Replacing speakers while keeping factory tweeters

[SlayerAk23]

Hey guys, I am planning on changing my sonic's stereo pretty soon. I was wondering about keeping the factory tweeters where they are and keeping them connected to the mylink radio but then running an Audio Control converter from the 4 speaker outputs to an amp then back to component speakers without any crossovers or added tweeters. It's kinnda hard to describe in text but i was wondering if this would work. Thanks.

 

[SlayerAk23]

Well I talked to some people at an awesome place called ABT, my dad had 2 systems installed in his cars there before so I trust them. They said that the timing would be off between the tweeters and the door speakers, so they said to just do all of them. Otherwise it would sound really bad. So don't do just the speakers in an upgrade, do all of it so it would actually sound better.

 

[Opticon]

FYI: The other problem you would run into could be a difference in volume caused by differing impedance ratings. Mixing in OE drivers is generally not a good idea even when you're not dealing with an audio converter.

 

[sonic007]

Its easier to just pop the panel off and unplug the tweeters. There would be a huge volume difference.

 

[ChrisJ]

If you tri-amp with active crossovers then volume levels wouldn't be a problem.

However that would require running the OEM tweeters from another amplifier so at that point why not do the right thing. IMO I'd probably surface mount a set of quality tweeters over the OEM ones or wherever they wouldn't get in the way I kinda like them up high because then they don't get blocked by peoples legs.

If I had the money to do it I'd have four quality 6.5" drivers in the doors ( no tweeters), two quality surface mounted tweeters up front all driven by a 6CH amp using active crossovers + a decent sized amp driving one or two subs.

 

[SlayerAk23]

Thanks for your replies. I ended up buying two sets of 6.5 component alpine typeRs. I heard that they are pretty good. I got a 5 channel Kenwood amp that would run those with a JL Tw5 under the false floor in my hatch. I am having problems running the amped speaker wire back into the door, so if anyone has any tips or did this on their sonic I would really like some help, or just give me a link. I think I went through most of the speaker and audio threads but couldn't find any specifics on doing that. Thanks!

 

[doreo]

there is a little gap in the doors where the stock wires go in, at the top if u remove the covering for the wires.

 

[sonic007]

Theres a harness there as well. You have to drill a hole in the harness so you can run your wires through.

 

[SlayerAk23]

Its easier to just pop the panel off and unplug the tweeters. There would be a huge volume difference.

Do you know where i can tap into the tweeters without removing my radio or my dash?

 

[sonic007]

In the a pillar where the tweeters are. The panel just pulls off.

 

[doreo]

Theres a harness there as well. You have to drill a hole in the harness so you can run your wires through.

i didnt have to drill and i ran 2 sets of wires to the back and one to the front

 

[SlayerAk23]

I dremeled out the rears no problem after I figured out how the harness unclips. I'll post a pic to show others if they are wondering. But I just can't find where the front harness is inside the car. Thanks again!

 

[SlayerAk23]

Still having trouble with the front wiring harness, you can't get to the inside part of it like the rear ones. If someone did please explain how you did, thanks in advance. So I then decide to do the tweeters, they popped off without taking the top part of the dash out even thoughh it doesn't look like it would. But I didnt want to drill new holes in the doors for the tweeters, so I popped out the factory and took the tweeter of the factory mounting piece and i took all of the mounting stuff off of my alpine ones. Its a pretty good fit and all I need to do is glue them in and they should pop right back into the original spot. I'll take some pics of the passenger side when I'm done with the driver side.

 

[sonic007]

Sounds good. Are you running thicker wire to the front?

 

[SlayerAk23]

For now no... Theres no space on the driver side front harness to drill through like the rears. And on both the front harnesses, you can't pull out the inside part of the harness. I just have the wire running up to right before it dissapears in a mess, I spliced for the signal there too.

 

[sonic007]

I would just catch it right inside the door. Just cut the 2 wires, run the set coming from the door back to your amp. Theres your wire.