Speaker Upgrade

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Runner4Runner

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Check out one of the threads I made about upgrading speakers. I ended up going all out and have a Kenwood headunit, Memphis speakers, Alpine amp, and MTX sub. Sounds bad ass.
 
Dude at those prices it is what it is ... meaning i doubt you will run into any real conflicts unless you decide to upgrade to more expensive speakers like Alpine-Rs or something. $20 speakers will run with a $60 head unit no problem.

For better sound I suggest putting 6x9s in the rear. You will have to do some minor cutting but it is really easy and the door cover will still line up perfectly on a 3rd gen.

Good luck.
 
You can fit 4" speakers in the rear stock plastic enclosure. If you do some cutting and use rubber as a "gasket" then you can fit 6x9 which is the best option.

I think that Sony Explode are probably good low end speakers. My first set of speakers were Sony Explodes. If you want to go higher end for much more cash down the road, I recommend Polk, Infinity or Alpine.

For the best opinions I would look up the speakers on Crutchfield.com they have independent reviews for ALL speakers across every price range.

Go to Crutchfield and enter your 4Runner and year. The website will list ALL compatible speakers with the vehicle. Just remember that 6x9 can also work in the rear even though they are not listed.

:)
 
brianemc2_42 said:
You can fit 4" speakers in the rear stock plastic enclosure. If you do some cutting and use rubber as a "gasket" then you can fit 6x9 which is the best option.

I think that Sony Explode are probably good low end speakers. My first set of speakers were Sony Explodes. If you want to go higher end for much more cash down the road, I recommend Polk, Infinity or Alpine.

For the best opinions I would look up the speakers on Crutchfield.com they have independent reviews for ALL speakers across every price range.

Go to Crutchfield and enter your 4Runner and year. The website will list ALL compatible speakers with the vehicle. Just remember that 6x9 can also work in the rear even though they are not listed.

:)
Click to expand...

How much cutting is required to fit 6x9s? and Can you make the gakset?
 
How much cutting is required to fit 6x9s? and Can you make the gakset?
Click to expand...

Very minor cutting. I am too lazy to go pull of my door panel and take a picture but the steps are simple.
* remove the rear speaker
* remove the plastic "speaker holder"
* take said 6x9 and set it in the hold
* eyeball where you will need to cut; trace with a sharpie
* cut away conservatively, leaving some
* test the fit, cut more as needed

After these steps you still have some minor gaps between the speaker and door. I used dynomat alternative to patch over the holes => making a sort of rubber gasket. This does not need to be airtight since the door isn't sealed anyways. It just needs to cover the open spots. If you don't have dynomat you could accomplish same thing by using rubber from Home Depot and some silicone sealant.

:)

THERE IS A CATCH THOUGH --- My rear window does go down the last 2 inches because it will hit the speaker magnet. I think this is only because I have Infinity Kappas and although they sound amazing, they have a large magnet.

I don't consider this drawback to be a big deal. I just remember to not roll it down that final 2 inches and when it does hit it is just the metal arm lightly hitting the magnet, nothing breaks. BUT if I had kids I probably would have to come up with an alternative.
 
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what about 4" x 6"? 6 x 9 seem like a big jump from it being 4 stock.
and how much do you think this will cost if i dont install myself?
stereo
and front and rear speakers
 
what about 4" x 6"? 6 x 9 seem like a big jump from it being 4 stock.
and how much do you think this will cost if i dont install myself?
stereo
and front and rear speakers
Click to expand...

Dude you need to install it yourself. This is the beginner mod of ALL beginner mods. I was intimidated the first time I removed the door panels but it is really easy. Search this site or YotaTech for threads on "remove door panel" and you will see plenty of guides.

Door panel removal:
Risk of damage to door or interior = none
Time required = 10 minutes
Tools needed = 1 phillips head screw driver, 1 door panel tool ($5 AutoZone, optional), 1 needle-nose pliers.
 
you cannot fit 6x9s in the rear doors.they will not fit unless you want to cut into your doors and have your power windows hit. i m sorry but that is the worst advice you could give some one. max i would run is 6.5s which i did and have pictures of.


img0637er.jpg

img0638da.jpg

img0639s.jpg

img0642k.jpg
 
brianemc2_42 said:
Very minor cutting. I am too lazy to go pull of my door panel and take a picture but the steps are simple.
* remove the rear speaker
* remove the plastic "speaker holder"
* take said 6x9 and set it in the hold
* eyeball where you will need to cut; trace with a sharpie
* cut away conservatively, leaving some
* test the fit, cut more as needed

After these steps you still have some minor gaps between the speaker and door. I used dynomat alternative to patch over the holes => making a sort of rubber gasket. This does not need to be airtight since the door isn't sealed anyways. It just needs to cover the open spots. If you don't have dynomat you could accomplish same thing by using rubber from Home Depot and some silicone sealant.

:)

THERE IS A CATCH THOUGH --- My rear window does go down the last 2 inches because it will hit the speaker magnet. I think this is only because I have Infinity Kappas and although they sound amazing, they have a large magnet.

I don't consider this drawback to be a big deal. I just remember to not roll it down that final 2 inches and when it does hit it is just the metal arm lightly hitting the magnet, nothing breaks. BUT if I had kids I probably would have to come up with an alternative.
Click to expand...

