4x6 speaker replacement - snap-on grille?
03-10-2002, 10:43 AM
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4x6 speaker replacement - snap-on grille?
Hello all, I am a newbie to the Porsche family (one week and counting) and to Rennlist. I am the proud owner of a black '87 951. I would like to replace what's left of the 15-year-old stock 4x6 speakers in the front doors. I would like to retain the stock look if possible. I have been unsuccessful in finding speakers that will fit. I have tried speakers from Memphis, Eclipse, Kenwood, Kicker, Infinity, Boston Acoutics, MB Quart, Polk, etc... They all seem to be too deep and hit the window channel, or the tweeter or mounting frame protrudes and won't let the grille lie flat.
Has anyone found decent speakers that fit in the doors without any modification? Has anyone tried the Alpine SPS4629 4x6 speakers? According to Alpine's website they have a mounting depth of 41mm which should work, but I don't know about protrusions. Shops around here don't stock this Alpine speaker and I hate to order them online and then find out they also don't fit.
As an alternative, has anyone tried the suggestions in Walter Spector's 924/944/968 Stereo FAQ, to use a later style plastic frame and grille? He states in the FAQ:
"A second style of 4x6 mounting was used on later cars. This is a two-piece assembly consisting of a thick plastic frame and a snap-on grille. The grille area is made of metal with a plastic surround. Using this grille, it is possible to mount speakers as deep as about 2". The parts list for the later grille assembly is: 944-555-149-00-01C Grille (2 needed), 944-555-159-00 Frame (2 needed), 477-035-375 Bushing (8 needed), 043-938-3 3.9x22 lens-head sheet metal screw (8 needed), 011-522-7 Washer (8 needed). Note that the bushings are important to space the frame out far enough from the door panel to allow the grilles to snap on. Also note that the replacement speakers MUST be the European oval shape - not rectangular. The replacement speakers must also have a thin steel mounting frame like the OEM speaker - not a thick plastic one."
Has anyone tried this method? It seems that it would expand the choices for replacement while still remaining stock. Does anyone know on what "later cars" these parts were used? Does anyone know a source to purchase the parts listed above?
Any help from experienced 944 owners would be appreciated.
Has anyone found decent speakers that fit in the doors without any modification? Has anyone tried the Alpine SPS4629 4x6 speakers? According to Alpine's website they have a mounting depth of 41mm which should work, but I don't know about protrusions. Shops around here don't stock this Alpine speaker and I hate to order them online and then find out they also don't fit.
As an alternative, has anyone tried the suggestions in Walter Spector's 924/944/968 Stereo FAQ, to use a later style plastic frame and grille? He states in the FAQ:
"A second style of 4x6 mounting was used on later cars. This is a two-piece assembly consisting of a thick plastic frame and a snap-on grille. The grille area is made of metal with a plastic surround. Using this grille, it is possible to mount speakers as deep as about 2". The parts list for the later grille assembly is: 944-555-149-00-01C Grille (2 needed), 944-555-159-00 Frame (2 needed), 477-035-375 Bushing (8 needed), 043-938-3 3.9x22 lens-head sheet metal screw (8 needed), 011-522-7 Washer (8 needed). Note that the bushings are important to space the frame out far enough from the door panel to allow the grilles to snap on. Also note that the replacement speakers MUST be the European oval shape - not rectangular. The replacement speakers must also have a thin steel mounting frame like the OEM speaker - not a thick plastic one."
Has anyone tried this method? It seems that it would expand the choices for replacement while still remaining stock. Does anyone know on what "later cars" these parts were used? Does anyone know a source to purchase the parts listed above?
Any help from experienced 944 owners would be appreciated.
03-10-2002, 01:42 PM
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I just did the fronts using the black plastic spacer (stock in my '89 S2) and with a little bit of shimming the grills snapped on just fine. I put in some Blaupunkt overdrive series 4x6 front and 6.5 rear which I think are a great deal for the money and if you do a search on sound domain most people there agree. <a href="http://www.midwest-usa.com" target="_blank">www.midwest-usa.com</a> has some great prices on Blau stuff- that's all they deal. Just call and make sure the speakers have the euro mount plate, the one that looks like a football with tabs.
