Speaker swap

[Lucifer]

Did you use the extra wiring that has the inline crossover or leave that part out and connect direct to the speakers?

the videos i watched said leave them out, so I did. Everything works perfectly

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[phranican]

Did you use the extra wiring that has the inline crossover or leave that part out and connect direct to the speakers?

I did not use the inline crossover and connected the metra adapter direct to the speaker and factory harness

 

[Kevin_D]

My Metra 72-7902 adapters arrived, so I was adding the JBL GX328 full-range 3½" speakers in place of the 3½" tweeters in my JT today, and tested the polarity of the tweeters vs. the full-range speakers with a DC supply. You can use a battery, as well. The idea is to see which way the cone deflects with DC applied to the terminals. A useful test to compare speakers.

A word of caution: a 9V battery puts a lot of current through your speakers, and could damage them. A 1½V battery will work just fine, and much less chance of damage.

Anyway, I found that the tweeters were the opposite polarity of the JBLs. However, the Metra 72-7902 adapters are also reversed! The black wire on the Metra goes to the positive wire (as per the drawings: https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/JL-Wiring-Diagrams/AUDIO-SYSTEM---BASE.pdf) of the amplifier.
So, in this case, if you just plug in the adapters, and plug the adapters onto the full-range speakers, everything works out. The mounting tabs on the JBLs needed to be bent a bit to fit in the dash. I also added a bit of poly-fill under them, just because.
Other than having to really change the equalizer (WAY too much midrange,) it sounds pretty good, and the speakers appear to be in phase (based on my ears, at least.)

Note: the JBL GX328 will not fit in the soundbar. The left one went in, using new mounting holes, and sounded quite nice, but the right one wouldn't line up: the connector block is in the wrong place. Guess I'll try some Kicker DSC 350, which are reported to fit. I'll update once I receive those.

Kevin

The Kicker DSC speakers showed up yesterday, and they did fit in the soundbar; I had to really push them in, but they did fit. They don't sound as good as the JBLs, but once I had all four 3½" speakers replaced, and played with the equalizer, I'm satisfied with the overall results.

Now to get some of the Dart Kicker replacements, and the KFC-X3Cs, and compare them all...
But probably not.

Kevin

 

[DrewP]

There are better quality speaker on the market then kicker and alpine.. If Im looking to do this, I'm going Focal and JL audio

Forget the JL amp. Get the focal 5 channel. It blows Way the jl.

 

[DrewP]

I just replaced the 3 1/2 inch speakers in the dash and the sound bar with some Kenwood 50 watt kfc's. Even though i have the 8.4 screen with the upgraded sound system, the speakers are only 15 watts The Kenwood's are a direct fit giving the system some high end quality since the other speakers don't have any tweeters. Now I'm looking to replace the 3 inch ones in the sound bar. Does anyone have any suggestion of ones that will be a direct fit. All that i have seen so far are not the correct screw patters. Also wanting to know if anyone has replaced the subwoofer speakers. How did you get the OEM speaker out and the new one in?

Get the upgrade pods to fit the 6.5" speakers for both the dash and soundbar. Night and day sound quality. The jl twin 10" sub below the seat is spectacular and retains the factory look.

 

[mx5red]

Get the upgrade pods to fit the 6.5" speakers for both the dash and soundbar. Night and day sound quality. The jl twin 10" sub below the seat is spectacular and retains the factory look.

I'm confused, there's only a 6.5" adapter for the soundbar and lower kick panel speakers, not the upper dash, correct? I haven't seen adapters for the upper dash but would love it if it's possible. I'm not really interested in spending a few hours tearing the dash apart for the lower pods

 

[DrewP]

I'm confused, there's only a 6.5" adapter for the soundbar and lower kick panel speakers, not the upper dash, correct? I haven't seen adapters for the upper dash but would love it if it's possible. I'm not really interested in spending a few hours tearing the dash apart for the lower pods

Correct. I mounted the tweets from the crossovers on top. One day of pain, for years of pleasure was my thought process.

 

[mx5red]

Correct. I mounted the tweets from the crossovers on top. One day of pain, for years of pleasure was my thought process.

I gotcha. The tweeters threw me off, thought that was part of a new dash pod or something
I just can’t believe that much sound comes out of the kick panels, though I admit I haven’t tried listening to them specifically.

 

[Kevin_D]

I just can’t believe that much sound comes out of the kick panels, though I admit I haven’t tried listening to them specifically.

The lower dash speakers are the main speakers for the front; the upper dash speakers are just tweeters.

Kevin

 

[DrewP]

I gotcha. The tweeters threw me off, thought that was part of a new dash pod or something
I just can’t believe that much sound comes out of the kick panels, though I admit I haven’t tried listening to them specifically.

If your amp is properly adjusted those front kick panel speakers come to life and balance out very well with the soundbar speakers. I wanted separate tweeters mounted like that as that's how our 2012 Wrangler was set up and it created a beautiful sound stage. Ive installed a dozen systems in my cars over my lifetime and these focal speakers along with their 5 channel focal app is the best I've ever heard!

 

[saintpauljeff]

got an email from Crutchfield about Kenwood KFC-X3C back in stock so I ordered a pair, arrive today, will put them in the dash location to check 'em out before I order soundbar speakers

 

[mx5red]

If your amp is properly adjusted those front kick panel speakers come to life and balance out very well with the soundbar speakers. I wanted separate tweeters mounted like that as that's how our 2012 Wrangler was set up and it created a beautiful sound stage. Ive installed a dozen systems in my cars over my lifetime and these focal speakers along with their 5 channel focal app is the best I've ever heard!

Do you think the focal speakers would do well just plug-n-play with the stock 8.4 alpine setup? I’d rather not mess with adding any amps or LOCs and what-not, but I know the stock premium system may not be powerful enough to drive good speakers.

 

[DrewP]

Do you think the focal speakers would do well just plug-n-play with the stock 8.4 alpine setup? I’d rather not mess with adding any amps or LOCs and what-not, but I know the stock premium system may not be powerful enough to drive good speakers.

That I am not sure of.....

 

[go0001]

My subpar experience is with the hardtop *on* too, and I have the Hotheads sound dampening material as well...

So do I. I went through the whole ‘buy upgrade speakers from Crutchfield’.
Tried out just Infinity Reference 3.5 in the dash. Jeep stationary, it sounded great. At highway speeds, with the noise, I was getting so much mostly reflected treble off the windshield it was just painful to my ears.

While upgrading only the 3.5 in the dash and sound bar is attractive from a price point of view, I think one really needs more power to the whole system to ‘push through’ noise.
(2020 JTO 8.4UConnect)

 

[Unkiebunk045]

Those kickers look nice. Im a kenwood fan, but if I hadnt bought them already, Id probably go for the ones you shared.

One the left in these images are the SPR-10TW 1" Tweeters that came with the Alpine PSS-23WRA kit. On the right are the Kenwood KFC-X3C`s I am replacing them with.

Are you’re only sound upgraded the alpine kit and those kenwood upper dash did you do anything else?

The kenwoods came with the crossover and you initially removed, but then put back in?


i have the alpine kit and i also upgrade the smaller soundbar speakers with the dart ones—deciding if i want to upgrade the larger ones to the 4” kickers that are almost plug and play and/or if i want to change out the upper dash tweeters as well.

also you have the 7” uconnect?

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