Upgrade speakers??
 

Is anyone upgraded or planning on upgrading the speakers? I was wondering if it is possible to swap out the OEM tweeter with a better one so you could use a component set up front. Any ideas? Thx.

Hey Berry, sorry for such a late response. I just finished my audio upgrades on my '07 EL.

I kept the audiophile head unit because I like the stock look and the 6-disc mp3 player.

I upgraded the front speakers to a pair of Polk DB-series 6.5" components and yes, I replaced the factory tweeter with the Polk tweeter in the stock location. Fit perfect.

I upgraded the rear door speakers to Polk DB-series 5x7/6x8's.

I tore out the factory subwoofer and in it's place installed a JBL 6-channel amp running 60 watts RMS to each of the doors and 300 watts RMS to my 10" Alpine sub mounted in a downfiring box carpeted in all black to match the cargo area.

After all this, I am VERY happy with the sound in my Expy!!!

Don't suppose you have any pictures of this install? I was looking to do the same but still retain the factory navigation.

If you're referring to the actual installation process, no I don't. I could take some pics of the finished product, but there's not much to see. The only visible components of my system are the Polk tweeters in the factory location and the sub box with a down firing Alpine sub. Sorry... :(

Alright, as promised, here are some pics... not much to look at though!

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...on/tweeter.jpg
Polk db6501 Component Tweeter mounted in factory location.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...ason/amp03.jpg
The JBL GTO755.6 II is hiding in there somewhere...

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...ason/amp01.jpg
Slightly zoomed in...

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...ason/amp02.jpg
...and a little more...

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...ason/sub01.jpg
Downfiring Alpine Type-S 10" sub...

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...ason/sub02.jpg
The shelf can still be in the "up" position with the sub.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...ason/sub03.jpg
Yes, there really is a sub in there!

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...aincontrol.jpg
Last but not least, my sub gain control.

Jason, thanks for the great pics! What a nice job!

At least now I have a direction that I want to proceed. Btw what are you using to tie into the factory head unit? Are you getting any distortion? If I recall you have the amp feeding your sub woofer and the rest of the speakers is on your factory amp?

Thanks Carbon... I'm very happy with the system now.

I have a Line Out Converter coming off the headunit and connecting to the 6-channel JBL amp. That amp is pushing 60w RMS to each door and 300w RMS to the sub. I can turn it up extremely loud (as loud as I can comfortably listen) without any distortion at all. As you may have noticed on the sub gain control, it's only turned up 1/2 way too.

Nice pix! I am curious as to how they mounted the tweeter from the inside. Looks tight man. Nice going.

How are the (factory) speakers? I mean what brand, and how do they look compared to the Polk?

It seems to me they are already a quality speaker, but I am sure they are not Polk quality:)

More than likely a no name product made in Mexico.

They're already stored up in my garage attic, but I promised a guy on another forum I'd take a pic of the factory sub, so when I do that I'll try to take some pics of all the original speakers.

Okay, here are the pics of the OEM stuff. Sorry about the background, just took 'em down from the garage attic, plopped them down on the nearest flat surface and snapped the pic.

https://i204.photobucket.com/albums/...on/sub01-1.jpg
Audiophile Sub


https://i204.photobucket.com/albums/...on/sub02-1.jpg
...again


https://i204.photobucket.com/albums/...son/subtop.jpg
Top View


https://i204.photobucket.com/albums/...on/subside.jpg
Side View


https://i204.photobucket.com/albums/.../tweeter01.jpg
Audiophile Tweeter


https://i204.photobucket.com/albums/.../tweeter02.jpg
Back View


https://i204.photobucket.com/albums/...tspeaker02.jpg
Audiophile Front Speaker


https://i204.photobucket.com/albums/...tspeaker01.jpg
Back View


https://i204.photobucket.com/albums/...kspeaker02.jpg
Audiophile Back Speaker


https://i204.photobucket.com/albums/...kspeaker01.jpg
Back View

Great! Thanks for taking the time to take pics.

The speakers look better than my 2005 Focus, that I removed and put in Polk speakers. I love good sounding music and I do like the sound of the factory speakers, but I am also very sure that your up grade of Polks must sound VERY GOOD!

Please still be around...
 

I just traded off my '06 F-150 Super Crew for my '08 Expedition XLT...


I am hoping that you can tell me the color of wire that you used to tie in your remote turn on for the aftermarket amp...

Also, which wires did you use to send signal (behind the head unit?) for the LOC?

I have an SNI-1 by PAC that I used in the F-150...

If you read this, or if someone that knows reads this...

Thanks In Advance!!

I did a similar setup in my 07 expy, added two amps, one for my aura bass shakers in the front seats, and one for my 10" kicker sub I mounted in the rear drivers side window, I never figured out the remote power, but I thought it was a better idea to run it off a switch from the accessory line, that way I can kill the stereo back to factory with the flip of a switch, and I too used an epicenter bass control rheostat for my sub, gives you more control pending the type of music you listen to. I mounted the switch on that bottom blank under the heat/ac controls.