A lame rant about aftermarket car speakers.

[bobdole369]

We never soldered any connections.

/facepalm

 

[KevinCU]

Originally posted by: bobdole369
Dynamat isn't too shabby, but I like the elemental designs deadener. It's a lot easier to work with and just as effective. Kicker is over-rated and overpriced consumer garbage (in my humble opinion - remember I'm an elitist). I like the sound of JL Audio subs a lot better in my car. I can't afford better stuff like image dynamics, ssa, peerless, elemental, focal, or any of the really high end stuff 🙁

Don't get me wrong, JL is fine, but certainly far from elite. What sub(s) are you running? W7s?

Kicker delivers an excellent product for the price. We're currently selling two Kicker CVR 12s in an Audio Enhancer box for $380 (two 10s for $330 and two L7s for $850 IIRC). Find me another comparable setup that you can get for anywhere near that price.

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: NSFW

I sold and installed car audio for years. We never soldered any connections.

:shocked:

Remind me not to ask for your assistance installing car-audio equipment NSFW! 😉

 

[spidey07]

Haven't even read the thread because it fails on so many levels.

The reason for the factory connections is to keep polarity in check when they are installed at the factory. Second is to make sure you're dumb ass keeps polarity in check when installing aftermarket speakers. 3rdly, positive is always larger. And fourthly - it's for polarity, larger surface area on the positive end is a good thing.

 

[bobdole369]

2 of these:

http://www.sonicelectronix.com...JL+Audio+12W3v3-4.html

In this:

http://www.sonicelectronix.com...bwoofer+Enclosure.html

=

~$390 and about $60 to ship it so about $450. I happen to work next to a JL dealer too so I can nix the shipping on the subs he's got em in there. And I could probably get a dealer price for em too. But thats not quite fair, I'm sure you aren't paying $380 for that stuff.

Seems pretty close at a glance yes?

Maybe I'm just jaded, but I always though Kicker speakers sounded a bit mushy and quiet. (my personal opinion) and I am not a fan of the crap they put all over the speakers, or the square ones or the triangle ones.

 

[shortylickens]

I dont sweat it. My speakers are fine. Its the receiver that needs improvement. I just ordered a fancy high-end Pioneer from Newegg. Has voice GPS, DVD entertainment, Bluetooth, memory card slots, iPod connector and about 5 others things I dont need. Something tells me it will sound super even with factory speakers.
Having said all that, if I did give a damn about sound I sure as hell wouldnt go with the Bose systems found in luxury cars. Amazes me people will spend 40-50 grand on a nice vehicle and use Bose audio to top it off.

 

[Black88GTA]

Originally posted by: bobdole369

I haven't looked at the auto parts stores yet, figured they'd never have them.

You'll be surprised at the selection of wire terminals available.

I worked part time at Advance for a year. I remember we had some terminals, but don't remember exactly which ones, as it's been a while. As I remember, our selection wasn't that great back then. Maybe they've improved it.

They usually have the little kit boxes that come with 5 - 10 of the most commonly used terminals, and of course this doesn't include those small ones.

Except your wrong. One day at 2am while working on a yacht installation (not audio we do monitoring systems) I needed a terminal so bad, but we were in bufu alabama, but there was a walmart, and I still have that kit, and I just looked and whaddaya know there is that same little crimp-on quick disconnect you are looking for.

Well, maybe I'll look there next then. I assumed they wouldn't have it, since the kit I got at Home Depot didn't include it, and neither did the 360pc assortment I got from Amazon.

Originally posted by: Zim Hosein

Use one of those white "paint" markers then, at least you won't have to squint. 🙂

lol...yeah, but I still have to find this dumb terminal to connect it :frown:

 

[Black88GTA]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Haven't even read the thread because it fails on so many levels.

The reason for the factory connections is to keep polarity in check when they are installed at the factory.

Yes, but these are aftermarket. Not installed as factory equipment in any car.

Second is to make sure you're dumb ass keeps polarity in check when installing aftermarket speakers.

