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Non/JBL upgrade, tweeter question

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by Swan0610, Feb 7, 2016.

  1. Swan0610

    Swan0610 New Member

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    Long time listener first time caller here...

    I'm adding an android quad-core pumpkin nav hu

    I'm tossing a small marine style amp, 400w kewood kac-m1804, behind that to boost the four channels to the oem speakers.

    I plan on upgrading all the speakers at once sometime down the line, but I have a pair of:
    Rockford F R1T-S 1-Inch Tweeters I wanted to use before that to spruce up the highs in the front.

    Can I just carve out a home for them on the squawker panel and tap the positive/negative from right there? Is there an optimum way to wire this?

    Is there any reason I should just replace the squawks with the tweeters or would that be pretty unbalanced in the midrange?

    Thanks for tips or direction!
     
  2. Sfcyclist

    Sfcyclist Senior Member

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    You're doing a number of things here...

    In regards to the stock speakers... Doubt they can handle much more power. I would just replace them when you're installing the amp.

    Once you remove the squawker there is plenty of space for your 1 inch tweeter. I replaced mine with a 3.5" kicker and only had to trim the slightly. Then about the wiring, are you panning to use a crossover? The front 4 speakers are wired in parallel with a bass blockers on the squawkers.

    [​IMG]



    iPhone ?
     
    #2 Sfcyclist, Feb 8, 2016
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2016
  3. Swan0610

    Swan0610 New Member

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    I tend to agree with the oem speakers blowing. I was thinking of simply splicing the tweeter in parallel with the other two front speakers (on the same channel), leaving the squawk to squawk... The tweeters have a passive crossover. I just wonder how the sound would be running the volume at 2/3rds or less with this setup.

    The better version I'm considering is then just putting the tweets in the squawk spot and paralleling them with a 2 way in the door. What's a good modest front speaker to consider? I want mids and lows and my amp is only throwing out 400watts so overkill isn't needed.
     
  4. Sfcyclist

    Sfcyclist Senior Member

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    Only 400 watts? If that's 2 channels rms, that's a lot of power. Im only running 50 watts rms per channel to the fronts.

    Sorry but your leaving a lot of details about your quest. Search and you will find...


    iPhone ?
     
  5. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    frodoz737 | PriusChat Look at my Media

    You need to do a little more planing with the speakers. The "bass-blockers" on the current squawkers are a joke and should be avoided. Get 2-way or 3-way component fronts with active cross-overs. If you go 2-way, make a bracket and place the tweeter in the current squawker location. You don't have to go all out like I did, but the principle is the same. That HU/AMP combo "WILL" blow out those cheap paper factory speakers. You'll see when you look at them.
     
  6. Swan0610

    Swan0610 New Member

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    Thanks for the reply, installing now (literally). I looked for 6x9 components but realized that must be bad acoustically because only 6.5 were available. I wondered about sound given the distance from woof to tweet (using factory locations) in a component setup, but got a two way kewood component 6.5 set anyway. 2-way coaxial kewood going in back when I get to it.

    Unit/accessories are sliding in now and I want to test factory sound through this amp before I speaker up. My latest idea is to mount the component tweeter in the pillar (seems to make up distance disparity better there), leave the factory squawks, change the door speakers, run 4 amped channels and... Can I run the squawks off the front channels coming from the head unit? No amp power but using same channel non amped?

    I do not know if I can do that but if so, I think it will sound nice with the set up... Can I do that? Otherwise I will mount the tweeter in the factory location from the component and say screw the squawks. Thoughts? Back to head unit...
     
  7. Sfcyclist

    Sfcyclist Senior Member

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    There's a lot of missing detail with what you're asking.

    The only question I can answer is my non jbl navi head unit sounds acceptable as a source with amp. I'm happy with my upgrade.


    iPhone ?
     
  8. Swan0610

    Swan0610 New Member

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    I'm asking if you can run an amped line out (rca) simultaneous with a second non-amped line coming from the same front channel for separate fill speakers. I want to know what happens if I do that.
     
  9. Swan0610

    Swan0610 New Member

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    Meanwhile, I wired up the unit, gave it the amp, rear camera, and yea... The unit is amazing. The speakers are truly awful. They are louder faster with an amp but not any less shitty.

    Doing the rear speakers now and the front components tomorrow... Still awfully curious about running my squawkes off the head unit's non rca front channel.
     
  10. Sfcyclist

    Sfcyclist Senior Member

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    Basically split the speaker level output from the head unit to your amp and speaker? Yes it will work. Assuming your amp has speaker level input. If not, you'll need a line out converter to feed to your amp. I am driving my squawkers off headunit and doors speakers are amplified. The source for these speakers are the front speaker level output from head unit.
     
  11. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    The squawkers are crap too. That's why I did three-way components off dedicated cross-overs. Each channel off dedicated amp feed. All signals go from the HU to the AMP. I think you're just complicating things for yourself.
     
