I want to upgrade the old sail panel coaxial 6X9's with something better...I'm thinking of 6.5 component set up...thoughts?

 

i put 6.5 components in my sails, sounds pretty good, i have 4x6 in dash in and 5 in kick panels.

 

Cool...sounds like I'll be building some enclosures for the 6.5's and mount the tweets separately...I'm planning on 6's in the kicks and mounting the tweeters in the a-pillar trim eliminating the dash 4x6's.

 

I have 6.5 diamond audio components in the sail panels and i'd recommend it over the stock 6x9's if you have a good amp to drive them. I 3D print fitted/recessed mounting plates for people up here in Canada that make the jump.

You might lose a bit of the midbass from the smaller speaker size, but you more than make it up in sound quality with a good component set. Adding a small sub in the back (or large if you hate breathing lol) rounds out the rest of the system. These cars can be great platforms when you take the speakers out of the dashpad.

 

Thanks Runnaway...you're set up is exactly what I have in mind...this is what I'm going to do...6" in the kick panels with the tweeters in the a-pillar trim and 6.5's/tweeters in the sails with my two 12" subs in the cargo area...I have a 100w amp, is the amp enough to push all those speakers?

 

Thanks. If you're planning on pushing 10 speakers (4x tweeter, 4x woofer, 2x 12" sub) i'd say not even close. You'd need at least 300w RMS to drive those subs alone half decently.

You can get away with 50w RMS per speaker channel, but i'd recommend at least a 4 channel amp capable of 300w RMS total (4x 75) for the speakers. If you're thinking of dual 12" subs, I'm guessing you want it to pound. you'll need a 500-1000w to drive that well. You can get a good Class H amp from arc audio that can be hidden easily and will fit that power envelope. The hatch glass will also amplify the sub ~3db if i remember right.

For comparison, I put in a single sealed box 10" sub with a 1000w Class A amp. The front components (4x passive tweeter and 4x woofers) are powered by a second 4 channel Class A/B with 180w RMS per channel. The sound is phenomenal, and it hits hard enough for the SQ setup i was going for. Everything is hidden, but it took me some work to get it that way. These cars can deliver great sound if you put some thought into it.

 

Thanks for the info!!!!....I listen to hevy metal so I'm not really shooting for glass shattering thump, I just want to be able to cruise with the tops out and not have distortion from the radio maxed out.

 

Those plates are really cool. Could you print a set of those without the holes in them and sell them?

 

Thanks. I'm actually working on the last design revision before selling them commercially, however, I've already made up a few sets for people in my area that couldn't wait. They'll be available in either black or white.

What do you mean about removing the holes though? The speaker holes themselves?

 

You're welcome! You definitely don't need dual 12's then. Try a single paired with a decent amp and enjoy. you can set the gain controls separate from the stereo; if you size the amp properly you won't need to go above half volume at 100mph. I'm talking about an aftermarket deck though - the stock one isn't great in a modified system.

 

i'd like a set if you have a few extra

 

Yes those plates are sweet!...are the 6.5's free air or enclosed?

 

Yes, without the speaker holes, so I could cut what ever I wanted into them, for 6x9s or something

 

I put JBL 6x9s in my sails. They sound good!

 

Polk Audio 6x9's in my '88...now I need a larger amp.