60 Series Audiophiles, What size speakers?

[chukardog]

What are you guys running for speakers in the front doors and the rear quarter panels? Im putting together a system and I went with MB Quart separates in the front ( 5-1/4's) and 6X9's for the rear.
I assume I'll need to make new panels for the rear to accomodate the 6X9's? As an old school car stereo guy who hasnt bought anything in a while Im amazed at how much the prices have dropped on this stuff.

MB quart separates $150
Alpine CDA 9885 $100
Pioneer 6X9's $50
Sony 4Ch 600W amp $75

Havent decided if Im going to run a Subwoofer or not. Takes up so much space an theyre a hassle to move around. Thoughts? Bazooka tube?
Also how well do the new head units control the IPOD? Would love to hear some first hand experiences.

 

[HntWhtTail]

I am currently running 5 1/4 pioneers up front off of a vr3 deck and a single kicker signature 10 in a truck box running full range off a sony amp, I have long leads going to the sub so I can put it any where I want

 

[Tinker]

Planning a 12" sub in the tailgate, along with 6x9 separates. Dunno about the front doors. Think there'll be tweets on the dash, though.

 

[NocalFJ60]

I have 6x9 in the rear and 5 1/4 in the front sound right. Where you going to mount the amp? I have mine under the back seat but plan on moving it to the trunk somewhere. Might try to squeeze it behind a panel but might be too hot for it there.

I have a Kenwood deck and bought an adapter to control my ipod. It is about a 1.5 yrs old. You can't go to a certain album fast on it but it is good for making playlist and scanning through artists. They might make something now with a menu on the deck like you see on the ipod.

 

[peterdouglas]

I recently did a budget minded sound system. Got Kenwood KFC-1361S speakers (5 1/4") which fit perfectly! No washers or spacers, no contact with the window and they don't make the door panel with the factory grilles bulge at all. They're 3 way speakers and sound pretty good for such thin and light speakers. Here's a thread I started with some interesting input from other members:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=152535

The I got a Sony XPLOD deck with an iPod interface - love it! A Crimestopper alarm and Sony XPLOD 6x9 4-way speakers for the rear. A stereo shop made some new rear panels, and covered them nicely. They hold the new rear speakers, take a look:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=167114

Had a little bit of trouble installing a DIN style stereo... got it in eventually. Here's a thread on how some other 60 series owners installed theirs:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=153042

Total cost for everything, about $600 to $700 CDN, for the deck with iPod interface, front speakers, rear speakers, custom rear panels for the speakers, alarm and installation. Everything except the front speakers were on clearance or a bargain price (Best Buy, Wal-mart, old stock at stereo shop, etc).

Enjoy!

 

[peterdouglas]

Im amazed at how much the prices have dropped on this stuff.

Yes, prices have really come down, and the quality seems pretty good. All of my speakers have plastic or PVC type material (no paper speakers anymore). Big box stores are great places to get them.

Havent decided if Im going to run a Subwoofer or not. Takes up so much space an theyre a hassle to move around. Thoughts? Bazooka tube?

Nah, don't bother. Too much of a temptation for thieves, even if it's cheap stuff (the cheap stuff looks expensive). Save the space. A good amp with 4 way 6x9's should do well. I don't even have the amp and it's a pretty kickin system!

Also how well do the new head units control the IPOD? Would love to hear some first hand experiences.

It's pretty good, my Sony XPLOD deck charges the iPod and you can use the controls on the deck to select the songs on the iPod. But, it's easier to just unplug the iPod, find the playlist you want and then plug it back in. Maybe some decks are easier, but my budget priced Sony deck seems to make it a chore to find the song you want on the iPod (especially if you have a lot). Still, it's nice to have it recharge while driving and pipe the music through the speakers. I routed my cable into the glove box to hide the iPod when parked.

Incidentally, I wish that when the iPod is unplugged, it would stay at the same spot where it finished playing. Sometimes I like to continue listening from the same spot with headphones when I get home. Instead, it returns to the menu. Maybe in time this will improve, but I'm still really pleased with the fact that I've got iPod integration like this, and especially for a budget priced deck.

 

[2mbb]

I've got 6 1/2" speakers in front and rear passenger doors. I took the 6x9's out of the rear quarters after one side got destroyed when loading up the way back with stuff. Here's the write up: https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=168774&highlight=speakers

 

[oldwineo]

After years of dealing with Bose bookshelf speakers and a small sub taking up space and rolling around in the back I rebuilt my rear side panels out of aluminum diamond plate and backed them with Dynamat.
Then I installed a 8" sub and a pair of 5-1/2 speakers behind the panels with several holes drilled for the sound to escape. I added a pair of surface mount tweeters on the rear pillars near the vent grills and stuffed an amp and a crossover inside the right panel.
I also have front door speakers mounted behind the factory grills.

Now all of this may not be the best for top end sound, but it does sound pretty good and you really can't see the speakers at all (no one will break in to steal my sub)

I also added soundproofing to all four doors and the rear quarters which helped with the road noise.

If I was to do it all over again I think I would upgrade the rear speakers to 6" and maybe add a set of tweeters in the front.

Good luck with your install.

