Rear Deck Speaker Installation

[MercMan007]

Ride: 2007 M35
I'd like to install a pair of 6 1/2 or 6X9's in the rear deck. I have the base model 4 speaker system (not counting tweeters). Although the sales guy said it had Bose Premium but I digress. Anyhow, the music is awesome in the front seats but souds like total s*** in the back seats. I probably need to replace the door speaker but I definitely want to add some in the rear deck. I'm hoping someone can advise me on this. I did search but I came up empty. If you know of a thread or the route I should take please point me in that direction.

Already installed JL Cleansweep, Amp & Sub and 2 sets of tweeters. Not afraid of running wires so bring it on.

[DeanM45]

Throw a pair of Infinity 629I speakers in the rear doors and you'll be more than impressed. The rear deck would require extensive modification with little to no benefit over the door speaker placement.

[MercMan007]

Thanks for the reply. I'll start with replacing the door speakers and see how I like that. It just urks me to know how crappy the music sounds to someone sitting in the back. I actually sat back there after completing my current modifications and all I hear is the bass from the sub and the highs from the tweeters. The midrange is beyond muddy. Would it really be that awful to add some speakers in the rear deck?

[DeanM45]

You are looking for better mid and high range frequencies, as such, speaker design is extremely important to clarity (as well as input power to the speaker). Just thorwing some speakers on the rear deck will put the rear seat sound stage behind the rear seat will sound odd IMHO. The door speaker placement is not arbitrary. Granted, there probably was not millions of dollars spent on an acoustical engineer, but some thought was put into the placement of the speaker. I have the 14 speaker system and have upgraded all of the door speakers and all of the speakers (including those in the seats) are now powered by external amplifiers. I constantly receive compliments on how good the overall system sounds but most importantly, I have very happy with the sound.

The stock rear door speakers are a single cone, one way. The Infinity speakers are two way with an aim-able tweeter to better set up the rear sound stage. Makes a world of difference.

[MercMan007]

Ok, cool. I'll do that. By you having the 14 speaker system, don't you have speakers in the rear deck? It looks that way according to the manual.

I'll definitely start with the doors only and hopefully that will be all I need. Easier on my pockets, the car and myself (less labor)

Eventually I'll want all the speakers on amps. Everything but the tweeters I guess.

Thanks again for your help.

[DeanM45]

Those are surround speakers on the deck, not main speakers. The tweeters will need to be amp'd as well----think of it this way: you amp channels, not speakers per se. In your case you have a right front, right rear, left front and left rear. Regardless of the speaker count at each channel you need to amplify each channel. In my system I have 14 speakers but only 10 channels: the four mentioned plus sub, front left surround, front right surround, left rear surround, right rear surround and center.

[finikM35]

Hi could you tell me if these are the speakers you got for rear doors is that the size? http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-629I-Two ... automotive

[DeanM45]

Yep, that's what I have in all four doors of my 06

[finikM35]

Could you tell me about amps u using? Did you replace stock amp or how does it work? Rear door speakers are crap i ordered 2 infinity 6.5 and tweeters after reading great reviews here

[DeanM45]

This is me:

06-m45-14-spkr-sound-upgrade-w-pix-t560385.html

I have since upgraded to a much larger Kenwood amp and the smaller Kenwood (original) now powers the surround speakers).

[JoshTex]

nice work man. Soooooo, can the door speakers be replaced without using an aftermarket amp?

[finikM35]

Yea i think thats just to make it sound better but from what i see you can do without. Got the same speakers from amazon, cant wait to install em!

[DeanM45]

Yes, you can run the Infinitys without an external amp BUT it will sound 10 times better with an amp. The stock system maybe puts out 30 watts of somewhat clean power to each channel. My door speakers now have 180 watts per channel, surrounds are 50 watts a channel and the sub is 1100 watts. Night and day difference in sound quality (yes, and loudness, the amps drive the speakers so much more cleanly and clearly....at any volume level) but the speakers are the best band for the buck as far as upgrades go.

[TOASTERGOD]

@ Dean, what did you use to replace center front dash speaker and how difficult was it to replace. on the Infinity Kappa's they rock, I personally didn't want a sub box filling the truck so I drop a 10" Infinity Kappa free air sub in the rear deck. Sounds great, has a LOT of punch.

[finikM35]

You replaced the back surround speaker? Could post the link to the sub that you used? I need trunk space too and can't use the sub box.
Was it direct plug and play or you did you need to modify something?

[DeanM45]

Center speaker was not changed -- it has no problem taking the ~40 watts. It is pretty easy to get to. Remove the screen surround and then the screen. Then you'll see what to do.

The rear 4" surround speakers in the parcel shelf are also holding up just fine.

Honestly, the only ones I am worried about are the seat speakers. I haven't looked at them at all so I have no idea what they are but I am thinking no more than a 2" speaker which would be difficult to source (full ranger hard, tweeter easy).

[TOASTERGOD]

Infinity 100.9w
Kappa Series 10" subwoofer with selectable 2- or 4-ohm impedance

[finikM35]

Never had infinity speakers before, but based on your reviews, i picked 2 Floor speakers for home. Infinity Alpha 50 + yamaha sub and Onkyo receiver. 350 for everything on CL.
My old system (Bose) drowned in Sandy hurricane so it's about time i got it replaced.
Damn do Infinitys sound good! My dad has B&W speakers and i'd say Infinitys sound just as good. I was blown away by the quality of these 10 year old speakers and sound they produce.
Can't wait to get home and install door speakers today.