New Speakers?

[Marine Les]

I like the radio in my Big Horn but I have heard better sound and wondering how much improvement might be possible with just a speaker upgrade. If any of you have done this I would like to hear about it.

 

[OC455]

I went with some inexpensive HiFonics 2 ways in the dash and 3 ways in the doors. A good improvement over stock any day.

 

[rotwiler]

I like the radio in my Big Horn but I have heard better sound and wondering how much improvement might be possible with just a speaker upgrade. If any of you have done this I would like to hear about it.

All depends if you have the alpine system or not. If Alpine there are many threads even in past week about adding speakers. Big difference in speakers if not alpine system since alpine system is 2ohm speakers are regular system is 4ohm.

 

[Marine Les]

I do not have the Alpine but I have upgraded speakers on other systems and depending on the quality of the electronics the speakers are sometimes the weak link making their replacement cost effective. I won't bother to replace the entire system because of cost and I don't want replace speakers for little or no gain but if someone has done this please share your results. I have the standard system for the 2018 Big Horn that includes Sirius XM.

 

[ThunderMug95]

I replaced the 6 oem speakers with Kicker CS “kit” off of Amazon. Pretty affordable at $180 and the sound difference is amazing. Just be aware that the oem 3.5” dash speakers are 8ohm and just about every aftermarket 3.5” is 4ohm. Need to solder in a 4ohm resistor or your treble will make your ears bleed.

 

[Marine Les]

I replaced the 6 oem speakers with Kicker CS “kit” off of Amazon. Pretty affordable at $180 and the sound difference is amazing. Just be aware that the oem 3.5” dash speakers are 8ohm and just about every aftermarket 3.5” is 4ohm. Need to solder in a 4ohm resistor or your treble will make your ears bleed.

Did you do the install yourself or have someone do it and how difficult is it?

 

[Ramm5.7]

Just a speaker swap makes a HUGE difference in sound in the cab!!
I also swapped to a kicker cs "kit" originally then sprung for Focal speakers and a self contained powered subwoofer. Stock headunit works and sounds great with these easy to do changes!
Speakers are a easy do it yourself if you have some wrenching self confidence.
For the new speakers you will need metra speaker wire adapters (crutchfield) for direct plug n play to factory wiring as well as a set of speaker spacers for the front doors due to the window mechanism wont allow the larger magnet new speakers to sit flush in oem hole.
Its a pretty straightforeward modification

 

[rotwiler]

So any efficient 4ohm speaker should sound better than the OEM ones. Honestly I think even the 3 ohm jbl or infinity speakers should get really loud and clear and be ok, plus they are efficient . I used them on my 4 ohm oem Amp in another car and made huge difference. Even the alpine system has no tweeters, just cone speakers that have blah highs.

 

[ThunderMug95]

@Marine Les
What Ramm5.7 said. Exactly what I did. Yes, I did all he work myself. The dash’s i soldered in a 10w4ohm resistor in the positive Metra harness. If you run all the speakers thru an amp, then you can skip the resistor. Its not hard at all, door panels are the easiest Ive ever dealt with. A cheap set of Amazon trim removal tools helps, Metra adaptors makes for clean, no splicing.

 

[TomT]

One thing to look at, is to remove one of the dash speakers and see how many ohms it is. I think the door and dash speakers are wired together on a single channel from the radio. The final load will be a combination of the two speakers.

I had the Alpine so mine were different.

As for speakers to swap in, take a look at the Audiofrog GS series if they will fit. The factory radio doesn’t have much power so look for speakers with high efficiency.

 

[Marine Les]

Thanks for all the great info, I have plenty here to digest before I do anything. I am glad to hear new speakers will likely do what I hoped they would.

 

[Graygoose]

Look at a Kicker KEY1804 amp, and put Kicker CSC354 in dash. And CS6x9s in doors.
Use the amp to biamp and DSP tune the front.

Leave rear doors stock, and off the radio.