Changed Dash Speakers To Kickers...WOW!

[Hawaii's Finest]

I replaced the dash with these same speakers. Easy install. Irritatingly HIgh pitched. Adjusted the fade to the rear and they sound much better. I highly recommend the kicker 6x9 for both front and rear doors. Crutchfield sells as rears only but they fit the fronts.

 

[ramButz]

No, that's only half true. Infinity, the speakers I used, are made in Vietnam, but designed and engineered in the USA.
You are correct however, the country of manufacturing doesn't always reflect the quality. It's FCA's specs that make the Alpine systems speakers cheap, not the fact that they are made in China.

Still would be nice to have a definitive answer to what makes the Alpine system deserve the name. Is the Harmon Kardon system the same cheap spec speakers as well?

hey "VaderRebel".finally got them installed.it was so easy and smooth.took me almost 30min.what you all will also notice in the sound in the mid bass.just what was missing!

 

[VaderRebel]

hey "VaderRebel".finally got them installed.it was so easy and smooth.took me almost 30min.what you all will also notice in the sound in the mid bass.just what was missing!

Agreed, glad the swap was an improvement for you!

 

[faithwalker]

Hello all, first post.
Lots of great information here and I appreciate everyone's willingness to share their experience and knowledge on this forum. I have an alpine system in my Rebel and wanted to change out the speakers. Was looking at the CDT audio options here:
https://www.cdtaudio.com/carspecific/dodgeram.php

How would that system stack against a full JL audio or Infinity system?

 

[mch]

Hello all, first post.
Lots of great information here and I appreciate everyone's willingness to share their experience and knowledge on this forum. I have an alpine system in my Rebel and wanted to change out the speakers. Was looking at the CDT audio options here:
https://www.cdtaudio.com/carspecific/dodgeram.php

How would that system stack against a full JL audio or Infinity system?

I'm not into that pod on the center dash. I ran the full size CDT 6x9s (CL-SUB) in the front and rear doors and the window mechanism on the front door is dragging. It looks like there is a lot of depth available for a speaker, but it looks to be dragging on the outer ring of the magnet. There is a whit bracket piece that goes around the window glass, and you should raise the window up around to where the magnet is to see. For sound quality, my JL Audio dash speaker along with the 6x9s sound great. The CDTs almost put too much base out. Plan on putting some sound deadening material on the doors and inner black plastic door panel. I'm going to swap out my front speakers at some point and replace with something else. I'm going to power them with an Amp, so I can go for a co-axial or something. I'm probably going to go with a JL-Audio 5.25" to match the dash and subs I bought, but haven't installed.

 

[faithwalker]

I'm not into that pod on the center dash. I ran the full size CDT 6x9s (CL-SUB) in the front and rear doors and the window mechanism on the front door is dragging. It looks like there is a lot of depth available for a speaker, but it looks to be dragging on the outer ring of the magnet. There is a whit bracket piece that goes around the window glass, and you should raise the window up around to where the magnet is to see. For sound quality, my JL Audio dash speaker along with the 6x9s sound great. The CDTs almost put too much base out. Plan on putting some sound deadening material on the doors and inner black plastic door panel. I'm going to swap out my front speakers at some point and replace with something else. I'm going to power them with an Amp, so I can go for a co-axial or something. I'm probably going to go with a JL-Audio 5.25" to match the dash and subs I bought, but haven't installed.

Thanks MCH. Would you say that the JL C2 series 6X9's provide a better sound and provide more room in the doors than the CDT's? Also, just for clarity, are you using the CL-69S models? It seems as if the CL-69S's are thinner than their normal speakers which should provide more room for the window to slide up and down.

 

[mch]

Thanks MCH. Would you say that the JL C2 series 6X9's provide a better sound and provide more room in the doors than the CDT's? Also, just for clarity, are you using the CL-69S models? It seems as if the CL-69S's are thinner than their normal speakers which should provide more room for the window to slide up and down.

I did not use the S model 6x9s. I only have the C2's in the dash at the moment. To be safe on my next speaker selection, I'm probably going with a 5.25". I posted on another thread that someone started that said proper mid bass. Check that out. I took a picture of the window part in question that is the problem with proper fit. You can also see some of the sound deadening I used (Noico).

 

[wildh24]

Which of the four replacement speakers mentioned above is the less shrill or tinny sounding? I may try a replacement set but don't want the uneven shrill highs that sometime accompany a swap out due to ohm matching and other factors. I understand sound is subjective but let er rip with opinions.

IME, tweeter material is usually a big indicator of how the highs will sound. A metal (Titanium, pei, etc) dome will have natural bright characteristics and can to some sound shrill. This isn't necessarily bad. Many instruments are metallic as well (cymbals, guitar) and for some people, they prefer it.

