Stereo - To Upgrade or Not to Upgrade

[Homeskillet]

1st I would like to thank everyone who chimed in to help me with my cockpit table questions. You are all quite helpful

With out being too long winded and providing every last detail to bore people with, my question is pretty simple. Is it worth it to upgrade to JL audio speakers in place of my current Sony speakers (pictured below) if I do not amplify them, and drive them with the Sony deck (also pictured below)? I am/was not planning to upgrade the Sony deck. Also would it be worth it to upgrade to those speakers JL Audio speakers if I was not going to add a sub or more power???

I do have access to a sub from a friend of mine who has it mounted in a separate sub box. I am wondering if anybody has heard of someone mounting a sub like that, in the engine hatch??? I ask because I am positive The Warden wouldn't let me cut a hole for a sub. I am looking into this stuff, because a friend of mine, who used to compete in Audio Competitions back in the day with his car system, still has a bunch of that stuff in his basement. He has 3 or 4 amps that are over a 1000W each, and a sub too (I don't even know the brand of the sub haha) He is cleaning and wants to get rid of it for nothing. So I figured it might be worth the try.

Was thinking I my pick up the 6 JL audio speakers and try just swapping them out. And then proceed with more power and a sub if necessary. I just really don't know if a sub will work in the engine hatch.

I got rambling a bit there...sorry! Any thoughts?


Homeskillet
2005 Cobalt 220

[NautiGirl]

Stereo upgrades are a hot topic this off season... I'll get Mr. Nauti to chime in as he planned ours out. BBP is doing his too.


Just do what we both did... Ditch the old and get all new... And in BBP's case, add more than enough to get your wife so mad that you can't even hear the new jams over her yelling!

[Homeskillet]

Lol that's pretty funny.

I did read Mr Nauti's thread and enjoyed all the info (even though much of it was over my head). Cant wait to read his thoughts

[akorcovelos]

Nothing will really be an upgrade being driven off that head unit. If you're serious enough to put some amps in and pull the right gauge wires to the speakers it would make a big difference. If I had an opportunity like you to get some older competition level equipment for free, I wouldn't be able to hear my wife yelling over the jigsaw while I cut holes all over for subs, lol.

[Bfun220]

Nothing will really be an upgrade being driven off that head unit. If you're serious enough to put some amps in and pull the right gauge wires to the speakers it would make a big difference. If I had an opportunity like you to get some older competition level equipment for free, I wouldn't be able to hear my wife yelling over the jigsaw while I cut holes all over for subs, lol.

+1

[Homeskillet]

I think this wknd when it's warmer, I'll raise the engine hatch and see if I have any options to secure a sub. It's a 10" MB Quart woofer and the enclosure is a custom built 15" square, I believe (he also builds house and such). He hasn't gotten back to me on the brand of amp, but I know it's a 1000W. He thought I could run the sub AND the 6 speakers off that 1 amp.

Maybe this stuff is too old to use today. I actually think I still have an older Punch amp (100W) from my old truck!

[NautiGirl]

Nothing will really be an upgrade being driven off that head unit. If you're serious enough to put some amps in and pull the right gauge wires to the speakers it would make a big difference. If I had an opportunity like you to get some older competition level equipment for free, I wouldn't be able to hear my wife yelling over the jigsaw while I cut holes all over for subs, lol.

This.

I would definitely replace those speakers as they look like they have seen better days. If you don't want to invest in new amps, which would include running new speaker wires and power and ground wires, then I would look at speakers from Kicker. No sense in dropping $250 a pair for JL or Wet Sounds and then run them off the head unit. Kicker is making some really good stuff for the price, and they will work great with your head unit power.

Free is always good, if you can grab some amps from a buddy and get them installed then it may be worth it to look at speakers from Wet Sounds or JL. Just remember the amp's may be free but you will still need to run power ground and speaker wire. I spent about $150 to do that all in our boat.

If I can help with anything else lmk. Good luck!

[Big Block Power]

Personally I don't think the JL is much above the factory set up. Lol
A amp is a must. Sub. I was ok without it this year. Really when you buy good speakers is really not needed. My 222 had a 8 inch sub in a box the compartment behind the port bow seat. It worked. If you don't want to buy a amp just get the Sony mexbt100 head unit. Or rip all of the crap out and go big and go home and yes be like me and put something in it louder than your wife can yell. If you can still hear her your really in deep crap. I'll let you know where I stand in 4 months.

[jhnmdahl]

I’d look at your friend’s amp, but if it won’t work you can pick up a JL 600/6 for $400-600 (see https://creativeaudio.net/m600-6-k/ for example), and power all six main speakers with their own channels. I’d plan to do both, even if it takes breaking the project up into two stages,

John

[Homeskillet]

Saw some Kickers on Amazon for $229 (6 of them). Those can't be the ones you're talking about can they?!

Nauti you are the 2nd person to recommend Kickers

[jhnmdahl]

Used Kickers can be a good value because they’re fairly common as higher end stock speakers (my Cobalt came with them). Probably a solid step down from JL’s MX series, but better than what you’ve got.

[NautiGirl]

Saw some Kickers on Amazon for $229 (6 of them). Those can't be the ones you're talking about can they?!

Nauti you are the 2nd person to recommend Kickers

That does seem a bit cheap - you know what they say "if its too good to be true..."

I would put in the KM65 series, thtas what came from our boat from the factory. Here is a link: https://creativeaudio.net/45km654/ Creative does 10% off your order with the coupon code "NEW10" so you are looking at $135 a pair.

[Big Block Power]

Look at Polk.

[Homeskillet]

Here are the pix he sent me of his stuff. I am still getting some details about the Polk speakers. Not positive he meant to send me those... at any rate, I'm pretty sure there are not 6 speakers there. So I don't know if I'd even use them.

[Homeskillet]

Keep in mind, these are from his HS days (he's 48 years young today lol)