4 Reasons ONLY Upgrading Speakers might not sound good!

You just finished installing a new set of speakers in your car to upgrade the factory speakers. You turn on the audio system for the first time and... well it just doesn't sound that much better, or perhaps the new aftermarket speakers sound worse! Why is this and how can we fix it? Let's discuss speaker size, efficiency, how OEM manufacturers make cheap speakers sound good and more!
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[@CarAudioFabrication]

Another important thing that can impact your speaker upgrade performance is the INSTALL! I have a full video focused on best installation practices for speakers here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oIGxqpJ3mcdlrLc Thanks for watching and being in our community!

[@hotflashfoto]

Thank you very much for replying. I really didn't expect you to, but thank you! I watched that video as a link from the original, and I just watched it again. I am going to schedule some time to take my 2 front door covers off and fix what I'm sure I missed when installing them. If that doesn't fix it, then I'll probably save up and get some speakers that are less shrill, unless adding an inline resistor and/or crossover might help. I really don't know enough to shake a stick at, but would really like my purchase to be worth the money.

[@9fiveb180]

Hey, What would you recommend for someone who wants to find out the frequency response wave form chart graph signature thingy of their current car audio system? Is there a specific meter and frequency or tone generator app to play through that system to find this stuff out?

[@LTJR.]

@@9fiveb180 i’m no expert-and I’m getting old-er-ha! What comes to mind is something like a white noise or pink noise generator, and a frequency analyzer. Things like this used to be made for home stereo and I think just listening environments in general. There’s probably an app made for telephones?

[@9fiveb180]

@@LTJR. yeah. That's more or less the very device or program or app thingy I was hoping to get the name of. Maybe it's a spectral frequency analyzer or spectrometer or snarffblat? I dunno. A whoziewhatsitnow-pro perhaps?

[@diegoolivaresgudino9559]

Most of OEM manufacturers uses woofers (do not confuse with subs) as regular speakers, using a wider range of the sound frequency starting from the lows to the middle, and most of aftermarket speakers, are manufactured as mid-range speakers, so the sound frequency is limited in the middle, leaving lows for the subs and highs for the tweeters. that´s why swapping this different kind of sepakers results in different sound.

[@sakexz]

my car ran woofers only, with small paper cones in the middle, so when i swapped over to a 2 way system with a tweeter, highs was so saturated and loud it just sounded loud and screechy, so i had to run a filter to go -6db on the tweeter to make it sound alright, not perfect, but enough untill i swapped to a full active system with new headunit.

[@tonyhong20]

I made the mistake of swapping my 4 stock door woofers for 2-ways when the car had dash tweeters. no amount of EQ could not get rid of the harsh and muddy highs and mids. ended up just snipping the tweeters from the front 2-ways and upgraded the dash tweeters separately as I didn't want to deal with returning the speakers and essentially buying the same speakers again. I'm pretty sure Infinity uses the same woofer for both their 2-way and component variants of a product line anyway. kept the two rears as 2-ways for any passengers in the back

[@DescartesRenegade]

Don't the "woofers" and "mid-range" drivers only play at whatever the crossover dictates? So long as the frequency range is within the capabilities of the woofer/driver, it will play it.

[@tonyhong20]

@@DescartesRenegade yes you would be correct. if you use a crossover then any speaker you put in will be cut off at the crossover point as long as it's capable. the issue is that most factory systems do not use crossovers and instead take advantage of the fact that woofers naturally roll off as the frequency gets higher. if you drop in a 2-way speaker it can actually play the full-range signal it's getting

[@scottlowell493]

Not to mention, aftermarket speakers are vastly superior in materials, voice coil etc. Some of them need much more power than a head unit alone provides. The most "premium" stock systems are mediocre at best compared to even "average" aftermarket stuff. I replaced my Camaro's "premium" sound system with Boston acoustics pro separates, amp and JL audio sub. There was no comparison.

[@_BAD_MERC_]

It's hard to explain to most people that "Dropping in a set of 250 watt 6x9s" isn't gonna put out traffic lights from 2 blocks away. You're likely to find OE 15 watt paper speakers that work great with the underpowered head unit in the dash. Everything in a vehicle is built by the lowest bidder. If they can save $3 on every car - they will.

[@K03sport]

and those factory speakers have high efficiency ratings as they usually have small magnets, so the electrical field is easier to push through...

[@exceptionallife4768]

Not all cars buddy… lol The ones YOU BUY

[@boboutelama5748]

Except on older Lexus cars. The original speakers + subwoofer combo is actually pretty good. Wanted to upgrade my setup, but my car hifi specialist advised me against it, as he saw the overall quality of the speakers. Needed some EQ-ing to be perfect, but a parametric equalizer can fix the bassy tendency out of the overall sound, that tend to be very rich with excellent dynamic.

[@jacksonduval4995]

​@@exceptionallife4768 hell yea 😂. Newer cars have decent amps to push aftermarket speakers these days

[@Formerlywarmer]

I’m thinking ur comment is what the guy is saying…. Exactly

[@RyanBassForLife]

Your right about adding an amplifier really helps to make your speakers louder. I have a $75 Sundown speaker that has a high sensitivity rating and is on 50rms watts and sounds amazing.

[@bailey2517]

I've literally been wondering this exact thing the last couple days and doing research on y, and then this video pops up?!? Amazing!

