Speakers

[PTGT Redman]

If I am to start replacing the OEM speakers, where's a good place to start if I want to do it in stages?
Rears, or door or dash units?
Is there a need to add another set of tweeters or is the stock 6 speaker arrangement adequate?

[CircuitSky]

Originally posted by PT Blueman
If I am to start replacing the OEM speakers, where's a good place to start if I want to do it in stages?
Rears, or door or dash units?
Is there a need to add another set of tweeters or is the stock 6 speaker arrangement adequate?

Well, in my opinion, the 6 speaker arrangement is more than adequate. I have a 6 3/4" Cerwin-Vega Stealth component set up front with the 6 3/4" mid-range speakers in the doors and the 1" tweeters in the dash. It sounds awesome! Then I have JBL GTO 5x7 speakers in the back. I have about 60 watts RMS going to each of the 6 speakers. And I have a little over 200 watts going to the 10" JBL GT woofer in the back.

This setup creates a very even sound and that's what I was looking for. I hate when people have all these woofers in the back with tons of bass then they have crappy speakers up front or don't have enough power up there then you can't hardly hear anything else besides bass.

By the way, you have one of the best looking PT's on here in my opinion. I guess because it mostly looks like mine. So do your sound right too! Good luck...

[PTGT Redman]

CircuitSky,
You run any of your speakers through the same amp as your subs?
Do you have a separate amp for the speakers or do you run them from the head unit?

I have only Pioneer 50x4
300watt RF Amp

[jbcruzin]

the old addage ,front stage rear fill worked pretty good for me ,did the fronts with mb quarts 6 1/2 's up front

[CircuitSky]

Originally posted by PT Blueman
CircuitSky,
You run any of your speakers through the same amp as your subs?
Do you have a separate amp for the speakers or do you run them from the head unit?

I have only Pioneer 50x4
300watt RF Amp

Nope....it always best to have separate amps for the speakers & the sub. I have the 4-channel Pioneer amp powering the speakers. That's 50x4 on the speakers. Which each side of the component set is wired together with a crossover since the ones in the dash are tweeters. And I have the 2-channel RF amp bridged on the sub.

Each amp is mounted under each front seat, completely out of the way. And the sub in the back is in a special pear shape box made by JBL which can easily be removed since it is straped to one side and very light. It's too bad they discontinued this mode. Very nice design indeed.

Some people power their speakers via the head unit but in my opinion that is definitely not enough power. And whatever power rating on the head unit it says it puts out is more than likely not correct. It can be deceiving that's for sure. You can get by with powering the speakers via the head unit but it's definitely not the same as having a separate amp.

If your RF amp is a 2-channel amp and if it has crossovers then you could possibly run the sub on one channel for the lows and power the rear speakers off the other channel for the mid range to highs. And then power the front speakers off the head unit. That would be a way to do it if you're straped for cash. In my previous car, I had a 4-channel with 4 speakers bridged on two channels and my sub bridged on the other two channels and it sounded pretty good. Of course, that was a Camaro so it had a much smaller interior space than the PT. That setup had plenty of power but it was really pushing the amp that's for sure. The system in my PT is definitely ten times better though as far as sound goes. So if cash is not the issue then go with the two amp setup. There are 5-channel amps out there too but they are fairly large and definitely can't be mounted under the seats so that's the reason I went the two amp route.

Peace

[at58]

CircuitSky, Don't ya just love the way that sub tucks away so nice? I have the same one. I heard an OEM one that has the built in amp but it doesn't compare to a seperate one.

[CircuitSky]

Originally posted by at58
CircuitSky, Don't ya just love the way that sub tucks away so nice? I have the same one. I heard an OEM one that has the built in amp but it doesn't compare to a seperate one.

Oh yea, I love the JBL sub. I've had it for years. I got the sub for only $99 through Crutchfield years ago when they were getting rid of it. Definitely a nice speaker and nice box too. I'm surprised you have the same one though. Really?! Here's a pic of the one I have:

[GOLDMEMBER]

I'm adding a Big Amp(S) and Subs first and may replace the factory speakers next spring

[charwoods3]

Originally posted by CircuitSky


Nope....it always best to have separate amps for the speakers & the sub. I have the 4-channel Pioneer amp powering the speakers. That's 50x4 on the speakers. Which each side of the component set is wired together with a crossover since the ones in the dash are tweeters. And I have the 2-channel RF amp bridged on the sub.

Some people power their speakers via the head unit but in my opinion that is definitely not enough power. And whatever power rating on the head unit it says it puts out is more than likely not correct. It can be deceiving that's for sure. You can get by with powering the speakers via the head unit but it's definitely not the same as having a separate amp.

If your RF amp is a 2-channel amp and if it has crossovers then you could possibly run the sub on one channel for the lows and power the rear speakers off the other channel for the mid range to highs. And then power the front speakers off the head unit. That would be a way to do it if you're straped for cash. In my previous car, I had a 4-channel with 4 speakers bridged on two channels and my sub bridged on the other two channels and it sounded pretty good. Of course, that was a Camaro so it had a much smaller interior space than the PT. That setup had plenty of power but it was really pushing the amp that's for sure. The system in my PT is definitely ten times better though as far as sound goes. So if cash is not the issue then go with the two amp setup. There are 5-channel amps out there too but they are fairly large and definitely can't be mounted under the seats so that's the reason I went the two amp route.

Peace

you can power you sub off of the same amp as your speakers, but not like he says. you can't do it with a 2 channel, but with a four channel, you could run the front off of 2 channels, and bridge the back channel for the sub. don't run a 2 channel with one channel going to the front speakers, and the other channel goig to the sub. if you do this and play something in stereo mode, you might not even hear people singing on the right side if you have the speakers on the left channel. the sub may not get all the tones either.
if you get a decent head unit, it should power the spealers ok at least until you can get an amp for them. most of the newer pioneer hu's put out about 50x4, which is a peak rating, but is actually the same power as his amp is putting out. it is actually about 18 watts rms, or continuios power.

[charwoods3]

Originally posted by PT Blueman
If I am to start replacing the OEM speakers, where's a good place to start if I want to do it in stages?
Rears, or door or dash units?
Is there a need to add another set of tweeters or is the stock 6 speaker arrangement adequate?

I would start with the head unit. with the extra power the new hu puts out, it should make the factory speakers sound a little better. if you plan on adding a sub, then you shouldnt even worry about the speakers in the back unless you have people ride in the back often.

chad