Updating Speakers in 97 Sebring LXi

Hello, I have a 1997 Sebring LXi with the infinity system. I need to replace the speakers in the car as 3/4 main speakers are blown. I bought all Eclipse 8000 series for replacements. I already replaced the rear deck, no problems. My question is when I went to buy the factory->universal plugs for the front 6 1/2" speakers I was told by the kid at Circuit City that I couldn't just replace those speakers because the OEM Infinity system actually filters out the highs from the door speakers at the amp. He suggested that I run the new speakers in the door directly off the new Alpine CD player i am installing as well (built in amp). I have no problem doing this, but if this is not true, I would much rather just leave the factory amp hooked to doors. Can anyone verify this for me?? ED7

From what I understand this is true, there is a built in crossover at the amplifier. Run new wires to the speakers from the crossover, but if you have the 8364 series speaker's the Alpine HU does not have enough power to run those speaker's. What speaker's do you have exactly ? Regardless, you should run an amp to the speaker's for best SQ and to get the most out of the speaker's. Jeff

Velocity Custom Home Theater

Mobile Audio/Video Specialist

Morden, Manitoba CANADA

I have the 8262 6 1/2". I wouldn't mind if the highs were cut out of those speakers if I could find replacements for the dash speakers which are crackly as well! Those little monsters are hard to come by!

The continuous power for these are 40 watts each & peak of 80 watts. They will sound OK until you hit about 2/3 volume and then it will start clipping. Regardless, to answer your question, you will most like want to upgrade the wiring from the OEM speaker wires to something better suited for the speakers.Jeff

Velocity Custom Home Theater

Mobile Audio/Video Specialist

Morden, Manitoba CANADA

Those speakers are screamingly efficient, 97 db IIRC. Run a new speaker line to the headunit and sit back and enjoy. Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.

So what you are saying is that I should, in fact, not use the factory Infinity amp to drive these, and instead drive them with the Alpine HU? I have pre-ordered the CDA-9857 which is 18 watts RMS/50 peak x 4 channels. Anyone know what the factory Infinity amp puts out? Would I be better to use that amp and just live with no high's outta the eclipse speakers? Sorry, I am just a bit confused by the responses.

Factory sound systems are very proprietary, which is why most people don't try to integrate new components into them.  Just replacing worn old speakers of the same impedance is one thing, and fairly simple to integrate.  But replacing a deck or adding other improvements creates a nightmare.  My take on factory setups:  play them until they wear out,  then replace them entirely.  Just as an example are the troublesome dash speakers.  Just because the OEM people put little speakers there doesn't mean that you need to retain speakers in those locations.  The highs produced by tweeters should be aligned with the mids produced by woofers, which puts them in the same plane close to each other.  Your lower door locations should be supplying the complete front soundstage.  Your best bet is to eliminate what's left of the factory system.Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.

I can agree with that. I am just trying to get around buying a new amplifier! I will more than likely disconnect the dash speakers, then run my new door speakers from the Alpine unit, and leave my rear decks running off the infinity amp since that is the way it currently is, and it sounds great. I was just looking for some clarification on the built in crossover, as if it does not exist, I would use the factory amp to drive the door speakers as well.