[@pjtruslow]

when replacing speakers in my corolla, I picked specifically a hertz K170 since it had high sensitivity and I was only going to get the 14-16w or so the stock system outputs. it does at least output that much power, and it ended up being plenty for my listening habits.

[@DonP-gf5hn]

I changed out my factory radio with an aftermarket head unit and left the stock speakers. Sounds amazing and the bass hits hard.

[@kapp4747]

What brand did you use? Im looking for a brand with good bass.

[@sharkfinn6469]

Exactly, that's where the processing happens. Speakers are secondary

[@peterhermina656]

Another thing to consider is the "stock impedance" of the OEM system. Car manufactures commonly use ODD impedance (2 or 6 OHM) to force you to use OEM speakers especially in "premium" (bose/JBL/Alpine etc) factory upgrades.

[@EricGonzalezM]

Surprised the video didn't cover this.

[@CFSlayer23Studios50423]

How does this affect aftermarket speakers?

[@peterhermina656]

@CFSlayer23Studios50423 all aftermarket car audio speakers are 4 ohm. Which means either they get half the power (if stock is 2 ohm) or they burn out the headunit or amp (if they are 2 ohm)

[@iLoveTheseRemoras]

@@peterhermina656 Well that's not true. I'm right now looking at 2 ohm Audison AP's for my door mid bass upgrade, there's also at least DLS, Helix and CDT Audio speakers at 2 ohm...

[@peterhermina656]

@@iLoveTheseRemoras cdt are great. I have them. Also 2 ohm version

[@adaboy4z]

I had to search for 2 ohm 6.5 and 6x9s to replace my stock speakers. JBL Stadiums fit the bill. The stock definitely had more bass but it's much clearer and cleaner now. Tech tip, I connected a Topping Dac to the system a boy it really came alive!!

[@abelscaliber7969]

Factory speakers tend to have more bass since they’re designed to have lower FS than after market speakers and are much more efficient than aftermarket speakers

[@Contact_Info]

Did you use an amp.or.does your car come with a component amp?

[@adaboy4z]

@Contact Info My car has a 360 watt amp.

[@macman1138]

I put Sony 6.5” 4 way speakers in the dash and sound bar and I am very pleased with them. Got them on sale too.

[@agm6095]

I agree with you. I have a 2015 Mustang GT and I changed the rear speakers because the magnet was very small. I replaced them with Polk coax the same size as the oem and honestly, I don't think they sound any better than the stock speakers.

[@leo.girardi]

Well, it's a Polk...

[@deathscythehell7937]

I always upgrade the audio system, just like I upgrade the engine and horsepower, etc. I my not turn it on every time I'm in the car. (sometimes the only music I want to hear is the exhaust) But when I do I want the best sound as possible.

[@Nareimooncatt]

This was a lesson I learned in the late 90's when I first got into car audio. Installed a $300 set of component speakers on the stock stereo, and pretty much made every mistake mentioned here. Thankfully I was working for a sister company to that brand of speakers and got them at a 75% company discount, so the sting wasn't quite so bad.

[@hadenfrench1561]

I spent almost $1,000 on new speakers and fell to the same mistake

[@2fast4all]

@@hadenfrench1561 I spent about $100 on RF's and have this dilemma atm. Not sure if it would be any different if I went anything more expensive.

[@wongchai807]

So what do you do? Get an amp?

[@Nareimooncatt]

@@wongchai807 in my case, the biggest issue was a sub-optimal install, but also yes those speakers should have been powered by an amp instead of off the head unit.

[@wongchai807]

@@Nareimooncatt okay because I want to upgrade some speakers on my new vehicle. I want it to sound good, sound quality and bass nothing crazy. So speakers and an amp is what I should? do?

[@PeteyPablo408]

What do you recommend be added or upgraded on a 2023 chevrolet suburban with the Bose speakers? Should I change out all the speakers or just add one of those small amplifiers? I was thinking just changing out the speakers to maybe Memphis or Hertz whats your thoughts or recommendations thanks.

[@dirtyboy8336]

Thanks for The Info I was wondering why my new speakers wasn't loud anymore. After I made a purchase on my new aftermarket 6X9. I had my radio on in the car testing my new speakers comparing the sound with my Factory ones i said to myself my factory speaker sounds much louder

[@Technotranceism]

If possible, a quality aftermarket radio would help with this situation. If the factory radio cannot be replaced, than I recommend an external DSP and amplifier. You don't have to go crazy on cost, unless you really are trying to get maximum capacity from those speakers.

[@leo.girardi]

If you think louder sounds better, then you go for it. LOL

[@thomasmoser4906]

So I’m looking to replace the old speakers that I have in my K1500, but I like my music loud and crisp. I know after a certain point speaker start to crackle and sound funky and I’d like to avoid that if I can. Does anyone have any advice on setups or anything? (Current system is just an aftermarket head unit and aftermarket speakers from awhile ago)

[@glossolalian]

I've recently picked up a 2015 Model S with the standard sound package & have been disappointed with how shallow the sound is. It's quite remarkably bad. I was hoping I could drop in some aftermarket speakers to the front & rear to help improve it from bad to decent, but your insight in this video now gives me pause. I'm not looking for anything extraordinary and was curious if there is any specific speaker that you'd recommend for my use case, or would I just be throwing money away? Thanks!

