I have been looking around for the past year on speakers for my excursion. I am looking at 6.5" speakers. The pairs I am looking at are identical except for weather the tweeter is mounted to the 6.5" driver or is separate. So sound quality due to speakers or crossovers is irrelevant here. Now I know you want your tweeters and mid range drivers located at most within a few inches together to keep imaging distortion down. However speaker location is usually poor in cars. The higher the frequency the sound the more directional it becomes so with a low speaker mount you are effectively shooting directional sound at your legs and not your face. This is where I am torn. Is it better to have poor imaging but better direction from the highs? Or correct imaging but a poor sound stage due to location in the door? I am setting this up as best as I can like a home stereo. To accurately reproduce the media. Not to be "tuned" to my ear. I was considering JL C5-650's or C5-650x's in the front and C5-650x's for the rear 4 speakers. I will be running no sub. Also as I don't do much with car audio any advice on sound deadening would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

Many cars have separate tweeters above the dash at the bottom of the door pillars facing inward about 45 degrees, with the bass(main) speaker down lower on the door....

the 'right' enclosure is probably the most important thing for a speaker and
unfortunately the metal inside of a door is the worse
so yes, sizing for the enclosure and 'boxing' in the speaker with the right materials is your goal... (IMHO of course !)

 

The excursions use 6x8 speakers. Check out the Polk DB series coax the tweeters are moveable and you will more than pleased!!!

Polk Audio db571 2-way car speakers For 5"x7" and 6"x8" openings at Crutchfield.com

 

I installed my system this past winter. I struggled with the same issues. I would recommend using coaxials for the two pairs in the back and component in the front. When I did the install I left the front tweeters loose with excess wire and moved them from time to time. Tuning to the ear I felt they sound the best on the dash in the corners pointed up to reflect in the glass. I also installed Dynamat since it was gutted. Helps offset the extra noise I have from the diesel, cat delete, 4"MBRP exhaust and 35" tires.

 

I think dynamat comes in different flavors. What did you use and in general where did you put it? I saw some people put a little bit behind the speaker and some right around the speaker opening. Others cover the whole door. No idea what anyone has done with the third row speakers. Do you feel what you did helped deaden noise?
thanks

 

I used Dynamat Extreme on my first Ex and it cost me a bunch of cash but it made my truck sound like my sedan...priceless! If I were to do it again...when I get the money...I will use Second Skin Audio. It is a bit cheaper but it is a better formulation and science than asphalt-based products.

As for the coax vs component thing, I am using Focal Coaxials in my truck(Three sets) and if I had endless budget, I sould use compenents and just have the installer mount the tweeter so that it aims properly behind the factory grill. This is no problem at all for a skilled installer and well worth the money. Then the tweeter is aimed where it is supposed to be aimed, and you get a great adjustable system.

I dont like speakers being exposed to vandals and thieves so I am against mounting any tweeter where prying eyes can see them(unless you've got nasty limo tint, but if they're on the dash you can still see them) visible car audio becomes invisible real quick in the wrong parking lot. Also have you considered a JL Audio stealthbox? fits inside your center console and is concealed and thumps pretty dang well for the average enthusiast.

What amps are you using?

 

I looked at the stealth box. Actually one was on ebay for a good deal a while back. I just dont have room for it. I really only use the excursion for long trips when I need to room for more then 2 so I need all the space I can get. For an amp I have a JL HD600/4. I also dont like exposed speakers. I asked about having the speakers installed. The local place (does great work but...) they want 1000$ for the install. Thats the cost for all 3 sets of C5-650 speakers combined. I will look into the second skin. What did you cover with it? And did you just mount the crossovers under the door panels somewhere?

 

Wow! $1000 for an amp and three sets of coax/comps? I would have estimated around $400 for that done SUPER RIGHT with new wire run and all for all speakers and stuff. I covered nearly every surface in the truck inner and outer door skins and all panels including ceiling. It took 7 bulk packs of dynamat.

I am going to do second skin this time and I will use damplifier pro, luxury liner pro and metallic tape for the seams. I am taking a cross country trip next summer and I want my family in utter comfort...I had to really work it to talk them into this trip and I've gotta make it worth their while!

Do you use the interior of your center console between you and the front passeger? That is where the JL Stealthbox goes...so room is not an issue...just checking! Alarm idea...I picked up up the Autopage c3-rs1100 for $240 on buy.com and got an additional coupon and free shipping. That thing stinkin rocks!

