John_B 11 Posted December 26, 2006 I'm going to get some new front speakers seeing as the originals are still in the car and the drive units are hanging from the surrounds! I think I've heard that it's possible to get 6.5" ones in with a little cutting but I was wondering just how much cutting is needed and if anyones done it and has any pics? I definitley can't be arsed with door pods and all that. I was thinking of these: http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/pioneer-tse176c-p-3265.html What do you think? The HU is a 40W Kenwood which I'm happy with for now and I was intending to slap some flashing tape in the door as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tom_m 0 Posted December 26, 2006 it all depends on the depth of the baskets. the deeper the baskets the more you'll have to cut away, and the better the speaker the bigger the basket (generally) sooo... suck it and see, but they will fit, i've done it twice now. my kenny components needed way more chopping out than the first set of co axials that were installed too. i also mounted them with a piece of thin mdf between them and the door car to 'seal' them and neaten them up a bit, looked great trimmed with a bit of grey speaker carpet i had lying around. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
de Noir 0 Posted December 27, 2006 IMHO fitting 6,5in speakers in the door is wrong way to go. You do not get extra sound quality from bigger speakers in the doors alone, so it's not worth the fuss. I prefer clean install with four 5,25in speakers in factory positions + amped sub in the boot to match. This configuration gives nice and airy sound picture, with bass of your like, without compromising door trims and trunk cover. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paintguy 0 Posted December 27, 2006 (edited) Are you thinking about putting them in the standard locations, like this? (photo c/o Woosey) If so, the main problem you'll have is not being able to reuse the original grills, as you'll cut out some of the metal where the mounting clips go. Another option is some simple MDF baffles at the bottom of the door. This will give you a nice solid mounting for them (essential for the best sound) and there's minimum cutting of metal needed behind. This is how mine looked before painting: As for the flashing tape, it's cheap, but you have to use lots of layers to make any worthwhile difference. Have a look at some stuff generally referred to as Bodyline. Still fairly cheap, but much more effective Edited December 27, 2006 by Paintguy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John_B 11 Posted December 29, 2006 MH, if I was going to go for subs and amps I can see that would be the way to go, but Im happy with just the HU and speakers- I was just hoping for a little bit more bass. Paintguy, thanks for those pics the 6.5 speaker in Woosey's pic does look a little big... The MDF baffles you've made look good but I don't want to go to those lengths. Great tip on that sound deadening stuff - I think I'll get some of that. I'll measure up whenever it stops raining and try and decide. I have the measurements from the pioneer website so I'll see how much work is involved. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrSarty 98 1 Cars Posted December 30, 2006 good luck with fitting the 6.5s, I'll help too if you wish as PaintGuy and I get on quite well and have a lot of experience in car hifi. But I would agree that you're making yourself a lot of work for not much gain here. Stick with better 5.25speakers (components with seperate tweeters that can go higher on the dash maybe to give you better sound quality/imaging), but mount them much more solidly in the existing mounting with a 9mm maybe MDF baffle. The end results for you will be much better for less work. And yes, use some dynamat on the metal skins immediately around the speaker area - huge difference. DrS Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tom_m 0 Posted December 30, 2006 This is how mine looked before painting: ooo thats tidy, are they just held on by the speaker screws? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paintguy 0 Posted December 30, 2006 ooo thats tidy, are they just held on by the speaker screws? Oh no, that'd be nowhere near solid enough I had to be a contortionist to do it, but they're screwed in from the back, so they are fixed solidly to the metalwork of the door There area few more pictures here showing how I made them, and this is how they look painted: The doors were well sound deadened first, then sealed up as much as possible to increase bass response: Full audio gallery here, but it's still in progress, so there's more to add. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cybernck 403 1 Cars Posted December 30, 2006 what did you paint them with to achieve that grainy plastic texture? it looks so OE . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paintguy 0 Posted December 31, 2006 I used a textured bumper paint, called Impa. I've used it for many years, and it's a great product as you can vary the coarseness of the texture by altering how much you thin it down, or by changing the pressure at which it is sprayed. It's also available in aerosol, although I've never tried it. An alternative that I also use regularly is U-Pol's PlastX range. It's a full range of platic refinishing products ranging from a cleaner, through filler, two grades of texture, and various colours. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
de Noir 0 Posted January 1, 2007 MH, if I was going to go for subs and amps I can see that would be the way to go, but Im happy with just the HU and speakers- I was just hoping for a little bit more bass. I get your point, but sound improvement you'll get just from larger speakers in front door OE positions isn't worth the hussle. IMHO 6x9 speakers or something alike in the rear shelf would suit your bass quest better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John_B 11 Posted January 1, 2007 I get your point, but sound improvement you'll get just from larger speakers in front door OE positions isn't worth the hussle.IMHO 6x9 speakers or something alike in the rear shelf would suit your bass quest better. Hmmm, decisions decisions. I was just thinking that 6.5's have an area 2/3ish bigger than 5's, so would move 2/3 more air and perhaps not give me 2/3 more bass but a fair bit more? I also don't really want speakers in the back either. It's all a bit academic at the moment because it hasn't stopped pi***ng down all week If you live in Wales you have to have a garage! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paintguy 0 Posted January 1, 2007 I would always advise going bigger if you can As you say, the larger speakers will move more air, and should also drop a bit lower. You may not see any great benefit if you're not amping them up, but you certainly will if you ever upgrade your system and shove some real power through them But it's all a case of personal choice. You may find that the 5¼'s will be enough, but remember that the installation is much more important than the choice of equipment. Reasonably priced speakers mounted well, can sound much better than really expensive ones mounted poorly. As DrS mentions, beefing up the mounting with some MDF baffles will help a lot, as will some decent sound deadening in the doors. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tom_m 0 Posted January 1, 2007 Oh no, that'd be nowhere near solid enough I had to be a contortionist to do it, but they're screwed in from the back, so they are fixed solidly to the metalwork of the door good god man you must have universal joints for wrists!!! i like your style Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paintguy 0 Posted January 1, 2007 good god man you must have universal joints for wrists!!! And a box full of Snap On tools... Those little beauties have got me out of many a sticky situation Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
