# rear sub swap?



## photo2000a (Mar 9, 2004)

I pulled my rear subs off, they both were stamped 2ohms, the power capacity oddly enough was different for each but I wonder....

they seems to be a standard sized 6x9 common ohms (2), if I find a simular set, perhaps a better sounding brand, that can work (be driven) with low power , would I expect some improvement in sound

is their a vairable that i overlooked besides ohms and it's power rating ?


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## ObD (Dec 29, 2001)

You'll get a better punch installing a secondary amp to drive the subs ... a benefit is that you don't need to match the OEM impedences.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

6x9 woofer-only drivers are hard to come by.

Kicker used to make a Freeair 6x9, Pyle used to make one, and Madisound used to sell a raw 3ohm driver, and currently the only one I know of is by Visionik.

Power, impedance (usually 4 on aftermarket stuff) enclosure type and physical size (mounting depth) all make a difference in what will and will not work properly.


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## photo2000a (Mar 9, 2004)

*rear speaker redeaux*



Kaz said:


> 6x9 woofer-only drivers are hard to come by.
> 
> Kicker used to make a Freeair 6x9, Pyle used to make one, and Madisound used to sell a raw 3ohm driver, and currently the only one I know of is by Visionik.
> 
> Power, impedance (usually 4 on aftermarket stuff) enclosure type and physical size (mounting depth) all make a difference in what will and will not work properly.


Thanks very much for responding I appreciate it,

I am a bit confused, since my speakers are 2ohms, I guess i wouldn't be replacing them with either 3ohms(never heard of that) nor 4

I seem to be happy with the current power, so i didn't want to swap the sub amp just the speakers and wanted to simply ensure that if i match their ohm rating of 2ohms and the fact they need to be driven w/low power would i a) be ok, b) get better sound??

I'd consider replacing just the sub amp but i've guessed it to be fed via a unbal differential signal, and i couldn't find any such amps out their .. nor a proper converter

so i thought step 1 would be just speakers it's cheep simple and fast IF it would work/ and offer a worthwile sound improvement


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

Unfortunately it's not that simple. There are literally a list of just parameters (alet alone subjective quality items) that differentiate speakers from one another called Theil-Small parameters.

I'd check e46fanatics to see if anyone's gotten good results froma swap, but it's impossible to say with just looking at 2 or 3 specs.

But, all things being equal, higher impedance drivers will not be as loud given a fixed power input.


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## Frank Rizzo (Aug 2, 2003)

I did it.


I installed two Kicker 6X9 "free air" subs in the factory enclosure. Voice coils were 4 ohm wired in series for a total load of two ohms. Output was only marginally better than stock. Amp did not have enuff ballz to power the kickers. I had to buy the Kickers used off Ebay. I'd vote against it. You can still get 6X9 subs by different mfrs online. I think Lanzar makes some.
Next I bought the JL stealth boxes powered by a JL 500/5. Those were junky also.
Ended up with one ID 12" in a Coreys.


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## Dr. Phil (Dec 19, 2001)

Frank Rizzo said:


> I did it.
> 
> I installed two Kicker 6X9 "free air" subs in the factory enclosure. Voice coils were 4 ohm wired in series for a total load of two ohms. Output was only marginally better than stock. Amp did not have enuff ballz to power the kickers. I had to buy the Kickers used off Ebay. I'd vote against it. You can still get 6X9 subs by different mfrs online. I think Lanzar makes some.
> Next I bought the JL stealth boxes powered by a JL 500/5. Those were junky also.
> Ended up with one ID 12" in a Coreys.


That sounds like the progession that many end up taking. I too was amused when we pulled my hk "subs" out during my install :tsk: As Kaz pointed out, if you use the same amount of power to highe imp. speakers the results will not be what you are looking for in sound level improvement. Many have done stealth boxes and been happy with them, a definite improvement over the OEM setup.


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## Vonhasch (Apr 19, 2004)

Frank Rizzo,

I'm confused are you sure you didn't put the speakers in Parallel? If you take two 4 ohm devices and put them in series you get 8 ohms, put them in parallel you get 2 ohms.


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## Dr. Phil (Dec 19, 2001)

Vonhasch said:


> Frank Rizzo,
> 
> I'm confused are you sure you didn't put the speakers in Parallel? If you take two 4 ohm devices and put them in series you get 8 ohms, put them in parallel you get 2 ohms.


Yep, series double ohms while parallel divides in half.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

But how are the two stock subs wired? If it's a 2ch amp with each channel connected to the 2ohm driver, you're not going to be able to replicate that with a pair of 4ohm drivers, since you'll only be driving the pair with one of the two amp channels. If the stock amp is one channel and is driving the two 2ohm ones either in parallel (1) or series (2), you're still not going to replicate that with 2 4ohm drivers (2 or 8).


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## Frank Rizzo (Aug 2, 2003)

Yer right...at first I wired them in Parallel, and thought - "wow, really low output...." Then I wired them in series. Either way they were not much fun - although William on another board used them with an aftermarket amp set up and he is happy with the set up. I'm not a free-air kinda guy.

Pics:




































The stock speaks appear to be wired in parallell - I think that is why I tried it also"









I love this pic, cuz it shows the JL stealths before they were yanked while test-running the Corey's sub. Dr Phil is correct & I was lucky - I was able to sell the Kickers on Ebay for more than I paid, and I sold the JL Stealths for what I paid, minus shipping....so I got out easy.


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## photo2000a (Mar 9, 2004)

*amp feed*

[
I learned alot from all these posts, i'd prob have experimented exactly the same so thanks alot for the advice and pix..

to those that changed out ''just' the sub amp

It was my understanding that the feed is differential and that plugging in a non diff comp amp either wouldn't work or not work properly (and introduce noise)

did you get an adapter or a compatable differential amp???

m


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