Good amp bro! Why not the six channel?

Here's what I'm running:

JL Audio G6600 (six channel amp) for my Focal 6.5" Coax (three pairs)
JL Audio GMAX (mono amp) for my JL Audio Stealthbox
JL Audio GMAX (mono amp) for my 13w6v2 going into false spare tire bonot done yet)

Have fun...I love this hobby! I'm hoping my alternator keeps up!

 

I use my center console or I would love to have a stealth box. I got the 4 channel amp because the head unit only has 4 channel + sub out and I think the 4 channel has more RMS power per channel then the 6. Also it handles 2 ohms and will double down so with 2 speakers per channel in the rear they will see almost the same power as the fronts do solo. I plan to use alpine's imprint module to take advantage of the audyssey to help clean up the sound in such a bad acoustic environment.

Thats a lot of sound dampener! I wish I had the will to do that. I might be able to talk my self into putting some on the doors and by the third row speakers. I'm also replacing the carpet in the cargo area so if I can be convinced putting some under that will help I'd do that too. Other wise I cant see pulling apart more stuff then needed when it is all ready quieter then my dodge. I bet it will be real smooth inside though with all that.

Where did you mount your amps? I was considering under the 2nd row bench. I'd also put the imprint box there too as long as its ok to run a AI-Net cable that far.

 

I used 2 bulk packs of the dynamat xtreme for street side auto Dynamat Kits - Extreme Bulk Dynamat Trunk and Hood Kit
I covered the entire floor and up the sides to the window level. I covered the door entire door panels (inner panel). I think it helped a lot. I think it is quiter inside now (with a 6"lift, 35" tires, cat delete and 4" MBRP exhaust) than it was when it was stock without the dynamat. I did all this at the same time (lift, stereo, exhaust) so it is hard to know exactly how much it helped.

For amp placement I went underneath the middle row seat on the driver side. I went with a 5 channel soundstream amp. My speakers were all diamond audio. For the subwoofer I custom molded a fiberglass box to hold a 10" sub inside the spare tire. I have pictures of it in my gallery.

 

Thats a very interesting sub location. I think some companys make a shallow sub I might be able to work with. Less effective I'm sure but it might sit in a little closer. How did you mount the sub and is the tire still mounted the same way?

Also how did you secure the amps and all to the floor? I was looking for a way without drilling holes. To much salt on the roads here lead to a lot of rust and holes dont help.

was it difficult to get the seats/carpet out and back in? That looks like a very neat layout of wires. I was just going to run all mine down the scuff panels. And with adding all that thickness due to sound deadiner does it make putting everything back in no longer fit well?

What did you make that plate on the back of the center console out of? I need to whip one of those up since I had to remove the rear seat audio controls.

Thanks

 

Here was a post I started to show the subwoofer.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-in-spare.html
I reveresed the mounting since the back of the rim was deeper to allow a larger subwoofer. I cut the J-bolt shorter and built a custom mount that would be flush with the rim to allow the maximum mounting depth. For the mount I took a piece of 2" square tube and cut it up with a flange to hold the rim. I first mount the tire with the J-bolt. The subwoofer has bolts that go thru the rim lug holes. I then reach around the subwoofer and secure it with wing nuts.

I mounted the amps using screws thru the floor - rust is not really a issue here.

The seats and carpet are actually pretty easy to get out without destroying anything. Everything went back together easily as well. The dynamat did not seem to make assembly any more difficult. I made sure to cut around any holes in the dynamat.

The center console plate was made from a standard home single gang red/white/yellow jack plate. I slightly shapped it with the dremel to fit the opening. I drilled it and added dual microphone jacks. I filled the center mounting holes with body putty and painted it. It is used as a audio/video input into the system. The left headphone jack plays monitor 1 and the left plays what is on monitor 2. The monitors can source from the headunit for the underseat dvd.

 

That is some great info. I'm going to look into that. did you just flip the tire cover around with the tire? or did you cut the center out of it?

 

Well I'd love to get a JL W7 series sub as I think thats what my fathom subs are in my home. However thats a lot of depth. But I did notice a 13TW5 that only requires 2.5" or so of mounting depth. Overall Diam is 14.2. RedEx do you recall the mounting depth required by your sub? If this JL isnt to crappy sounding its low profile enough I could recess it a bit maybe. That would work great for me.

 

I cut the center out of it.

My sub is a Diamond Audio CM3 which is 5.629" deep. Nice tight bass.