Speakers sound weak
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=39866
Printed Date: September 19, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Topic: Speakers sound weak
Posted By: tonto26
Subject: Speakers sound weak
Date Posted: September 27, 2004 at 7:52 PM
Just replaced some 6.5's in front of car with new ones, and new external tweeters. I realized that the speakers had originally been hooked up backwards (+ to -). After replacing, the sound is incredibly weak, being overpowered by the rear even with sound faded to front. The tweeters, and regular speakers are wired in parallel without a crossover, both 4 ohm.
Any ideas?
Replies:
Posted By: kfr01
Date Posted: September 27, 2004 at 7:59 PM
You need a crossover on those tweeters or they will sound like ass and break. Fantastic way to ruin new stuff. Similarly, the cone on the 'regular speaker' will not sound good without a crossover. Why are you running them in parallel? Try switching the polarity, maybe the wires are wrong. ------------- New Project: 2003 Pathfinder
Posted By: stevdart
Date Posted: September 27, 2004 at 9:15 PM
Would this be a replacement of speakers in a Bose OEM system, by any chance?
------------- Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.
Posted By: tonto26
Date Posted: September 27, 2004 at 10:33 PM
nope, replacement of aftermarkets in a honda.
Posted By: Velocity Motors
Date Posted: September 27, 2004 at 11:17 PM
Are those rears OEM or aftermarket ? Also, what are you using to power the front components ?
------------- Jeff
Velocity Custom Home Theater
Mobile Audio/Video Specialist
Morden, Manitoba CANADA
Posted By: tonto26
Date Posted: September 28, 2004 at 7:38 AM
rears aftermarket, all powered by HU.
Posted By: Rushman
Date Posted: September 29, 2004 at 6:43 PM
I would first get the x-over on them and then check several things. #1 polarity. they could just be backwards. #2 are the backs of the speakers and magnets touching anything metal in the doors that could be grounding them out. #3 Take the wire straight from the radio and just test it with an old speaker to make sure the radio is working.
Posted By: forbidden
Date Posted: September 29, 2004 at 7:20 PM
Are the front speakers real honest to god components with a crossover for the woofer and the tweeter or are they make believe wanna be's with a full range woofer and a tweeter wired in parallel to the woofer (usually with a cap on the + lead to the tweeter - thus a tweeter only crossover). To me this is two issues. The possible out of phase issue that Rushman touched on. Fade the speakers all the way to the front. Disconnect the leads from one of the door woofers. If the bass response goes up, the woofer was wired out of phase, meaning one of the two woofers was wired + to -. Play with the speaker wires that are disconnected right now and connect them + to - and - to + and listen to both speakers. Now reverse those leads and wire them back to normal. Play the same song over and over again while you listen to the speakers. Eventually you will hear out of phase in the blink of an eye. Listen for a lack of bass response one way over the other. The second issue that you have is efficiency. Coax speakers (which I assume are your rear speakers) are highly efficient, component speakers are not. Thus a component speaker needs that much more power to play as loud as the more efficient speakers. If you have to adjust the fader almost all the way forward to compensate for the overpowering rear speakers, this is a good indication of a inefficient speaker. The answer here is to amplify those puppies. ------------- Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.
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