[@gtavtheavengergunnerlegend3340]

good tips. I swapped to alpine type r 6x9s and type r 6.5s and put a Rockford punch 400.4 on them and they do not sound as loud as I thought. and I upgraded my electrical system big time. my factory bose system sounds better

[@ggg944]

I have a 2009 charger it doesnt have a stock radio amp but i wanted to upgrade the door speakers already have a double din radio would the door speakers be a good upgrade?

[@mmateri]

Mark I just got a set of those C3 650's, How do they sound? What would you compare them too?

[@slime4965]

After buying 2 12s running at 600rms, I need to buy some new component speakers. What rms would you recommend for a set of component speakers for a more balanced sound?

[@yvesinformel221]

I can definitly relate to that I have an old Smart fortwo ED first thing I did was to change the head unit because it was rebooting and the dealer could not find the problem, they did everything beside changing the head unit Then I change the speakers and I found that that the base was lacking, I should have expect that because the volume inside the doors is not enough. I don't want to add a sub because I need the trunk, so I will have a better sound system in my next car

[@michaelrobison8572]

You also need to pay attention to ohm load. Most factory speakers are lower ohm rated.

[@charlesaviles2138]

Hello!! My Nissan Altima came with BOSE sound system. I want to replace all speakers. What kind of speakers do you recommend ? Size and specs Thanks!!!

[@SWC230]

Well I don’t really have a choice sense the outer foam ring of my front speakers have literally disintegrated lol, any recommendation for speakers that aren’t the stock ones I have a scion Xa 2006 I think the stock speakers are RMS 60w peak 120w

[@need100k]

I have a Mercedes Metris van with notoriously poor quality speakers, BUT, they sound great anyway. I had a pair of 6-1/2" Pioneer 2-way speakers and put one in, and the bad stock speaker still had much better sound (it's the bass speaker only though). After reading numerous reviews of various brands, ALL of them came back with the same conclusion: the bass is weak. So I just decided I'll buy another set of cheap factory speakers and keep replacing them every time they fail. Unless anyone has a better suggestion? I don't want to change the head unit or do any other mods. I only want to change out the door speakers.

[@WilliamBritain-om6ot]

not sure if its a similar problem but the oem factory radio stopped working on my 2008 tucson so i got a new double din pioneer stereo and installed it but even after adjusting the eq settings it sounds worse than the factory stereo and the bass is a bit muddy. can anyone tell me why that is?

[@concreteguy2756]

Hey Mark, I have an 07 jag xtype I would like to add aftermarket Amp, is there a kit that I can use with oem harness

[@whodat3723]

what if i got lower RMS aftermarket speakers? will that bring the sound in better?

[@oxouk]

One thing to note. Anytime you're adjusting your EQ, use a song that fits the style of music you listen to. Sound guys do this at concerts after setting the PA. They play a track and use it as a reference for balancing (EQ ing) the PA. Also, try to use music with modern production rather than some classic rock song where you hardly hear any low end like the bass drum. I have always used the song "If I ever lose my faith in you" by Sting, to EQ a stereo. It has modern production that uses a well balanced mix of bass, mids and treble.

[@samuellbrowning]

My 2014 forester w a premium Harmon Kardon system sounded great. The 6x9’s in the front doors sounded great but it was an old system so I had kicker 6x9’s put in w 2 3/4s in the dash and 6.5 in the rear. A diamond 5 channel amp and sub, with a new pioneer stereo. Now……it sounds horrible…..pingy and miss are completely gone in the front which is where the old system shined. I just wanted more low end and some new highs from the older system….idk what went wrong and now I’m not sure if it’s possible to get everything back the way it was bc of the factory tuning

[@GreyDog0620]

This video is very helpful 😊😊😊😊😊

[@Trully1949]

This is exactly the information I need. I just had that experience of upgrading speakers because they were rated so highly for my 2005 Nissan Xterra. The (JVC) six by nines that I bought sounded much worse than the stock speakers. I don’t understand it completely, I just know not matching new speakers for the factory-installed radio is not going to help. So many questions. What OHM and wattage are the stock speakers? The present ones are simply woofers. A 2-way, according to a review I read today is going to sound better than a 4-OHM. So confusing. And, in order to get the sound that I am looking for, I realize I would have to replace the entire sound system and speakers. Thanks for your information.

[@DJSpannamanUK]

Thanks so much for this video. Yes I swapped out one standard phillips bmw speaker with a same size logic 7 speaker. The main difference in appearance is the size of the magnet but there is a big difference in sound! It feels like it would punch harder but it's so distorted at the same level as the stock one and that sounds acceptable. Can I add an aftermarket radio with 4x45 Watts? Or should I just amp up the stock radio with one of those amps you mention in the video?

[@WPGinterceptor460Interceptor]

my new Mack truck has dual input speakers... one input is for the stereo and the other is for the sound warnings..... HOW DO I REPLACE THESE SPEAKERS WITH AFTERMARKET?? If I only connect the stereo side to the new speakers then i dont get warning tones and also get a speaker error on the dash.... ANY WAY AROUND THIS OR DOES SOMEONE SELL SPEAKERS WITHH THE DUAL INPUTS?? BESIDES THE FACTORY

[@tortuga34]

Great explanation! Good points I hadn't thought of or didn't really understand. Thank you!

