# audio upgrade questions



## Hedrowin (Sep 11, 2011)

Hello, 
Brand new to this forum but have a few straight forward questions. First i will post links to the desired speakers i want to upgrade too.

Possible 8" if thats easy enough to install.
JL Audio 8W3v3 Subwoofers - Car Audio Subwoofers

6" sub JL Audio 6W3v3 Subwoofers - Car Audio Subwoofers

3-way door speakers JL Audio C2-650x Evolution Car Audio Speakers

future amp upgrade i might ask on here for easy install and swap out for the factory.

1. The first question is about the sub size in the back. I understand that the speakers stock size all the way around is 6.5. I also understand that it is possible to put 8" subs in. For the 8" option i was wondering how this process actually works. is there a mounting frame that will raise higher than the rear deck to create the space for the 8". Links to pics are always easier to understand if anyone has those.

If its a mod needed for the 8" then i will just go with 6.5 since im not building a competition system. Just looking for clean low rumbling at high volume without allot of BS to do this project.

I plan on leaving the stock tweeters since those sound perfectly fine for me at high volumes, its just the bass @ 43 volume level is the max with standard bass settings. Not overly impressed with that. 

2. I understand that the door speakers are 2 way speakers. Will a 3-way still have any effect if placed in the door speakers. I might anyways since the bass factor in many 3ways speakers seem better than the cheaper 2way models.

3. Now i know the stock amp is a little 45watt piss ant. If i was to wait on that item would the speakers that i posted in the above links work for a short time till i get and replace the stock amp. Also the speakers im looking at are all 4 ohm. this is kinda more common ohm rating when doing the smaller speakers vs. the stock speakers or subs in general. 

If I had it my way. I would just put in normal 3-ways all around and have 1 12 subs and be done. But that trunk too damn small for such a big car. damn gas tank lol. I already have a nice kenwood 12" in a Q-logic band pass and a higher end pioneer head unit that was like $350 back in 06. I want to use that head unit but i dont want to loose the sterring wheel controls. Plus the sound the stock head unit produces seems fine to me.. just the stock bass in the GTO is TERRIBLE. I had an 04 chrysler crossfire and never upgraded that car since it actually sounded very good stock. Props to infinity over blasucks. plus the trunk in that was even smaller so I never put the sub in that car.

Iv seen recommdations for kickers subs but want to go with JL since the resent speakers upgrade in a 08 dodge avenger with 6x9 JL C2 series sounded better than any of the other brands i have tested in the past. Plus the build quality was awesome. The bass from just the 6x9 was almost like having a sub the bass reproduction was so well done. 

okay long winded post but to anyone that can get through it any advise on this post would be greatly appreciated.


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## dude515 (Mar 30, 2011)

1 to mount 8"s in the back just make a template and cut it out of a couple pieces of plywood. i do remember seing a thread with pics on how to do this. search button.
2 the speakers in the doors are actually a comonent system with the tweeters in the dash, however the side panel speakers in the back are 2 ways. 3 ways are good, i just usually find that when you throw that many 3 ways into a car you end up with way too much piercing treble.
3 running just about anything except for the stock speakers off the stock amp you will loose most of your bass. all the speakers in the gto are 2 ohm so upgrading to a 4 ohm speaker will cut power in half. i reccomend using aftermarket amp for all speakers going into the car. 
also if you havent tried turning up the gain on the stock amp first, i would try that and see how you like it. as well as turning off distortion limiter and speed sensitive volume.


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## Hedrowin (Sep 11, 2011)

dude515 said:


> 1 to mount 8"s in the back just make a template and cut it out of a couple pieces of plywood. i do remember seing a thread with pics on how to do this. search button.
> 2 the speakers in the doors are actually a comonent system with the tweeters in the dash, however the side panel speakers in the back are 2 ways. 3 ways are good, i just usually find that when you throw that many 3 ways into a car you end up with way too much piercing treble.
> 3 running just about anything except for the stock speakers off the stock amp you will loose most of your bass. all the speakers in the gto are 2 ohm so upgrading to a 4 ohm speaker will cut power in half. i reccomend using aftermarket amp for all speakers going into the car.
> also if you havent tried turning up the gain on the stock amp first, i would try that and see how you like it. as well as turning off distortion limiter and speed sensitive volume.


