My Review/Thoughts on Kicker CS Speaker Upgrade

[blackbetty14]

I pulled the stock alpine speakers out of my new 18 with the 9 speaker + sub on the first day I got it and that system was pretty good for a stock setup. Def better than the base system. The new alpine speakers are basically the same 2 way but have upgraded injected cones. They def sound better than the base system. So much better I didn’t upgrade the front doors as the alpine system only uses them for lows/Mids with an internal crossover. So putting an aftermarket 3 way would be useless. I did JBL clubs in the dash and rear doors and a sub swap to a pioneer shallow and I think it sounds fantastic.

The base systems really wake up with speaker swaps and adding the 10w 4ohm resistor to the front will bring down the brightness so u can set the balance back to center and helps balance the system back. But in stock form with upgraded speakers only the base system can’t beat the alpine IMO. Just can’t beat a system that has 3 more speakers plus a sub and it helps fill in some of the areas where dodge should have angled the speakers differently.

 

[blackbetty14]

I just swapped the stock 3.5" out for the new ones...so they are running off the head unit. they are bright no doubt...but turning down the settings and moving to back speakers a bit helped a lot.

That’s bc you just cut the resistance in half at the speaker so they are getting more power. It would be like you putting 2 ohm door speakers, that would balance the whole system out. But it would be bad for the headunit. By adjusting to the back u also cut power to the front doors as they share a channel which take away from the system. Your 6.5s was a sure way to clear the window track but your better off doing a 6x9 with a spacer.

 

[Cykotherapy]

I pulled the stock alpine speakers out of my new 18 with the 9 speaker + sub on the first day I got it and that system was pretty good for a stock setup. Def better than the base system. The new alpine speakers are basically the same 2 way but have upgraded injected cones. They def sound better than the base system. So much better I didn’t upgrade the front doors as the alpine system only uses them for lows/Mids with an internal crossover. So putting an aftermarket 3 way would be useless. I did JBL clubs in the dash and rear doors and a sub swap to a pioneer shallow and I think it sounds fantastic.

The base systems really wake up with speaker swaps and adding the 10w 4ohm resistor to the front will bring down the brightness so u can set the balance back to center and helps balance the system back. But in stock form with upgraded speakers only the base system can’t beat the alpine IMO. Just can’t beat a system that has 3 more speakers plus a sub and it helps fill in some of the areas where dodge should have angled the speakers differently.

Can you explain adding the resistor? I am grappling with the same brightness issue.

 

[U1arunit]

I did the same combo with also adding a JL Stealthbox except I left the dash speakers stock. So far I'm pleased.

 

[fufanu180]

What about 6.5 components in the front doors and rather than running the external tweeter that comes with it, just run that wire to the 3.5 2 ways in the dash. Wouldn’t that eliminate the bass in the dash since that wire is post crossover?

I’m just spit balling ideas here.


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[blackbetty14]

Can you explain adding the resistor? I am grappling with the same brightness issue.

You cut the metra harness adapter and splice in a 10w 4ohm resistor into the power wire to the speaker. And your done. The resistor acts like a power restrictor, turns the power into heat as it is absorbed. Thus letting less power to the speakers. Since the factory are 8ohm in the dash, putting in a 4ohm speaker you essentially cut the resistance in 1/2 so more power gets to the 4ohm speaker bc it’s less resistance which makes them louder and more bright. The resistor brings that back into balance and effectively makes the system think you have 8ohm dash speakers.

 

[PowrRam]

You cut the metra harness adapter and splice in a 10w 4ohm resistor into the power wire to the speaker. And your done. The resistor acts like a power restrictor, turns the power into heat as it is absorbed. Thus letting less power to the speakers. Since the factory are 8ohm in the dash, putting in a 4ohm speaker you essentially cut the resistance in 1/2 so more power gets to the 4ohm speaker bc it’s less resistance which makes them louder and more bright. The resistor brings that back into balance and effectively makes the system think you have 8ohm dash speakers.

I think you mean, "effectively makes the system think you have 4 ohm dash speakers".

A 10 watt resistor is going to be physically large, probably 1 1/2" long and 3/8" in diameter. Basically your #2 pencil size in diameter. This may necessitate splicing in extra length into the negative lead of the Metra adapter(s).

Thanks for posting this. I may try this out. If I don't like what it does I can always reverse the procedure.