[@glsj2012]

I have an aftermarket hu but stock Amp in my tundra jbl premium sound but both front speakers blown. Needing good 2ohm 6×9

[@Bassknots]

What about when you upgrade just the head unit and no matter what the settings are it’s not the same .. maybe a connection?

[@hectorortiz580]

I added Rockford Fosgate Punch 6x9s(doors) and 3.5"(dash) speakers to my 2010 Dodge Ram with stock head unit and they sound amazing. I have added Alpine S series speakers to a 2000 Camry and didn't like their sound.

[@Nirmal614]

Hi Sir , I have a Hyundai Verna 2023. Rear speakers output isn't as good as front. Please guide to boost rear speakers performance. Thanks

[@williamweiss6128]

In my 98 Chevy all I did was swap out all the stock speakers with the cheapest Kicker's I could find........way better. Using a inexpensive Kenwood deck. Works great with my 2x12" sealed Kicker sub w 300 W amp.

[@yardbird253]

I amplified my stock speakers with the Alpine power brick (Alpine KTP-445U) and it made a huge difference! I can play my music at a significantly lower volume while getting great sound. There’s better clarity, the stock speakers are not distorting. It’s only rated at 45rms at 4 channels. I don’t think I’ll need to be upgrading my stock speakers now. Maybe if the stock speakers blow lol

[@whodat3723]

did you have to cut any harness to install amp

[@yardbird253]

@@whodat3723 I had it done by a professional installer/car audio shop. They said it was an easy install.

[@rts100x5]

best SQ upgrade I have is a really good DAP

[@billybank2012]

question : im a complete beginner in a small nissan micra.... i would like to upgrade the sound that im listening (via bluetooth fm, phone to speakers of car) ... all im looking for is three times the sound depth that my current speakers give out. would upgrading speakers be enough or do i have to do something else ? thanks in advance.

[@n4p4lmssecretalt]

So will getting an amp help with the distortion?

[@brentybassgad]

Simply the best. Thanks bro.

[@CarAudioFabrication]

You're welcome! Thanks for being a part of the community!

[@mixmasterhoser]

will the audiocontrol ACM-4.300 power a subwoofer as well?

[@SpeakerBuilder]

I replaced the door speakers on my '17 Ford Focus with decent quality coaxial units, and also the door bass speakers and dash tweeters on my '24 Ford Maverick with very high quality Focal speakers. Both upgrades definitely improved the quality of the sound, but not up to the standard I was expecting. In general, factory speakers are really terrible as was the case with both of these swaps, and any set of decent aftermarket units will definitely improve the sound quality. But I have discovered that the factory radios in these two vehicles are very poor in quality. I don't have any confidence that replacing the amplifier will help, but I have no experience to back this up. To replace the radio on the Focus requires a kit with new dash panel that costs more than the new unit, and to date, no one is making a replacement radio for the Maverick. My solution with the Focus was to build a pair of 8" two way active speakers driven by a four channel amp, using an Audiocontrol electronic crossover that I would highly recommend (this is one case where the sponsor for this video really does make great quality products, and have been doing so for many decades now). I then drive these with a small portable music player that I mounted to the console with silicone, I plan to do the same in the truck, and I will spend the money and buy the Sony music player for this application.

[@Michael_G19]

Can someone recommend a subwoofer upgrade/replacement for 2020 Acura TLX?

[@bronxtaskforce01]

Great Video!!! What would you recommend to utilize for upgrading all the speakers on a 2014 Lexus IS350 using factory Pioneer Amp?

[@elcomandante9299]

Critical mass components. Worth every penny.

[@ostube6035]

Solid info, thank you. 💯🫵

[@jaydawg116]

Reason #5- sometimes OEM premium systems will use lower impedance speakers, so swapping a 2ohm to a 4ohm will draw significantly less power from the factory amplifier. Big problem. Recommend finding lower impedance aftermarket replacement speakers with high sensitivity for these applications. Specifically thinking in Toyota JBL systems, I always revert to suggesting either getting factory speakers from eBay, or using what I have my hands on which are 3ohm gladen alphas or the Audiofrog GS series, which are rated “4ohm” but actually are 2.2ohm speakers that can be dropped right into any JBL system.

[@JailBiden]

I did my wife's car with 2 sets of 4 ohm on the factory amp . Wanted to see 2 ohms had a hard time looking for speakers too . Kick panal old school front, cut in 2 rear speakers back deck . Kenwood had 2 ohm speakers back in the day , vacant find them anymore 😢

[@cdbennett2332]

How did he not mention this? Lol

[@wongchai807]

What do you recommend for a stock bose system? The new pilot is okay..I just want more clarity and bass obviously but nothing crazy.

[@gnarl12]

Interesting

[@K03sport]

​@@wongchai807 jbl bass pro nano. or other under seat sub. or Bazooka bta6100.

[@mattalki]

I've seen several times where people have installed aftermarket coaxial speakers when the stock system had component speakers. It never sounded better - the soundstage always suffered.. I never understood why that was a thing.

[@tonyhong20]

on a budget you can snip the 2-way speaker's tweeter wire to disable it and turn it into a woofer and then continue using the stock tweeters if the car has them. I did that to mine and later upgraded the tweeters separately and it sounds much better. if I had known that it would sound so harsh and muddy I would've gotten a set of component speakers from the start. not making that mistake again haha

[@jasbirsingh4583]

Can I use 4 ohm speaker and 8 ohm tweeter together?

