Aftermarket speaker help

[Sflip09]

I've looked through the threads and haven't seen anything specifically addressing my issue and it appears I'm the only person having this problem or not smart enough to figure it out (probably the latter).

I have the 7" and replaced the front factory speakers, even the knee speakers. I put Infinity Reference for the 3.5's and Kicker for the knee's. The aftermarket speakers sound like complete crap. Any song with moderate bass even at low volumes sounds like the speaker is going to blow.

I spoke with Crutchfield and the tech said that I shouldn't be having these issues with the 3.5 because the Ohms are about the same. I believe the knee panel speakers are 2 Ohm and I replaced them with 4 Ohm.

I saw a post on a JL forum about having to install resisters on early model JL's.

Any insight into this problem would be greatly appreciated.

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[Radio Guy]

What accessory level stereo and speakers does your rig have? I have the Alpine premium audio system with a 7" display. It appears my stock 3.5" speakers are treated as midrange/tweeters and have a cross over built into the amplifier feeding them. I suspect a 7" stock speaker is a wide range speaker being fed full band width audio that would damage a speaker designed as a mid/tweet that needs a cross over.

I don't know the specs of my stock 3.5" speakers but I replaced them with Kenwood KFC-X3C midrange/tweeters and they are playing fine in place of the stock 3.5" and this is because the low frequencies are being rolled off at the amplifier to protect the 3.5" speakers in my setup. The Kenwood speakers came with crossover networks which I didn't use because its built into the amplifier.

You might listen carefully to see what speakers are having trouble with the bass, is it the 7" or the 3.5"? If its the 3.5s then they probably need a crossover network and if its the 7" that would be unusual. You can also look up the frequency response specs for your replacement speakers to see if they are rated as full range or mid/tweet, etc.

 

[xrecar]

None of the factory speaker options in the JT or even the JL for that matter have a 7 inch speaker. You are basically looking at a 3.5 in the top of the dash and a 4 inch in a tuned enclosure in the bottom of the dash.

If you have the Alpine system, then the amplifier has independent channels for each of those and they are crossed over for the specific speakers. If not the Alpine system, then the radio powers the speakers and the 3.5 and 4 are in series with each other. In both cases, the speakers are 4 ohm. None of them are 2 ohm.

You didn’t specify, but did you simply replace the 4 inch speakers with kickers or did you buy the metra enclosures and replace them with a 6 or 6.5 inch speaker?

 

[jebiruph]

Speaker advice is dependent on whether you have the factory Alpine system or not, except with either system, maintaining consistent speaker polarity is critical. If you used the Metra speaker harnesses, it's likely your new speakers are wired with reverse polarity.

Here's my write up for my speaker upgrade for the base unamplified system. I have the same upgrade in both my JT and JL. https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/base-system-speaker-upgrade.75015/

 

[Radio Guy]

Having a speaker or a few within a set wired backwards will sound odd and cause frequency suckouts due to the 180 degree phase shift. A front set of speakers wired out of phase should not sound like "the speaker is going to blow", it should have a lack of bass and as you move around the inside of the vehicle highs and lows will come and go with the change in location.

A single speaker by itself and played by itself will sound exactly the same wired either way.

QUOTE="jebiruph, post: 772704, member: 18180"]
Speaker advice is dependent on whether you have the factory Alpine system or not, except with either system, maintaining consistent speaker polarity is critical. If you used the Metra speaker harnesses, it's likely your new speakers are wired with reverse polarity.

Here's my write up for my speaker upgrade for the base unamplified system. I have the same upgrade in both my JT and JL. https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/base-system-speaker-upgrade.75015/
[/QUOTE]

 

[ShadowsPapa]

A single speaker by itself and played by itself will sound exactly the same wired either way.

Are you saying it won't come out like this?

 

[Sflip09]

I have the 7” with non-alpine. The speakers were plug and play with no splicing so I doubt they’re wiring incorrectly. I installed Kicker 6 3/4 for the knee.

 

[jebiruph]

I have the 7” with non-alpine. The speakers were plug and play with no splicing so I doubt they’re wiring incorrectly. I installed Kicker 6 3/4 for the knee.

That's the problem, if you don't reverse the wires on the Metra adapters then they reverse the polarity of the speaker. https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/metra-speaker-harness-polarity.49506/

And did you install the base blocking capacitors that come with the speakers?

 

[Sflip09]

That's the problem, if you don't reverse the wires on the Metra adapters then they reverse the polarity of the speaker. https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/metra-speaker-harness-polarity.49506/

And did you install the base blocking capacitors that come with the speakers?

Thanks for the info, I’ll swap the polarity today. I wonder if this was a mess up with Metra or intentional.
My speakers didn’t come with base blockers. There are small capacitors that came pre-soldered on the positive side of my speakers.

 

[jebiruph]

Thanks for the info, I’ll swap the polarity today. I wonder if this was a mess up with Metra or intentional.
My speakers didn’t come with base blockers. There are small capacitors that came pre-soldered on the positive side of my speakers.

I think the problem with the Metra adapters is that the that wiring in the JT/JL is reversed. I was recently looking for Metra adapters for both a TaurusX and an Equinox, ends up it's the same adapter with the wires reversed on the Equinox. I found lots of complaints about reversed wiring regarding those adapters.

Which speakers are they? The capacitors are taped to the underside of the foam packaging, so unless you know to look for them, you won't find them.

 

[Sflip09]

I think the problem with the Metra adapters is that the that wiring in the JT/JL is reversed. I was recently looking for Metra adapters for both a TaurusX and an Equinox, ends up it's the same adapter with the wires reversed on the Equinox. I found lots of complaints about reversed wiring regarding those adapters.

Which speakers are they? The capacitors are taped to the underside of the foam packaging, so unless you know to look for them, you won't find them.

Well, I tossed the boxes so I'll probably need to purchase bass blockers for the 3.5's

I installed 3.5" Infinity Reference and 6.75" Kicker at the knee. I just switched the pins on the Metra so I'll see how it sounds. I'll attack the knee speakers later today or this weekend.

 

[Sflip09]

Switched the wires on the Metra for all four front speakers and what a difference! Thanks for everybody’s help on this. Looking forward to tackling the sound bar speakers this weekend with JL 6.5’s

it would be helpful if Metra or Crutchfield had a disclaimer mentioning the polarity issue.

 

[jebiruph]

Switched the wires on the Metra for all four front speakers and what a difference! Thanks for everybody’s help on this. Looking forward to tackling the sound bar speakers this weekend with JL 6.5’s

it would be helpful if Metra or Crutchfield had a disclaimer mentioning the polarity issue.

If you haven't yet, stuff some polyfil behind the upper dash speakers to remediate the adverse effect of the sound waves behind the dash.

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