Why does stock > aftermarket

[bterz 10+ year member]

Ok so I had some Alpine Type-S Coaxles (Free) and I installed them.

I upgraded to Fusion 6.5 components and amped them

My moms tahoe sounds great

My friends little Jetta has some BUMPIN *** speakers (stock)

How come everything sounds better then mine? They sound tinny, but the mid-woofer is huge and heavy!! Makes my Alpine Type-S's look like a piece of paper.

Did I hook my phasing wrong, more then likely?

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[endofdays89 5,000+ posts]

set your High pass filter on and low pass filter. Also, make sure there are not much lows coming to your speakers and possibly get an amp to power your speakers if you havent already. Lows will make your speakers sound shitty no matter how expensive your speakers are. Thats my thoughts.

 

[BIGsherm7272]

Most cars are designed to have a max output and clarity for the speakers which are placed strategically to make the lower quality oem parts sound decent. You most likely need more power or deadner.

 

[Pioneer~Saturn 5,000+ posts]

Ok so I had some Alpine Type-S Coaxles (Free) and I installed them.
I upgraded to Fusion 6.5 components and amped them

My moms tahoe sounds great

My friends little Jetta has some BUMPIN *** speakers (stock)

How come everything sounds better then mine? They sound tinny, but the mid-woofer is huge and heavy!! Makes my Alpine Type-S's look like a piece of paper.

Did I hook my phasing wrong, more then likely?

Well most factory setups produce surprisingly high amounts of bass (IMO). But they always sounds like a good set of speakers playing with a piece of cardboard in front of them (muddy and the highs arent very crisp/clear).

Are the highs better in those other stock systems as well? Usually that's what Im never happy with when riding in a stock vehicle..

 

[endofdays89 5,000+ posts]

get an amp or adjust your settings. No alpine speakers can be worst than stock speakers, so i don't understand your problem.

also, try installing tweeters, i can't live without them

 

[dragnix 5,000+ posts]

so it's your Fusion with an amp on it that doesn't sound that good?

 

[eharri3 10+ year member]

Most OEM systems don't come with subs. So those door speakers are designed to do a decent job over a wider range of frequencies otherwise there would be zero lows and that sounds like crap even to people who aren't that into car audio. Whereas alot of the aftermarket component sets are designed to do an awesome job over a narrower range of frequencies when integrated and blended into a system consisting of other speakers designed to pick up where they leave off. So yes, you'll find that alot of these aftermarket component sets don't hit hard and get extremely punchy in the low and midbass range the way some OEM full range speakers do. Rather than producing low frequencies that sound dull and muddy, they concentrate on producing nice, tight, clear mid range and some degree of midbass.

For work I drive a 7 year old Tahoe with the base stereo system, just 4 door speakers and I think tape deck head unit. The front woofers pound harder and lower than the 6.5s on my eclipse SC 8362s could if I compare just what I'm getting from those specific drivers in each car. But when I crank it on my personal ride with my pioneer premier 10 on its dedicated amp, the overall bass of the system sounds cleaner and more lifelike and hits hard enough to make the rear view vibrate. If I close my eyes in my Dodge I can sometimes imagine I'm really there. Never gonna happen in the Tahoe.

Once your system is properly tuned as a whole so everything blends seamlessly and you're getting everything you can out of every aspect of it, compare your overall sound experience to his overall sound experience. THAT's where stock is not > aftermarket.

 

[qkassidyw 10+ year member]

I am alway amazed at the VW stock systems. They have really low lows and pretty crisp highs.

the reason for this is that the stock speakers are made of paper and paper is lighter than any material that an aftermarket speaker is made with so it is much easier for the paper cone to move air to create bass...

Also, the average person likes more bass then they do highs so manufacturers tend to focus in this area (I.E. 03+ GM BOSE systems, VW monsoon systems).