 

[chukardog]

Awsome, I never even thought of putting the sub in the rear panels. Might be perfect with a free air sub. Kicker makes a nice one as I recall. got any pics of your sub installed in the rear panel?

 

[Amber00Dak]

I would ditch the 6x9s all together. first, because speakers that arent round will never sound as good as speakers that are circles. secondly, why waste the money to put speakers in an area you arent going to be sitting? the front speakers will be enough for you and any passengers in the rear seat.

id use the 4 channel amp and run the front speakers active. in the factory rear speaker location, mount some 6-1/2" or even some 8" subs. you wont win any SPL contests, but the extra bass will really make the front stage come alive. however, you will need a second amp for this if the front speakers are wired active.

other option would be to run the front speakers passive off 2 channels and use the remaining 2 channels to either power 2 small subs at 2ohms or one sub at 4ohms bridged. done this way it wont be as powerful, but it will still sound pretty damn good

good luck

 

[chukardog]

I would ditch the 6x9s all together. first, because speakers that arent round will never sound as good as speakers that are circles. secondly, why waste the money to put speakers in an area you arent going to be sitting? the front speakers will be enough for you and any passengers in the rear seat.

You underestimate the power of the mighty 6X9 Coaxial speaker! A second set of speakers as "rear fill" is a huge sonic improvment for the front seat occupants. Even though the cones aren't round they have huge magnets, large cone surface area and in the right enclosure can sound suprisingly good with a little power behind them.
A second set of separates does appeal to me, in addition to the "by nines", of course . Down low in the rear doors is a pretty crappy spot for a second set of separates, but it would still offer even more acoustical bliss than just 4 measely speakers.
Now, a decent sub is mandatory! Im thinking a pair of 10" Free airs might work in the rear quarters if the area was dampened well.

 

[peterdouglas]

I've just got the round speakers in the front doors and 6x9's in the back. Nothing too expensive either, and it sounds pretty darned good. Of course, with an amp, some more time, money and effort, etc, it could be even better, but I'm happy with this set-up for what it cost me. My Cruiser isn't a show truck, and I also don't want it to look or sound too fancy and run the risk of a break-in.

Believe me, it's far better than what was there when I bought the truck: a late 1980's AM/FM/Cassette (you had to smack the dash to make it work most of the time), from OEM speakers that were shot, rear 6x9's that didn't even work anymore.

 

[cabron]

My ROTW on the top of this page details my system. Dynamat of some sort is key, at least for the doors w/ speakers. 6 1/2 Rainbow components in the doors sound like 8" subs. I have one 12" sub to fill out deep bass and it sounds absoutely awesome. I don't plan on rear fill for now, perfect the way it is. I also have an Alpine full speed IPOD connection, and it works well. It is wired into my center console and always keeps it charged for the gym. Can't go wrong.

 

[cabron]

Also acoustically, two sets of components really messes up music reproduction.

 

[calphi27]

Check out this thread on rising sun for a sub install. I know it is an 80, but you can get the idea.

http://www.risingsun4x4club.org/forum2/showthread.php?t=4515

Get a deck with a usb cable that is ready for your ipod. I am eventually going to get a dvd nav up front to play ipod video.

 

[oldwineo]

Here is a picture of the 8" sub in the back of my 60

 

[Amber00Dak]

You underestimate the power of the mighty 6X9 Coaxial speaker! A second set of speakers as "rear fill" is a huge sonic improvment for the front seat occupants. Even though the cones aren't round they have huge magnets, large cone surface area and in the right enclosure can sound suprisingly good with a little power behind them.
A second set of separates does appeal to me, in addition to the "by nines", of course . Down low in the rear doors is a pretty ****py spot for a second set of separates, but it would still offer even more acoustical bliss than just 4 measely speakers.
Now, a decent sub is mandatory! Im thinking a pair of 10" Free airs might work in the rear quarters if the area was dampened well.

i was thinking in the ways of a normal SQ set-up which very seldomly involves rear fill. usually the front soundstage contains the only speakers for the mids and highs, while the sub fills in the low end. rear fill will cause the sound to be pulled towards the back, while the desired soundstage is usually wanted at dash level in front of the listeners.

if you really want the rear fill, i still say ditch the 6x9s. go with a set of 6-1/2 coaxils to match the front speakers. run the rear speakers off the HU. they will recieve less power but you will still have the rear fill there along with the remaining 2 channels of the amp to use for sub duties

 

[phoenixrider]

isn't '60 series' and 'audiophile' an oxymoron?

 

[cabron]

I don't get it Phoenixrider, enlighten us..

 

[CardinalFJ60]

my setup...

I have an older Sony 4 channel amp pushing about 50w rms. In the front doors I have 6.5's but I had to make some simple spacers out of plywood to get them to clear the winow inside the door. simple, simple stuff.

in the rear, I have a removable box with woofers and tweets. it was reeeaaaallly cheap - like $30. that is, cheap and inexpensive. it's got 8" woofers and horn tweets, sounds OK. I plan to upgrade both woofs and tweets and add a crossover someday. it's on a quick connect using a trailer harness (4-wires). when I'm not wheelin' or carrying stuff around it's great, then I can unplug it when I need the room. I've also run long wires so I can put it on the roof or something.