[@ccarazay]

I replaced my 09 Camry’s radio with an android head unit and then replaced all of the stock speakers and added a subwoofer (with a built-in amp). The difference was day and night lol

[@louisverduzco3552]

So i have a 2022 Honda Accord sport Hybrid and i want to add an amp is it possible?

[@dylanevans8401]

Amazing video! I’ve been so stumped with my car’s audio issues. In total, how many different audio components should I replace/add to have good quality sound?

[@sharkfinn6469]

1 head unit 2 speakers

[@TeddyBrennan]

What should I be looking for in those sensitivity numbers if I want to select aftermarket speakers for my factory head unit?

[@averyalexander2303]

You would want to look for a higher sensitivity, which would mean the speakers are more efficient and will produce more sound per watt of power they receive.

[@manuvalshanu187]

hi my car is chevrolet captiva i want to upgrade the speakers without the need for sub woofer. My doubt is that if I put 2 way speakers other than coaxial speaker and rear door to get low end, what will be the result?. Door damping has also been done. Please clarify me as soon as possible😊….

[@woohunter1]

Haha, I remember back in 1993 when I fist got into audio, bought a brand new pair of 6x9’s to put in the rear deck of my Honda Accord. All of a sudden, I had hardly any bass at all, took me weeks of listening and regrets, to finally find out I got the polarity wrong on one side!

[@markmaese1599]

Another reason aftermarket speakers sometimes sound worse is in some premium factory systems, the amplifier used is running at half an ohm per speaker. So when replacing with aftermarket 4 ohm speakers, you are also reducing your power output in the factory amp because the resistance is increased.

[@loudelvis610]

I don't know how many customers brought car into my shop for second opinion after putting aftermarket speakers into their car with factory Bose system and it didn't sound as good...lol...

[@bobjiorno9046]

@@loudelvis610 how did you bypass bose amp ???

[@loudelvis610]

@@bobjiorno9046 lol...I said second opinion...I didn't do original install...customer was just wondering why it wasn't as loud as it was before. Most of the cars I worked on were 80s and 90s cars so early Bose ...like amps on each speaker era...So I gave them the Bose speach...leave the entire Bose system factory and expect to replace an amp every year or 2 or pull it all out run new wires to all 4 speakers and have no more issues and better sound

[@sjp364]

I have the exact same amp (D-5.1300) in my '22 Sierra pushing Polk MM1 6.5 component in the front and MM1 6.5 coaxial along with 2 JL TW3 12s in a sealed box. Not competition loud but the clarity and response are really nice.

[@jordanlee1237]

Love your videos, you always make it easy for people to understand and are very straight to the point! I do have one question though for you. So I got a buddy that is look at upgrading his amp and door speakers (currently running skar 6.5 components on a older Memphis 50x4 amp) and he has the Sony xav-9500es headunit so he was thinking of just going all Sony. but no one around here has either the Sony xs-162es or xs-163es available for demo. so I was curious if you have heard them or if you think they would be better for him to go with something from the focal flax line up. Any insight would be great!

[@alejandroq1441]

I had a question. I put in 4 6.5" DS-18 speakers in my Silverado. I connected all the speakers pos to pos and neg to neg using female spade connectors. I put in all 4 speakers and the voice sounds loud but they have absolutely NO BASS. Is that how these speakers are or do you think I may have connected them wrong? I used a diagram I found online for wiring. I do in fact have the factory head unit in still.

[@MisledDan]

It's slightly off-topic, but another issue for quite a few applications is installing aftermarket component speaker-tweeter combo sets on the front channels. Most automakers have the speaker and tweeter in parallel, creating a 2 ohm load. Most DIY installers will just plug into the factory wires leaving out the included crossover since many consider it too tedious to run the extra wiring...especially if the tweeters mount either to the pillars or to the dash. Thus, the aftermarket speaker/tweeter sets will try to draw too much off the stereo, resulting in hideous high pitch clipping from the tweeters if the volume is too high.

[@EscapeEFT]

So the issue I have is I swopped the front 2 speakers on a brand new passat. The front speaker sounds cleaner on the highs and mids but has little to no low end (bass). That's why I don't understand how the better Kenwood unit is cleaner, but with no bass.

[@antonfigly]

I upgraded my BASE 2022 WRX speakers with Infinity speakers, and even without an aftermarket amplifier the sound is FAR better. Why? Because the speakers I chose were specifically chosen based on their efficiency. This was my paramount consideration.

[@tonyhong20]

I love Infinity speakers purely for that reason. no loss in volume without an amp compared to regular 4 ohm speakers I've tried. I added an amp later on and the extra power made the mid-bass tighter and less muddy. sounds great without an amp and even better with one

[@xabysebastian529]

Is it because of the ohms?

[@CRMAG87]

which speakers did you go with? i want to change out the ones in my 2023 wrx premium.

[@victorgalvan406]

I have always thought 6x9 would be a bit more "punchy" but the 6.5 just has a better sound quality. I have a set of both with a 10" sealed subwoofer. Sounds nice.

[@erici9025]

Very accurate. Many times when replacing speakers (even if you do after market headunit and speakers) the low end out put of the aftermarket does not come close to the factory speakers. It usually requires more power and some other work to get that sound back.

