Speaker upgrade...anybody doing it?

Discussion in 'Renegade Modified Tech' started by red/green hawk, May 31, 2019.

  1. red/green hawk

    red/green hawk Active Member

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    So I blew a speaker in front passenger side door. I don't blast my radio by any stretch. I listen mostly to talk radio. The factory speakers are absolute paper mache garbage. I went to Crutchfield and found the cheapest upgrade for each set of speakers. I got 3 1/2 inch Kenwoods for the dash, Kicker DS series 3 way 6x9s for the front door, and MTX Terminator 69s for the back doors. Crutchfield throws in adapters for the speakers that hook up to factory connectors and also a installation PDF for Renegades. All in all it was less than $200. Holy crap the difference is astounding. It sounds absolutely amazing. I highly recommend upgrading if you have the basic factory speakers. I don't know how the Beats system sounds. I'd be curious to hear how it sounds compared to what I have now.
     
  2. Seattle Al

    Seattle Al New Member

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    what system is this
     
  3. red/green hawk

    red/green hawk Active Member

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    What do you mean? I have 6 speaker system without navigation.
     
  4. Alimo11

    Alimo11 New Member

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    Any chance you could share that .pdf you were given for removing the factory radio/speakers? I'm interested in upgrading my speakers as well but worried how involved it is removing the door panels, or that they'll never go back on properly after prying them off.

    I used to swap audio gear in my old 95 volkswagen all the time but those interiors clipped together easier than legos.. seems like these newer cars would be a pain to deal with
     
  5. red/green hawk

    red/green hawk Active Member

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    I don't think I can post that pdf file online since Crutchfield has a copyright on it. At least not for the whole internet to see. Anyway it's easy enough. The dash speakers have any easy-to-pry-off cover with 2 screws holding them in place. All 4 door speakers took less than 2 hours to install. Pry open the cover from the bottom of the tray and behind the door handles and it will reveal bolts to take out. Then there is a bolt (2 on the back doors) under the tray There are screws on the back and bottom of the door panel(just on the bottom of the rear doors). You will need a panel removal tools. You will lose a couple clips taking the door panels off. It's no big deal. Either put the panel back on with one or 2 less clips or go to closest auto parts store and get a couple if it bothers you that much. No matter where you get your new speakers they will more than likely throw in a free instruction manual. I'm telling you though upgrading the speakers is one of the best mods I've done so far to my Renegade (and I've done quite a few). It sounds great and really helps driving become more enjoyable, IMO.
     
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  6. B-Rad

    B-Rad New Member

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    Someone posted a video on YOUTUBE for removing the door panels- Not a professional but he goes through the steps. I did both of mine- the front and rear pretty much come off the same way, and, coincidentally with the exact same speakers that red/green hawk used. They sound a LOT better. Go to youtube and search for 2015-18 Jeep Renegade Door Panel Remove/Install.
     
  7. zuke

    zuke Active Member

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    Honestly, I'd seriously consider buying the speakers from Crutchfield, I've found them to be cheaper than all the retail outlets in my area, (except for Crutchfield themselves, they are semi local to me being a little over an hours drive away) and competitive with other online discount retailers, they include all the installation parts you'll need, and provide the best vehicle specific instructions I've ever seen. Unless you already have the speakers, it's really hard to beat the value and service of Crutchfield..
     
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  8. red/green hawk

    red/green hawk Active Member

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    Yeah Crutchfield even tells you which speakers fit the best. Plus their support is truly amazing. If you are having problems they will walk you through everything. And you're right all the factory specific connections came included, so with the connectors and instructions it was a $50 value.
     
  9. Alimo11

    Alimo11 New Member

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    Thanks for the tips guys, I'm familiar with how helpful they are so I'm definitely gonna use Crutchfield, just wanted an idea what I was getting into before ordering. Would hate to end up not looking like a factory install after everythings done but this all seems pretty straightforward.

    This really surprised me though! I have the same setup as you, 2018 sport 6 speakers without nav, and the sound is great imo compared to many factory systems I've heard.. though I guess thats heavily dependent on the genre you're listening to. The mids/highs are pretty awful admittedly, and extremely noticeable, so my plan is to swap out the dash speakers this weekend and wait on the doors for a bit.
    I did a lot of reading on some other renegade forum and many people were claiming a hardwired crossover seems to send lower frequencies to the doors and the dash speakers get all mids and highs.. So my thinking is I'll get the best bang for my buck replacing those first, then if I'm not happy I can hit the doors later on. In any case I only just got my Rene a month ago so I need to prioritize a lift and some new tires before I blow a ton of cash on speakers.
     
  10. red/green hawk

    red/green hawk Active Member

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    When I first got my Renegade I thought the sound was okay. But after I removed the old speakers I saw how poor quality they really are. They are not made to last. I really didn't "jam" my factory setup and yet my speakers still blew. I admit that there are some things I want to do to make my system sound better. I want to get a compact powered sub, a 4-channel amp to power the door speakers, a multichannel EQ, and a crossover with high/low pass filters, but even with low end equipment it's another $600 at least. And once I've started down this path it's really hard to restrain myself from going all the way. But just replacing the dash speakers you will notice a HUGE difference. The sound coming out will be so much more crisp (especially mids and highs) that it really is captivating the first time you hear it.
     

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