fastphil

Alright, first off, a couple of disclaimers: Im not a car audio geek, and I know I'm gonna get a bunch of responses that don't really give me any answers, but I'll lay it out as best I can, and hope you guys can help me with some insight, if not specific products. As stated in the title, this is a LONG post, but I'd appreciate if you read through it. And while my post count may be low on this site, I'm no spring chicken when it comes to internet forums. I'll try to provide as much info as I can, but if I've missed anything, please ask and I'll answer to the best of my ability. Pics are also available if necessary.


I'm a long-haul truck driver, and this summer I got a brand-new company truck, a 2011 Volvo. The stereo is pretty decent in it, but is lacking in the low-frequency department. Seeing as this is a company-owned vehicle that can be taken away from me at any time, I can't really go all-out with regards to installation complexity, so I'm looking for a simple solution to get a little more low-frequency sounds. My intended goal is to simply swap out either 2 or 4 of the speakers in the cab. There are 2 6.5" speakers at the top rear of the bunk, and two more 6.5s in the front doors (one each side, to be clear). There are two more up in the dash, but I'm not sure of the size, and I don't want to touch those anyways.

The first question I'm sure you'll be asking me is, what kind of head unit do you have, and how powerful is it? Well, it's the stock head unit, which is a CD/MP3/AUX-IN that is labelled as a Volvo. I don't want to change it out, as it is connected to the instrument panel display screen, and that's too far over my head to be playing around with that stuff, especially in a vehicle that isn't mine. How powerful is it? I don't know, I looked in the instruction manual and it didn't tell me anything. Anybody know how I can find out?

So, being constricted by the stock head unit, I was thinking I could just change the speakers for something with a little more kick than the stockers. I've done some research on Crutchfield, mainly looking at the frequency range of the speakers and their power. The next comment I'm sure I'll be receiving is, 6.5" speakers aren't made for bass, that's what subs are for. I'd love to install a sub, I was thinking of a bazooka-style deal that is powered and reay to go, but I'm not sure how in-depth of an install these need, and I don't want to be spending hours ripping out wiring if/when the truck is taken away from me.

So, coming back to the 6.5s, most I saw seemed to have a frequency response range of 50-20,000 Hz, and a few that go as low as 30 Hz. Obviously, the ones that go lower are the ones that I'm interested in. The next question I'm gonna be getting is, what is your budget? The honest answer is, If I can get away with less than $100 per pair of speakers, I'll be happy. You won't be getting much at that price, you say, but I'm not rich and I don't care enough about car audio in general to spend more than that.

Now I get to the questions, I hope you're still with me!

If I decide to switch out only one pair of speakers, which should it be? Doors or rears? I know the traditional location for more bass is at the rear, but those seakers are a long way away distance-wise from the driver's seat. If I do the door speakers, those are literally right next to my left thigh, so I'm sure I'll notice the bass more.

If I decide to switch out all 4, should I get 2 identical pairs of speakers, or something different for the doors and the rears?

I've also noticed that there are woofers in the 6.5" size, but I'm not sure I understand their purpose. Are these full-range speakers, or can they be used as such? Will they sound like crap if used as such? Do they need an amplifier?

Keeping in mind my roughly $100/pair budget, are there any brands or specific models of speakers that you recommend that have a low-end frequency response range that goes down into the 30 Hz range? Here's one that I've found that fits the bill, at least on paper: Pioneer TS-G1643R 6-1/2"/6-3/4" 2-way Speakers

I'm not averse to getting used higher-end speakers as long as they are in good shape, and the price is right. I don't want to go with component speakers, as the install would be too complicated for my situation. Amplifiers are also out of the question.

That's about all I can think of at the moment, but there are a couple of unrelated things I'd like to point out.
-The internet is a great tool for researching things, but I've found so much information that it's difficult to sift through it all and glean anything useful from most of it. Of course, it's not easy if you don't even really know what you're looking for either!
-Almost all of the car audio information available is aimed at people with cars or SUVs, and the rules aren't necessarily the same for trucks. Bigger cabin interior volume, more road and engine noise, proprietary electronic equipment (for example, my stock head unit has a Weather Band), etc. are all things that aren't taken into account on car audio websites.
-People looking for info on truck audio are left hanging when it comes to research, because most who upgrade sound systems in their trucks are owner-operators, and they are having custom work done on their privately owned trucks by audio shops that specialize in trucks. As a result, we company drivers are left hanging when trying to figure out what will work within our maze of limitations.

Anyways, that's all for now. I hope I didn't make my goal seem unattainable with all the restrictions. Any help would be great!

Thanks,

Phil

Dukk

IMO you are going to be hard pressed to find a drop-in 6.5" speaker that will make more bass than the stockers, unless the stockers are actually a cheap aftermarket speaker like Audiovox, Jensen, or something like that.

You would be better off finding a self powered sub box (think Bazooka tube) or pre-fab box with a small amp that you can piggyback the signal off one of the bunk speakers and just have to find power and ground (probably find that in the bunk too). You could take it all out in 15mins if need be and nobody would ever know it was there to begin with.

d4rin

^ I agree with Dukk, Stock speakers will usually pound harder than aftermarket unless the speakers are pushed with an external amp. When I install my new speakers the bass went way down but that's because they are only 2-way speakers and they're components. The stock speakers you have are most likely 3-way speakers.

Bazooka tube I think is your best option.

Dukk

I have never seen a stock 3way speaker. Most are dual cone fullrange. BUT in a semi they are likely a cheap aftermarket speaker already.

d4rin

Oops I ment fullrange

RomanticMoments

OP, I'll appologise for my attitude right off the hop here, but the real response is deal with it. With the budget you are working with (whether it be a lack of further funds or a lack of want to use further funds) it is going to infinitely limit your options. $50-100 speaks are at or above factory replacement, so I think you'll be equally disappointed. Especially without an external amp, if you did go higher end, you really will be lacking the power to get the punch in the low end that you want.

You and Dukk are bang on with the Bazooka tube idea. Pull the signal from the rear speak like Dukk has suggested, run your power to the batt and you should be rockin the low tones the way you are expecting... Or as close to it as you can on a low buck

kygreen

its interesting because the bass tube has a removable harness witch would work great in your situation, i have never thought a bazooka would be so perfect for some one....Bazooka 10" Car Subwoofer (BTA10100FHC) - Future Shop on sale to,

d4rin

Get that tube man, Should work well in your situation.

fastphil

Yeah I was suspecting a Bazooka would be a good option. Is there any brand or model that stands out above the rest?