I don't want the company saving "my dumb ass" from myself. Anyone who doesn't check and double check the polarity, or mixes it up on a regular basis has no business installing car audio anyway. I don't need "BIG FOR POSITIVE, LITTLE FOR NEGATIVE" to keep from screwing it up.

3rdly, positive is always larger. And fourthly - it's for polarity, larger surface area on the positive end is a good thing.

Positive is not always larger. And having the same size terminal between positive and negative is no different in terms of current flow capabilities than having one bigger than the other - assuming, of course, that the larger terminal is used for both positive and negative.

 

[KevinCU]

Originally posted by: bobdole369
2 of these:

http://www.sonicelectronix.com...JL+Audio+12W3v3-4.html

In this:

http://www.sonicelectronix.com...bwoofer+Enclosure.html

=

~$390 and about $60 to ship it so about $450. I happen to work next to a JL dealer too so I can nix the shipping on the subs he's got em in there. And I could probably get a dealer price for em too. But thats not quite fair, I'm sure you aren't paying $380 for that stuff.

Seems pretty close at a glance yes?

Maybe I'm just jaded, but I always though Kicker speakers sounded a bit mushy and quiet. (my personal opinion) and I am not a fan of the crap they put all over the speakers, or the square ones or the triangle ones.

Feel free to compare two Kicker CVR 12s in an Audio Enhancer box (built specifically for those subs, tuned with dual front-facing vents as well) against those two JLs in that sealed box of yours. The difference will be apparent quickly.

The cages for the Kicker speakers are completely optional. For most of our customers, we just throw the cage away and cover the speaker with the factory grille.

Also, I would imagine that most of the Kicker stuff you've heard has been installed by guys at Circuit City? The enclosures they had at CC were complete crap.

As far as the Bose comment mentioned by someone above: we recently replaced a Bose setup in a 2008 Suburban with Kicker DS speakers and two Peak Audio (Crossfire's low line) 12s pushed by two Cadence Xenith series amps and the mid-range and highs sound quality was much improved.

 

[spidey07]

Black88GTA, you underestimate car stereo installers. Especially when they are DIY. Obviously this doesn't impact you. You're dealing with a raw part (driver), so deal with it as a competent installer.

 

[bobdole369]

Feel free to compare two Kicker CVR 12s in an Audio Enhancer box

As I'm not a big fan of vented subs in general - I probably wouldn't like it.

Also, I would imagine that most of the Kicker stuff you've heard has been installed by guys at Circuit City?

Quite a bit of custom fiber work and stealth installs actually. One guy had a false floor in his expedition with the sub in the back hatch and vents up by the driver. Talk about bad design. Well it looked awesome (completely invisible) but the sound was just horrid. Lots of guys in the car club seem to be spl heads - (actually bassheads) so no shortage of bandpass boxes either (shudder).

I myself like simple - tight, accurate, very dynamic bass.

 

[Black88GTA]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Black88GTA, you underestimate car stereo installers. Especially when they are DIY. Obviously this doesn't impact you. You're dealing with a raw part (driver), so deal with it as a competent installer.

Some are terrible, true. I've seen some awful, if not outright scary installations...loose wire strands falling out of connections, entire systems with no fuses anywhere to be found, power cables flopping around in the engine bay close to moving / hot parts, mismatched drivers, 1500w monoblock subwoofer amps fed with 8 gauge cable, etc. But those people fall under the "have no business performing the task" category - it's not the company's fault if they screw up the polarity. And even if they do mess it up, they'd have to be deaf to not figure it out within 5 seconds of powering the system up for the first time. Fortunately, it's a forgiving mistake - you won't break anything by messing up the polarity, it'll just sound like shit.

I'm leaning more towards soldering them now...it's not really too big a deal to deal with soldered connections if the speakers have to come out for any reason, since the runs to the amp are short in this case, and not under / inside anything that's not easily removed.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Black88GTA
NOBODY sells the damn proper slide connector for that stupid ass little tiny terminal

I really hope you someone live in the country or a deserted island.

.125 female spade connectors are easily sourced.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: bobdole369

We never soldered any connections.

/facepalm

I think he was refering only to the terminal speaker connections.

I have never seen this done either except by home installers.

Also even if a woofer has spring clips, chances are the tweeters don't.

