[TimmyG]

I have a 95 caprice wagon and I need to replace the stock speakers I’m looking to put 4x6 in the front panels and 6x9s in the back, what brand name do y’all recommend, and I’m using stock head unit

 

[96Lt1civi]

If tour using the stock head unit without an amp, then it probably doesn't matter to much what you buy.

That said, I replaced the speaker in my 04 tahoe with ones from Rockford Fosgate and they sound pretty good and were affordable.

 

[TimmyG]

I’ll proably go with some kickers then
From what I’ve seen the wattage would be good just don’t jack the volume up to much

 

[Z09B4U]

From what I’ve seen the wattage would be good just don’t jack the volume up to much

Factory head units do not usually have much power(watts). It is worth the time to compare the efficiency(sensitivity) of different speakers in this case. Factory speakers may not be the best but they are usually more efficient than aftermarket. Chose a low efficiency aftermarket and you will have a very quiet system.

A example is 87db at 1watt at 1meter. Db is a logarithmic unit so every 3db more is like twice the volume. So If you found a speaker rated 90db it would be much louder than 87db at 1watt at 1meter.

For the aftermarket crowd a little speaker shopping can reduce the amp wattage and the costs.

I do not follow the market so I do not know what is a normal SPL number these days. A long time ago Alpine,JBL and Pioneer used to be good.for the cost.

 

[Jimpala95]

I have a 95 caprice wagon and I need to replace the stock speakers I’m looking to put 4x6 in the front panels and 6x9s in the back, what brand name do y’all recommend, and I’m using stock head unit

I also run a stock 95/96 head unit in my 94 Caprice sedan.I added a pair of Kenwood 6x9 at rear deck.Kept my front original stock speakers.Believe it or not,I don't think the stock front door speakers are bad at all when running stock radio/head unit. Adding the 6x9's, really improved sound quality over all.
Jim

 

[Jimpala95]

I also run a stock 95/96 head unit in my 94 Caprice sedan.I added a pair of Kenwood 6x9 at rear deck.Kept my front original stock speakers.Believe it or not,I don't think the stock front door speakers are bad at all when running stock radio/head unit. Adding the 6x9's, really improved sound quality over all.
Jim

FWIW, I did try a pair of Kenwood 4x6's in the front doors,sounded pretty bad to me.Put the stock fronts back in sounded much better.I think the fronts are a good match to stock head unit,while rears are the weak point

 

[Caddylack]

My experience has been this:

Just buy whichever "big name" brand is on sale on Crutchfield. Unless you are obsessed with car audio and have a super sharp ear, you probably won't notice much difference between brands. This is especially true if you are keeping the stock head unit.

 

[Z09B4U]

Just buy whichever "big name" brand is on sale on Crutchfield. Unless you are obsessed with car audio and have a super sharp ear, you probably won't notice much difference between brands. This is especially true if you are keeping the stock head unit.

I agree with most of that statement but it is easy to combine a low wattage factory stereo with a power hungry speaker and end up with a quiet and dissatisfying system when a little shopping would make a big difference.

I worked as a stereo installer in my teens. The power wasting speakers were my boss's key to profit. Sell a set of power wasting(quiet) speakers first then get the same customer for a new head unit or amp to "get the most out of the great speakers you have" If he sold efficient speakers he would not have been able to sell as much equipment to compensate for his line of good sounding power hogs.

It is the same as the difference between engine HP and HP at the wheels. Few would be satisfied with huge drive train HP loss that could be avoided. It is the same way with audio, the speaker choice is very important to the end result.

 

[Fix Until Broke]

I also run a stock 95/96 head unit in my 94 Caprice sedan.I added a pair of Kenwood 6x9 at rear deck.Kept my front original stock speakers.Believe it or not,I don't think the stock front door speakers are bad at all when running stock radio/head unit. Adding the 6x9's, really improved sound quality over all.
Jim

Going from 8 ohms to 4 ohms probably had something to do with that as well

 

[TimmyG]

I agree with most of that statement but it is easy to combine a low wattage factory stereo with a power hungry speaker and end up with a quiet and dissatisfying system when a little shopping would make a big difference.

I worked as a stereo installer in my teens. The power wasting speakers were my boss's key to profit. Sell a set of power wasting(quiet) speakers first then get the same customer for a new head unit or amp to "get the most out of the great speakers you have" If he sold efficient speakers he would not have been able to sell as much equipment to compensate for his line of good sounding power hogs.

It is the same as the difference between engine HP and HP at the wheels. Few would be satisfied with huge drive train HP loss that could be avoided. It is the same way with audio, the speaker choice is very important to the end result.

