Replacement speaker questions

[Az3800]

Looking to replace my front door 5.25 inch speakers and tweeters with something that doesn't sound so awful. 1998 base model with no rear door speakers Not looking to upgrade much else. Possibly a new HU in the future. Any recommendations for replacement speakers which do well with the low power of the factory HU? Anyone run components speakers with the factory HU? Just looking to make it sound better without adding an amp and stressing the weak factory alternator

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

Looking to replace my front door 5.25 inch speakers and tweeters with something that doesn't sound so awful. 1998 base model with no rear door speakers Not looking to upgrade much else. Possibly a new HU in the future. Any recommendations for replacement speakers which do well with the low power of the factory HU? Anyone run components speakers with the factory HU? Just looking to make it sound better without adding an amp and stressing the weak factory alternator

the factory head units are actually decently powerful as far as a 1998 car goes. I would go to crutchfield if you dont get any recommendations here personally.
Also you wont be stressing the alternator unless you put in a large amp, which to mu understanding would mean all new everything anyway lol.

if you like to listen to AM or FM, you should ditch your radio for a 1999-2002 UP0 (the tape deck, cd, high end radio) radio, 1998(and early 1999) were not as good as the 1999(later) till 2002(end of compatible years)

If you dont , youre good.Also you can move up alternator wise if you needed to. its probably a 105 amp cs130d. (I have one for a 1998 when I replaced mine I kept the OE) has a weird mounting design I Know lol

it may have a cs144(possible) which would be a 140 amp

 

[bigsky]

With the Base Model 6 speaker system, I upgraded the head unit and I then thought the front factory speakers were good enough for me. I also replaced one of the 6 x 9's in the rear with one from an Ultra (which has more bass).

I used an older model Pioneer head unit.

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

With the Base Model 6 speaker system, I upgraded the head unit and I then thought the front factory speakers were good enough for me. I also replaced one of the 6 x 9's in the rear with one from an Ultra (which has more bass).

I used an older model Pioneer head unit.

well considering an ultras rear 6x9 only do bass that makes sense LOL

 

[nunyabiz]

I recommend the Infinity Reference series . They are very high sensitivity (91 to 93 dB) which would make the most out of the radio amp. A 3dB increase in speaker sensitivity has the same effect as doubling the amps watts. My 2003 has the Concert Sound III. I have replaced the front components with REF-5030cx ( soon to be upgraded to Kappa's), the rear doors with REF-3032cfx and the rear deck with the Kappa 93ix (96 dB). Also replaced the factory amp with the Infinity M704A (70x4). Does not stress the factory alternator al all. Made the factory radio sound very good but also revealed its flaws. So, it will soon be replaced.

 

[Flivver]

I have had great luck with Kenwood speakers. Good advice going to crutchfield, they will include a wiring harness that might save you the trouble of splicing wires, not that that is a big deal. Note: it weird to type that that in a sentence, but such is language.

 

[Az3800]

With the Base Model 6 speaker system, I upgraded the head unit and I then thought the front factory speakers were good enough for me. I also replaced one of the 6 x 9's in the rear with one from an Ultra (which has more bass).

I used an older model Pioneer head unit.

 

[Az3800]

Going to leave the factory 6x9 deck speakers alone. They sound fine. I have a really harsh tweeter on drivers side. Possibly blown idk. Purchasing NVX 5.25 components to replace the front mid bass subs and tweeters. Also looking into JVC double din to replace my factory HU. Need something which is SiriusXM ready since I miss having it in my car Eben though I'm able to use the app thru my phone. I've always loved the JVC units. My second choice is Pioneer. Looking to stay under 300 for HU since I have to also purchase the tuner for SXM radio.

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

Going to leave the factory 6x9 deck speakers alone. They sound fine. I have a really harsh tweeter on drivers side. Possibly blown idk. Purchasing NVX 5.25 components to replace the front mid bass subs and tweeters. Also looking into JVC double din to replace my factory HU. Need something which is SiriusXM ready since I miss having it in my car Eben though I'm able to use the app thru my phone. I've always loved the JVC units. My second choice is Pioneer. Looking to stay under 300 for HU since I have to also purchase the tuner for SXM radio.

I think they upped their rate this year so you may want to see where that sirus stuff lands you just in case its more than youre expecting

 

[Goodie4Goose]

S

 

[Goodie4Goose]

In my experience, component speakers are superior as long as your HU has the ability to set them up. It really does them apart from their standalone counterparts. As mentioned by others, Crutchfield has everything you need & great instructions as well. As far as brands go, Infinity's are solid, Rockford Fosgate's do big things, & Sony's are great but they don't seem to last.

I got extremely lucky back in the day. Was checking to see what the local thieves' guild had fenced at the pawn shop & I was not disappointed. Came across 2 sets of unboxed Cerwin Vega 2-way 6"x9"s for $45 per set. Knowing what they were, I almost couldn't believe that I was going to screw over a pawn broker. Those speakers were the shit! And they lasted forever. I paid less than a hundo for 4 when the price for ONE was $175 brand new.

Never know what you'll stumble across at the hock house.

 

[TriShields&Pentastars]

Not trying to hijack but I have a 2000 Ultra where the previous owner installed aftermarket rear deck speakers and of course they don't work because of the factory setup (rest of the system is stock). Is there any way to make them work? Do I need an aftermarket amp (will that work with stock head unit?) or will it only work with stock speakers? I've been looking for good stock speakers to put back in but they're tough to come by. I'm not looking for a huge upgrade I just want the rear speakers working again.

