how to buy speakers

When it comes to choosing speakers, let your ears do the choosing.

I purchased a Kenwood DBX592BT head unit from Crutchfield. It was nice having their Tech support to call when I needed it. When it came time for speakers I called them. For my budget they recommended Infinity Primus component system. There were a lot of positive reviews for these speakers. I was told some minor wiring work would be needed. That was not even close to reality.

So Google, and I spent many hours together. The more I learned, the more confused I got, with all the different opinions about which were the best speakers, where the dash speakers should point for perfect staging, and on, and on. I called my Crutchfield specialist, who admitted, he had given me the wrong advise, and instead of a dash tweeter, it would be easier to put in 2 way dash, and 2 way door speakers He would email me with his new recommendations. Fortunately the email never came.

I decided instead of talking to someone in a cubicle, to talk with people who work directly with car stereos. Some of the places I checked out were frighting, with all the $500. and up speakers, and giant woofers. That changed with a company that has been around over 25 years, San Diego Car Stereo. Shaun, who has been in the stereo business for 18 yrs showed me some speakers in my $120 budget. He said (and I am really condensing this) “not to change the dash tweeters, that they were not that big a deal in the system. Let the tweeters do their job, as inferior as they are. I am better off spending my money on 2 way door speakers. He had me bring in music I listened to, then I closed my eyes. As the samples of my music played, he switched between different brand speakers. I was able to hear exactly the sound I wanted. It was that simple. Another interesting thing. I asked about wire adapters for the car wiring harness. He said “because they are so cheaply made he does not use them. He solders the wires, or in my case I could use connectors with piglets to connect the speakers”.

How does it sound? When replacing speakers the weigh about 3 oz, anything sounds better. The most important, thing for me, the speakers not only sound exceptional, but have the exact sound I was looking for, within my budget. Something no amount of research, or reading reviews, and talking to someone in a cubicle would have ever accomplished. Plus a much easier instillation.

Speakers: Infinity Reference REF-6522ix

Doors: Noico 80 mil sound deadening mat – 3 15x22” sheets /door, double layers behind speakers