5th Gen Stock Stereo Upgrade Options?

[Leadbedr]

Do you have the 6 speaker system?

Yes

 

[Tomcat1981]

t !This is what I installed:

Dash: Kicker 43CSC354 3-1/2"
Front Doors: Kicker 43DSC6504 6-1/2"
Rear Doors: Kicker 44KSC6904 6" x 9"

Instant improvement, but I lost hella volume, like really bad. I have plans to get mobile solutions to build me a box for some subs that will hold (2) 12" JL TW3s in a downfire position.They build some sick boxes!! Only thing is, it is not a cheap upgrade, but once I get that done, I don't know how I'm going to match the other speakers. Prolly go with another amp. It's a toss-up on whether to get my 6" lift and wheels or get the bitchin sound system. Prolly won't get to do both, at least not together.

Mine will look similar to this, just with tan interior and 12"s.

 

[bobby11210]

Did you lose the volume due to the kickers being 4 ohm ?

 

[YoAdrian]

t !This is what I installed:

Dash: Kicker 43CSC354 3-1/2"
Front Doors: Kicker 43DSC6504 6-1/2"
Rear Doors: Kicker 44KSC6904 6" x 9"

Instant improvement, but I lost hella volume, like really bad. I have plans to get mobile solutions to build me a box for some subs that will hold (2) 12" JL TW3s in a downfire position.They build some sick boxes!! Only thing is, it is not a cheap upgrade, but once I get that done, I don't know how I'm going to match the other speakers. Prolly go with another amp. It's a toss-up on whether to get my 6" lift and wheels or get the bitchin sound system. Prolly won't get to do both, at least not together.

Mine will look similar to this, just with tan interior and 12"s.

Let me try this comparison out, comparing 1w/1m sensitivity:
Kicker mix vs JL Audio C2
Dash CS3.5=88 JL3.5=83
Front DS6.5=90 JL6x9=93
Rear KS6x9=92 JL6x9=93

The JL C2 speakers (on the head unit’s power only) use 4 ohm all around, and are balanced and loud compared to volume setting... I don’t want the volume much louder than about 15 (halfway?). My back seat passenger reports the doors are plenty loud when the volume is up; I actually faded forward to ease their listening experience, so maybe slightly less sensitive rears (eg 90) would have been better.

Using your combination of Kickers, although your 3.5s are more sensitive (should hear lots of treble from your dash) your front doors are less sensitive so are probably sounding too low compared to the dash speakers. Is this your impression? Not sure what the rear seat experience will be like.

 

[ksn240]

I was going to order 3 sets of the JBL GX302 for the front and rear. According to Crutchfield, the headliner has to be removed to get to those speakers in the rear for the Alpine system. Went out there and pried around it a little bit and could not get them to come off. Was afraid to put too much pressure and break something.

 

[Tomcat1981]

Did you lose the volume due to the kickers being 4 ohm ?

Yes I’m sure this was the reason. I knew it would happen, I’m just not impressed with the factory at all.

Let me try this comparison out, comparing 1w/1m sensitivity:
Kicker mix vs JL Audio C2
Dash CS3.5=88 JL3.5=83
Front DS6.5=90 JL6x9=93
Rear KS6x9=92 JL6x9=93

The JL C2 speakers (on the head unit’s power only) use 4 ohm all around, and are balanced and loud compared to volume setting... I don’t want the volume much louder than about 15 (halfway?). My back seat passenger reports the doors are plenty loud when the volume is up; I actually faded forward to ease their listening experience, so maybe slightly less sensitive rears (eg 90) would have been better.

Using your combination of Kickers, although your 3.5s are more sensitive (should hear lots of treble from your dash) your front doors are less sensitive so are probably sounding too low compared to the dash speakers. Is this your impression? Not sure what the rear seat experience will be like.

You’re exactly right. Sounds ok just not loud enough. Keep in mind I’ve always had loud systems. My ‘14 Ram Tradesman and kenwood in doors and dash, with 2 jl 10” w0s hooked up to pioneer head unit. Sounds 10x better than the new Ram.

 

[Tomcat1981]

I was going to order 3 sets of the JBL GX302 for the front and rear. According to Crutchfield, the headliner has to be removed to get to those speakers in the rear for the Alpine system. Went out there and pried around it a little bit and could not get them to come off. Was afraid to put too much pressure and break something.

I didn’t even notice those. I’ll see what I can do to get to those. Do they play music or just for like phone or something?

 

[ksn240]

I didn’t even notice those. I’ll see what I can do to get to those. Do they play music or just for like phone or something?

They are supposed to be like the ones in the dash, swapping them out to the GX302s should add some more highs to the system.