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

Not trying to hijack but I have a 2000 Ultra where the previous owner installed aftermarket rear deck speakers and of course they don't work because of the factory setup (rest of the system is stock). Is there any way to make them work? Do I need an aftermarket amp (will that work with stock head unit?) or will it only work with stock speakers? I've been looking for good stock speakers to put back in but they're tough to come by. I'm not looking for a huge upgrade I just want the rear speakers working again.

iirc you just need to disconnect the amp-to-rear deck and I forgot if it was moving th rear door(full range) to those from the amp or if it was something else tbh. but switching the two almost seems right...hmm.

 

[TriShields&Pentastars]

iirc you just need to disconnect the amp-to-rear deck and I forgot if it was moving th rear door(full range) to those from the amp or if it was something else tbh. but switching the two almost seems right...hmm.

Ah brilliant, I think I get what you mean. So would I need to splice the wires for the rear deck speakers into the wires for the rear door speakers?

Not that it would matter much just a nice bonus, would the wires to the rear deck speakers work to drive a pair of 10" subs or does it not work that way? I have a pair of Kicker CVR's in a sub box lying around after my Jeep got rear-ended and totaled.

 

[bigsky]

In the 9-speaker system (which I think is the standard in any Ultra), the rear deck speakers are the "subwoofers." They are not fed a full range signal from the amp.

I am surprised you are not getting anything from the rear deck speakers; even if they are full-range speakers, I would think you should get some sound from them. Maybe the stock amp has a problem, or both rear speakers are blown.

A very good (& cheaper) stock replacement speaker is the Magnadyne LS69W.

Another option... I think BGFM is suggesting this...is to take the signal that is being fed to the rear door speakers, and feed them instead to the rear deck full-range speakers.

Try hooking up the 10" subs; though I doubt the stock amp will be able to drive them!

 

[-Regal-]

I am partial to Alpine but have no particular model or line to recommend.

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

In the 9-speaker system (which I think is the standard in any Ultra), the rear deck speakers are the "subwoofers." They are not fed a full range signal from the amp.

I am surprised you are not getting anything from the rear deck speakers; even if they are full-range speakers, I would think you should get some sound from them. Maybe the stock amp has a problem, or both rear speakers are blown.

A very good (& cheaper) stock replacement speaker is the Magnadyne LS69W.

Another option... I think BGFM is suggesting this...is to take the signal that is being fed to the rear door speakers, and feed them instead to the rear deck full-range speakers.

Try hooking up the 10" subs; though I doubt the stock amp will be able to drive them!

If you have 10 inch subs.. idont think the 400 watt amp (I think) is enough, but if you use the rear door for the rear shelf, you would have base only lines that need a purpose.
I dont know audio, could one steal the audio for the door and still have it "do" the door"? or is the amp likely not able to run 4 speakers are full range? (based on it being just for 2 originally)

 

[TriShields&Pentastars]

In the 9-speaker system (which I think is the standard in any Ultra), the rear deck speakers are the "subwoofers." They are not fed a full range signal from the amp.

I am surprised you are not getting anything from the rear deck speakers; even if they are full-range speakers, I would think you should get some sound from them. Maybe the stock amp has a problem, or both rear speakers are blown.

A very good (& cheaper) stock replacement speaker is the Magnadyne LS69W.

Another option... I think BGFM is suggesting this...is to take the signal that is being fed to the rear door speakers, and feed them instead to the rear deck full-range speakers.

Try hooking up the 10" subs; though I doubt the stock amp will be able to drive them!

Well I do get "some sound" from them but it's very muffled garble with no bass. If I turn the fader all the way to the rear there's a tiny noise but my sound system pretty much has zero bass overall. I know at least one of my other speakers are blown too but the lack of bass from the rear speakers is by far the biggest issue to address first.

Are those Magnadyne speakers configured for the odd limited frequency range of the stock rear deck speakers? I don't remember what the frequency range is that the stock amp puts out to them but a quick search shows the LS69W has 65Hz-3kHz frequency response.

And good point about being able to drive the subs, when I was running them in my Jeep they were hooked up to a cheap 550W amp and they easily overpowered the rest of the (weak and old) speakers in the system. I wouldn't want to risk messing up my Buick's amp though if that's a potential issue?

Thinking more about splicing the deck speakers into the rear door speaker circuits, if the amp itself separates the frequencies that won't really help my situation because the bass frequencies only go to the deck speakers and with that disconnected there would still be no bass...?

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

Well I do get "some sound" from them but it's very muffled garble with no bass. If I turn the fader all the way to the rear there's a tiny noise but my sound system pretty much has zero bass overall. I know at least one of my other speakers are blown too but the lack of bass from the rear speakers is by far the biggest issue to address first.

Are those Magnadyne speakers configured for the odd limited frequency range of the stock rear deck speakers? I don't remember what the frequency range is that the stock amp puts out to them but a quick search shows the LS69W has 65Hz-3kHz frequency response.

And good point about being able to drive the subs, when I was running them in my Jeep they were hooked up to a cheap 550W amp and they easily overpowered the rest of the (weak and old) speakers in the system. I wouldn't want to risk messing up my Buick's amp though if that's a potential issue?

Thinking more about splicing the deck speakers into the rear door speaker circuits, if the amp itself separates the frequencies that won't really help my situation because the bass frequencies only go to the deck speakers and with that disconnected there would still be no bass...?

the amp is an electronic amp (obviously) the audio is sent on the multiplexed class 2 data bus to the AMP then it is distributed on the outputs. Basically, its not wise to have anything unaccounted for going to the amp because of what its doing

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

my bad , evidently the radio does send it to the amp normally then it amps it. so you could bypass the amp for the rear speake, since the amp is what is doing the "bass only" thing