Upgrading dash speakers - what's the difference?

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Dodge This

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So I've read all the recent threads and everybody seems to be going with the Infinity Reference REF-3022cfx, just because that's what everybody else has.

However, I found some JBL Club 3020 speakers and they seem to pretty much be the same speaker, made by the same company (Harmon), but the JBL's are considerably cheaper.

Is there anybody that has listened to both of them and can give an opinion as to their sound in our trucks?

JBL Club 3020

Infinity Reference REF-3022cfx
 

WilliamS

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For dash speakers, this is my thoughts and opinion. Being in car audio for a long time there are a million ways to do this, but this is my opinion on the dash speakers.

If you are an amplified setup get something with a medium-high sensitivity and signal range. As the amp will crossover and send ample power to the dash speakers. This will allow them to play loud and have limited distortion. The doors and sub woofer will blend nicely.

Now where the odd ball opinion comes in. If you are not amplified and have no intention of doing so, get the lowest sensitivity dash speakers you can find. Everyone in the amateur music world just felt me say that and here is the logic behind it. The front door and dash speakers are parallel meaning they both draw power as well full signal from the headunit, there isnt a crossover or any way to regulate power from one to the other. So you need the speaker to do the leg work. So if your dash speakers have a high sensitivity they will be much louder than the door speakers, and you are thinking how is this bad. Well as they are louder at a lower volume, the mid range and bass from the front door speakers is greatly reduced because you are playing the headunit at lower speakers. If you turn it up the dash speakers will become quickly overpowered distort and sound lousy. You spent money to sound better not worse! Look in the older threads though you will see 1 thing stand out when people put in dash speakers, almost all of them will claim they lost a lot of low end. Its because they did as they arent at the same volume/power levels they were before so the big 6x9's are not getting what they want to really move.

There are a million opinions and options, I gave you 2. Are they the end all, not by any means but it gives you an idea of what will work better for certain applications.

Guess I missed a part. Sensitivity is how loud a speaker will get per watt supplied. So a high sensitivity will be louder than a speaker with lower sensitivity. So a 90db sensitivity will be louder than a 89db.
 
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Dodge This

Dodge This

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For dash speakers, this is my thoughts and opinion. Being in car audio for a long time there are a million ways to do this, but this is my opinion on the dash speakers.

If you are an amplified setup get something with a medium-high sensitivity and signal range. As the amp will crossover and send ample power to the dash speakers. This will allow them to play loud and have limited distortion. The doors and sub woofer will blend nicely.

Now where the odd ball opinion comes in. If you are not amplified and have no intention of doing so, get the lowest sensitivity dash speakers you can find. Everyone in the amateur music world just felt me say that and here is the logic behind it. The front door and dash speakers are parallel meaning they both draw power as well full signal from the headunit, there isnt a crossover or any way to regulate power from one to the other. So you need the speaker to do the leg work. So if your dash speakers have a high sensitivity they will be much louder than the door speakers, and you are thinking how is this bad. Well as they are louder at a lower volume, the mid range and bass from the front door speakers is greatly reduced because you are playing the headunit at lower speakers. If you turn it up the dash speakers will become quickly overpowered distort and sound lousy. You spent money to sound better not worse! Look in the older threads though you will see 1 thing stand out when people put in dash speakers, almost all of them will claim they lost a lot of low end. Its because they did as they arent at the same volume/power levels they were before so the big 6x9's are not getting what they want to really move.

There are a million opinions and options, I gave you 2. Are they the end all, not by any means but it gives you an idea of what will work better for certain applications.

Guess I missed a part. Sensitivity is how loud a speaker will get per watt supplied. So a high sensitivity will be louder than a speaker with lower sensitivity. So a 90db sensitivity will be louder than a 89db.

Technically I'm in an amplified setup, but it's not much of an amplifier from what I've read. I have the stock Alpine system in my truck and I'm just looking to brighten up the front sound stage on the cheap. Eventually I may go to a full aftermarket system, but for now, I am keeping it simple.

I'm just wondering if I really need to spend the extra on the Infinitys or if the JBLs will do the same thing for a lower price. I'm guessing that based on the similar specs, they will probably sound so similar that I won't be able to tell the difference, but I am hoping somebody has some actual experience with them.
 

WilliamS

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Technically I'm in an amplified setup, but it's not much of an amplifier from what I've read. I have the stock Alpine system in my truck and I'm just looking to brighten up the front sound stage on the cheap. Eventually I may go to a full aftermarket system, but for now, I am keeping it simple.

I'm just wondering if I really need to spend the extra on the Infinitys or if the JBLs will do the same thing for a lower price. I'm guessing that based on the similar specs, they will probably sound so similar that I won't be able to tell the difference, but I am hoping somebody has some actual experience with them.

Look at the sensitivity, the JBLs are a low 86.5 db vs the Infinitys 91. That being said if you have the amplified setup go with the inifinitys. They will be much cleaner and louder than the jbls. I would tell you the jbls on the non amped system, infinity on the amped.
 

KCaudill

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Remember that the Alpine system uses 2 ohm speakers. if you go to a traditional aftermarket speaker JBL, Pioneer, Kicker etc, they will be prolly 4 ohm. This in turn will lower your amp output wattage and lower volumes.
 