When doing aftermarket...you have to try harder to get a better sound because the car was not designed for your sound system. The manufacturer designed THEIR system around the car to sound as good as possible. You have to deaded, baffle, amplify, tune, and so on and so on. In the end though any two amp, component and sub setup will sound better than a manufacturer stock system. It is all in the install (including sound deadening the doors), and the tuning.

Like I said, it takes more work on some vehicles but it also depends on what you are looking for.

EDIT: Also, aftermarket components/Speakers are not designed to handle the low frequencies like stock speakers are (like previous poster stated) they are meant to be in a balanced system and not to be fed 60 Hz of an amplified signal!

 

[eharri3 10+ year member]

Another thought: most stock audio systems are designed so you can crank the bass and/or treble without the distortion becoming too obvious or blowing anything and you usually have to at least a little bit to get strong bass. It ain't like an aftermarket system where you can get bumps with everything zeroed out if you have the right equipment. Could you be comparing the low and midbass on his stock door speakers that are designed to cover a wider frequency range with his bass cranked to maybe 3-7 against yours, which are designed to cover a narrower frequency range and your bass and treble on the textbook 0-0 settings ??

 

[DidUHearThat? 10+ year member]

Stock speakers are installed well to maximize thier performance. Without more info I have to assume you did not do a good job installing your aftermarket speakers and that is why they lack bass. Also, with more power and adjustments you have to be more knowlegable on how to set up, tune and operate your system.

It woudn't matter how great your speakers are; if your distorting the bass before it leaves the HU or installed them poorly they will never sound good.

 

[Freelander 10+ year member]

The newer VW's also have amps built into each speaker. The RDS system automatically adjusts the settings depending on volume to try to keep the speakers from distorting even at high levels. My 2001 Jetta VR6 sounded like it had a 10" sub or two stock but it was just the 6.5"s in the doors.

 

[bterz 10+ year member]

Holy shit a lot of replies. I read about half then scrolled, because im kind of in a rush lol right now, shouldnt be on PC lol should be getting ready for work. good thing I type fast.

I think I need deadener and some help adjusting my amp. Its my first system and im not really familiar with adjusting the settings.

Also, I have 600 watts to play with so power isn't the option. (as far as amp goes) and I think my speakers are 150 rms

The stock systems I agree with the highs. I usually turn the treble up a lot to get the clarity. The VW system just amazed the shit out of me.

I need some help, can anyone suggest a good audio place in Ventura County that might beable to set my gains properly? Ive seen lots of "professional" audio places screw up systems pretty bad. This was my first one short on supplies and it still turned out nice, just got to get these settings right.

Any metal songs I listen to on my speakers sound like straight SHIT. Most metal does anyway, but seriously the quality is ear piercing.

Edit: as far as my installation, I think my problem may be the wire that came with the speakers. It was really thin, probably 20 gauge :X

Im fairly good with electronics so I dont think my install job is that bad. Maybe I should just pop off the door panels and take a look.

 

[CrispedUp 10+ year member]

My stock system is ballin. Maybe because it is an Alpine system?

 

[Bun-Bun 10+ year member]

I agree that stock systems in newer cars do sound good (and have descent midbass). I also asked myself the same question when I sat in a newer car that all it had was some 6.5's in the front and some 6x9's in the back and it had more midbass then my car...

1. Install is everything...

2. Stock systems are designed to sound good a low volume (I know I would never be able to turn up and stock system anywhere near as loud as my stereo) and thus are set up to produce bloated midbass in the lower volume (but as you turn it up and also cuts out the bass on most).

3. While stock system sound "good" they dont compare to the mids and high's of a properly done system.

4. aftermarket is designed to be apart of a bigger system (seperate mids, highs, subs ect.) so without the rest it doesnt compare.

 

[BassAddictJ 5,000+ posts]

my 2007 cheavy cobalt is bottom of the line basic everything. no power lock, no power windows. basic stereo

yet it still sounds **** nice with a few tweaks of the 3band hu EQ and the EQ on my Zune. AND its loud enough to keep up with my 145ish dB of bass.......it's great