Dynamat costs as much as the sony's he linked. Go to crutchfield and they have speakers in the your price range that are better then those Sony xplod's you linked. If you try and put a 6x9 in your rear door your door will never clip back on corretly and you will be using your palm as a mallet every time you open the door and notice that the interior plastic popped back off. Also if you order through Crutchfield they will send you detailed instruction and most of the time they will send you a wiring adapter and any brackets that you will need for the install for free.
 
It is not the worst advice. It works just fine, you just have to do little bit of cutting. I'll post pictures when I get a chance. Alternatively you could go with a 6" or 6.5" like the previous poster did.

RE
Dynamat costs as much as the sony's he linked.
Click to expand...
I actually used "poor man's dynomat" or "asphalt mod" - look at the picture above SIKHILUXSURF did it as well. He is right that it is probably easier to just go with the 6" but I really wanted 6x9's and they are awesome.


If you try and put a 6x9 in your rear door your door will never clip back on corretly and you will be using your palm as a mallet every time you open the door and notice that the interior plastic popped back off.
Click to expand...
Well it worked for me! The door panel fits fine and lines up perfectly; all clips snap in fine. I was skeptical too and was prepared to mail them back to Crutchfield if it didn't work - but it did and everything lines up. That is why I shared the knowledge. I will post pics to satisfy the hive.


:lasercannon:
 
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I'm not a big fan of oval speakers especially when it requires modification. Google "round vs. oval speakers"...a couple of good discussions on the pros and cons of each. In a nutshell, a round speaker should produce a better sound (i.e., less distortion) because of its symmetry. One advantage of the 6x9, when compared to a 6.5”, is greater output/mid bass by virtue of its larger surface area.

So one thing you might consider is, can you benefit from the added bass? If you don't plan on running a sub, the 6x9 may be something worth considering.

Going back to the round vs. oval debate, I’m not proclaiming that I'm able to discern a difference in clarity between a round and oval speaker (never A/B tested), but I personally wouldn’t go through the hassle of modifying my door just to fit an oval. But don’t get me wrong, I would use a 6x9 if the application allowed for it. My wife’s car has 6x9's in the back and I think they sound fine. If I had the option though, personally I’d go with the largest round speaker I could.
 
So in general are you okay to run your front and rear door speakers off an aftermarket HU? This is my next step, as previous owner put in a nice Kenwood HU and Bass tube w/ amp but the door speakers are crap. Contemplating coaxials in the front and something basic in the rears, but not sure if I need an external amp to run them.
 
I am running a nice Kenwood head unit with factory speakers. Not the best set-up but works for now. I am planning on doing 5.25 separates front and rear off the Kenwood deck. Then the upgrade after that would be either a single 8 or 10" sub. Last time I was in Best buy they were clearancing out last years Kicker 5.25 separates for $55 a set.
 
So clearly the OP is on a very tight budget since he is looking at walmart for this stuff (BTW, the walmart models are likely specially made cheaper then the other models of that brand and made exclusively for walmart, so don't trust brand name too much there).

For the lowest budget upgrade you could do, I would search the internet for the best deals on a decent HU and a decent set of front 6.5 or 6.75 speakers, and that's it. You don't get very much sound quality benefit from the rear speakers, so I wouldn't worry about them at all. Spending the money for the rears on nicer fronts and HU will get you more bang for your buck.
 
Nelsonmd said:
So clearly the OP is on a very tight budget since he is looking at walmart for this stuff (BTW, the walmart models are likely specially made cheaper then the other models of that brand and made exclusively for walmart, so don't trust brand name too much there).

For the lowest budget upgrade you could do, I would search the internet for the best deals on a decent HU and a decent set of front 6.5 or 6.75 speakers, and that's it. You don't get very much sound quality benefit from the rear speakers, so I wouldn't worry about them at all. Spending the money for the rears on nicer fronts and HU will get you more bang for your buck.
Click to expand...

This, you will notice much better sound out of a new HU and front speakers, so I would go with that, then upgrade the rears later if you still even want to.
 
If you need something very nice on a budget. Check these components out. unbelievable for the price and will fit in the front door with no spacers or mods, just using longer screws, they are very shallow.

http://www.amazon.com/Cadence-ZRS65..._3?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1309445647&sr=8-3

and for the rear doors, really not necessary to do the rears though

http://www.amazon.com/Cadence-Zrs-5..._6?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1309445693&sr=1-6

Then go with a mid line alpine or eclipse cd player, about $100 on ebay. WOuld sound amazing for the price. or add an amp for way better sound.
 
CobraSpdRH said:
So in general are you okay to run your front and rear door speakers off an aftermarket HU? This is my next step, as previous owner put in a nice Kenwood HU and Bass tube w/ amp but the door speakers are crap. Contemplating coaxials in the front and something basic in the rears, but not sure if I need an external amp to run them.
Click to expand...

If you buy a decent aftermarket head unit it will improve your speaker sound because you tend to get more power to your speakers. If you have an amp hooked up to some speakers you may find that the speakers are garbage because they can't handle the power. You may also blow the speakers if the speakers are rated lower then the power being given. I would suggest getting a good head unit, good speakers and run all new speaker wire of a thicker gauge and you will get much better sound. If you add a 4 channel amp you will have even better sound. And if you add a second amp dedicated to a sub you should have a well rounded sound system.
 
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