Question about components instead of 6x9 (tweeters in dash?)

I just picked up a 2010 Ram and I think my first upgrade will be the factory audio. I've done a number of builds (used to install car audio in a former life), but they were always in cars.

One of my favorite builds was a 6.5, 4", tweeter front stage - but I had plenty of space for amplifiers, crossovers, etc.

I'm not a fan of 6x9s to be honest, so I was thinking of building an adapter template for putting a 6.5/tweeter component set in there. But that leaves the dash speakers. Would I be better off just doing a 6.5" in the door, and putting the tweeters in the dash speaker position? Or would you do 6.5/tweeter component set AND replace dash speakers?

Here's what I'm looking at:
Pioneer AVIC-7100
JL HD600/4
IDQ10
either Focal or Image Dynamics 6.5" components

Should I add a 3.5" in the dash? Move the tweeters up there and just have 6.5" in the doors? Or put the components in the doors and leave the dash speakers out of the mix completely?

That's going to be a nice sounding setup with that gear and pretty similar to mine. I would disconnect the dash speakers and not run any in there, the SQ does suffer from deflections off the windshield.

That being said we all have our personal preference as to what sounds good and you may want to run a long set of wires to your tweeters, use some double-sided temporary tape, and try them out in a few different positions. You can search my build to see what I did by putting my morels in the sail panels. Don't be afraid of modifying those sails, they are like $15 to replace and in my opinion the best sounding location for tweeters.

BCMark said:

That's going to be a nice sounding setup with that gear and pretty similar to mine. I would disconnect the dash speakers and not run any in there, the SQ does suffer from deflections off the windshield.

That being said we all have our personal preference as to what sounds good and you may want to run a long set of wires to your tweeters, use some double-sided temporary tape, and try them out in a few different positions. You can search my build to see what I did by putting my morels in the sail panels. Don't be afraid of modifying those sails, they are like $15 to replace and in my opinion the best sounding location for tweeters.

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Deflections were what worried me as well. Thanks for the feedback. I may have to do a little playing around.

I've done the following combos in my Ram and every combo has its trade offs...or pros and cons. For the record, I was not using Focal or ID so on/off axis requency responses will be different with my Dynaudios compared to your future speakers...but for conversations sake..it'll give you SOME insight.
first location combo:
Esotar 650's in doors/ MD102 tweeters in dash location (firing up of course) for atleast a year. Sounded nice. Deep sound stage, wide stage, high right at dash level. The reflections from the tweeters did create some tuning issues, but I was able to make it sound pretty darn good.
Second location combo:
650's in doors, T-380 tweeters in sails. WAY more detail with tweeters on-axis. Depth suffered a bit, but the increase in detail made up for it. Width increased a little. Stage height went up a few inches. It was worth the change. I had that combo for another year and loved it. Best 2-way I have ever had....the detail was amazing.
Third combo:
650's in doors, T-380's on-axis in sails, Scanspeak 4" midranges in dash locations firing up. HUGE IMPROVEMENT. Stage height increased, depth increased a lot, width stayed the same. The level of detail and realism increased a great deal too. I have yet to finalize my 3-way tune, but Iam happy I went with the dedicated midrange...it took my system to a whole new level.
All systems were active...2-way was controlled by a pioneer 80PRS, my new 3-way is controlled by a Pioneer P99. The windshield reflections can be tamed with tuning, but I don't know if I would use dash locations with a passive system...it would probably be too harsh sounding. Food for thought

I had tweets in the sails and now have them in the dash. Certainly brighter and more detailed in the sails on axis, but I don't dislike them in the dash (active). You can buy some scosche 6x9 plates that have room for tweets, but you are likely better off with tweets in the sail or dash. If you put them in the sails, I would omit dash speakers entirely.

The jl might fit under your front seat if you were so inclined.

adurm said:

I had tweets in the sails and now have them in the dash. Certainly brighter and more detailed in the sails on axis, but I don't dislike them in the dash (active). You can buy some scosche 6x9 plates that have room for tweets, but you are likely better off with tweets in the sail or dash. If you put them in the sails, I would omit dash speakers entirely.

The jl might fit under your front seat if you were so inclined.

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I agree completely...I had zero issues with my tweeters in the dash (active)
And yes, my dash sat empty when I was running a door/sail panel 2-way.
I have no issues running a solid 2-way as well....as long as the tweeter used can be crossed over low (2000hz +/-) and your midbass does well playing up kinda high.

Set up

I like the idea of Components in the front with tweeter in the sail, 6X9 in the rear door powered y an amp and the mids on the dash. I too am getting a Pioneer head unit same as yours. Can youwire the mids ti run off the head unit and the others off the amp? I was told that you wouldn't be able to control the mid dash speakers if you did that though I mean no fade. I have an old JL 6450 amp I will be using. Sorry to sound so clueless, but I am.

Jackson Hudson said:

I like the idea of Components in the front with tweeter in the sail, 6X9 in the rear door powered y an amp and the mids on the dash. I too am getting a Pioneer head unit same as yours. Can youwire the mids ti run off the head unit and the others off the amp? I was told that you wouldn't be able to control the mid dash speakers if you did that though I mean no fade. I have an old JL 6450 amp I will be using. Sorry to sound so clueless, but I am.

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to answer your ?, yes you can run mids off HU power but like you were advised, you won't have much control of them which can be a pain adn really throw off your sound. Is that JL amp a 4 channel? I would get some nice components (a midbass speaker and a tweeter) and run the midbass in the doors (6.5") and run the tweeters in the sails (I prefer) or the dash openings firing up. Amp the components. The components up front are the most important aspect of your system so amping them and sending them nice clean power is very important. Honestly, forget about upgrading the rear 6x9's in the rear doors....it's a waste of money. When a system is properly set up, you should barely hear the rear speakers anyway, if at all.
Then, I would add a sub to finish it all off. You can have an UNBELIEVABLE system using a set of components up front, with a nice sub in the back...a simple 2-way + sub can rock your face off