Thanks for replying! 

Well it does not sound to difficult but i might just go with the 6.5 subs since im not looking to go to crazy with this install. 
A pair of the C2 JL audio 3-ways can be had rather cheap on amazon so i will just go with them in the door.
i have yet to play with the amp nob to adjust that. so maybe that will come to the rescue till i get the big ball rolling for better sound. 

I will just wait then till i get all the components. 3-ways in the doors, the JL 6.5 subs in the back and a resonable amp to drive the whole system. i might even install my nice pioneer unit... just need to way the difference of better head unit vs. fuctionality of the cars wheel controls.

So i guess the last question i have is amp suggestion that is not overly expensive (value) I guess would be the better word. $140 range if possible would be fine. i might check into infinity or JL. i have no experience with smaller amp for all speakers. just a few amps for subs which was never really a hard choice. thanks to any that offer advise and thanks again to dude515 for replying already.


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## Hedrowin (Sep 11, 2011)

oh wait,are you saying the b pillar (behind the seats/ side wall) speakers are 6.5? i figured from the size of the grill they where small 2 or 3" tweaters. 

Would it be better for me to get 4 6.5" subs for doors and rear deck? leave the tweeters in the front dash and the stock b piller speakers alone. just do the 4 subs all the way around. Im sorry for my confusion.... i think after i read it again i just realized its no the doors that have the 2-way but actual component speakers. again the tweeters and b pillar speakers im not interested in fighting with.


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## Hedrowin (Sep 11, 2011)

Oh and one more thing. How do I shut off the distortion limiter and speed sensitive volume. Where are these features accessed in the car? again iv only had the car 5 days so I still have to learn all its features.


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## dude515 (Mar 30, 2011)

if i was doind the build the way your talking about it, i would go with 6.5 subs in the rear deck, 6.5 2 ways in the b pillar and a good midrange driver for the doors to compliment the component tweeters in the dash. as far as amps go i would go with a 4.1 amp and wire the subs in series. as far as the knob goes the stock amp is in the trunk behind the carpet on the drivers side and the gain adjust is on the backside of that. to get to the distortion limiter when you first start the car you have a few seconds to go into the preferences and go through the settings you will find it there.


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## Hedrowin (Sep 11, 2011)

well decided i had some time to fiddle with the stock amp to try and tweak the stock system. I took the carpet off the back in the trunk i i don't see the amp any where. looked on both driver and passenger side. Nothing back there but the gas tank. i also looked on the side walls of the trunk. nothing.


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## ZEIKE524 (Dec 28, 2010)

The stock amp is on the driver side on the back side of the sidewall approximately 6-12" in front of the taillight. all u see from the trunk is a few screws.


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## Hedrowin (Sep 11, 2011)

ZEIKE524 said:


> The stock amp is on the driver side on the back side of the sidewall approximately 6-12" in front of the taillight. all u see from the trunk is a few screws.


Yeah after a while of searching found pics. its hidden in the metal of the side wall. Behind the side wall carpet almost to the back tail light. The "its behind the carpet on the driver side" is not enough description. So i find turning the amp as far down as possible sounds the best. lightly increase the bass on the head unit, car sounds ALLOT better now. Still going to upgrade the audio.. least now i can tolerate the **** sound of the speakers. I might even call a few shops and see what they charge for installs... the more i read the more i really don't care to do the install for this car lol.


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## Mddrummer911 (Jul 9, 2011)

The only "free air" capable 8" subs on the market are the kicker comps. Free air meaning it's mounted to the deck and not in any real enclosure. The kicker rep said when running free air that the rms power rating is 50w each. I plan on getting 2 of them in 8ohm so that I can wire in a series to achieve a 4ohm load, and run that off the kicker 250 watt mono amp which at 4ohm would be 125wRMS. Close enough for the subs power rating.


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