Silk or textile tweeters will have a softer undertone. They won't be quite as bright. If your ears are sesitive to high frequencies, you make like this.

This is all a personal preference.

I love silk tweeters personally. I'm running the infinity as well and they're quite good for my ears.

JL, Infinity, and Polk are all brands that tends to be softer.

 

[Jhill]

I just ordered the Infinity 3032 cfx dash corner speakers for my 2019 Rebel with Alpine option from Crutchfield. I was going to order a second pair so I would have one for center speaker, but Crutchfield rep says it won't fit center spot on dash and they only show 1 speaker that will fit. It is a JL Audio C7-350cm for $379.99 which is over 5 x the cost of a pair of Infinity. Is it true Infinity 3032 cfx won't fit center of Alpine system?

 

[mch]

I just ordered the Infinity 3032 cfx dash corner speakers for my 2019 Rebel with Alpine option from Crutchfield. I was going to order a second pair so I would have one for center speaker, but Crutchfield rep says it won't fit center spot on dash and they only show 1 speaker that will fit. It is a JL Audio C7-350cm for $379.99 which is over 5 x the cost of a pair of Infinity. Is it true Infinity 3032 cfx won't fit center of Alpine system?

I had no issues dropping a 3rd JL Audio in mine. The hole and everything seemed the same as the other 2.

 

[Jhill]

I had no issues dropping a 3rd JL Audio in mine. The hole and everything seemed the same as the other 2.

Great! I just ordered another pair of Infinity ref 3032cfx speakers as the sale on them ends tonight at Crutchfield. Thanks for quick reply. Must be no major issue if there is slight fitment problem. Nice to have all 3 the same on dash

 

[Bigcountry]

Have a big horn with the basic system and am looking to upgrade. Crutchfield has two kickers listed that are supposed to fit. Any opinions on which speakers to get?

 

[Hawaii's Finest]

Neither get the csc’s

 

[wwalljr]

I had no issues dropping a 3rd JL Audio in mine. The hole and everything seemed the same as the other 2.

I can second this^^^ it’s the same factory speaker. If anything the center was more accommodating. Crutchfield is incorrect in this particular example.

 

[Daren]

Installed the kicker 3.5s in the dash the other day. (non-Alpine stock) Great clarity but now it sounds like all the sound is coming from those speakers. Going to put stock speakers back in. The overall sound was better. Maybe I'll replace all speakers in the future.

 

[kjn86]

Installed the kicker 3.5s in the dash the other day. (non-Alpine stock) Great clarity but now it sounds like all the sound is coming from those speakers. Going to put stock speakers back in. The overall sound was better. Maybe I'll replace all speakers in the future.

I didn't love mine initially either, but after a few days it became normal and I appreciate the sound now. I recommend you stick it out for at least a week. Nothing to lose.

 

[Hawaii's Finest]

Fade the volume to the rear a few notches and you will be fine.

 

[VaderRebel]

I didn't love mine initially either, but after a few days it became normal and I appreciate the sound now. I recommend you stick it out for at least a week. Nothing to lose.

This is 1000% how I felt. I think there was a overwhelming sense of "different" sound, that it was overload. After a few days of playing different music and sources I appreciated the wider range of adjustment and clarity.

 

[grooves12]

I realize that this thread was started with replacement speakers for the Alpine system, but for the ones of us, that have the stock 6 speaker system, what is the better way to go on the replacement speakers, the 8-ohm factory speaker and Crutchfields recommended replacements having 3 or 4-ohm, has me a little concerned. Thanks for any information.

I originally went with CDT 2-ohm 6x9's and JBL 3-ohm dash speakers. The combo was shrill and killed all bass. I swapped out the dash speakers for JL Audio 4-ohm speakers and it was a HUGE improvement. I still had to turn up the BASS on the EQ quite a bit to get it leveled out, but it has a good balance and sound stage throughout the volume range. I'm happy enough with the setup that I don't really feel I need to add a subwoofer.

The Dash and Door being wired in parallel really makes speaker selection more finicky as they have to be a good match for each other.

 

[faithwalker]

This thread motivated me to try my hand at this. I have a 2019 Rebel that's about 3 weeks old with an alpine upgrade. I went with CDT ES-02. I went to install them and found my wiring is different than everyone else's. My left front speaker wire is actually GY/Red instead of GY/OG and was connected to the negative terminal of the stock speaker. When I tested it with the speaker polarity phone test, it showed it was in phase but my center channel and right speakers were out of phase. I stopped installation and put the stock speaker back in and wanted to think about what to do next. I also will have to get something to make the 2 inch tweeters to fit. Since the stock ones are 3.5's, the ES-02's are to fit as a drop-in replacement. Seems like none of these Rams are wired per the wiring diagrams.
How do I verify that the GY/Yellow is actually producing a positive signal from the amp?