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

Let me try this comparison out, comparing 1w/1m sensitivity:
Kicker mix vs JL Audio C2
Dash CS3.5=88 JL3.5=83
Front DS6.5=90 JL6x9=93
Rear KS6x9=92 JL6x9=93

The JL C2 speakers (on the head unit’s power only) use 4 ohm all around, and are balanced and loud compared to volume setting... I don’t want the volume much louder than about 15 (halfway?). My back seat passenger reports the doors are plenty loud when the volume is up; I actually faded forward to ease their listening experience, so maybe slightly less sensitive rears (eg 90) would have been better.

Using your combination of Kickers, although your 3.5s are more sensitive (should hear lots of treble from your dash) your front doors are less sensitive so are probably sounding too low compared to the dash speakers. Is this your impression? Not sure what the rear seat experience will be like.

Happy Birthday,
Did you verify polarity on your door speakers when you swapped them out. I just did the rear doors on my Alpine and now have an ANC issue but almost seems like the white noise its generating is out of phase. Below is alink to one of my posts on another thread with some videos. Was this similar to what you were experience before disabling the ANC?

https://5thgenrams.com/community/threads/subwoofer-swap.2265/page-4#post-55813

 

[YoAdrian]

Happy Birthday,
Did you verify polarity on your door speakers when you swapped them out. I just did the rear doors on my Alpine and now have an ANC issue but almost seems like the white noise its generating is out of phase. Below is alink to one of my posts on another thread with some videos. Was this similar to what you were experience before disabling the ANC?

https://5thgenrams.com/community/threads/subwoofer-swap.2265/page-4#post-55813

Thanks man! I don’t think we’re supposed to like getting older but I’m really happy with my age. Life is good!

Yes, my ANC seemed to create a similar weird response as yours... but hard to say if the same thing is happening of course.

Sequentially:

First, before speaker mods, my ANC had problems with passengers in the vehicle at low rpms, probably in conjunction with cylinder shutdown.

Second, after swapping just the 3.5s I experienced no additional ANC troubles.

Third, after swapping four 6x9s, the ANC repeatedly generated strong low frequency droning noises at very specific rpms... I could make it come and go by adjusting the rpm. My guesses at the cause:
A - ANC was always malfunctioning, needs to be replaced.
B - odd polarity wiring scheme resulted in me installing all 6 of my speakers out of phase with the ANC system.
C - new speakers have different response profile, throwing ANC way off.

I haven’t had time to test polarity, but I will be doing this to confirm or eliminate B... I will do this before asking the service department to troubleshoot A. I hope the system is designed well enough to deal with different speakers and not do C, but I just don’t know yet...

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

Thanks man! I don’t think we’re supposed to like getting older but I’m really happy with my age. Life is good!

Yes, my ANC seemed to create a similar weird response as yours... but hard to say if the same thing is happening of course.

Sequentially:

First, before speaker mods, my ANC had problems with passengers in the vehicle at low rpms, probably in conjunction with cylinder shutdown.

Second, after swapping just the 3.5s I experienced no additional ANC troubles.

Third, after swapping four 6x9s, the ANC repeatedly generated strong low frequency droning noises at very specific rpms... I could make it come and go by adjusting the rpm. My guesses at the cause:
A - ANC was always malfunctioning, needs to be replaced.
B - odd polarity wiring scheme resulted in me installing all 6 of my speakers out of phase with the ANC system.
C - new speakers have different response profile, throwing ANC way off.

I haven’t had time to test polarity, but I will be doing this to confirm or eliminate B... I will do this before asking the service department to troubleshoot A. I hope the system is designed well enough to deal with different speakers and not do C, but I just don’t know yet...

Yeah C is my main concern as well. Can't do anything but disable ANC to fix that issue.

 

[Leadbedr]

Thanks man! I don’t think we’re supposed to like getting older but I’m really happy with my age. Life is good!

Yes, my ANC seemed to create a similar weird response as yours... but hard to say if the same thing is happening of course.

Sequentially:

First, before speaker mods, my ANC had problems with passengers in the vehicle at low rpms, probably in conjunction with cylinder shutdown.

Second, after swapping just the 3.5s I experienced no additional ANC troubles.

Third, after swapping four 6x9s, the ANC repeatedly generated strong low frequency droning noises at very specific rpms... I could make it come and go by adjusting the rpm. My guesses at the cause:
A - ANC was always malfunctioning, needs to be replaced.
B - odd polarity wiring scheme resulted in me installing all 6 of my speakers out of phase with the ANC system.
C - new speakers have different response profile, throwing ANC way off.

I haven’t had time to test polarity, but I will be doing this to confirm or eliminate B... I will do this before asking the service department to troubleshoot A. I hope the system is designed well enough to deal with different speakers and not do C, but I just don’t know yet...

