I want to replace all four speakers in my 01 Xcab. I don't want to add an amp, as I want great sound clarity, and not necessarily volume (showing my age). ANy recommendations, Eclispse Point Source, Polk DX, Clarion, etc.

 

If you want to go with speakers like the ones you had listed, chances are you will need an amp. Just changing out your speakers will not make much of a difference. You need to either improve your source of sound (new head unit) or go with an amp....in addition to new speakers.

------------------
1998 Silver XLT Supercab
4.6 Triton V8--tow pkg.
2-Chamber Flowmaster
HF Alarm w/ Remote Start
Front clear corners
Rear Altezza lights
Billet grilles
Line-X bedliner
Sony X-plod CD player
6-disc MiniDisc changer
Dual 10" Crystal subs
Flame window tint
Flame guages

 

I agree,most decent aftermarket speakers are made to use much higher wattages than factory units. Get yourself a decent head unit,an amplifier,and some
aftermarket speakers(brands you mentioned) and you will be very happy with the sound in your truck. Great sound takes great equipment,,,Enjoy the ride,,,,98

------------------
98 F-150 4.6 Litre XLT2wd Ext. cab
Yokahama AVS/ST's,,too noisy
prarie tan/tan int.
K/N gen.II fipk
custom dual exh/gibson rectangle tips/rear exiting.
color matched snuglid
Superchip!!!
Clear front corners
Grillcraft grill insert
Speedglo gauges w/carbon fiber overlay,might paint it black
Stillen Quad light air dam,Sweet!!
Euro taillights
Cobra 75WXST cb w/weather alert
Kenwood cd w/Radio Shack speakers,and Soundstream P203e amplifier//Single 10" sub
Viper alarm
On the way/wheels,tires, etc..etc.......
the monochromatic boogie is done,cool!.
Come see my new pictures@ www.my-f150.com

officialtomwaits.com
reverendhortonheat.com

WOW,what a cool site!

FENDER GUITARS ROCK!!!

 

Any and all of the companies you list make some very good component speakers. IMHO, components are the only way to get a significant increase in sound quality. You have to get the tweeter away from your ankles to hear it. An efficient set of components will really wake up a weak factory setup.

 

Just did the tweeter install tonight - and using the same head unit - no plans for an amp. I have amped sub tubes behind my seat. I installed rockford fosgate 6" components with a 3/4" tweeter - they were practically giving them away, so i had to invest.

Sounds great! but i must admit that the amped sub helps too.

------------------
Bambino Online
Owners Gallery Truck #179
1999 reg cab/short box/ORP/Silver on Dk Graphite - 3.55; 4.6l 5sp; factory snapless tonneau; kicker sub tubes; Custom Exhaust; Mobil 1 5w30/Motorcraft FL820-S; Amsoil Series 2k in the diffs. And now, Rockford Fosgate components with that sweet tweeter install!

 

If you want great sound clarity, and amp is the way to go. Even with good speakers, you still need a good clean power source. The amps make an incredible difference even in low volumes. It is worth the investment. You can get a good shop to set you up with a system for your needs. It doesn't have to be one of those thumper systems you hear miles away to be a good system. You can't discount the effect of a good sub woofer in the system also.

 

Let me speak plainly here, haze10. I grew up in the late 60's/early 70's blowing dope and listening to Hendrix, Cream, Stones, etc. etc.
I long ago moved on from Acapulco Gold to Cuervo Gold, but my love of Rock has remained. I'm not one of those inconsiderate and immature bozos who think it's cool to sit at a stop light, their audio system "slamming" with their windows down, or who enjoy being heard coming into my neighborhood from two miles away.
I do,however, INSIST on a system in my truck that sounds clean, sharp, and has good, ballsy bottom end WITHOUT having to crank that volume **** to full detente.
I replaced all my speakers and added one subwoofer in my center console. I amp'd both, but you can do whatever sounds best to YOU!!
By all means, replace those speakers. But may I also add my voice to the choir of voices here that recommend you add an amp? It's worth it. It will make a difference to you, and add enjoyment to your ride everyday. You don't even have to spend a LOT of money. I got an excellent deal on some discontinued DiamondAudio M551 at a local install shop that wanted to bring in a new line. And you don't have to buy the stock size either!! I have 6.5-in ROUND in my rear doors sitting on custom plates. Ditto for the 5.25-in ROUND in my front doors (with new titanium tweets in the upper door panels). A good custom shop can do the job at a reasonable cost if you don't want the hassle of wiring it yourself. (I sure as hell didn't). Just do your homework and spend wisely. May I suggest that you start here:
http://www.audioreview.com/
and here:
http://www.hvcamn.com/
and here:
http://www.carsound.com/12-voltguide/alpha.shtml
and here:
http://www.ampmanaudio.com/index.asp
Above all......Have fun doin' it!!!
If I pull to an intersection and hear little John-Boy next to me obnoxiously slamming out Eminem? No problem. I just slip in a little Stevie Ray and crank that bastard. I usually get some sort of helpful visual hand signal from John-Boy, letting me know how nice it is to hear some real music that is played with actual notes.
Peace, my brothers and sisters!!

