Cascade Crew

[Twilightoptics]

So this might be for Al and Brandon... I'm in need of speakers for the Jeep. It's a 50wx4 alpine deck. I don't have any safe place to place an amp...

How do I go about selecting the best speakers to get the most out of the deck? I know it's not going to be earth shattering bass or anything, but I know some speakers are more efficient than others.

The rear sound bar has 5 1/4" speakers and I'm going to convert the front 4x6 into 5 1/4"s.

Any ideas? I'm not wanting to spend a ton of money. I like mid range sound stuff! I've had infinity speakers that I've been unhappy with, otherwise I'm used to kenwood and pioneer speakers. The pioneer 6x9 seem to have the best midrange when I've heard in stores but that's just my ear I guess. I've always been told to try and match RMS. Since the RMS on my deck is probably pretty low (18RMS according to crutchfield), should I find a speaker like :
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-DdsQzH9ddaD/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=400&I=20605DS525

Super cheap/onsale 6-35watts RMS? I know you get what you pay for, but my stock speakers distort like I'm listening through some coffee cans and paperbags.

Maybe someday I'll build a sub into the center section of the soundbar :OP

[Al Hasse]

Go to a car audio store and have a salesman play a few sets for you keeping in mind your power handling requirements. Don't look at the sets before they are played (either close your eyes or turn your back) and what sounds best to you is the type of speaker you want. Doing it this way eliminates a bias toward a name brand and you'll get the type of sound you want (you don't have to buy from there, just get an idea of what you want). Sometimes the least expensive speaker will far outperform the name brand as far as your ear is concerned.

[Twilightoptics]

I tried that this last time maybe it was where I went. But I went and clicked on different 4x6 at best buy and the Pioneer ones ended up sounding the best. I got them in the car and they are super quiet and don't sound anything like in the place.

How do I know which speakers will sound with my deck? Are the speakers in show rooms amplified? This place in Vancouver sold me a set of Kenwoods for my girlfriends car. They sounded good in the showroom and he claimed they wouldn't have any trouble putting out the same volume and fullness of bass/sound as the ford factory ones.

Turns out they sound great in the highs, but have no bass whatsoever.

I'm so confused on this stuff!?

[Al Hasse]

Acoustics in the cabin space of the car are far different than a showroom. Normally speakers in the showroom are amplified. Most stores should be able to play their speakers without amplification. Deck power is nothing compared to an amplifier putting out the same power, an amplifier has a far lower distortion level (spec called THD) and will sound much better played through speakers.

I'm running Pioneer 3-ways, I forget which model, in my 89 straight off deck power (stock GM deck BTW) and they sound pretty decent to me. I know Jake played them pretty loud, I found out at the Portland dyno.

[Twilightoptics]

LOL speakers go boom?

[Al Hasse]

They're fine, thanks

[Xophertony]

Paul. another thing to keep in mind. in the showrooms the speakers are usualy mounted into a sealed box enclosure (behind the wall they are mounted too). what you hear in the showroom is the best those speakers will ever sound. your jeeps dash is nothing compared to a sealed wood box.

also I know at cartoys I had to tell they guy several times to turn off the subs in the sound room before he did it. these guys are real sneaky about making the speakers sound awsome. the magnolia highfi tried to leave a pair of tweeters running as well as the speakers i was looking at once.

be sure the speakers you are listening too are the only speakers you are listening too.

[83Z28BlackBetty]