I have the four speaker base Fit system. For budget reasons if I just replaced the two front's and kept the stock rears for now, would that make a noticeable difference in sound improvement or would the crappy rears drown out any advantages new front ones would offer. I suppose I could weight the fader towards the front.

Also what's a reasonable price to pay for speaker installation at a place such as Best Buy geek squad? I know the speakers aren't a direct replacement and modification will have to be done.

 

Yes, by improving the front speakers and thus the sound stage it will definately help you out. Typically to maintain the sound stage the rears are ignored, removed, or are only replaced by slightly better rears as you want the best sound coming from the front, the sound stage.

I dont know how much speaker installation is, I think I've seen places that do promos where installation is free with purchase. However I would do it myself by following the DIY's on the forum here

 

Install should cost no more than $65 with parts for just changing the front speakers.

I always reccomend as a start to change the front speakers, then change the head unit, then add a sub, then add a 4ch amp and last go for the rears.

If you are keepign the stock head unit with no intention of upgrading I'd highly suggest getting some Infinity Kappa 2 way coaxials. they are 2ohm and very efficient so you won't be lacking for power.

 

I did the exact same thing in my Ford Ranger. The front two I picked up at regular price, then a website was running a promo like 4 months later and I got another set.

Go with what you can afford... but yah the fronts are more important for the sound you'll get up front!

 

I ordered a Kenwood eXcelon KDC-X492 CD Receiver for a head unit but have no intention of getting an amp or a subwoofer, at least for the foreseeable future. Hopefully this unit and a different pair of front speakers will make a noticeable difference.

They sell Infinity Model: REF6022I for $109.99 at Best Buy and Infinity Model: KAPPA62.9I for $129.99. Is it worth it to get the more expensive latter, is this the speaker you are referring to in Kappa 2's? Unless a boatload cheaper on the Internet, maybe I'll buy one of these two and see what they would charge to put it in. I'm kind of nervous about breaking something in attempts to remove the stock speakers.

 

absolutely get the kappa's they are loads more efficient. meaning that they eed less power into them for the same level of output as the references. so Louder with less power ...

 

I have the 62.9i, and if I were buying speakers again I would get the Reference ones. I had those in my truck with the same headunit and the sound to me was about the same. You'll also need a small spacer for the Kappas in the rear doors unless you hack up the door a little. FWIW, I just replaced one of my rear speakers because the tweeter went on it, the new one seems like something is wrong with the woofer right out of the box. Not sure if I am just having bad luck or if these have issues, though the other one is working just fine for me.

 

Anybody ever try 6 1/2" three-ways such as the Infinity Kappa 63.91's? Wonder if there's a real world difference in sound?

 

3 ways a ghetto marketting ploy, It's just having 2 tweeters. It generaly just has overpowering highs.

 

Injudon, do you recommend using a combined speaker for the front replacement, or components to replace both the fronts and the front tweeters? Or do you just leave the tweeters unplugged and ignored?

Rannous

 

Best Buy was out of the Kappa's so I ended up buying the Reference, only to have the install guy call me up and say the speakers were too deep to fit the mounting hole. I know you guys have gotten them to fit so evidently modification is required that the installer was unknowledgable or unwilling to perform. So I ultimately had them install Pioneer TS-A1672R 3-ways, the only ones Best Buy sold that were shallow enough to fit the mounting hole. I'm sure they are probably not as good as the Infinity's but boy they sound loads better then the stock speakers. My what cheap speakers the stocks are. They aren't even 2-way and can't weigh more then four ounces, it seems. The good thing about the Best Buy install is that they will re-install the original stock items for free.

As for the Kenwood eXcelon KDC-X492 receiver I agree with other comments I've read about it and Kenwood receivers in general. Excellent performer but quirky controls and a screen that can't be seen in bright daylight. The good thing about the controls is that after I set them, I can largely forget about them. One huge improvement over the stock radio was the quality of the FM sound although I'm sure the new speakers factored in as well. That really jumped out at me. The volume control goes up to 35 and between the receiver and the speakers doesn't really distort until the last two settings. I can get a moderately loud output at about setting 25 which is good enough for me although I would imagine an amp would improve the bass. Maybe sometime I might install a small sub but what a large improvement just changing the head unit and the front speakers has made.

 

Careful now, upgrading your stereo system can be habit forming.

 

I have some Hertz HSK165 and there is no need for me to upgrade the rear

 

The speakers in your cars are 6 1/2 right? All around?? Just making sure sorry.

 

yup 6 1/2"

 

^^ A thousand thank yous!

 

i would take that with a grain of salt
Matching Car Speakers to Your Mobile A/V System

the kappas are equally as efficient as a 92db speaker rated at 1v.

6.5" speakers are not a direct fit in a Fit. they require adaptor rings.

 

Efficiency at what frequency? Since Infinity has lots of peaks in their response curve, you can count on them not being 92db at most of the spectrum. Just where the mid or tweeter screams the most at you.

 

ALL speakers available in big box stores have nasty aweful peaks in them. ALL OF THEM... which is why the frequency response is always rated at +/- 3db. Meaning you ca actually have a 6db total difference between a high peak and a low peak. speakers with relatively flat response curves are high end specialty items that generally cannot be found with a budget under $400/set.

 

i just got the kappas 62.9i and theyre charging me 90 for installation, am i getting ripped off?