Too much misinformation that everyone buys into and agrees with here.

People should just admit they had best buy install their crap.

I picked up a ton of terminal ends from an online shop. Knuconceptz had decent wire for cheap. I used Second Skin Damlifier (3 120sqft? kits), have 1/0 going to my trunk with a properly fused distribution block.

Did my alarm too.

 

[LTC8K6]

McMaster-Carr has everything...

 

[Raduque]

Soldering speaker wires to a speaker's terminal is overrated. I'm not going to sit in my truck in 90f beating-down sun weather, trying to fight with a fiddly soldering iron, a heavy speaker, speaker wire and solder.

I'm just going to crimp that fucking spade connector on the terminal and call it a day.

 

[BrokenVisage]

Originally posted by: Black88GTA

Originally posted by: KevinCU
Kicker DS series perhaps? We have both sized connectors at our shop.

no, CDTs. CL-69X for the rear deck, to be specific.

I also have a set of HD-62 comps that are going up front. Thank jebus those at least have spring terminals on them.

Good choice on the CDTs, I love my CDT components. :thumbsup:

Kicker is a personal favorite of mine as well. Both amps in my car are Kickers and have been going strong since '04. My L7 Solobaric gets plenty of use too and has been solid for a couple years now as well. But the CDTs are my latest addition and I love the clarity and crispness without the highs getting too bright.

 

[LS21]

Originally posted by: Raduque
Soldering speaker wires to a speaker's terminal is overrated. I'm not going to sit in my truck in 90f beating-down sun weather, trying to fight with a fiddly soldering iron, a heavy speaker, speaker wire and solder.

I'm just going to crimp that fucking spade connector on the terminal and call it a day.

ive always done it half-ass like that also and theyve all been working okay

 

[BrokenVisage]

Originally posted by: KevinCU

Originally posted by: bobdole369
Dynamat isn't too shabby, but I like the elemental designs deadener. It's a lot easier to work with and just as effective. Kicker is over-rated and overpriced consumer garbage (in my humble opinion - remember I'm an elitist). I like the sound of JL Audio subs a lot better in my car. I can't afford better stuff like image dynamics, ssa, peerless, elemental, focal, or any of the really high end stuff 🙁

Don't get me wrong, JL is fine, but certainly far from elite. What sub(s) are you running? W7s?

Kicker delivers an excellent product for the price. We're currently selling two Kicker CVR 12s in an Audio Enhancer box for $380 (two 10s for $330 and two L7s for $850 IIRC). Find me another comparable setup that you can get for anywhere near that price.

Far from elite?!? It's closer to elite then Kicker in my opinion and I'm one of the bigger Kicker fans you'll ever come across. Simply put, JL has one of the greatest mixtures of SQ and SPL I've ever heard, especially the W7 when its properly powered and enclosured. They're not just expensive because of the brand, they really are some of the best mainstream car audio subs around.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: BrokenVisage

Far from elite?!? It's closer to elite then Kicker in my opinion and I'm one of the bigger Kicker fans you'll ever come across. Simply put, JL has one of the greatest mixtures of SQ and SPL I've ever heard, especially the W7 when its properly powered and enclosured. They're not just expensive because of the brand, they really are some of the best mainstream car audio subs around.

still not elite like the other poster said, and over-priced for what you can find. They are local here and the prices are still the same.

I went with CDT CL62i/24's and Image Dynamic ID10v.3's running off an MB Quart RAA4200.

Reasonable and sound just as good as my brothers JL Audio 300 watt 4 channel, 500 W sub amp, 4 JL components and stealthbox for his GTI.

About 1/4 the price he paid.

 

[JDub02]

Originally posted by: shortylickens
Having said all that, if I did give a damn about sound I sure as hell wouldnt go with the Bose systems found in luxury cars. Amazes me people will spend 40-50 grand on a nice vehicle and use Bose audio to top it off.

😕

Bose came stock in my Mazda6. I think it sounds great. Very full, clean, and balanced sound for as loud as I want to take it. Definitely sounds better than the stock Infinity systems in my Jeeps. While Bose might not compare on paper, in my car it sounds good.