[@thor7564]

It's physics: cheap paper cone=light. It's equal to a small light car with small motor going as fast as a big heavy car with big motor. The small light car will handle better in turns, heavy one will be slow in turns ;)

[@ygbodybuilder3023]

But why is that

[@Thepurpleguerrilla]

have a car that had a pioneer DEH-150mp head unit (15watts rms). speakers started sounding like crap and rattling. put in 4 new rockford 168x2 (45watts rms) and 165x3 (55watts rms). never had a problem with the head unit or speakers in the past 6 years i’ve had the car. now after the installation the sound is very low and the makes the head unit cut out at prolonged max volume. i’m assuming because the little 15 watt rms head unit is giving it all it’s got while the speakers are only working at 30% of what they can actually do. got a kicker cxa360.4 amp (4 channel 65watt rms @ 4 ohms) on the way to fix this. wish me luck.

[@florinl5542]

What if I am OK with the volume of the music with factory audio and what I need is clarity, shouldn't I upgrade the speakers first?

[@mr.rayray8636]

Have you or anyone out there done a speaker swap on a 2021-2023 mazda 3 premium plus with the bose amp and speakers ? i would like to swap without adding aftermarket amplifier

[@GJJC13]

Hi, but perhaps there is also another reason for the dissapointing performance after a swap to aftermarket speakers. I believe that the "trick" the car manufacturers use, in addition to what you mentioned, is that the OEM systems might the 2 ohms. So when you replace them with 4 ohms speakers, they are receiving (drawing) half the wattage of the 2 ohm OEM speakers. Perhaps you can you conect a 4 ohm resistor in parallel to the 4 ohm speaker to drop it down to 2 ohms??? Would this work? Thank you. Just subscribed!

[@ernec.5326]

Well this sucks i got a setp of replacements for door and rear deck from amazon cus the car i got are blown so i can’t expect any bass at all unless also replace the stock radio and and add an amp anyway? Should have went with some premium jbls then 😕

[@BobRizz.]

Even with a good amp, my JL c2-650x coaxial speakers didn’t really satisfy me. No matter what kind of music is playing through them they sound odd. I really like the sound of a paper speaker versus a polypropylene speaker.

[@raycimbalnik5159]

If I wanted to use aftermarket speakers and amplifiers with DSP would i still improve sound quality if I use the factory head unit? I would think the amplifier would improve the signal through the DSP.

[@Technotranceism]

Yes it would greatly improve sound quality, with aftermarket speakers, external amplifier, and a DSP. Most external amplifiers are pretty limited in frequency tuning, so a DSP is usually a good idea to get. There are quality amplifiers that have more tuning capacity for quality sound, and even ones that have built in DSP. These will generally set you back more in the pocket book, if you know what I mean, as they're generally costly. You can get decent sound quality from aftermarket speakers and an external amplifier alone, but nowhere near the quality when adding a DSP also.

[@TylerBrittingham]

My vehicle had a center channel speaker in the dash, I’ve looked online but can’t find much information about how to navigate this when it comes to amps. How do you setup an aftermarket system with a center speaker?

[@Sagittarius-88]

A quality sound system doesn't need the center speaker. When I had the entire stereo system in my 2020 F150 upgraded, I just eliminated the center speaker from the mix. Stereo sounds great without the center speaker. It's not really necessary with quality components.

[@fedibe8904]

@@Sagittarius-88 probably not but with CarPlay some apps like google maps or Apple Maps play the voice commands through this speaker

[@pilotmedic]

I have a 2013 Kia optima. I replaced the two front corner dash speakers. The stock speakers have 4 cables. I only connected two. But I think I am losing some frequency sound. Can I wire all four cables and connect them to the two speaker audio? The new speakers are JBL stadium.

[@pilotmedic]

@@Swen-bk3kz yes I have the infinity logo

[@SuperArmintiesto]

Yes I did big mistake when I replaced stockspeaker with pioneer 6.5inch and sound is sucks, so plz I need your advice what speaker you can suggest I can install to give good sound like stock or it's better to buy original car speaker from Nissan dealer? Thbank you

[@SuperArmintiesto]

@Swen-bk3kz I went to the junkyard and bought 2 original Nissan speakers and replaced them with the aftermarket and this solve the problem 👍👍👍👍👍

[@darrenw.taylor2084]

Crutchfield is a great place to buy your audio equipment. They will match the correct speakers with the head unit so that you have maximum performance with any aftermarket audio system. Their customer service is excellent as well.

[@tholo86]

You can say that again

[@MrDariuzzo26]

Hi, please I need you help, I have huge space problem with my front door speaker..I try to mount 3 different type of speaker(hertz and two type of coral prf and Evo) in my front door for replace the original one but all the speakers touch the glass, what kind of speaker can I use to have a good quality sound and a decent pressure?..no amplifier..straight to headunit..please help me..give me a suggest..thx a lot.Dario from south Italy.

[@user-hu9gf5ky7p]

What about jvc car speakers in a 16.5 cm and a depth of 43 mm with a 35hz to20,000HZ and a 92 DB for £20 I am from 🇬🇧 UK

[@ShockwaveTXB]

I have a question, I've watched a bunch of your videos and have learned a crazy amount of things that have helped me do installs on multiple cars. However, I'm hitting a roadblock on a new 2023 Jeep Compass Latitude LUX with the base 6 speaker (non-Alpine) 10.1 screen/system. My wife just got this car and I took the LC2i, amp and sub/enclosure out of her last car I put in and want to install it in this car. However, I can't for the life of me find anywhere online that anyone has done this to this car. I'm not sure where the stock amp is to tap the front speaker wires for the LC2i, and the 10.1 screen has no info how to get behind it for access to anything back there. Would be great if I had a starting point, as I already understand that once I get the front speaker signals to the LC2i, I can feed my sub amp and go from there. Any ideas?