JB
'89 S2
<img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[burnout]" />
JB
'89 S2
<img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[burnout]" />
03-10-2002, 04:02 PM
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I have a Turbo S, so mine are different, but the main speaker I've heard of that people use in a 4x6 for these cars are Blaupunkts. You can check places like Crutchfield for size and fit, but order from some place like The Zeb or midwest usa(?), etc...
03-10-2002, 04:06 PM
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Call Crutchfield customer service @ 1-800-955-9091, they have a database on almost all cars for all kinds of fit specs. and can tell you what will drop right in. They also have wiring adaptors for decks and detailed installation instructions.
03-10-2002, 05:02 PM
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Boston Acoustics FX7E's fit in the stock location. I have a set up front and they sound really nice. That snap on grille is a pain in the *** though. You have to fiddle with it a bit to get them to snap on properly, sometimes even having to loosen the speaker screws a bit.
03-10-2002, 07:28 PM
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buy radio shack's 4x6 speakers. they are 30 for the pair. they were on sale for 15 last month. throw out the speakers, and use the grills. the grills fit any 4x6 perfectly, and look stock. crutchfield has no grills, and all their speakers come without grills.
03-10-2002, 07:41 PM
#7
Nordschleife Master
I bought Cerwin Vega "stealth" series 4X6's. They had a magnet that was actually TOO DEEP to fit in the fronts so I put the in the backs and picked up some cheaper LANZAR's, which sound great.
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03-11-2002, 12:06 AM
#8
Three Wheelin'
My plan was just to cut some mdf or plywood about 0.25-0.5" thick to the right shae to act as a spacer...With some black hockey tape, or maybe electrical tape around the sides and some longer screws...Should look pretty damn close to stock.
My current choice for replacement 4x6m (m seems to mean football-shaped, not plate) are the Blaupunkt PCix462...40 WRMS and $60/pair at Crutchfield. My plan is to put four of them in the car, run them in parrallel off a 2-channel US Acoustics 2050, and bridge a second 2050 into an 8" sub in the passenger cubby hole...Should be plenty loud, plenty rich, and plenty clear. Something like $500 all in.
Hey marooned, I checked out those F7e's...says they have a mounting depth of 2"...as I understand it, the doors will only take 5 7/8 without modification...Those look like a winning pair if they don't need the (minor) modifications of the Blau's...Any pictures perhaps? I'm wary of some of these aftermarket grills...
My current choice for replacement 4x6m (m seems to mean football-shaped, not plate) are the Blaupunkt PCix462...40 WRMS and $60/pair at Crutchfield. My plan is to put four of them in the car, run them in parrallel off a 2-channel US Acoustics 2050, and bridge a second 2050 into an 8" sub in the passenger cubby hole...Should be plenty loud, plenty rich, and plenty clear. Something like $500 all in.
Hey marooned, I checked out those F7e's...says they have a mounting depth of 2"...as I understand it, the doors will only take 5 7/8 without modification...Those look like a winning pair if they don't need the (minor) modifications of the Blau's...Any pictures perhaps? I'm wary of some of these aftermarket grills...
03-11-2002, 09:58 AM
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Just did a full-speaker replacement last summer. Bought all four speakers from Crutchfield--Blaus for the rear and Kenwood JXC(??) for the fronts. All of them came with grills, but I, like you, wanted to keep the stock appearance. When I mounted the Kenwoods, I used the spacers from the Blaus behind the door panel and door frame, which was enough the bulge the panel out, so there is no gap between the stock grills and panel, and the bulge is not noticeable.
I don't know which method you are going to use for replacing the rears, but if you are going to do the rear-window removal, E-mail me and I can outline the procedure.
I don't know which method you are going to use for replacing the rears, but if you are going to do the rear-window removal, E-mail me and I can outline the procedure.