 

Ok, I get the message. I have to get the amp. But do I really need a new head unit. If I am playing a CD on the factory HU you mean the audio coming out is different on different Hu's. Like I said, I am not looking for I high volume, or tremendous fidelity, just a good improvement over stock.

 

You can add an amp to your stock head unit and still experience a huge improvement. Doing a head unit swap in addition to that would just take it up another notch. I actually like systems that have factory head units with amps and subs in the background. People get in your vehicle and think you have a normal system....that's when you turn up the juice.

------------------
1998 Silver XLT Supercab
4.6 Triton V8--tow pkg.
2-Chamber Flowmaster
HF Alarm w/ Remote Start
Front clear corners
Rear Altezza lights
Billet grilles
Line-X bedliner
Sony X-plod CD player
6-disc MiniDisc changer
Dual 10" Crystal subs
Flame window tint
Flame guages

 

here is another option JL Audio makes a replacement speaker for your truck
http://www.jlaudio.com/evolution/TR570CX.html
Combine these with a nice high power aftermarket head unit and you will have a nice clean sounding system, without the nead of a amp.

Here is a picture of my head unit with the Scoshe adaptor


------------------
SILVER 2001 LIGHTNING
Built 02/14/01
Picked up 03/03/01
Sportmasters tonneau
Bedrug
Alpine head unit and six disk changer.
JL Audio speakers
Magnaflow muffler
JDM BigMouth Filter.

http://members.tripod.com/donf150/Welcome/id7.html


[This message has been edited by Don C (edited 04-19-2001).]

 

I replaced just the front speakers with some Eclipse 2 ways, when I did the rears they sounded worse, so I re-installed the factory units, and added some $30.00 tweeters in back. with the factory head unit, the sound is amazing, I have gotten several positive comments on it. if your keeping the stock head unit, look for speakers that have a high senstivity, like 96db. What that will mean is a speaker with a 93db rating will effectivly sound only half as loud at the same power level, 3db doesn't sound like a hugh difference, however it will be the twice the percieved volume.Also a speaker that reqiures alot of power to drive it, will fall on its face with the head unit, look for lower power "able" speakers .The eclipse's that I got are great with the factory head, and will handle a upgrade(to a certian extent) if I ever chose to.

------------------
2001 F-150 XLT S-CAB 4.6 "Fully equipt, and Superchip'd!"
96 Taurus GL
93 Kenne-Bell Supercharged Mustang
"Injection is nice, but I perfer being blown!"

86 Kawasaki ZG 1000 A-1 Concours

 

jstang, which eclipse speaker did you use, they have a couple two ways. I understand that every 3db is a doubling of the energy, but where do you find this info. Only a few speaker manufacturers list it. What is it exactly, a sound pressure level in front of the speaker at 10ft, but at what frequency and at what watt level. How do you figure that the speakers in rear sounded 'worse'. That seems difficult to understand. Couldn't you just fade more to the front.

 

A true Sound Pressure Level, (SPL), rating is one watt, at 1 meter, on axis, over the stated frequency range of the speaker, with deviations noted. Some manufacturers only rate their speakers at 1kHz. Also, db measurements are logarithmic in base 10, meaning every 10 decibels doubles the sound.

http://www.audiovideo101.com/diction...sure-level.asp

 

Hey Loco.Forgive the dumb question but what is the difference between component speakers and regular coaxial speakers?I want to get some Alpines for my truck its a supercab.The difference in sound?And how hard is the installation?And how long does it take.These factory speakers suck!!

------------------
2000 F-150 4x4 XLT
Current Mods:
Ford Window Deflectors
Ford Bug Deflectors

 

I used the 85741's. I don't know what made them sound like they did, it was aweful!! They seemed to distort(muddy)badly even at lower volumes(all but the lowest settings), and the factory units actually sounded better. It may have something to do with the area they are monuted in, not have acoustic properties that match the speaker, I even tried some pioneers back there, but the stockers still were better. I belive the rating is @ 1 watt at 1 metre. My system now has, thundering bass, from the back speakers, and all the midrange is from the front speakers, and the highs seem to come at you from all angles from the front door speakers and the tweeters that I mounted in the back on the extra cab, on the window frame facing foward, about 3" down from the top of the window. I was really impressed with the way it sounds. In my Mustang I have an Alpine head unit,Power Acoustic 60 watt rms 6 channel amp (600 watt amp) and Eclipse 2 way 3.5" in the dash, 2 way 6.5" and 6X9's 3ways in the back dash, with a powered 6" Bazooka tube sub.My truck doesn't sound as good as the car, however I think anyone who hears it doesn't belive all I added was a pair of 5X7's and some Radio Shack $30.00 tweeters to the factory system.I think that the sound I have is as good as you can get for keeping the factory stereo.


------------------
2001 F-150 XLT S-CAB 4.6 "Fully equipt, and Superchip'd!"
96 Taurus GL
93 Kenne-Bell Supercharged Mustang
"Injection is nice, but I perfer being blown!"

86 Kawasaki ZG 1000 A-1 Concours