factory center speaker replacement

[d_dfw]

The 3 1/2 inch center speaker in my Ford Taurus shows 25 watts / 8 ohms and I would like to replace it. All the replacements I find are 4 ohm and rated at various RMS. Such as this 5 - 25 RMS Infinity 3002cfx.

According to this website, Speaker Impedance vs Power Output, it appears that 25 watts is peak power for 8 ohms. And RMS would be 1/2 peak. So, I'm thinking I'm getting about 15 watts to this center speaker. And would I get about 25 watts if I replaced it with a 4 ohm upgrade, due to the increase in current?

Do you think a 4 ohm / 25 watts RMS replacement would be a good idea?

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[trumpet 5,000+ posts]

Are you going to power this speaker with the factory amplifier? What are you hoping to gain?

 

[d_dfw]

I wasn't planning on adding an amp yet. From this speaker, all I can really pick out are vocals, and I was hoping to hear more of the upper range.

Once I can figure out the wiring of the front speakers then I would like to add an amp. There's the center, two A-pillar tweeters and the two front doors.

I just replaced the front doors with the Infinity Kappa 682.9cf which handle up to 100 RMS. And most of the other replacements I've looked at get up to about 100 RMS, except for the center. So maybe the center can stay on the factory amp, because it doesn't appear that aftermarket amps push less than 100 watts.

 

[pickup1 5,000+ posts]

The factory amp is 8 ohm.Will it do 4 ohms at all or you may burn it up.

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

i agree you want to stay with an 8 ohm speaker. the factory amplifier may be providing a bandpass crossover to that speaker - in which case it doesn't matter what speaker you use. since you have the speaker removed, test it to see if you get full range from it. if not, then you can get a Dayton Audio or Peerless or Tang Band speaker to fit in 8 ohms that plays to 15kHz.

 

[d_dfw]

@keep_hope_alive

Thanks for your response.

I think you're suggesting to test the speaker's impedance. How to Measure Speaker Impedance: 10 Steps (with Pictures)

And if it measures 8 ohms then stick with it. Is there also a way to get a measurement from the speaker wires?

And I appreciate the names of some manufacturers that have 8 ohm speakers. I hadn't found those three.