Factory crossover setup on 8.4 non-Alpine 6 speaker system...

[MajMike]

Ok, I have watched a lot of threads and had some helpful comments, but still unsure. Are the crossovers in the amp, or as someone said about the dash speakers built into those speakers.

Then what about the front door pair, in the amp or elsewhere.

I could sure use some definitive info.

My plan: Focal components for the front doors, deciding whether or not to mount the tweeters in the door too, or replace the dash speakers with them. I can do the crossover for them in the door easy, but if it's in the amp how is that going to work? Is there high freqs coming to the front door pair, or has it been reduced at the amp to mids?

Are the dash speakers really built in with a crossover, or does it come from the amp?

Putting AD Audio 6.5 coaxials in the rear, with a Digital Designs 6" sub, looking at Fox box, have 400 watt Soundstream amp.

I would greatly appreciate help/comments from advanced users here. Thx MM

 

[WadXpress]

I would put the tweeters in the sail panel in the door. Thats where my focal tweeters are. I think they would be too harsh in the dash bouncing off the windshield.

I had a ra2 factory with no factory amp. So cant help you with that part

 

[troutspinner]

There is no amp for the non-alpine system. Off of the back of the stock radio are the traditional 4 pairs of speaker wires. LF, RF, LR, RR.

The confusion, if you will, is that the front door speakers and dash speakers are both on the LF or RF channels and the wire carrying that signal is split “somewhere” behind the dash.

It does not sound like you are using an amp so in your scenario, you want to feed the door wires into your crossover for your Focals. Then wire to the Focal mid-bass and tweeter as standard. You will want to disconnect your dash speakers however as that will bring down the ohms and could eventually cause some bad things to happen due to ohms, voltages, etc.

If you are going to add an amp, let’s say 4 channels so you could maintain fade, you would want to use all 4 pairs of wires from the HU as inputs to your amp. If you don’t care about fade, you could get away using just the rear pair and then could leave the dash speakers being powered off of the stock head unit.

I could go on....lol. Let us know if you are amping.

 

[troutspinner]

I would put the tweeters in the sail panel in the door. Thats where my focal tweeters are. I think they would be too harsh in the dash bouncing off the windshield.

I had a ra2 factory with no factory amp. So cant help you with that part

I agree with *** on the tweeter placement. I run Focals in the lower door and tried placing my scandpeak tweeters in the dash, it is not an optimal sound IMO. Moving the tweeters to the sail panels made it just right.

 

[PowrRam]

I would put the tweeters in the sail panel in the door. Thats where my focal tweeters are. I think they would be too harsh in the dash bouncing off the windshield.

How does the sound quality change if bounced off the windshield?

 

[adrianp89]

How does the sound quality change if bounced off the windshield?

It increases distortion.

 

[PowrRam]

It increases distortion.

Well, I got news for ya. Sound waves bounce off everything inside a vehicle. What's so special about the windshield? Why doesn't the sail mounted tweeters sound waves bouncing off the window cause distortion? How about 6X9's located in the rear deck of a sedan bouncing off the rear window?

 

[MajMike]

Ok, so it sounds like my best bet is my components in the doors with the tweeters in the upper door/sail panel, so the crossovers go in the doors, and disconnect the dash speakers?

I appreciate the info, love to save time/frustration learning from others, so far this forum seems great. Thx to all. MM

 

[Witch]

You are already ahead of the game not having to deal with the Alpine factory amp

Sounds like you have clean RCA connections.

If you are just changing speakers and want the factory head unit to push them I think you are setting your self up for disappointment.

you did not post the AD and Focal model numbers ? but sound to me that you are going to drop some cash,

you should grab a 5 channel or 4 channel and a mono amp.

As far as a sub goes look at the Net audio boxes and a larger driver than you mentioned

You could also look at getting a DRS1 so you have DSP control of the system

 

[MajMike]

Might get amp in future, having to break this install up to keep Mama happy, trying to use some things I already have too, like the AD Audio rear coaxials and Digital Designs sub/Soundstream amp.

The Focals are the RSC-165.

troutspinner Does the head unit for this system have sub outputs or will I have to use the rear speaker wires via a connection?

 

[WadXpress]

He has a factory 8.4 hu. He would need a loc I believe to hook up a amp

 

[troutspinner]

Might get amp in future, having to break this install up to keep Mama happy, trying to use some things I already have too, like the AD Audio rear coaxials and Digital Designs sub/Soundstream amp.

The Focals are the RSC-165.

troutspinner Does the head unit for this system have sub outputs or will I have to use the rear speaker wires via a connection?

No sub output but both the front and rear signals from the HU are full range so any amp can work with that. In your scenario again, rear signal to the sub amp, front signal to a future 4 channel amp, you will lose fade ability though if that is a concern. Me personally, you set fade once and don’t often think about it again unless of course you have kids or carry rear passengers often.

 

[troutspinner]

Well, I got news for ya. Sound waves bounce off everything inside a vehicle. What's so special about the windshield? Why doesn't the sail mounted tweeters sound waves bouncing off the window cause distortion? How about 6X9's located in the rear deck of a sedan bouncing off the rear window?

You’d have to hear it to understand how it sounds different. I, like many others wanted to use the existing dash area, it conceals the speakers, wiring is easier and no cutting into the doors is required. Due to curiosity, I moved the speakers to the sails and taped them in place “just to see” or hear, should I say. The difference is very noticeable and the overall sound in the sails is better when it comes to clarity and stage.

 

[2010 Infantry Vet]

If I were you, I would just use the speaker level inputs on your amp. They arent the cleanest sounding compared to using RCA outputs, but neither is the rockford DSR1 that uses speaker level inputs, or other soeaker wire to RCA convertors.

 

[MajMike]

Should i consider adding something like these Kickers in the dash or just the Focal components in the doors? (Kicker 44KSC3504 3-1/2" 2-way car speakers)

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_206KSC3504/Kicker-44KSC3504.html

On sale for $50.

 

[TomT]

Should i consider adding something like these Kickers in the dash or just the Focal components in the doors? (Kicker 44KSC3504 3-1/2" 2-way car speakers)

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_206KSC3504/Kicker-44KSC3504.html

On sale for $50.

You wouldn't really want to add tweeters in two different places like that. It could make the highs overbearing and will definitely wreak havoc on your stereo imaging. If you wanted to add dash speakers, return the Focals you bought and buy a three way component set. That way everything will be matched from the manufacturer.

It might be kind of a waste without an amp though. I don't think the factory head unit would have enough power to adequately drive a three way component system.

 

[WadXpress]

You dont need dash speakers with a set of components. I would start with the focals and a amp tbh. I have a set of ps165 focals and a zapco sq 4 channel amp and it sounds great

 

[Witch]

I don't thin k the factory amp will adequately push the speakers he has ?

I would at minimum grab a 4 channel brick amp

Built in auto DSP .......... ?

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_206KEY1804/Kicker-KEY180-4.html?tp=35782

 

[WilliamS]

if you are not going to amp, do not run good speakers in doors and dash, you will not be able to tame the midrange and the bass will disappear. Put a good set of speakers in the doors, mount the crossover in the door under the armrest ,and tweeter in the sail panel. If you amp it will sound great, but without an eq or a sound processor dont do dash

 

[MajMike]

Ok, good advice, thx to all.