# Swapping out rear door speakers for better volume.



## APCruze (Mar 7, 2013)

So like most I suffer from low volume from the two rear door speakers and find it out right annoying to not have a level sound from all around me. I have read many old threads about total car speaker swap outs and upgrades of 4 channel speakers but wanted to see what people thought about just replacing the two rear door speakers. 

I have a 2013 with the base model radio and have already added a with aftermarket 10" 800 watt Pioneer sub in the trunk for my bass, which does great and I'm very happy with. I was looking at some speakers for the $50 to $100.00 range but im not sure if I would gain anything by this mod. 

One that I found has a crossover and a seperate tweeter. JVC CS-VS608 DRVN Series 6-1/2" component speaker system at Crutchfield.com 

At this point Im not wanting to add a 4 channel amp and replace all 4 speakers, but might consider it in the far furture, so keep that in mind for the rear speakers. 

The bass is great in the vehicle due to the amp I installed with the sub but im wanting a little more even volume level. 

Thanks in advance for all the imput.

Also, although Im great at wiring, Im not the best at the understanding in the difference in ohms and all the other specs so if your going to compare speakers using the ohms and so on, please put it in common terms for me... (and then I can talk the wife into it)


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

That component set looks decent, but let me make you another recommendation:

http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarA...e_Comparison&gclid=CIXs1puFxLYCFWNgMgodOU4AeQ

A proper crossover with high quality crossover parts where it counts, and a phase plug for better off-axis response (important where you'll be mounting them). 

These are the leader of the sub-$100 price range for component speakers. I know nothing that can beat them. Most $100 or under component sets don't even have a full 2-way crossover.


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## APCruze (Mar 7, 2013)

XtremeRevolution said:


> That component set actually looks pretty good.


Would replacing the rear speakers out with that set make the front and rear speakers approx. the same out put volume (without counting in fade and balance) ?

This is my first vehicle I have ever had that the front and rear speakers seem to not even come any were close to matching in quality. Normally all four speakers have bass issues or trebel or volume levels that you just have to replace all 4 out, but I am very satisfied with the front speakers volume and sound quality, just cant stand the rear. 

Also could I just get a set of OEM front speakers and put them in the rear? 

And would I notice huge difference if I replaced the front out at the same time with the same set?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

APCruze said:


> Would replacing the rear speakers out with that set make the front and rear speakers approx. the same out put volume (without counting in fade and balance) ?
> 
> This is my first vehicle I have ever had that the front and rear speakers seem to not even come any were close to matching in quality. Normally all four speakers have bass issues or trebel or volume levels that you just have to replace all 4 out, but I am very satisfied with the front speakers volume and sound quality, just cant stand the rear.
> 
> ...


It would bring you a lot closer to bringing the volume to the same level. 

The rear speakers from the factory are paper whizzer cones. Basically, "all in one" full-range drivers. About as cheap as it gets. Putting a set of OEM front speakers will not help. You have to remember that the speakers are pointed behind your seats at the floor, so your output there will be limited by nature. 

What do you have up front?


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## APCruze (Mar 7, 2013)

XtremeRevolution said:


> It would bring you a lot closer to bringing the volume to the same level.
> 
> The rear speakers from the factory are paper whizzer cones. Basically, "all in one" full-range drivers. About as cheap as it gets. Putting a set of OEM front speakers will not help. You have to remember that the speakers are pointed behind your seats at the floor, so your output there will be limited by nature.
> 
> What do you have up front?


Up front is just OEM speakers, at this point the only addition I did was adding the PAC for the Sub in the trunk.


XtremeRevolution said:


> That component set looks decent, but let me make you another recommendation:
> 
> Cadence CWM6KIT Component Systems at Onlinecarstereo.com
> 
> ...


You can call me Noob here, but can you explain the difference in the 2-way crossover vs others that you are talking about. I know the basics that it seperates the bass and trebel to the seperate speakers but not sure beyond that.