[@elcomandante9299]

Do not tap into anything on a vehicle that new. Cars nowadays are soo sensitive.

[@rishisaxena8762]

Is it possible to get deep bass at low volume through components without an amplifier? Which component can solve my problem.. I have a Sony xav 5000 as a head unit

[@elcomandante9299]

Deep bass without an amp? Heck no!!! Install a 20K DC AUDIO PITBULL amp, eight DC AUDIO 18s,, then you'll have deep bass.

[@YoshyZan]

I want to add an amp to my Jaguar I-pace. But there are not so much info on these cars. I have the 400w system, but it does not sound as good.

[@kennethhowell6446]

I ordered a Ford Bronco and everything I researched says the sound system is not great. Do you have any recommendations? I found a box that mounted to the swing gate. Not sure that's is a good option. I don't want a big sub box in the back.

[@aldeng6958]

Maybe check out powered subs that go under the seat

[@mylesstone5]

What are some of the best speaker systems for a 2013 Mazda 3 sedan? I’ve been lookin around a lot and still haven’t really found much info/installation help

[@CarAudioFabrication]

Depends on your application, budget etc. I can definitely help you get what's perfect for YOU here: www.caraudiofabrication.com/consultations

[@billyfranco1374]

Power is a special issue when people ask me about this. Some factory speakers play at a low ohm than aftermarket ones. Thats one of the reason why factory speakers, although less quality, play louder at about 3 ohms instead of a typical 4 ohm from aftermarket speakers. And like you said Mark, most of these factory systems are EQ'd from the factory to play at its best.

[@PlatinumEagleStudios]

I noticed Bose likes to use VERY low impedance drivers in their systems. In some of GMC's trucks that do have a Bose system they use a dual coil subwoofer but each coil is like 0.5 ohms. I think Bose wires both of them to make 1 ohm since the amp they use outputs 100 watts at 1 ohm.

[@freedblowfish3705]

I just wish all stock systems sounded loud and full with good sq

[@NotPakistani804]

6x9 speakers,i am using 2000w Kenwood 6909 speakers with carrozaria double din stereo but it doesn't give me a good sound.

[@davidperry4013]

For aftermarket speakers to sound their best, you need an amplifier. If you're just doing speakers because you cannot afford the amps, just get an aftermarket radio and tweak the EQ curves to make it sound good as a good start then later get a 4-channel amplifier and some speakers, retune it. It's pretty easy to do on a 2017 or older Toyota and most 00s and older cars. There are some cars come that come with a good sound system such as polypropylene cone woofers with decent-sized voice coils and magnets, dome tweeters, and external amplifier(s), such as the Harman Kardon Logic 7. There are some aftermarket SQ systems that bypass the head unit altogether and send the digital audio signal from a portable audiophile music player to the DSP.

[@larsvegas1505]

or just buy a pair of aftermarket 2 ohm speakers (or 3 ohm) with a high impedence, that way u will be surprised how good a standard head unit can sound... just the 30 dollar aftermarket 200+ watt speakers dont do great.. they are all about the wattage.. wich noone needs. Also a second hand amp is like 50 bucks but the install time is like a day.. thats why most people just get a new one..

[@stephancobb13]

so do u buy an aftermarket EQ?

[@hotflashfoto]

I have been watching for several years, subscribed as well. So now I have a question and I don't know if you already have a video about it. I replaced the 4 paper cone speakers in my car's Bose system with RF Punch speakers, using the stock Bose amp. I can really hear the lyrics now, but there is no bass. I even turned the highs all the way down, lowered the mids below the center of the range, and turned the lows all the way up. I bought a RF 5-channel amp and replaced the Bose amp. Still no bass. I bought a sealed 10" RF sub and added that to the system. So now I have bass, but it's still lacking in quality, as if part of the audio is missing. (It probably is, right?) When I listen to a song I really like, in order to get enough bass, the voice speakers are so loud that my ears hurt, so I can't turn the volume as high as I'd like. On the old paper speakers, there was a "warmth", but it sounded muddy. Now there's no warmth, but I can understand every lyric being sung. Is my best option to just replace the Punch series speakers with something less "bright", or is there a better solution in one of your videos that I haven't discovered?

[@el_taiito5492]

yeah thats why it's better to listen speakers before buy them, I know it's rarely a possibility.. your speakers are too bright and not designed to have strong bass, I don't think you can do anything about it, for me best option is replacing them

[@hotflashfoto]

@@el_taiito5492 I'll see if improving the installation helps. If not, I may consider different speakers. Thank you for your insight.

[@Contact_Info]

What did you.end up doing?

