I want to keep the stock cd changer and radio.

Is it worth the money (around $300) to take out the stock speakers and put in 4 great speakers?

Would a speaker change produce a much better than stock sound?

------------------
Jim

jim@jimshaw.cc
www.cars-n-trucks.com/lightning.htm
Black 00, Superchip, clear fronts
Airaid, chrome wheels, AIM 2" drop shackles
Super whites
2000 E320
1993 Cobra R
1959 Corvette
1949 Plymouth
Looking for a better paying job to support my L

 

Doing similar work, although I am also switching the head unit to a Ford CD player.

To get better performance with new speakers, an amp is pretty much a must do. The power available is just not enough to drive any serious bass or clean highs.

Hope this helps.

------------------
2000 Red Lightning Born 3-8-00 / Delivered 3-22-00
22% Window Tint, Clear Corners, MPulse LoPro Tonneau, AIM 2" Drop Shackles, Bed Rug

'99 Yukon Denali - Silver, Lowered 1", Borbet CW4's, 285/60R18 Toyo Proxes S/T's, Hotchkis AntiSways, Edelbrock Shocks

2000 Red Trans Am Ram Air WS6, 6 Speed - Delivered 2-15-00 - Awesome Looking Car

 

In a word, YES. I changed just my speakers and the difference it made is night and day.

I used 2 pairs of Coustic brand 6x8 coax which cost me $79 a pair. They are great speakers with kevlar reinforced cones and true rubber surrounds. I removed the connectors from the factory speakers and mounted them to the new speakers to make them a direct plug in (no wiring changes to the truck). I also removed the tweeter from the pair I put behind the seats since you can't hear the highs from back there anyway and the tweeter does slightly block the main speaker cone.

It is worth doing. I am very pleased with the results.

 

I have seen some of the great stereo work that some of the guys on this list have done to their L's and F-150's for that matter. I went for the more economical setup in that I retained the stock head unit and CD changer, but I put in some Pioneer two ways all around. I simply set the fader to the front by about 25% and it sounds much better than stock. I am on a limited budget for mods so this was the most economical for me. I may get a Bazooka tube later, not that this will give my truck the perfect sound, but I would like to gain a bit more bottom out of it.

Anything of some quality is better than the stock speakers.

Paul G.

 

I had a high end Reuss system installed in my 911. They retained all but one of the the stock speakers and added two tweaters and a sub-woffer. The biggest difference was the addition of three amps and crossover. One amp for the sub and two amps for the remaining speakers. If you want a cheap way to improve the sound, buy a more powerful amp, that will provide you with much cleaner sound at reasonable listening levels. If you want real loud and clear, you will need amps, speakers and crossovers. Hope this helps.

 

I want to thank everyone who has replyed. You have given some great help.

Tomorrow, along with this thread, I head to town.


Thanks

------------------
Jim

jim@jimshaw.cc www.cars-n-trucks.com/lightning.htm
Black 00, Superchip, clear fronts
Airaid, chrome wheels, AIM 2" drop shackles
Super whites
2000 E320
1993 Cobra R
1959 Corvette
1949 Plymouth
Looking for a better paying job to support my L




[This message has been edited by FORDSALES (edited 05-25-2000).]

 

I have replaced my speakers with JBL 3-ways and added an amp. I retained the Ford head unit and changer. Speakers helped quite a bit, but the biggest bang for your buck will be to get an amp. A four channel 40-50 watts per channel amp will perform a miracle. Trust me, there is nothing wrong with the Ford head unit, it just needs an amp as the output is weak stock.

Good luck....

 

All four are 6X9 in my 2000.

 

the stock speakers are 6x8.
5x7 will work.. 6x9 may work with a little cutting.

------------------
brooks
'00 silver "L"

 

I believe all 4 stockers are 6x8, although 5x7s drop right in. On stereo boards I've seen many say that 6" and 6.5" rounds are also very easy to install without cutting, which gives you a lot more choices. Some 6.5" rounds are a little too deep, but most fit easily. 6x9 apparently require some cutting.

I'm assuming the L has the same as standard 97+ F150s.

 

My bad. 6x8.
Sorry

 

Got out the Crutchfield catalog and they show max front speaker depth of 2.625" in the front and 3.5" in the rear for a 97+ Reg Cab F150.

 

ok,I'm gonna show my ignorance and age again. All speakers use to be 8 ohm. Now I understand they have 4 and 2 ohm. What ohm is in truck? If amp is added what ohm is best. I assume one buys amp and then buys speakers with correct ohm to match amp. Which ohm rating or most common today for car stereo. Where do you hook added amp in, to existing speaker wires from radio or do they jack in somewhere before the radio amp?
noelvm

------------------
99.5 Red Ligntning, Syn Oil, Eldebrock 5512 muffler, BFG drag radials, Bugflector, G&H Lens covers,
70 Vette LS-6

 

Well, maybe all the above is irrelavant since nobody answered. I see looking in my crutchfield catalog so

Pioneer
TS-a6855 3 way 30-28k Htz, 50 wt for 79.95/pr
How about four of these?

Now the amp, they have lots of amps. Lets see the speakers are rated to 50 but since all amps distort at peak I probably need about a 60-70 watt per channel amp.

California jam Series J600.4 75W X 4 $209
Jensen XA4150 75W X 4 $200
USACOUSTICS USX4065 65W X 4 $199

Any Recommendations????????????????????????
noelvm


------------------
99.5 Red Ligntning, Syn Oil, Eldebrock 5512 muffler, BFG drag radials, Bugflector, G&H Lens covers,
70 Vette LS-6

 

You would be surprised at how much you could get for a small amount...Try www.ubid.com



[This message has been edited by Twisted99 (edited 05-25-2000).]