Also can you explain "off-axis response" (important where you'll be mounting them). I was thinking of mounting them on the rear trunk lid behind the headrests, since my rear window is tinted
Also would I be gaining anything huge to go the route of adding a 4 channel amp with new speakers all the way around Vs. just changing the speakers? Trying to not to go this route enless I would see a huge gain like when I added my Sub for bass.


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## APCruze (Mar 7, 2013)

So I found a pair of Pioneer speaker that I liked with a cross over and seperate tweeter. I spent some time really customizing the install as my wife did not want holes drilled in the speaker cover for the tweeters. I first removed the factory spekers and cut off the existing OEM wire connection to re-use on the new setup and then with the speaker adapters installed the new speakers, I put the cross over box hidden in side the door with double sided tape (sorry no pictures) and got my dremel out and made my marks to cut out for the tweeter to fit into. I then made a couple marks to make the speaker slide down and twist in place. I then added a little glue so it wouldnt move and was done in about 20 minutes. 

I am 95% happy with this upgrade due to the volume is louder and much more crisp, but I still think the amount of volume front to rear is off. ( I think this a head unit factory output issue not the speakers) but would do this upgrade again.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Reasonably satisfied with the sound system that came with my 2012 2LT, just adjusted the fader more toward the rears and upped the bass a bit. In contrast when I first purchased a new 04 Cavalier Sports Coupe, couldn't live with that at law.

My point is the first thing I had to do with that car was completely strip out all the speakers and the radio, place it on my work bench, and find out exactly what I had. Not only single paper cones, fronts were 12 ohm, rears were 16 ohms. An output test of the radio was only about 5 watts, and in no way could handle a four ohm speaker. This told me I needed a four channel amplifier with the stock radio and four new 4 ohm full range speakers.

Cruze would be no different if I elected to modify it, *first step is to learn what you have.* Don't even know the speaker impedance nor the output power of the amplifier before distortion occurs.

Chevy sure does not provide any specifications, whereas, even the cheapest aftermarket radios specify the power output they can deliver per channel and at what speaker impedance.

Did anyone here take a look at the Cruze radio for these two very basic specifications?


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## APCruze (Mar 7, 2013)

everything I could find said the base system was 4 ohm, and the Pioneer upgraded system was 2 ohms. Dont hold me to that though, X might have a more exact answer.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Typical car radio uses two stereo output integrated circuits, one for the fronts, other for the rears. Bridged outputs and should be current protected. Like a 39 cent chip in quantity, possible the one feeding the rears is defective.

Solid state in theory should last forever, but still a mechanically made device, one key parameter is the proper passivation of the chip itself. Or in other words, make the chip leak proof. One tiny insignificant pin hole lets impurities in that results in large amounts of impurities in that causes internal leakage. Usually if they can last 90 days, they are good.

Or to put it in layman's terms, the radio can be broke. No amount of speaker replacement would cure this. Take it back to your dealer. 

Another factor is if an amplifier was added to the rear speakers, many of these emulate a speaker load, and typical to tap off the rear speakers. Did adding this amplifier cause the rear speaker problem? Could be overloading the radio. It does help to know a little bit about ohms.


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## modalita (May 25, 2013)

So riddle me this- do the tweeters mount into the factory locations, or do you put them somewhere else?


XtremeRevolution said:


> That component set looks decent, but let me make you another recommendation:
> 
> Cadence CWM6KIT Component Systems at Onlinecarstereo.com
> 
> ...


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## APCruze (Mar 7, 2013)

modalita said:


> So riddle me this- do the tweeters mount into the factory locations, or do you put them somewhere else?


Sorry just noticed this post never got an answer, if you have not figured it out yet Yes the tweeters would go into the factory location if you are talking about the front set. I personally was working on the rear speakers in the vehicle which does not have a factory location for tweeters, which is why I made my own into the speaker covers. Hopes this helps and sorry for the delay in responce.

Unrelated here is a photo I did to help another member to how I used the factory harness to make it plug into the new speaker without splicing into the wires on the vehicle side.


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