Stock Stereo Question (s)

[CitySnake]

Spent the last 1/2 hour site searching but I'm a really slow reader with below normal comprehension so I need someone to answer this as if they're writing "Stereos For Idiots".

Anyway, I'm trying to find the power output of the stock amp ('01 RT). The reason is to determine what replacement speakers I can use to upgrade the system. Apparently, most of the upgrade replacement speakers available require more power to drive them efficiently, so by simply replacing the speakers W/O replacing the amp you wind up with great sound at low volume but severe clipping at hi volume.
Note: I do not want to replace the amp or the receiver. I want to replace only the speakers (all 5 if its worthwhile) with replacements that fit precisely in the stock mounting and will fit behind the stock grills. Can all this be done?

Thanks in advance, and sorry if it's been asked and answered before.

 

[tradin1]

I replaced all of my stock speakers with Polk Audio dbx series, stock amp. It sounds great, no clipping at all. The bass response seems to have doubled. I still want to go in and Dynomat behind the speakers, in hopes of keep that much more in the car.

 

[Dixter]

Where did you find the polk audio speakers???
Do the rear speakers sound better when they are upgraded...
the ones I have now sound like they are only for base...
If I put in a good speaker back there will any highs come
from them or is the cross over set up for bass only?

 

[SapphireGTS]

I replaced the amp but its not necessary. Its better to have a speaker that can take more power than you are delivering to it than a speaker that cant handle what you dish out.

You should be ok regardless of what you buy as long as its BETTER than what you have. If you were to drive a 16 ohm 18 inch woffer with the stock amp, I would worry but if you are replacing speakers with similiar sized speakers you are good to go. Id get 4 ohm speakers. I bought eclipse but mb quart/polk/jl/alpine are all good.

 

[Silver98]

Dixter,

If you check the service manual, you find out that the rear speakers are subwoofers only. The stock power amplifier feeds them separatly.

I plan to buy the JL subwoofer (simple replacement) during my next trip to Canada.

 

[Todd Richmond]

You want speakers with the maximum possible sensitivity - 91+ db. Kenwood makes a KFC1687 that will fit well w/o having to do a lot of drilling - most aftermarket 6 1/2 speakers have only 4 holes that won't match up in a viper

 

[V10 MOJO]

MY .02 heres what I did and my audio system is FINALLY something worth listening to, it has clarity and power just like a system should be. oh and everything I did utilized stock speaker grills and flush fits for all so you cant tell its mod by looking. I did Panasonic DVD/CD head unit. JL 6.5 component door speakers (slight mods to ports to allow stock grills to fit back on flush), JL 6.5 6W0 sub between seats, fiberglass/silicone airtight enclosure and sounds like a true 8-10" sub! (stock speaker grill fit back on flush here also). JL 300x4 amp, xovers, and 8 disc changer mounted in trunk. dynomatted doors. oh and one last iten just purchased; an MP3 car audio unit by SSI. this thing is the epitomy of high tech; its a pull out unit that take the place, literally, of a disc drive in your PC tower, its a pullout unit which also has a docking bay in trunk of car. its got a 20, 40, or 60 gig memory capacity so that translates into anywhere from 9000 to 22,000 songs! this thing is wild.

 

[joe117]

I wouldn't replace speakers with others of a diferent impedence. If you have 8 ohm or 4 ohm or 16 ohm stay with that. The amps will not be happy to see a load that they were not designed for.

 

[SapphireGTS]

Every time you cut the impedence in half you ROUGHLY double the power.

There is a little more to it than that, but thats a general statement.

Most car component speakers are 4 ohms.

 

[2tall]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by SapphireGTS:
Every time you cut the impedence in half you ROUGHLY double the power.

There is a little more to it than that, but thats a general statement.

Most car component speakers are 4 ohms.


<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Kind of true but not quite if I remember correctly. *IF* you are only driving a single set of speakers and you cut the impendence by half, you double the power. However, you tend to have 2 (or more) pairs of speakers in parallel. In this instance the biggest power gain comes from all connected speakers have the same impedence, if that's true, then "the size matters"

In any event, I just did mine (and it's quite awesome sounding thank you) but it's probably over kill for you (and me too for that matter).

As the other guy said, impedence is 4ohms on pretty much everything out there.

The most cost effective solution is to replace all speakers with JL audios, 1 set of 6" *components* (what they're called when the tweeter and the midrange is separated). And JL 6.5" *subwoofers* for the bulkhead. JL is about the only good manufacturer that sells 6", which is the best fit in the doors w/o "alteration". I also highly recommend an MP3 for the dash.

For top of the line system (on an RT) take a look at Leaf001's setup. Probably the best I've seen (on an RT). The custom shop fabbed a whole bulkhead for him and popped in a 10" sub. I'd do that, plus a set of CDTs for components (plus the MP3 of course).

Yeah, I know it's not what you asked... but I can't help it.