03-11-2002, 10:08 AM
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[quote] buy radio shack's 4x6 speakers <hr></blockquote>
HAHAHHHAHHAAHAHHAAHH! I did the same thing. They have spacers that fit perfect. I hot glued the Polk emblem from my compnent set to them and it looks perfect.
Soooo funny that someone else did the same damn thing.
<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" /> Good thinking!
HAHAHHHAHHAAHAHHAAHH! I did the same thing. They have spacers that fit perfect. I hot glued the Polk emblem from my compnent set to them and it looks perfect.
Soooo funny that someone else did the same damn thing.
<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" /> Good thinking!
03-11-2002, 12:34 PM
#11
Three Wheelin'
Anybody got a part number for them RatShacks? The only ones I see on the website are a pair of 4x6 plates which don't seem to have a grill and these "4W6" speakers that may or may not be what you mean.
Just to clarify, these suckers will increase the depth possible for door speakers and leave a bit of room for tweeter protrusion? That's save me some woodwork...
Oh, and the rear windows don't have to come out if you're careful with the trim. Popping the window out terrified me, so I did all I could to avoid it...I noticed the 944 Stereo FAQ lists steps avoiding removal of the rear windows:
<a href="http://www.connactivity.com/~kgross/FAQ/944faqst.html" target="_blank">http://www.connactivity.com/~kgross/FAQ/944faqst.html</a>
Just to clarify, these suckers will increase the depth possible for door speakers and leave a bit of room for tweeter protrusion? That's save me some woodwork...
Oh, and the rear windows don't have to come out if you're careful with the trim. Popping the window out terrified me, so I did all I could to avoid it...I noticed the 944 Stereo FAQ lists steps avoiding removal of the rear windows:
<a href="http://www.connactivity.com/~kgross/FAQ/944faqst.html" target="_blank">http://www.connactivity.com/~kgross/FAQ/944faqst.html</a>
03-16-2002, 11:09 PM
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[quote]Originally posted by Eric:
<strong>I, like you, wanted to keep the stock appearance. When I mounted the Kenwoods, I used the spacers from the Blaus behind the door panel and door frame, which was enough the bulge the panel out, so there is no gap between the stock grills and panel, and the bulge is not noticeable.
</strong><hr></blockquote>
Thanks for the tip Eric. I bought a pair of the Alpine SPS4629 4x6 speakers today. They are shallow enough to fit in the front doors without the magnet hitting the window channel. However, the speakers have a plastic ring on the face that keeps the stock grille from fitting flush. The Alpines come with several different spacers, including a plastic one about 1/4 inch thick. I installed the speakers in the door, then unscrewed the screw furthest forward on the door panel. That allowed me to slip that spacer between the front on the speaker and the door panel. That allows the grille to mount flush with only a slight, unnoticable bulge in the door panel. Also importantly, I was impressed by the clarity of the speakers as well as the amount of bass produced by such a small speaker. Now I have to move on to the rear speakers (maybe I'll start by removing the rear quarterpanels......)
<strong>I, like you, wanted to keep the stock appearance. When I mounted the Kenwoods, I used the spacers from the Blaus behind the door panel and door frame, which was enough the bulge the panel out, so there is no gap between the stock grills and panel, and the bulge is not noticeable.
</strong><hr></blockquote>
Thanks for the tip Eric. I bought a pair of the Alpine SPS4629 4x6 speakers today. They are shallow enough to fit in the front doors without the magnet hitting the window channel. However, the speakers have a plastic ring on the face that keeps the stock grille from fitting flush. The Alpines come with several different spacers, including a plastic one about 1/4 inch thick. I installed the speakers in the door, then unscrewed the screw furthest forward on the door panel. That allowed me to slip that spacer between the front on the speaker and the door panel. That allows the grille to mount flush with only a slight, unnoticable bulge in the door panel. Also importantly, I was impressed by the clarity of the speakers as well as the amount of bass produced by such a small speaker. Now I have to move on to the rear speakers (maybe I'll start by removing the rear quarterpanels......)
