Speaker replacements
Thread Starter
1st Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 89
From:
Speaker replacements
I'm pretty unhappy with the sound of the Shaker 500 in my GT. There seems to be no low-midrange to the system. The subs are okay for real low freqs, but there's a big hole in the midrange. Has anyone replaced just the front and/or rear speakers and fixed this problem? If so, what speakers did you get and are you happy with them. How much did you pay, ease of installation, etc. would also be welcome. My concern is the crappy head unit and how the crossovers may be set up leading to new speakers that sound as bad as stock.
I'm on kind of a budget, so I'm looking for something I can replace now and flesh out later (head unit, sub, amps, whatever).
Thanks, everyone
I'm on kind of a budget, so I'm looking for something I can replace now and flesh out later (head unit, sub, amps, whatever).
Thanks, everyone
4th Gear Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,061
From: NY
RE: Speaker replacements
i listened to the 500 as well at the dealership and wasnt impressed, havent put them in yet but ; JL XR570-CSI component speakers in front doors and on back deck ...powered by JL 300/2 amps .... 2 JL 10W6v2 subs powered by 1 JL 500/1 amp. Pioneer avic-n2 deck...mmmmm can't wait to hear
5th Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,544
From:
RE: Speaker replacements
I haven't done any work on my Shaker 500 (yet). However, there was a post on these forums some time back (you might try the search) where a guy simply swapped out the rear deck speakers and the door speakers with Infinitys, and the lower-midrange "hole" was fixed. That sounds like a good thing to try as a first step. You can always keep the speakers and continue to use them if you decide to later upgrade your head unit.
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 16
From:
RE: Speaker replacements
I bought infinities from ebay, Hookedontronics, great buy. I have the standard radio that comes with 4 cheap made in China speakers.
Others have said the two in the top of the door and the two in the rear deck are the same as the ones that come with the shaker 500.
Anyway the sound is night and day, and the door panels are extremely easy to take off.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...EWN%3AIT%3AVBS
Others have said the two in the top of the door and the two in the rear deck are the same as the ones that come with the shaker 500.
Anyway the sound is night and day, and the door panels are extremely easy to take off.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...EWN%3AIT%3AVBS
Thread Starter
1st Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 89
From:
RE: Speaker replacements
Thanks for all the feedback. Sounds like Infinities are what I'm looking for. Do you guys know what model you installed? Also, were you able to use the same model front and rear? I'm leaning toward the Kappas, but Crutchfield's selection tool doesn't show that they will work in the doors, only the rear.
Thanks again
Thanks again
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 16
From:
RE: Speaker replacements
Model: 6812CF Infinity.
That is correct, they are direct replacements for the two (top ones) in the doors and the rear deck. you will have to do a little cut and splice or solder job. I managed to unsolder the connectors and solder them on the new ones. There are 4 tabs on the infinities that you have to break off which are used for different mounting applications. The stock ones are only rated 25Watts, the infinities (I used) are rated at 60Watts.
That is correct, they are direct replacements for the two (top ones) in the doors and the rear deck. you will have to do a little cut and splice or solder job. I managed to unsolder the connectors and solder them on the new ones. There are 4 tabs on the infinities that you have to break off which are used for different mounting applications. The stock ones are only rated 25Watts, the infinities (I used) are rated at 60Watts.
5th Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,544
From:
RE: Speaker replacements
Thanks for the info. I will likely end up doing a similar swap.
A quick note about wattage though: the watts of a SPEAKER means nothing when it comes to sound output or quality. Power (watts) comes FROM the amplifier. The only difference between, say, a 25 watt speaker and a 50 watt speaker is that the 50 watt speaker can handle a bigger amp before becoming damaged. A 50 watt speaker connected to a 25 watt amp is still only producing 25 watts.
When you upgrade the stock speakers to the Inifinities (or anything else for that matter) but you're still using the stock amp/head unit, you aren't changing your power output (wattage) at all. You are replacing your stock speakers with ones that have better fidelity. That means they have a more linear output--in laymans terms, they can play lower and higher without distorting or dropping off.
A quick note about wattage though: the watts of a SPEAKER means nothing when it comes to sound output or quality. Power (watts) comes FROM the amplifier. The only difference between, say, a 25 watt speaker and a 50 watt speaker is that the 50 watt speaker can handle a bigger amp before becoming damaged. A 50 watt speaker connected to a 25 watt amp is still only producing 25 watts.
When you upgrade the stock speakers to the Inifinities (or anything else for that matter) but you're still using the stock amp/head unit, you aren't changing your power output (wattage) at all. You are replacing your stock speakers with ones that have better fidelity. That means they have a more linear output--in laymans terms, they can play lower and higher without distorting or dropping off.
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 16
From:
RE: Speaker replacements
ORIGINAL: CrazyAl
Thanks for the info. I will likely end up doing a similar swap.
A quick note about wattage though: the watts of a SPEAKER means nothing when it comes to sound output or quality. Power (watts) comes FROM the amplifier. The only difference between, say, a 25 watt speaker and a 50 watt speaker is that the 50 watt speaker can handle a bigger amp before becoming damaged. A 50 watt speaker connected to a 25 watt amp is still only producing 25 watts.
When you upgrade the stock speakers to the Inifinities (or anything else for that matter) but you're still using the stock amp/head unit, you aren't changing your power output (wattage) at all. You are replacing your stock speakers with ones that have better fidelity. That means they have a more linear output--in laymans terms, they can play lower and higher without distorting or dropping off.
Thanks for the info. I will likely end up doing a similar swap.
A quick note about wattage though: the watts of a SPEAKER means nothing when it comes to sound output or quality. Power (watts) comes FROM the amplifier. The only difference between, say, a 25 watt speaker and a 50 watt speaker is that the 50 watt speaker can handle a bigger amp before becoming damaged. A 50 watt speaker connected to a 25 watt amp is still only producing 25 watts.
When you upgrade the stock speakers to the Inifinities (or anything else for that matter) but you're still using the stock amp/head unit, you aren't changing your power output (wattage) at all. You are replacing your stock speakers with ones that have better fidelity. That means they have a more linear output--in laymans terms, they can play lower and higher without distorting or dropping off.