Component tweeter location/dilema

Meta · 04-05-2006, 08:35 PM

First... I'm installing in a 2006 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab.

What I have:
- a pair of Infinity Kappa 50.7's (5 1/4" components)
- a pair of Infinity Kappa 60.7's (6 1/2" components)
- Infinity Reference 5761a 6-channel amp (already installed)
- JBL GTO1002D Dual-coil 10" sub (already installed)

For reference, here's a link to a picture of my driver's side door.

Up til now (and probably not the best thing to do) I have the amp connected to the crossovers (under the passenger's seat), which are connected to the factory speaker wires driving the factory speakers. I just haven't had time to install the new door speakers yet.

My original plan was to A.) install the 50.7 woofers in the front doors and tweeters in the factory tweeter dash location (up near the A-pillar), and B.) install the 60.7's (woofers and tweeters) in the rear doors (per Crutchfield's "it fits" recommendations).

Upon further investigation, I read that the woofers & tweeters in a component set should be less than 12" apart, so they act as a single sound source.

But another source I read said that distance isn't really an issue. The important thing is that the woofer and tweeter be equadistant from the listener so that the sound from both speakers arrives to the ear at the same time. I informally measured and this is the case. In my truck, the woofers (low in the doors) and the tweeters (high in the dash) are both about an arm's length away.

However, yet another source recommends mounting both the component woofer and tweeter in the front doors, and leaving the factory dash-tweeter in place.

Now for the options/questions:

1. Are there inherent problems mixing my Infinity Kappas with the presumably cheap OEM tweeters? In other words, if I install the 50.7's (woofers and tweeters) in the doors and leave the factory tweeters in place, am I degrading my overall system?

2. Is the '12" woofer/tweeter distance' rule really a valid rule, or was that other guy right that if they're the same distance from the listener, they'll work just as well?

3. If I opt to replace the factory tweeters (in the dash) with my component tweeters, I have room to install the 60.7 woofers in the front doors (instead of the 50.7's). I would then install the 50.7's (woofers and tweeters) in the rear doors. Is there any benefit to that?

Thanks for the advice.
-meta

Genesisfactor · 04-07-2006, 10:45 PM

I'm curious to know why you bought two sets of component speakers.

The good news is that your amp matches your speakers extremely well. You couldn't ask for much better.

I wrote this long explaination, then lost it on an accidental refresh. My end result suggestion- ditch the rear components for coaxials, if the distance is the same, and under 12", replace the factory tweeters with the kappa ones. Either way, get rid of the factory stuff. If its greater than 12", cut your door and add in the tweeters. You really want the imaging to be directional.

Meta · 04-08-2006, 01:01 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Genesisfactor

I'm curious to know why you bought two sets of component speakers.

I had a short time to take advantage of a really good deal. I worked for Harman/Infinity/JBL and had just turned in my 2-week notice. My last official act was buying some stuff with my employee discount. I hadn't decided what I was going to do yet in the truck, so I got some parts that would work together and fit. I might put the 5 1/4's in my Miata.

After experimenting some this morning with the speakers and locations, I'm going to install the 6 1/2" woofers in the factory door locations and drill holes to flush-mount the tweeters about 6" above them. I'm also going to leave the factory tweeters in place and active, as it seems to help in bringing the stage higher and doesn't degrade the quality. Without them, it sounds like I'm sitting in the balcony. :-)

As for the rears, I'll leave the factory 6 1/2's there for now. Maybe later I can talk a former co-worker into buying some coaxials with 'the discount'.

Edit: Nevermind. I'm going to stop posting til I figure something out. I tried, but can't run new speaker wire to the door. This is a PITA.

Genesisfactor · 04-08-2006, 04:06 PM

....you're kidding me...haha...what price did you get them for? tha's just sick! Share the wealth if you ever get a chance to

Why can't you run new speaker wire to the door? Why not just remove the factory 6.5's and let hte kappas work their magic. Your subs will take up the slack that the kappas leav ebehind. THen, if you really want to have rear sound, either stick back in the facotry or get those coax's.

Aslo, for now, i mean, you're opening your door...why not just use the old speaker calbe for the woofer and then run a new line to the tweets?

BTW, i have never installed ocmponents, but i do know a bit about the theory behind them. I'm learning as you are. We;ll, we're ALL still learning, but you know what i mean.

Legarcondemerde · 04-09-2006, 02:09 AM

Many will argue this to their deaths, but I don't see a major advantage to running new speaker wire. I would mount the crossover to the inner door (right behind the doorpanel, not inside the door itself, where it could get wet) and then connect the amp wires to the stock wiring behind the deck, or possibly in the kickpanels.

Meta · 04-09-2006, 07:31 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Genesisfactor

....you're kidding me...haha...what price did you get them for?

$35/pair for the 50.7's and $40/pair for the 60.7's. See? I couldn't pass it up.

Quote: Originally Posted by Genesisfactor

Why can't you run new speaker wire to the door?

There's a rubber boot/grommet holding all the wires running from the body to the doors. It's too tight for any more wires. The guys on the Nissan forums recommend drilling new holes for new speaker wire, which I'm not about to do.

Quote: Originally Posted by Legarcondemerde

I would mount the crossover to the inner door (right behind the doorpanel, not inside the door itself, where it could get wet) and then connect the amp wires to the stock wiring behind the deck, or possibly in the kickpanels.

I had this idea too, in my sleep last night. I'm going to try it this morning and see. I was trying to avoid installing the xovers in the doors, but this seems like the best option.

Thanks.

Legarcondemerde · 04-09-2006, 10:57 AM

That method is not the high-end audiophile method, but I have done it 1234123467 times and have never had a problem. Good luck.

zzachattack2 · 04-09-2006, 02:26 PM

The kappa tweeters are 2-ohm, so depending on what your factory tweeters are, im not sure what that would do to the x-over if anything. I'd just stick with using the kappa tweeters, you don't want stock equipments. BTW: good thing you have a sub... the 60.7s and 50.7s have no low end whatsoever.

Genesisfactor · 04-09-2006, 03:19 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Meta

$35/pair for the 50.7's and $40/pair for the 60.7's. See? I couldn't pass it up.

Thanks.

...

............you know you're shopping for me, right? You KNOW you are

jk jk. You can if you want, but now i TOTALLY understand.

CAn you try removing the old speaker wires and replacing them with new oens? If its hard to do, then when you cut the old wire, cut it before the rubber, intertwine the two wires, add some KY jelly for lubrication, and pull it through the grommet/boot and there you go, some nice high end wires.

Still...i'll send you $85 to hook me up (i'm sorry, that's just...wow)

Meta · 04-09-2006, 05:20 PM

Ok, it's done. I found a spot in the doors to install the crossovers and used the factory wire as the input, then ran some short leads to the woofers and tweeters.

I cut a hole, flush-mounted the tweeters, and aimed them up toward the sunroof.

I left the factory tweeters connected. But haven't reconnected the rears.

It's going to sound great once I figure out one last thing... I think I've got a short or a lose connection, as the passengers side keeps cutting out. I'm too beat to work on it anymore today. It's Miller time.

The crossover

The tweeter mounts

Finished (almost)

Genesisfactor · 04-09-2006, 06:17 PM

congratulations man!

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