Speaker replacement -

[PHAEDRUS]

Depends on if you are an audiophile or a security nut. to an audiophile the pioneers will be a waste of money but will be an improvement over blown stock speakers. the security nut just don't wnat anything weird looking.
Dave

 

[Ben6]

I don't think I fall into either catagory. I'm definitely not an audiophile. I just want to replace the blown speaker. However, I do like the stock look, but it doesn't have anything to do with security. Nevertheless, it sounds like your saying that I can replace the speakers and leave the rest stock and will get the sought after improvement. I think I'll check e-bay for those eclipses or alpines.

 

[corbs]

[quote author=Ben6 link=board=2;threadid=11202;start=msg126942#msg126942 date=1080241866]
I went to Best Buy today at lunch. They didn't have the eclipses, but said that pioneers would work. Then the guy told me I was wasting my money unless I either changed the radio or added an amp. He said that the stock setup just didn't have the power to drive the pioneer speakers. I'll admit to knowing virtually nothing about audio equipment, but his remarks appears to be inconsistent with what I have read on this board. Did I get bad information?
[/quote]

I think the info you got was aimed at getting you to purchase more than just $80 or so in speakers. There's nothing wrong with just replacing the speakers, in fact that'll give you the biggest bang for the buck.

The speakers themselves will likely be more efficient and will make the stereo seem a little louder, but if you want even louder than think Amp or new head unit.

Stock head unit has enough power to drive the speakers, but it depends on your definition of "drive". If drive means you want everyone to hear it from outside of your car then yes, the head unit is deficient, but if you just want to listen to your radio at a moderate volume I'm pretty sure it's sufficient.

 

[Brentbba]

Ben,

My 2 cents - the guy at Best Buy is full of it.

My story - Took my LC to Reuss Audio. They do HIGH END custom work on Porsches MB, etc. I'm talking $6k for a basic Porsche custom system. You get the idea. I know the owner from my Porsche days. Never could afford his systems, but I listened to a few - WOW, and I'm no audiophile. He spent some time in the cruiser listening to the music I listen to. BTW - I knew the front door speakers were shot. Here's what he told me. The stock radio and stock amp were just fine for anything but high end audiophile listening.

He replaced the sub in the back (created a new enclosure with the sub coming out the vent instead of the sub cover that exists and tossed the factory sub mounting bracketry) and installed MBQuart Discuss separates in the front doors. He left the speakers in the dash, rear doors and rear cargo area alone. Spacer was needed in the front door, but outside the black covers from the MBQuarts replacing the stock grey, it looks stock. He put the speaker in the door and put the tweeter separately in a custom enclosure tucked down in the front of the door pocket. He then added a center channel with two very small speakers buried in the back of the rear view mirror paint matched to the grey cover. They reflect a center channel off the front glass. OK it was a bit pricey, but I have a rolling concert hall compared to the stock system for less than 1/3 of his basic systems on high end cars. Plenty of very good power and clean highs loud enough for any boombox generation.

Whole point of this is that a true audiophile in the business that I grew to trust long B4 he did any of this work said that the factory amp had plenty of power for a normal application. Spend your money on a quality sub and front door speakers first and go from there.

 

[Eduardo96FZJ80]

Brent,
Let me know how it holds up after your soon to be new driver gets a hold of your cruiser!

 

[Safado]

(doing some quick math... ....)

WOW...2k for that? Granted I was kind impressed with the center channel idea. Got any pics of the sub design you mentioned...mines blown.

 

[Ben6]

Brent,

That sounds like a very impressive system. Have you got any pictures of the center channel speakers?

 

[Brentbba]

No pics, just imagine two little speaker covers about an inch 1/4 accross on each side of the back side of the mirror. No place to host pics anyway. It was absolutely worth it. With traffic, I spend 1 1/2 to 2 hrs a day in the beast.

 

[cary]

[quote author=Ben6 link=board=2;threadid=11202;start=msg126942#msg126942 date=1080241866]
I went to Best Buy today at lunch. They didn't have the eclipses, but said that pioneers would work. Then the guy told me I was wasting my money unless I either changed the radio or added an amp. He said that the stock setup just didn't have the power to drive the pioneer speakers. I'll admit to knowing virtually nothing about audio equipment, but his remarks appears to be inconsistent with what I have read on this board. Did I get bad information?
[/quote]

Stock amp will drive the Eclipses just fine. Getting audio advice at Best Buy is like getting Landcruiser advice at Kragen Auto, a bad idea. You will not find any audio upgrade for the stereo that will beat the $160 speaker upgrade on the landcruiser for less than $500. Don't forget to unplug the front dash tweeters when you do the upgrade.