Same thing happened to mine.
Wierd low frequency at random times.
I'm trying to get the anc disconnected when I get time and it's not 25 degrees outside

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

Same thing happened to mine.
Wierd low frequency at random times.
I'm trying to get the anc disconnected when I get time and it's not 25 degrees outside

Just covering the mics in the headliner will give you a temp fix until you can address it properly , 1/8 thick rubber and double sided tape did a great job. Doesn't look too nice but it's temporary

 

[YoAdrian]

Same thing happened to mine.
Wierd low frequency at random times.
I'm trying to get the anc disconnected when I get time and it's not 25 degrees outside

Bet it’s not truly random but I know what you mean... try to detect what conditions/changes set it off... is it rpm, extra noises, cylinder shutdown mode (when “eco” is lit if you have that setting turned on), stereo settings/volume, passengers in the back, etc?

Brrr... not that cold yet in NE though we’ll be there too soon! Confirm you found the post describing the connector pin removal here? With some lighting under the driver seat you could do it laying on the floor in the back seat with the truck running to keep you warm.

I am very happy with my speaker upgrade, I don’t mind the small amount of extra noise sans ANC, and am therefore taking my time troubleshooting the ANC problem. Priorities... we’ve got a turkey to prep! Good luck.

 

[Leadbedr]

Bet it’s not truly random but I know what you mean... try to detect what conditions/changes set it off... is it rpm, extra noises, cylinder shutdown mode (when “eco” is lit if you have that setting turned on), stereo settings/volume, passengers in the back, etc?

Brrr... not that cold yet in NE though we’ll be there too soon! Confirm you found the post describing the connector pin removal here? With some lighting under the driver seat you could do it laying on the floor in the back seat with the truck running to keep you warm.

I am very happy with my speaker upgrade, I don’t mind the small amount of extra noise sans ANC, and am therefore taking my time troubleshooting the ANC problem. Priorities... we’ve got a turkey to prep! Good luck.

I dont really drive to much right now.
I know what you mean by not being random. I have tried to recreate it at certain rpms with our much luck. I feel like its more on downshifts. I dont notice it on acceleration or cruising that much.

I also get some really loud buzz sound when I have android car play connected and get a phone call. Its right before the ring.

Im going to disconnect the ACN next week. I did see that post on how to do it.

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

I have confirmed and @YoAdrian maybe you still have your old speakers to confirm, but the Metra harness is backwards , looking at the stock speaker plug so that you can see the pins the positive is on the right and neg on the left, the metra harness has the positive on the left white wire and negative on the right, all of the door speakers are phased 180 out if you used the Metra adapter, test by using a 9v battery just tap it briefly so the voice moves then returns. Pos to pos the coil should move out, polarity reversed and coil moves in towards the magnet, I need to repin and see if that solves anc issues if it does, I'm going to try the 962s in the front doors again.

 

[Cannonball]

I have confirmed and @YoAdrian you maybe you still have your old speakers, but the Metra harness is backwards , looking at the stock speaker plug so that you can see the pins the positive is on the right and neg on the left, the mantra harness has the positive on the left white wire and negative on the right, all of the door speakers are phased 180 out if you used the Metra adapter, test by using a 9v battery just tap it briefly so the voice moves then returns. Pos to pos the coil should move out, polarity reversed and coil moves in towards the magnet, I need to repin and see if that solves and issues it does, I'm going to try the 962s in the front doors again.

Good find.

 

[ksn240]

I have confirmed and @YoAdrian you maybe you still have your old speakers, but the Metra harness is backwards , looking at the stock speaker plug so that you can see the pins the positive is on the right and neg on the left, the mantra harness has the positive on the left white wire and negative on the right, all of the door speakers are phased 180 out if you used the Metra adapter, test by using a 9v battery just tap it briefly so the voice moves then returns. Pos to pos the coil should move out, polarity reversed and coil moves in towards the magnet, I need to repin and see if that solves and issues it does, I'm going to try the 962s in the front doors again.

Interesting. I still have my second set of GX963s in the box trying to figure out what I am doing with them. If you have success with the front doors I will go ahead and put them in. Wouldn't this mean that ALL of the speakers are out of phase then? I know it won't be as noticeable with the 3.5s but it would still affect them as well.

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

Interesting. I still have my second set of GX963s in the box trying to figure out what I am doing with them. If you have success with the front doors I will go ahead and put them in. Wouldn't this mean that ALL of the speakers are out of phase then? I know it won't be as noticeable with the 3.5s but it would still affect them as well.

I'm going to test them all this weekend weather permitting. My hope after having all the polarity verified is that these JBLs will just sing like never before because they should

 

[ksn240]

I'm going to test them all this weekend weather permitting. My hope after having all the polarity verified is that these JBLs will just sing like never before because they should

Man if that is the case these things will sound awesome. The 3.5s and rear doors already sound better than what was in there, and if that is with them out of phase they will be amazing once it is all right.