Simple factory speaker replecement... (yeah right)

[SquidBait]

Hi everybody, I joined just to ask this question. If it's covered elsewhere I apologize for not finding it. I'll try to keep this short and sweet.

I am replacing a blown 5 1/4" factory speaker in a 2008 Chevy HHR with a JVC KD-X50BT head. I put in a cheap Walmart Sony Xplod 6 1/2" thinking it would at least be on par with the factory entry level speaker. I was wrong. With the new speaker in place, I can use balance/fader to compare. The mid ranges are a tiny bit sharper from the Sony, but the factory's bass is dramatically better. I don't want competition grade audio, just comparable to factory.

I know sealing/sound matting the door will improve things, but the factory door doesn't have such tuning and sounds fine to my ear. Any advise on what I should use to replace it. I'm actually considering cruising a salvage yard for a working factory unit.

Thanks

Click to read more...

 

[jrdnhsnbrg 10+ year member]

Get better speakers, you get what you pay for (most of the time) with audio equipment

 

[mylows10 5,000+ posts]

go to the junk yard

 

[SquidBait]

Agreed. After my comparison, I started doing a bit of interweb research. It seems that all the speakers I look at get complaints of poor bass response, so I've turned to folks with more experience.

 

[mylows10 5,000+ posts]

Agreed. After my comparison, I started doing a bit of interweb research. It seems that all the speakers I look at get complaints of poor bass response, so I've turned to folks with more experience.

issue is unless you deaden the doors and get better speakers ,you'll never get that same bass response that you get with the stock speakers .they are done like they are and sealed to sound that way .so unless want to spend the time and money to get it right ,then just get a replacement at the junk yard or dealership

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

you don't need to deaden doors. you just need to recreate factory seals. the factory speakers are perfectly sealed to the door panel, and the door panel is acting as the front speaker baffle.

to recreate this seal, i commonly used closed cell foam/rubber weatherstripping. build up as needed to match the factory top depth and match the location of the seal.

all a factory speaker needs for bass response is good seals. the door can remain undeadened, hollow, and with giant holes covered by plastic.

 

[SquidBait]

But they're not sealed. They are just cheap looking frames with paper cones and a scrawny looking magnet. It just seems like they shouldn't sound as good as they do.

*edit - I think I see now. Thanks all. I'll experiment with sealing everything up.

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

yep, sealed on the front with some cardboard and open cell foam. looks simple and cheap but is very effective.