[@tonycox8455]

Totally going through this problem myself right now! 😫 So my wife wanted me to upgrade her speakers in her 2017 Infiniti Q60 coupe 2.0T. So I bought her Infinity References 6532IX 6.5” for the front door speakers and Infinity Reference 9532IX’s for the rear deck. I installed them and had the same result! Sounded ok but when we drove it we noticed a low tone humming that seemed to change tones as you shifted??? 🤦‍♂️🥴 I had bought some speaker harnesses from a website and I’m afraid that they are using wire that is not made out of 100% copper?🤔 got any ideas on if my assumption might be correct? No amp was added and factory head unit is being used. Nothing else was changed. Please HELP! 🙏🏻😂

[@sharkfinn6469]

Try a jig to bypass the harness and check the result. Without an amp, that is the only wiring that could cause an issue

[@sabastianevans2656]

Hey so I'm having an issue in my 01 Nissan pathfinder with Bose system. I swapped door speakers to some Kenwood 6 1/2 KFC. The volume is much lower now. The stocks I replaced where 2 ohms the new speakers are 4 ohm. What can I do to fix this?

[@ThankMeNowBro]

Not a speaker guy but I do know electronics. If your new speaker has additional resistance (+2 ohms), I'd assume the only solution would be to use an amplifier that can push harder.

[@sharkfinn6469]

Replace with 2 ohm speakers or check how many ohms your amp is using and possibly replace that.

[@ericspivey8325]

I want to change my interior 6.5 speakers but don’t want to change the factory radio. Can someone tell me what I need?? Thanks

[@user-hu9gf5ky7p]

What car do you have?

[@Hexen525]

I would worry less about sensitivity, and more about RMS power. Stock speakers are around 15w, after market usually start at 50w and up. So that stock head unit is designed for 15w of power per channel, not 50w. Making your new speakers seem quieter.

[@Benny_Lei]

Audio quality is all about the source! I always used to tell customers that upgrading their factory stereo will make even the stock speakers sound 50x better! Also FIRST!

[@scootypuffjr.]

Clean power will make stock speakers come alive. In the old days they had really high impedance though and didn't let the amps run at their potential.

[@guilhermev3545]

The source is the main element, I agree. If you have a poor quality source, everything will be negatively affected. But I disagree in one point: the speakers are ALWAYS the weak point in ANY original sound. 100% of the times. The speakers ALWAYS sould be replaced first. If the results are not the expected, then you add a DSP and amps. The main source (if it is the OEM factory stereo) is the LAST thing to change. If it was already replaced when you buy the car, then it doesn't really matter...

[@scootypuffjr.]

@guilhermev3545 All depends on the vehicle. When I was a kid, the cars all came with paper single cone speaker with something like 8 or 10 ohms of resistance. They were junk on day one. The factory deck would sound better and louder with a good 4ohm speaker.

[@guilhermev3545]

@@scootypuffjr. yes. That is my point. The stereo unit is always the last thing to change... Usually the OEM are pretty decent. Sony, Clarion, JVC Kenwood nowadays...

[@Xilent1]

@@guilhermev3545 Thanks for the info. I have to keep my factory radio. Can't change 13 Acura ILX factory head-unit. So, I'm upgrading the speakers. Until reading your comments, I thought I was going to be in trouble not being able to upgrade the factory head-unit. Found some high sensitivity component/co-axle speakers. Planning to get a 5 channel amp and one 12. Aiming for decent SQ, not so much SPL. Maybe like 85% SQ or something like that. Not trying to spend a ton cause I still wanna buy some decent wheels/tires.

[@jdizzle3740]

"moderately acceptable" is definitely an understatement....

[@user-qe7ge8cj1d]

Does anyone have experience with improving the Harman Kardon system in Subarus? Thanks!

[@user-qe7ge8cj1d]

I'm trying to figure that out myself. I'm not real happy with the HK in my Crosstrek.

[@ablackformula]

It's recommended to hook an amp's power supply directly to the battery. Do you have any videos discussing vehicles with smart charging systems, and batteries that have load sensors? I can't imagine you'd want to hook the amp directly to the battery in this instance, as the charging system may not operate properly (it won't see the additional load.) I also can't imagine it's good to put the extra load through what's usually a smaller conductor to go through the load sensor. So what's an installer to do?

[@TylerTheBassCreator]

Why wouldn't it see the load?

[@ablackformula]

@@TylerTheBassCreator the sensors can only read the current going through them. So if you connect the amp directly to the battery post, and bypass the sensor, the car's pcm won't see the extra load in terms of amps, just a lower system voltage. Cars that have battery life % monitors and smart charging systems may not like this. A pcm that sees small load (normal car load minus the amplifier's draw) and low system voltages may flag a code for a failing battery, when in fact, the battery is simply supplying more power than the pcm realizes. This is all theoretical and may not be true, I'm asking.

[@el_taiito5492]

@@ablackformula that's doesn't work like battery powered devices, in a car the battery is just here to turn on the engine and acts as a "buffer" for high current demanding sources (the alternator cannot produce very quickly high current as battery does). The alternator is providing the current for all electric equipments in the car It's kind of automatic and the alternator will charge the battery if needed. Yes you can have a flag code if the battery goes very low, and yes, amps puts more stress on electrical system, but it should works without problems. Remember that running up the engine is extremely demanding for battery, and go easily below 9V during this. battery life monitors in cars doesn't measure the remaining energy in the battery, and sometimes may not be correct anyway. The "smart charging" is most of the time, only lowering the charging voltage of the alternator when the battery is detected as "full", to reduce fuel consumptions

[@billyjackson5664]

Tell the customer to get a real car.