After swapping out main door speakers, why is it so quiet?

Zepin · Nov 16, 2016

2014 with the 8.4 NAV without the Alpine stereo, did a swap on all the speakers through Crutchfield. Kicker 3.5 in the dash and 6x9's in the rear doors then some Kenwood 6.5 to replace the 6x9's in the front doors. I normally run the fade/balance about 3 spot back of center to even out the sound but unless i put an ear up to the front door speakers, i don't hear a peep out of them. They are wired with the easy harnesses that you get free so i know they are hooked up right. Is this strictly a location issue and unless i amp everything they will always be this quiet? I've done stereo and speaker swap in all my cars so i feel good about my work and knowledge, just never had a door this quiet. i must say, i don't recall one way or another, before the swap how the doors sounded in terms of volume.

adrianp89 · Nov 16, 2016

Front door speakers on Alpine are mid-bass duties only, also tie in the fact the factory system is designed to run 2 ohm speakers. The Kenwood/Kickers would be 4 ohm... so essentially they would have half the power. Going from a 6x9 to a 6.5 also reduces your mid-bass output.

So essentially you have three issues that create your problem.

GreenClassic · Nov 16, 2016

He doesn't have the Alpine system, though.

Zepin · Nov 16, 2016

Correct, it is NOT the Alpine, strictly the big screen nav.

BadHabit2Break · Nov 16, 2016

Pull the door panel and make sure you have the polarity correct on the harness. i have the same harness and my 6.5" RF components work fine.

Maybe something is wrong with the speaker itself.

Also remember that the dash speakers are 8ohm OEM, with the Kicker ones they are 4ohm, meaning more power goes to the dash speakers now.

adrianp89 · Nov 16, 2016

Sorry - still early for me lol. Pretty sure even on standard system they are mid-bass duty as well.

BadHabit2Break · Nov 16, 2016

adrianp89 said:
Sorry - still early for me lol. Pretty sure even on standard system they are mid-bass duty as well.

Actually on the non-Alpine, the front door speakers play full range like the dash speakers.

OP should be able to hear them, unless he bought a weird ohm door speaker like 8ohm. Then I could see why he could barely hear them.

Graygoose · Nov 16, 2016

Yup, dash should be quit louder as well.

Zepin · Nov 16, 2016

It's the 4 Ohm Kenwood KFC-1665S. Not amazing i know, but was shooting for that "better than stock" sound until i can do over the whole system. My twin babies don't seem to care about my system. I don't understand them.

BadHabit2Break · Nov 16, 2016

You just replaced the speakers? No amp installed or anything.

Zepin · Nov 16, 2016

Correct. Strictly a speaker swap.

adrianp89 · Nov 16, 2016

Well apparently everything I thought I knew about the base system was WRONG lol.

Ideas from a pure 12v standpoint - it could be the factory speakers were more efficient (common). Try disconnecting one dash speaker to see if there is an improvement in corresponding door speaker. This will allow the 6.5 to have full power instead of splitting it with the dash.

BadHabit2Break · Nov 16, 2016

adrianp89 said:
Well apparently everything I thought I knew about the base system was WRONG lol.

Ideas from a pure 12v standpoint - it could be the factory speakers were more efficient (common). Try disconnecting one dash speaker to see if there is an improvement in corresponding door speaker. This will allow the 6.5 to have full power instead of splitting it with the dash.

This is a very good starting point. i didn't think of that, alot easier than pulling the door panel.

Zepin · Nov 16, 2016

Good idea. I'll start there. Thanks gentlemen.

DavidN · Nov 16, 2016

That's the reason why I went with JBL GTO928 6x9's.
They have 2 Ohms, output is just tad bit less than the factory speakers.

royalwe · Nov 24, 2016

A few heads up

I believe that there's a resistance sensor on the 2016+ radios, I've been seeing that in other threads as I've prepped to upgrade my system.

So if you disconnect the 3.5 the radio will stop pushing sound to that sound entirely.

I didn't see a mention, are the dash speakers putting out sound?

Also, if you fade all the way forward then turn it up, do you get anything at all from the door speakers?

WilliamS · Nov 25, 2016

The total Ohm load changed, the dash speakers and door speakers are matched based on loads to keep more power going to the doors. Once you changed the speakers now the dash speakers get out of control!

gigabyte3 · Nov 25, 2016

Im having th same issue....I replaced the oem speakers, ( dash, and all 4 doors ), with 4ohm Kickers...also have the resistor or whatever it is Crutchfield gave me for the 3.5 speakers too. Speakers sounded great with my 5" radio, but real quiet with the 8.4. I did notice the treble with the 8.4 is way louder too.

After swapping out main door speakers, why is it so quiet?

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