 

[blackbetty14]

I think you mean, "effectively makes the system think you have 4 ohm dash speakers".

A 10 watt resistor is going to be physically large, probably 1 1/2" long and 3/8" in diameter. Basically your #2 pencil size in diameter. This may necessitate splicing in extra length into the negative lead of the Metra adapter(s).

Thanks for posting this. I may try this out. If I don't like what it does I can always reverse the procedure.

No, the stock speaker is 8ohm in the dash. Aftermarket replacements are 4 ohm, hence the brightness. You need to produce 8ohms at the correct wattage to fool the amp to think you have 8ohm dash speakers to bring them into balance.

The resistors I used were ceramic and about 1.5” long and 3/8” square. Did not require additional wire as the resistor connections are metal and fold in on the resistor so your really only adding 1/2” or so to the length. I did this in the metra adapters so the stock wiring is untouched.

Here’s what I did, I also have a thread on it here.
https://www.ramforum.com/threads/adding-a-resistor-for-4-ohm-dash-speakers-works.100172/

 

[blackbetty14]

Pic

 

[PowrRam]

No, the stock speaker is 8ohm in the dash. Aftermarket replacements are 4 ohm, hence the brightness. You need to produce 8ohms at the correct wattage to fool the amp to think you have 8ohm dash speakers to bring them into balance.

Yes, you are correct. I'm not having a good day today...

Thanks for the pic. I found some resistors at digikey.com that resemble the one you used. They are $.63 each. I think I'm going to buy a couple of those resistors and another set of Metra adapters and give this a try.

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/yageo/SQP10AJB-3R9/3.9W-10-ND/18725


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[Gary2]

I added the resister to mine a couple years ago. It helped some but the actual position of the speaker itself don't help either . The sound stage seemed to move to the left side much more no matter what I tried. I tried to angle them as much as I could to cut down the volume some more but was getting no wheres . I went back to the stock dash speakers with a little EQ boost for the highs to help . Higher frequencies are more directional so I think it was just to much reflecting off the windshield that pulled the stage way to the left corner and about lost anything from the right most of the time . Applause sounded like some one frying bacon at about 95db with the kicker tweeters. I had an extra set being I bought two sets of the MOPAR 6x9 kickers . I gave one set to a friend who has the same head unit and it sounds OK in his with OE speakers still in it , who knows .

 

[78Staff]

I also pulled the KS 3.5's out and put the OEM's back in, for now. I'm not amp'd or anything just standard 8.4 so the stockers up front seem fine, definitely a more balanced sound with the TS-A6966R's in the doors. I've got the KS's sitting on the workbench so may try the resistor as well, as I hate just wasting the KS's... worth a few bucks to find out.

 

[PowrRam]

Ordered my resistors and Metra wiring adapters today. The Metra 71-039C adapter for the dash speakers is no longer available. Apparently the adapter to get now is the Metra 72-7902.

Seems kind of weird to dump voltage into a resistor to dissipate as heat in order to tone down my 4 ohm Polk dash speakers but I'm going to give it a shot.

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[2017Ramindisguise]

I know it probably isn’t the most professional way to do it but I purchased the kicker ks 6x9 for the doors and the ks 3.5 for the dash but to fix the door problem and keep the speakers from rattling I went on down to my local Wally World(Walmart)lol and I purchased a 3mm yoga mat in sporting goods for bout 8$ and 1/2” thick weather stripping in the home section. I took and heated the old speaker up to get the foam seal off without tearing it up. I turned the new speakers(kicker ks) upside down on the yoga mat traced the outside all the way around then took the foam strip from the stock speakers and lined it up and traced the inside circle. Then I used a scalpel I picked up by the scissors at the store. Next I used double sided stick tape you can use any kind I just had some in a drawer that was basically scotch tape that was sticky on both sides. After lining the bottom lip of the speaker with the tape I took the yoga mat I cut out and slowly worked the seal I created into position. Once I completed this then I took the 1/2” weather stripping I purchased and lined it over the top of the yoga mat with the adhesive side sticking to the yoga mat as like a double seal and cut it off as I completed the circle. I did this same method with all my door speakers even though the rear didn’t need them cause it was too legit to quit. It gets easier and faster as you do multiples. But this allowed enough of a gap to have no interference inside of the door and it looks like it was meant to be but don’t kill the screws in the door and you literally just screw through the yoga mat and weather stripping and it even seals around the screw holes.