front speakers - component or just regular speakers?

[Bigbartguy]

I've got an 1985 with 5.25 speakers in the doors and two 8" subs in rear footwells with a JBL sub amp under the seat.

I'd like to pull the 5.25"s out of the door panels and replace with 6.5"s. Should I go with regular 6.25" speakers or with a 6.25" component setup?

If I go with the components, I'd have to find someplace to mount the tweets....any ideas?

thanks
Tim
1985 Targa

[Joeaksa]

Tim,

I went with the stock size speakers in the door that have a tweeter that is built in but is next to the normal speaker. Kinda overlays the door panel and required no cutout.

Same thing with the amp under the seat and it sounds great... if you can understand the crude drawing below, the tweeter sits beside the main speaker but is thin enough to fit in the housing without needing to cut into the door.


speaker tweeter
---------------
oo
o o o
oo
---------------

Can post a pic if you need one.

Joe

[falcon]

bbg, On the 88 there is a separate tweeter location above the 5.25 opening. If you remove the tweeter, one can have access to a nut to manually crank the window down should there be a problem with the electric circuitry. I've never tried this but that's what I've heard or read somewhere. Instead of using the swivel holder that came with the tweeter, I utilized the stock tweeter holder. I have infinity component speakers. My speakers also came with a large crossover module that needs to be hidden. I routed them into the side pocket or it can fit into the door handle.

I can send you a picture if you'd like.

Possibly the 85 may have an opening in the door behind the panel that is there or you can cut an opening in the same location as in the 88.

The other alternative is to mount the swivel to your "A" pillar somehow which would give a much better imaginglocation than on the door.

[Bigbartguy]

thanks for the responses.

are the component speakers better than regular (sorry for the dumb question)? My current speakers are pretty 1 dimensional. I just bought them and am a little disappointed.

also- is it possible to fit 6.5" in the doors (I imagine some cutting is involved) AND a tweeter? I'm thinking 'bigger is probably better' based on my experience with the 5.25"s.

thanks!
Tim
1985 Targa

[Joeaksa]

Tim,

Two speakers will almost always give you a better range of sound. How good depends on how much money you throw at it. Bose sounds great but who has the money for them everywhere.

A smaller speaker with a tweeter will always have better sound, especially in the high range, over a standard singl speaker.

Joe

[david914]

A couple of things first... To begin with, what is it that you don't like about your current setup? Is there something missing, not enough bass, midrange, etc.? I would start by asking yourself these kinds of questions and go from there. Bigger isn't necessarily better. You should have pretty decent bass with a pair of 8's in the back. With the 911's small cockpit, you might be experiencing a noticeable upper bass/lower midrange "hump" in the response resulting in a muddy sound in your system. If you have an adjustable crossover for the subs and the door speakers, try staggering the crossover points (i.e., set the high pass crossover point for the door speakers to around 175 Hz. and the low pass crossover point for the subs at around 85Hz.) Let me know what you find out.

[Bigbartguy]

It's kind of hard for me to describe what I'm looking for but I know that my gfriend's factory stereo kicks butt compared to mine.

I think 'spaciousness' is a good description of what I feel is missing....for lack of a better description. I'm not sure how much 'spaciousness' I can expect from a small cockpit however. I'm thinking the larger speakers with seperate tweeters might help.

Tim
1985 Targa

[SK]

You mentioned (2) 8" subs and an amp powering the subs. Do you have an amp powering the door speakers? If not, I would recommend one. I also have an '85 w/ 5.25 JL audio speaker in the door and an 8" JL Audio sub. I have a large amp that powers the door speakers and the sub, and an active crossover. It sounds truly awsome at all volume levels. If you have the money, buy component speakers for the doors, but make sure you have the correct power to support them. I know with my JL 5.25", they can take alot of power, and the more you give them, the better they sound (and I don't mean loud....I mean crisp at all levels). Goodl luck

[david914]

What brand of speakers are you using now? As far as the "spaciousness" goes, some of that is due to the close quarters of the 911's cockpit. Your existing speakers may be to blame, but like I said before, getting larger ones is not necessarily the answer. "Better" ones is key. Speakers have all different personalities. Some are more "in your face" than others, some are more "spacious" sounding as you described. Are you using rear speakers on the back deck? Some level adjusting here and there may help also.

Finnaly, you may want to give Rod Birch a call. He's the proprietor of Car Audio Innovations and specializes in Porsches. Check out his website at

[Moses]

I put MB Quart 6.5" speakers in my doors with the component tweeters mounted above and to the rear of the 6.5's. I also have 4 X 6 MB Quarts in the rear deck. I am happy with the sound. HUGE improvement over stock.

Also, if mounted well, the components look stock.