Would I need to buy the brackets, I’m going to buy the direct size that’s in the car now 4x6 in the fronts and the 6x9 in the back would that fit without buying the brackets for it

 

[Z09B4U]

Would I need to buy the brackets, I’m going to buy the direct size that’s in the car now 4x6 in the fronts and the 6x9 in the back would that fit without buying the brackets for it

Too many variables to be able to answer this. If you are lucky the mount holes on the new speaker will line up with the car but there is no guarantee. Some of the aftermarket companies have more that one set of mounts on the speakers, others include adapter brackets. The difference between a quality install shop and a hack is in issues like this. The hack will drive in sheet metal screws to hold the speaker and damage the door. After the bill is paid they will not help when the speaker starts rattling loose. The good install will be one where the speaker is carefully fit and sealed to the door.

It is not rocket science to turn a piece of thicker sheet metal into a bracket. Time and a file, drill and hack saw are one way. A jigsaw with a metal blade is quicker.

I have made a bracket out of two layers of furnace duct (flattened into sheet metal) and cut the hole out by drilling one hole after another around the edge then used a chisel to break the metal between holes. Not a recommended way but it did the job when I helped a friend that lived way out of town.

The point is do not expect plug and play, just celebrate if everything fits and goes in easy.

Search out how to remove the door panel, so you do not break plastic.Grab a pack of the fasteners before you start as they may break or be too damaged to reuse.

 

[TimmyG]

Too many variables to be able to answer this. If you are lucky the mount holes on the new speaker will line up with the car but there is no guarantee. Some of the aftermarket companies have more that one set of mounts on the speakers, others include adapter brackets. The difference between a quality install shop and a hack is in issues like this. The hack will drive in sheet metal screws to hold the speaker and damage the door. After the bill is paid they will not help when the speaker starts rattling loose. The good install will be one where the speaker is carefully fit and sealed to the door.

It is not rocket science to turn a piece of thicker sheet metal into a bracket. Time and a file, drill and hack saw are one way. A jigsaw with a metal blade is quicker.

I have made a bracket out of two layers of furnace duct (flattened into sheet metal) and cut the hole out by drilling one hole after another around the edge then used a chisel to break the metal between holes. Not a recommended way but it did the job when I helped a friend that lived way out of town.

The point is do not expect plug and play, just celebrate if everything fits and goes in easy.

Search out how to remove the door panel, so you do not break plastic.Grab a pack of the fasteners before you start as they may break or be too damaged to reuse.

Word thanks

 

[Sshockr]

I've got Infinity Reference series 6x9s in the back and 6" rounds in the doors. The doors fit with very minor sheet metal trimming and drilling new holes. Although the biggest improvement was getting the tweeters remote mounted into the A pillars.

-Brian

 

[91ss]

I have the Infinity Reference in the CV. With just a stock radio, they add a nice crispness. But they mount higher in the doors.

Best thing I did with the 91 was adding tweeters up in the dash pad. They reflect very nicely of the glass.

 

[Jimpala95]

Would I need to buy the brackets, I’m going to buy the direct size that’s in the car now 4x6 in the fronts and the 6x9 in the back would that fit without buying the brackets for it

No most stock size front door replacement speakers will fit without any mods.I tried a pair of Kenwood 4x6's and they bolted/screwed in no problem.These aftermarket door speakers have multiple mounting holes on the speakers. The Kenwoods I tried,3 out of 4 holes lined up tightened down nicely.Here's a pic.

 

[TimmyG]

The kickers 6x9 cs line have sensitivity of 90db and I’m running my stock head unit would be good enough to run

 

[1slow96]

Common mod years ago was converting to 6.5" speakers in the front doors using template on the forum (believe in Qalo'SS handbook)... Far better sound in my opinion regardless of speaker choice.

 

[Z09B4U]

The kickers 6x9 cs line have sensitivity of 90db and I’m running my stock head unit would be good enough to run

Two minutes on the Crutchfield site suggests no.For a few more dolars you can ge twice the volume(93-94db) with either
Infinity Reference REF-9632ix

JBL Club 9632

Check fitment befor buying.

 

[vegas_ss]

Common mod years ago was converting to 6.5" speakers in the front doors using template on the forum (believe in Qalo'SS handbook)... Far better sound in my opinion regardless of speaker choice.

I installed infinity reference 6.5" in the front doors using the plywood adapters someone was selling about 20 years ago... happen to have the door panel off so took a quick picture today. Looks the same as when I installed them. Should be pretty easy to make up a set with a jigsaw. They do sound fine with the stock head unit (Infinity 6x9" reference in the rear) and the volume levels were good. Upgraded to a pioneer DEH-P47DH 1.5" din for 10 years os so after the CD transport failed in the stock unit. Recently switched back to a stock head unit with aux out (from 1 factory radio) and use a small class D amp in the glovebox which has plenty of power.

.

 

[Z09B4U]

I think this pdf is the template.