Different way to install dash speakers... and a Tang Band sub twist
03-06-2016, 02:43 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Different way to install dash speakers... and a Tang Band sub twist
Finally got around to installing new speakers/head unit/amp in my 99' cab.
Did the head unit first and it did make a good difference in the sound quality just like everyone had mentioned it would. Still not enough though. So I hooked up an old Alpine 70x4 amp I had sitting around... but just hooked it up to the door 'subs' for now (will hook it up do the dash speakers soon). It definitely cleaned up the sound a bit but still wasn't enough... so I installed a pair of the Tang Band 5.25" subs. It's a pretty easy install but I have to make a comment that differs from the other installs I've seen on here: You can't have the magnet sticking out of the enclosure because it is vented. This lets opposing sound waves meet and it also creates a lot of audible turbulence (sounds really bad). If the magnet wasn't vented it would be great but it is and it sounds like happy horsep*ss. So I took the two plastic discs that were made when I used the hole saw to cut the hole for the magnet and siliconed them onto the back of the magnet. Yes, I know the magnet won't cool as easily now... I don't care. They sounded terrible before I capped them and good enough after.
Second note on the subs... my doors have the small enclosures and there's no way they're big enough for these speakers. Stock speakers sounded deeper by far and they shouldn't be.
For the dash speakers I used a set of Kicker 41KSC44 components. I've never been a huge fan of Kicker for anything but subs... but in the cab I wanted them as loud as I could get them and Kicker was pretty much it. Here's where I did things different (and I should have taken a picture of it)... I don't like how everyone was basically gluing their speakers into the old cut up speaker baskets... so what I did was to just cut notches into the old basket where the mounting tabs for the speakers go (using a dremel and a cut off wheel). Then you can just sandwich the old speaker basket with the oem speaker grill and screw them together... and now you don't have to worry about the speaker falling off the grill.
So all in all... it sounds decent but still needs at least one proper sub to be acceptable to me... and it will never have a decent sub because I need the back seats.
Don't let your meat-loaf.
-Mag
Did the head unit first and it did make a good difference in the sound quality just like everyone had mentioned it would. Still not enough though. So I hooked up an old Alpine 70x4 amp I had sitting around... but just hooked it up to the door 'subs' for now (will hook it up do the dash speakers soon). It definitely cleaned up the sound a bit but still wasn't enough... so I installed a pair of the Tang Band 5.25" subs. It's a pretty easy install but I have to make a comment that differs from the other installs I've seen on here: You can't have the magnet sticking out of the enclosure because it is vented. This lets opposing sound waves meet and it also creates a lot of audible turbulence (sounds really bad). If the magnet wasn't vented it would be great but it is and it sounds like happy horsep*ss. So I took the two plastic discs that were made when I used the hole saw to cut the hole for the magnet and siliconed them onto the back of the magnet. Yes, I know the magnet won't cool as easily now... I don't care. They sounded terrible before I capped them and good enough after.
Second note on the subs... my doors have the small enclosures and there's no way they're big enough for these speakers. Stock speakers sounded deeper by far and they shouldn't be.
For the dash speakers I used a set of Kicker 41KSC44 components. I've never been a huge fan of Kicker for anything but subs... but in the cab I wanted them as loud as I could get them and Kicker was pretty much it. Here's where I did things different (and I should have taken a picture of it)... I don't like how everyone was basically gluing their speakers into the old cut up speaker baskets... so what I did was to just cut notches into the old basket where the mounting tabs for the speakers go (using a dremel and a cut off wheel). Then you can just sandwich the old speaker basket with the oem speaker grill and screw them together... and now you don't have to worry about the speaker falling off the grill.
So all in all... it sounds decent but still needs at least one proper sub to be acceptable to me... and it will never have a decent sub because I need the back seats.
Don't let your meat-loaf.
-Mag