Cary

 

[dsbvinyl]

Damn, I'd really like to see that center channel install on the back of the rearview too.

Brent, do you know what sort of speakers were installed in the rearview? Just tweeters or actual drivers?

Anyhow, the key to the LC's is the double din. Checkout this clarion center channel:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-8TSWUzj3ucW/cgi-bin/prodview.asp?s=0&cc=01&i=020SRK5&g=62900

As far as I know, they clarion is the only company that produces something like this. I'd like to make my own center channel to stick in the dash but don't know where to find drivers that are small enuf to fit.

 

[Brentbba]

dsbvinyl - sorry, no idea what Reuss installed.

 

[CruiserLegolas]

Here are the specifications on the Eclipse speakers from http://www.ckrme.com

Eclipse SE8353 -- Front Door
Size: 5-1/4" 3-Way
Continuous Power Handling: 30W
Music Power Handling: 60W
Frequency Response: 90Hz-40Hz
Sensitivity: 94dB
Cone Material: Mica/Poly
Surround Material: Rubber
Voice Coil Former: Kapton
Midrange Dome: None
Tweeter Dome: Mylar
Super-Tweeter Dome: Mylar
Tweeter Magnet Material: Neodymium
Woofer Magnet Material: Ferrite
Mounting Depth: 1 7/8"

Eclipse SE8243 -- Rear Door
Size: 4" 2-Way
Continuous Power Handling: 25W
Music Power Handling: 50W
Frequency Response: 105Hz-40Hz
Sensitivity: 94dB
Cone Material: Mica/Poly
Surround Material: Rubber
Voice Coil Former: Kapton
Midrange Dome: None
Tweeter Dome: Mylar
Super-Tweeter Dome: Mylar
Tweeter Magnet Material: Neodymium
Woofer Magnet Material: Ferrite
Mounting Depth: 1 5/8"

 

[scottm]

So where's the best source for those speakers?

 

[CruiserLegolas]

I'm having a hard time finding the Eclipse speakers online at a good price, but I posted the specs to give people enough information (mounting depth, diameter, watts, etc.) in case they want to go with a different brand (Infinity, Pioneer, etc). I'm starting to look at the Infinitys.

It appears that a well made pair of speakers in the $60-$90 price range will easily outperform the OEM speakers on FZJ80's. Thus, it's a good upgrade investment if you like to listen to music.

If anyone find a good source for the Eclipses or similar Infinity, please post.

 

[GXO]

Those Eclipses were one of the first mods I did to my truck when I got it.

Complete whirlwind change in sound and quality.

If you can find em....get em.

 

[IBCRUSN]

While we are on the subject of speakers and such I have a question. I am planning on replacing my OEM deck w/ a CD player/sat radio. To make a long story short, should I disconnect the dash speakers and the four speakers in the cargo area? The reason I ask is depending on how the OEM speakers are wired (parallel or series) the resistance that the deck sees may be a problem. Too much resistance=bad, too little resistance=bad. I have yet to see an aftermarket deck that is 2 ohm stable. Any insight would be appreciated.

Kris

 

[Brentbba]

[quote author=Ben6 link=board=2;threadid=11202;start=msg126996#msg126996 date=1080246701]
Brent,

That sounds like a very impressive system. Have you got any pictures of the center channel speakers?
[/quote]

Here you go. Center channel mounted in the rear view mirror.

 

[Brentbba]

Here's the front door speakers. MB Quard Discuss series I think. You can mount the tweeter in the speaker or seperately. They've done an enclosure in the door pocket below the speaker for the tweeter.

 

[Brentbba]

and lastly, here's the new sub enclosure. There's a separate sub amp where the PS storage compartment used to be. Had to loose that, but the sound is worth it. New sub is positioned where the vent in the back panel is. The put black felt over the old sub position so you couldn't see in to a blank area. Keeps the stock look of the sub.

 

[landtank]

IBCRUISN, I'm in the middle of a stereo install my self. The speakers are paired up in the truck. The 2 front door speakers with the 2 dash ones and the 2 rear door with the 2 overhead rear compartment. They are 8 ohm speakers wired in parrellal giving a total resistance of 4 ohms. The dash speekers have a cap wired in them to better match them to the door speakers as tweeters. I'm not sure about the ones above the hatch but my guess would be they are also. The head unit in my truck made a huge difference is the sound of my system. I also got a harness so the new head unit plugs right into the factory harness. ANother surprise was that the head unit was drilled and tapped for the factory mounting brackets. Install was a breeze.