full range or component

[corsec131]

which is better, full range speakers or component speakers. and where is the factory amplifier? is it possible to put in an aftermarket head unit and still use the factory amp with the aftermarket speakers. i realize that speakers are really important?

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[EB Bauer]

I didn't see this until now. this may help some aswell.
Dead Link Removed

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Scott Bauer
'91 Eddie Bauer

 

[EB Bauer]

It is posible although you will fry the amp or speakers. Trust me I made the same mistake. The moment I hooked it up my amp it was fried and the speakers were toast. If you go to a good quality stereo store they sell a wireing harness to bypass the stock amp. I think it runs something around $15. I would remove the stock amp and replace it. not to hard to do and the sound is much better!


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Scott Bauer
'91 Eddie Bauer

 

[danny]

You can get a converter to run the factory amps off of an aftermarket deck, but a good aftermarket deck will put out as much or more than the stock speakers. I ran straight from my Alpine to the factory amps with no problem except a little popping when changing station or songs mid-track. But the deck power sounds better than the factory amps did. This was in my 93 SHO, but I did use it in the explorer for a week while the sho was in the shop for body work. Hey, I really liked the deck and didn't want to be without it for a week Dead Link Removed. I just wish I could talk my wife into letting me get a second one for the Explorer Dead Link Removed. Components will have much better sound than a full range if they are installed properly, but a good amp will really make them sound much better!

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Danny
93SHO
91EB
www.hit.net/~danny/explorer.html

 

[j greathouse]

by far separates are the way to go!!! The problem with car stereo systems is "stereo imaging" stock speakers usually arn't in the best place the higher frequences really get drowned out by this because the speaker is not faced toward your ear its usually down by your feet! with separate componets you can put the tweeter toward your ear more place it higher and aim for your head that way your getting a diret sound rather then it bounce off of something your mid bass driver in your separate componets will be iin the same place as your stock speakers but that does'nt really matter as much for bass and alot of mid bass travels through vibration or air movement . deffinently better sound and separation

 

[JTang]

I agree with what J. Greathouse is saying, yes, separates would be better if everything else was equal. However, if you are just going to put the separates in crappy places, then it won't really help. It's much better to get the speaker placement right first. I'd rather have fullrange in good placement than separates in areas with poor imaging. If you're just going to put the speakers in the stock location and then put the tweeters somewhere else distant from the midrange, it might sound good, or might not depending on the ones you buy. As usual, just because something sounds good on a sales demo wall doesn't mean it'll sound like that in your car.

Yes, speakers are important. You could put as many amps and better head units if you wanted, but it will still sound bad if you have bad speakers. Concentrate on those first.

Yes, it is still possible to use the factory amp with everything else being aftermarket. If you wante better sound, you just have to spend more money. Dead Link Removed

All frequencies travel through vibration or air movement, it's just that the very low frequencies are more difficult for the ear to localize, especially when the sound waves are so much larger. You should still try and have the midbasses correctly angled as well, because the majority of vocals come from this driver. If you put the tweeters from separates in a good place, but leave the midbass in the stock location, the tweeters may sound too loud, because they're in better positions.

Good luck

 

[danny]

Kick-panels are about the best solution to speaker placement, unless you can afford compression drivers. But whatever you go with will have it's compromises, either in cost, sound, or utility. The best way to find how the speakers you decide on will sound is listen to a similar vehicle with them installed. There are a lot of shops that have demo vehicles they are proud to show off, or find a local competition and you are sure to find an explorer there! Or, for a very exotic install, check out Autosound for Patrick Gates' SQ explorer. After the records Alma Gates has set in SPL with the bronco, they've went into SQ with an explorer Dead Link Removed.

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Danny
93SHO
91EB
www.hit.net/~danny/explorer.html

 

[MFergy]

I believe in seperates, selling speakers i would simply say that a round one piece midrange will always put out better sound than an eliptical speaker or one with a tweeter in the the middle. Placement IS important, stereo imaging is key, most tweeters can be angled to enhance this. A good middle of the line mid-range driver powered, and crossed over correctly should definetely pound out good tunes, their direction, like a sub, is not as important as the tweeter. In the end it comes down to money, time and desire. I run two sets of seperates and a sub.