Factory speakers upgrade project (Hertz HSK163 & Audison Voce AV X6.5)

So, after I've completed the HU upgrade which did very little in terms of sound quality, the next step was to upgrade stock speakers.

I spent days researching speakers. I wanted originally to go 2-way for the front and coax on the back, but then decided to get 3-way's.

2-way components I was researching:

• Hertz HSK 165
• Focal 165K
• MB Quart QS216
• JL Audio C5-650

3-way components I was researching:

• DLS Ultimate UP 36i
• Hertz HSK 163

Read here about difference between 2- and 3-way.

Finally, I settled on set of 3-way Hertz HSK 163 and set of Audison Voce AV X6.5 coax for the back. The main goal - SQ.

At the time I did the install I was offered to replace HT25 tweeter with slightly larger HT28 and HV 165L with HV 165XL, so my final set for the front comprise HT 25, HL 70 and HV 165XL. The difference between original set (HT 25, HL 70 and HV 165L) and mine (HT 28, HL 70 and HV 165XL) IMO is not too big if any, I heard both sets but decided to go with more expensive.

HT 25 - tweeter 1" (25mm) / HT 28 - tweeter 28mm
HL70 - mid 3"
HV165L - woofer 6.5" / HV165XL - woofer 6.5"

Hertz HSK 163:
6.5" woofer, 3" (7cm) midrange and 25mm (1") Tweeter
150W RMS power handling (300W peak)
Frequency response: 40-22kHz
Impendence: 4-ohms
Sensitivity: 92 dB/Spl
Woofer Outer diameter: 166mm
Woofer Mounting hole diameter: 141mm
Woofer Mounting depth: 67mm
Midrange mounting diamete: 71mm
Midrange mounting depth: 41mm
Crossover included: 500Hz and 4.5kHz crossover frequency

 

...to be continued

 

Will try to organize all pictures above later and add some comments.

 

You do not need anything else behind mids/tweeters.

 

Thanks for this advise. The car was sitting on the sun many times times last April and nothing happened so far. Good think about the hot glue is that it is easily removable , so I can replace it with high temperature silicon if necessary. I also recall seeing a metal ring that came as one of the mounting options for the tweeter, it can be used as well.

 

When I was trying to find a right location for tweeters, I used a velcro tape attached to the back and moved both tweeters around. The location I choose produced the best soundstage and overall sound richness. I've red alot of theory about where and how to install speakers, but at the end everybody agree that YOUR EARS should be the judge and YOU are the one who decided what sounds best regardless of the location. I had to do adjustments using 9980HD's DSP, and I am still looking for ideas how to professionally measure and tune-up my sound system (the DSP allows me to adjust high- and low-pass crossover levels, time alignment distance along with some other settings).

 

I found one tool at Amazon that was like round cylinder with exactly the same diameter, I guess it was intended for drilling holes in wood cabinets

 

After a hot summer (car parked outside under the sun) I had to do some work with tweeters mounted in A-pillar. Regular hot gun glue I originally used to hold them in place is no longer holding them; and since the mesh covering them is painted in black they are like sun magnets - after few hours under the sun they are unbearably hot to touch.

I decided to do two things. First, I painted tweeters with metallic grey spray rated for high temperatures. It was an easy job, it took more time to push gently some napkins behind the mesh to preserver the membrane. Second, I've purchased high temperature silicon and combined it with some better hot gun glue that was advertised to hold higher temperatures. So far, so good for about 6+ months, but if it happen again I will probably use epoxy.

I'll add some pictures showing painted tweeters in 1-2 days.