5thGenRams Forums

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Dash corner speakers

Hockeydad

Active Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Messages
85
Reaction score
99
Location
SoCal
So I have narrowed it down to 2 models the infinity ref3022cfx or jbl gx302. To the members that have installed either of these did you do a straight drop in or did you use bass blockers or and so on. I have the 8.4/nav if it matters. Thanks for your help
 

taz2016

Active Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2019
Messages
161
Reaction score
83
The following information is about the stock 6 speaker system. If that is not what you have please disregard.
The Infinitys come with a high pass filter. As much as I like that brand of speakers tomorrow I'll be returning mine. I wanted a simple inexpensive improvement to my stock system.
The stock front speakers are 8 ohm. The Infinitys are 3 ohm. Between that difference and the Infinitys higher efficiency they were much louder than stock. As a disclaimer I did not use the high pass filter for my quick test. Using pink noise from a CD the Infinitys were 9 dB louder than stock. The dash speakers are wired with the front door speakers so using the systems fader to cut front volume also reduces the volume of the front door speakers. After dropping the dash speakers to a volume that would not overdrive them, the front door speakers volume was reduced to an almost useless volume and the rear door speakers were easily overdriven at higher volumes. A bass blocker would have helped but at that time I did not have any to try. I did not believe the Infinity supplied 196 Hz high pass filters would have made enough difference to even try them.
I have no experience with the JBL speakers but have since installed Kicker 44KSC3504 dash speakers. They are 4 ohm and less efficient than the Infinitys. In combination with 600 Hz Bass Blockers they work much better. With the fader centered they measured 3 dB louder than stock. With the fader one setting towards the rear the dash speakers were 1.5 dB louder than stock which is how I'll probably leave them. The stock system was definitely lacking in the higher frequencies to my admittedly old ears. The Kickers sound considerably better to me.
In theory any 4 ohm 88 dB sensitivity speakers should perform similarly as far as volume.

I guess I type too slow. In the time it took me to reply I see you don't have the base system.
 
Last edited:
R

Rob5589

Guest
I used the 3022 on my Alpine system, without the added caps. Sounds awesome, much better highs, better voicing, clearer overall. I did all 3 dash speakers. A definite recommend.
 

smankins

Active Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2019
Messages
64
Reaction score
23
Location
Longview, TX
I replaced all 3 dash speakers with the Infinity 3032 models (seems the same as the 3022 specs) and did not use the capacitors. My understanding is the amplifier takes care of blocking the low frequency to these dash speakers (I have the Alpine system) and I have not had any issues. I did not notice a major difference in volume level but the dash and door speakers are not tied together in the Alpine system. As noted above the highs are clearer and overall the sound is crisper without being tinny. I got mine on Amazon for $65/pair and did not use the Metra wiring harness. The price seems to vary and I see they are currently $77/pair on Amazon, $99/pair on Crutchfield which includes the "free" harness.
 

Hockeydad

Active Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Messages
85
Reaction score
99
Location
SoCal
So Rob and Smankins you guys just took speakers out of box and dropped in no bass blockers or anything else? I noticed Smankins did not use harness Rob did you? Thanks everyone
 

troutspinner

Ram Guru
Joined
Aug 16, 2018
Messages
809
Reaction score
835
Location
SE Pennsylvania
So Rob and Smankins you guys just took speakers out of box and dropped in no bass blockers or anything else? I noticed Smankins did not use harness Rob did you? Thanks everyone

Bass blockers are for blocking lower frequencies when a full frequency signal is sent to a speaker. In the case of the Alpine or HK system, only a range of frequencies (high) are sent to those speakers so there is no need for a blocker. If you installed it anyways, it would not hurt but there is no advantage to it.
 

Hockeydad

Active Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Messages
85
Reaction score
99
Location
SoCal
Bass blockers are for blocking lower frequencies when a full frequency signal is sent to a speaker. In the case of the Alpine or HK system, only a range of frequencies (high) are sent to those speakers so there is no need for a blocker. If you installed it anyways, it would not hurt but there is no advantage to it.
Great thanks for the input
 

Hockeydad

Active Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Messages
85
Reaction score
99
Location
SoCal
Great thanks for the input
After thinking about the speakers i here the stock ones are 2 ohms is it better to go as close as i can to 2 ohms in a aftermarket speaker for the dash. The reason i ask is i believe 1 of the 2 speakers I'm interested in is a 2-3 ohm and the other a 4 ohm. Thanks again
 

Gozar

Active Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2019
Messages
157
Reaction score
132
Location
Boise, ID
I have the base 6 speaker package and first tried some Kicker CSC35's but they were to shrill, I swapped them for Infinity Ref 3032 (each speaker had a resistor hard wired between the positive connector and the actual speaker) and they sound really good. I did adjust the fader a couple of steps back.
I am still toying with swapping all speakers to the Kenwood Excelon's. They make a kit with a 6x9 shallow midbass woofer and a seperate 3.5" co-axial for the front doors and dash. Then an Excelon 6x9 694 3-way for the rear doors. Total speaker cost would be about $350. Argh, must..not...spend....more.....
 

Edwards

Ram Guru
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
2,171
Reaction score
2,276
Location
TX
I have the base 6 speaker package and first tried some Kicker CSC35's but they were to shrill, I swapped them for Infinity Ref 3032 (each speaker had a resistor hard wired between the positive connector and the actual speaker) and they sound really good. I did adjust the fader a couple of steps back.
I am still toying with swapping all speakers to the Kenwood Excelon's. They make a kit with a 6x9 shallow midbass woofer and a seperate 3.5" co-axial for the front doors and dash. Then an Excelon 6x9 694 3-way for the rear doors. Total speaker cost would be about $350. Argh, must..not...spend....more.....

The wired in resistor is only on the tweeter, effectively a bass-blocker for it. The Infinity's also come with resistors to wire in to block bass for the whole speaker (two speakers - tweeter and midrange) and that's what you don't need on the Alpine/HK system as those frequencies are not sent to these locations.
 
R

Rob5589

Guest
No bass blockers on mine. I checked polarity at the speaker and ran the 3022 the same configuration. I unsoldered the factory harness and soldered them to the new speakers.
 

smankins

Active Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2019
Messages
64
Reaction score
23
Location
Longview, TX
No bass blockers on mine. I checked polarity at the speaker and ran the 3022 the same configuration. I unsoldered the factory harness and soldered them to the new speakers.
I did the exact same thing except had 3032 speakers which seem to be the same. I am surprised mine worked since my soldering is terrible. It definitely would have been easier using the harness but would have cost me an additional $50.
 

jlfkb2

Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2020
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Location
Kansas City, MO
No bass blockers on mine. I checked polarity at the speaker and ran the 3022 the same configuration. I unsoldered the factory harness and soldered them to the new speakers.
Perhaps this is a dumb question, but does it matter which wire you hook to which wire? Like on a household plug, one is hot, one is not?
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top