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Dodge This

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Remember that the Alpine system uses 2 ohm speakers. if you go to a traditional aftermarket speaker JBL, Pioneer, Kicker etc, they will be prolly 4 ohm. This in turn will lower your amp output wattage and lower volumes.

Found the person that didn't bother to click the links I provided. :doh2:
 
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Dodge This

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$59 on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Infinity-REF...F8&qid=1505509841&sr=8-1&keywords=REF-3022cfx

I just got done replacing all 3 dash speakers with these Infinity's. The sound is crisper and better overall. They sound very good at high volume.

I have an extra one (with adapter) that I'll be putting up for sale soon.

Guess I'll go with the Infinitys due to the higher sensitivity. I'd like to buy your extra when you put it up for sale if you haven't already got a buyer.
 

lonestar21

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And I am a perfect example of buying the wrong speakers. I have the stock non amplified system and I upgraded to the kicker dash and kicker 6.5 front speakers and audio sucks...it's just loud as you guys are explaining with no bass or trebble really.

And I just don't want to upgrade anything else so I'm stuck with it now :crazy:
 

sking2001

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I went with the orange JBL's for the front outer dash club 3020 $55 and the rear door JBL Club 9630 $100 (only full range speakers). The way these systems are designed these are the only speakers you will want to replace. Do your self a favor and save your money. I am very pleased with the difference in clarity. Trust me I did my research and had the same thoughts you did. I also added the kicker 10" sub with amp setup that is great for mid range thump but can't handle any heavy base. I will be looking for a fox box soon with a dedicated amp setup in the near future. For now save your money and go with the JBL's they are awesome....
 

unxpctd

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Guess I'll go with the Infinitys due to the higher sensitivity. I'd like to buy your extra when you put it up for sale if you haven't already got a buyer.

I'll bookmark this and PM you next week. I'm on 12 hour shifts this weekend and will be a bit busy with no time to get to the post office until Wednesday. I'll get ahold of you and sell you the speaker (and adapter) for a fair price (1/2 of the set cost). Thanks!
 

KCaudill

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Found the person that didn't bother to click the links I provided. :doh2:

Not sure what you found but both speakers are ~3ohms. So my statement stands true. The factory Alpine speakers are 2ohm and most aftermarket is 3-4 ohms. being the impeadence is lower will net you less volume.
 

dkmesa

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I bought the Infinity speakers you linked for the price of the JBL speakers you linked on Amazon. I returned them, because I purchased the wrong speaker adapters and didn't want to fool with it, so I can't offer feedback on sound.
 

Reddzeppelin

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So I've read all the recent threads and everybody seems to be going with the Infinity Reference REF-3022cfx, just because that's what everybody else has.

However, I found some JBL Club 3020 speakers and they seem to pretty much be the same speaker, made by the same company (Harmon), but the JBL's are considerably cheaper.

Is there anybody that has listened to both of them and can give an opinion as to their sound in our trucks?

JBL Club 3020

Infinity Reference REF-3022cfx
Focal's blow them away

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

WilliamS

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Focal's blow them away

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

At 5x the cost they should. To be fair though if you are going to spend that kind of money on dash speakers, one would expect an amp and processor in the mix.
 

Frank Powers

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I went with the orange JBL's for the front outer dash club 3020 $55 and the rear door JBL Club 9630 $100 (only full range speakers). The way these systems are designed these are the only speakers you will want to replace. Do your self a favor and save your money. I am very pleased with the difference in clarity. Trust me I did my research and had the same thoughts you did. I also added the kicker 10" sub with amp setup that is great for mid range thump but can't handle any heavy base. I will be looking for a fox box soon with a dedicated amp setup in the near future. For now save your money and go with the JBL's they are awesome....

I agree, I have my truck full of the JBL club series, all 4 doors and dash and it sounds very nice.
 

BassDaggett

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Upgraded the 2 dash and 4 doors with Kickers and it was a major improvement. Added 5 channel amp, 10" Image Dynamics Sub in fiberglass box and it is an awesome combination. The $$$$ system in the C43AMG I bought my wife doesn't even come close to the 6 speakers and sub I installed. Basically I'm pretty well convinced all factory systems suck, regardless of cost, etc.
 
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Dodge This

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Upgraded the 2 dash and 4 doors with Kickers and it was a major improvement. Added 5 channel amp, 10" Image Dynamics Sub in fiberglass box and it is an awesome combination. The $$$$ system in the C43AMG I bought my wife doesn't even come close to the 6 speakers and sub I installed. Basically I'm pretty well convinced all factory systems suck, regardless of cost, etc.

I have the Alpine system and I installed the infinity speakers in my dash, which made a 100% improvement in the front stage clarity. Door speakers are fine, but I am considering some kind of subwoofer upgrade to add a little more bass to the system. Might just leave it as it is tho, because it sounds really good after just replacing the dash speakers.
 

daggertats

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Look at the sensitivity, the JBLs are a low 86.5 db vs the Infinitys 91. That being said if you have the amplified setup go with the inifinitys. They will be much cleaner and louder than the jbls. I would tell you the jbls on the non amped system, infinity on the amped.

I have the infinity speakers in my dash . when I first put them in I had the stock non amped radio. they sounded good however I put in a pioneer head unit and they got a bit better. I since added a small compact amp and they are pretty amazing now.
 

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