  12. Swan0610

    Swan0610 New Member

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    I'm not complicating things. I've spent 550$ on all new speakers, amp, premium better than factory head unit with nav and back up cam. I got a great deal on the component front speakers and added a custom placement in the a frame.

    It's more complicated than your install, but also probably a fraction of the price... Gonna listen soon and see just how good it is. Almost done.

    The ONLY thing I want to know is what happens when I split that signal in the head unit. Is it really splitting anything? I don't want my rca amped front channel output degraded if that indeed occurs.
     
  13. Swan0610

    Swan0610 New Member

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    I have RCA and normal speaker outputs (both) on my head unit. The rca is feeding components in the front and I want the head unit to feed only the squawks. It's like yours but my chanel was separated first in the head unit. Does this affect sound in any way? Cheers! Will report how my system sounds shortly (wired how I just mentioned)
     
  14. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    Yes my system was expensive, but the principles and applications are the same regardless the cost.

    I can't speak for your HU, but mine was 5 watt per channel output to the amp. If you tap off that channel, I would think the power would be reduced to each leg based on load. I have not done this and would not. Also, the frequency to the squawker is now unfiltered. Let us know what happens.

    Do I read you right...you are going to use 2-ways up front and tap in the squawker as well?
     
  15. Swan0610

    Swan0610 New Member

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    No I don't think u quite got me,but close. I'm making a new post to summarize. Here's a preview:

    Budget audio - DIY - general guide


    My pumpkin android hu came in 5 days from Hong Kong. 1080 p, nav, bt, everything but XM. It's highly functional and intuitive. 378$ shipped and I asked them to add a backup cam, they did. The unit has cheap plastic knobs and buttons with un-matching fonts, but overall 9/10 for matchup with my Prius.

    I found a 45 rms x4 kenwood amp, no functions and small enough to get in the dash. 84$ on Amazon (great reviews). I wired the factory squawkers to the speaker wire output fronts from my hu, keeping all the front wiring intact (minus breaking parallel w/ new door channel). I ran seperate front channels through rca outs on my hu and then the amp. Its powering clear powerful component kenwoods, 4.75 stars, 220+ reviews on Amazon.63.33$ 1 day shipping). I have 2 way kenwood coaxials in the back (29.99).

    First impressions:

    My 2010 non-nav/non jbl upgraded to a 8/10 from 1.5/10... after the install. I truly love the new sound. It's clear and thumpy. The custom factory tweeter placement on the a arm makes for a directionally ideal, rich tweeter sound. I won't go with coaxial again. I love the cam feature, as does my wife.

    Install reviewed

    The oem speakers are chincy, it's a wonder they sound as good as they do. The small size amp is worth it. You can find plenty of you tube vids on how to pull apart your Prius. It's easy once you get yanking. Use the correct size heat shrink and twist the wires well. People say you need to solder. You don't. You need to know how to use heat tube and tangle up wires.

    I got tripped up trying to get the cam to send input ASAP when you are in reverse. The supply you send should be also connected to head unit (reverse in) via the wire sticking out at the hu AV Jack.

    I wired the cam through the trunk because I wanted it mounted under the bumper. This turned out better and easier than the other methods.

    The problem with bad fm signal is gone with new hu.

    I still don't know if I'm degrading my front channel by running the squawk power off the head unit. I did connect the front channels to Christmas light plugs so I do plan on testing the sound difference soon.

    Overall:

    Sound is fantastic! Install was lengthy because I had to search for a lot of misc. info being amateur with car audio. Best 550$ I ever spent. I can answer any specific questions. Hoping somebody will offer their informed thoughts on my front channel still.., Cheers!
     
  16. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    Not being critical...just don't understand why you're tapping off the pre-amp for the crappy factory squawker. Wouldn't real 3-way cross-over components from the amp make more sense...since (like myself) you already cut your pillars for the tweets?

    If your happy with what you have...that's all that really matters. :);)
     
  17. Swan0610

    Swan0610 New Member

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    I'm unable to discern what good or bad the squawkers are doing, but I'm going to unplug them now and have a comparison. I'll snap a few pics while I'm in there.

    The radio has 3-4 times better reception and the speakers are so clear you can tell when you are listening to crappy files. My Bluetooth on iPhone 5s has a tiny static to it that I hate. Not sure what that is, but adding an aux input. Wish I could find pin outs for my factory radio.

    Truth be told, I couldn't get the squawker cover off and I didn't want to break anything so I rolled with it. My thinking was also that the factory wiring has the bass blocker up front and wiring it how I did should have replicated a bastardized 3 way component system without bringing the ohms down to 2 or splitting the primary front channel. Squawkers would be, in theory, mid range fill. Eager to see what the difference is when I unplug. Stay tuned!
     
  18. Swan0610

    Swan0610 New Member

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    Trying to load pics...
     
  19. Sfcyclist

    Sfcyclist Senior Member

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    My replacement Squawkers output isn't mid range but more like a large Tweeter. It's still wired to factory bass blocker. I recall reading that it's cuts of is around 600hz. Sounds about there too.


    iPhone ?