchfield.com
They'll show all options for your car. Read the reviews..very helpful

[masraum]

Thanks, Steve, but I'm more curious specifically about the difference between a 6.5" speaker and an 8" speaker or even the differences between 2 similarly sized speakers.

My understanding of the stock stereos is that there's the standard 4 speaker system which is 2 tweeters in the dash and 2 6.5" speakers in the doors, then there's the Sound Package Plus which is a 7 speaker system which is a center dash speaker, two tweeters in the dash, two small speakers in each door and then 2 8" speakers in each door. And then there's the Bose system which has 11 speakers. I believe it adds 4 more speakers behind the passengers to the same basic speakers as the SPS (but Bose specific since they are 2ohm vs 4ohm, I think).

Most of the replacement sites list 6.5" speakers for the doors. I think the reason is that the stock 8" door speakers were unusually shallow.

I'm looking for more basic car speaker info vs info specific to my car.

I assume that you can get lows out of any speaker, otherwise headphones would never sound like they have any bass. But they do, so there must be something else to 6" vs 8" vs 10" vs 12", etc....

[DanielDudley]

Best Buy. Drive right up.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by DanielDudley

Best Buy. Drive right up.

Hahaha. I don't think I'd trust Best Buy to wash my car.

[astrochex]

You won’t get lows out of any speaker. 6.5” is a common car audio speaker size for midrange. The 3” is going to be the tweeter. You won’t get all the base you might be looking for from the 6.5” speaker. A separate sub might be necessary, but can your source even provide a discrete bass signal?

You could put 6.5” in your door but you will need a baffle to be able to mount. Pretty much any aftermarket speaker will sound better than stock. Try to get a listen to any speaker before you buy. You should have a lot of options in your area. Good luck!

[lendaddy]

I'd be surprised if you have 8" drivers in the door but it's possible. Things have likely changed in the time I've been out of the hobby but I can't imagine needing more than 6.5" drivers for mid-range in the doors. 8" was always the beginning of the subwoofer range but again...things have likely changed.

[Sooner or later]

The number of 8" speakers is limited.

A 6.5" will have slightly less bass than an 8". In a multi speaker system much of the bottom end of the speaker will be cut . A sub will take care of what is cut.

You won't notice the difference between the two sides. As others have said, Crutchfield has a wealth of information

[stevej37]

[QUOTE=astrochex;10270491]You won’t get lows out of any speaker. 6.5” is a common car audio speaker size for midrange. The 3” is going to be the tweeter. You won’t get all the base you might be looking for from the 6.5” speaker. A separate sub might be necessary, but can your source even provide a discrete bass signal?


I had this issue with my Honda a while back. No output on the head unit for a sub.
I hooked-up a line-out converter from the rear speakers to a sub amp...which I added an Alpine sub to. The convenience of not having to run wires to the HU made it easy.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by astrochex

You won’t get lows out of any speaker.

Huh?

6.5” is a common car audio speaker size for midrange. The 3” is going to be the tweeter. You won’t get all the base you might be looking for from the 6.5” speaker. A separate sub might be necessary, but can your source even provide a discrete bass signal? You could put 6.5” in your door but you will need a baffle to be able to mount. Pretty much any aftermarket speaker will sound better than stock. Try to get a listen to any speaker before you buy. You should have a lot of options in your area. Good luck!

The car has 8" drivers in the door from the factory. CAI includes adapters to put 6.5" speakers in if you purchase from them. Certainly any aftermarket will sound better than the current blown speaker.

Originally Posted by lendaddy

I'd be surprised if you have 8" drivers in the door but it's possible. Things have likely changed in the time I've been out of the hobby but I can't imagine needing more than 6.5" drivers for mid-range in the doors. 8" was always the beginning of the subwoofer range but again...things have likely changed.

Ask and ye shall receive, the 987 Sound Package Plus had 8" door speakers.


And for a bit of crazy, the Bose system also has 8" speakers in the door AND they have two 5 1/8" "subs" in an enclosure behind the passengers.



The standard 987 stereo had 6.5" door speakers.

[stevej37]

If you haven't tore into yet..YouTube has a few helpful videos.

[RKDinOKC]

[Superman]

I am a bassist. Smaller speakers sometime have better low frequency response than larger ones. Here, I am thinking of 10" v 12" v 15". Also, speakers' frequency response is dependent on the speaker's.....environment. How much space exist behind the speaker. Smaller speakers require larger cabinets in order to develop sub frequencies. An 8" speaker can achieve amazing lows, but it would have to be mounted into a cabinet that is larger than if you were using a 15" driver. It's a bit of a black art/science.

I'd suggest the research others are suggesting. There are people who understand these things far better than I. I guess my point is that speaker size alone is not determinant.

[Ayles]

Originally Posted by Superman

I am a bassist. Smaller speakers sometime have better low frequency response than larger ones. Here, I am thinking of 10" v 12" v 15". Also, speakers' frequency response is dependent on the speaker's.....environment. How much space exist behind the speaker. Smaller speakers require larger cabinets in order to develop sub frequencies. An 8" speaker can achieve amazing lows, but it would have to be mounted into a cabinet that is larger than if you were using a 15" driver. It's a bit of a black art/science.

I'd suggest the research others are suggesting. There are people who understand these things far better than I. I guess my point is that speaker size alone is not determinant.

My roommate after college had a bass cabinet with 8 8”s. It could reproduce an earthquake.

[dan79brooklyn]

If it was me I’d just look on eBay for one used speaker from the same model.
I’ve been down the speaker upgrade road in the past and decided it was much easier to just replace with an OEM speaker. No worries about mountings and fitmen and wiring.

[KFC911]

Though I was infatuated with Bose 901s back in college, I generally am in the Bose blows camp....for home audio. I was also into car stereos since Pioneer Supertuners, Jensen Triaxials, and dinosaurs....but I digress ....

The best car system I ever had was a Nakamichi/Bose in my old Lexus SC400...it was sweet. I think there were about a dozen, strategically placed speakers....never paid much attention, but I don't think any of them (even in the doors) were more than a few inches...

....nuthin' sounds better than my 911 though

[masraum]

I did a little more research. The funny thing is that a lot of what I found was forums for guitar players. What I found was that the size of the speaker is more about volume than anything else. A larger speaker moves more air, hence more volume. Any speaker can put out low frequencies (again, if it was size, then headphones would suck).

Interesting. Thanks, guys.

Trying to find an OEM speaker sounds good other than not knowing when it'll blow. You can buy a replacement for $57, but I think it's the 6.5" and I'm not going to replace an 8" with a 6.5" unless it's a good aftermarket. I've heard that the standard speakers are lacking even compared to the SPP.

[KFC911]

I'd probably replace both sides too...matching is mo' bueno'er imo...

[onewhippedpuppy]

You'd be replacing a cheapo 8" with a higher quality 6.5", my guess is that you'll find the sound quality is actually much better even with the smaller speaker. I'm sure the various kits are simply a function of what is readily available on the market, hence using super common 6.5" speakers.

In reality, even the Bose system sucks in the 987. Pretty much any aftermarket upgrade is just that, an upgrade.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by KC911

I'd probably replace both sides too...matching is mo' bueno'er imo...

That's my plan