magiviper

well heres the final compilation of all the material.. Southbounds mods

egilsrud

Looks good! I'll add some tips for removing the door panels, cutting the rain shield, etc. that often seem to crop up for folks doing installs.

Southbound

Hey sask, PERFECT! I see you got my email today and added the last couple of notations.

THANKS GUYS!

A picture is worth a thousand words, so this compilation diagram should be worth thousands! And yes, Sask and I have been emailing each other this week and this version of his drawings are accurate and as complete as I would want them to be. Sask has held himself to professional standards on this board and offline emails. A job well done!

Thanks also go to egilsrud for initiating the idea of a sticky with magiviper and to Y2KWPDTL for the actual photo of a DX6 with the mods. I appreciate all of your guys input and this sticky makes all of the long nights with "clackitis" on the keyboard worth it. As you mentioned egilsrud, any door panel and spacer info along with INSULATION TIPS to prevent shorted wires or terminals that you can add would be a finishing touch.

You guys at acura-tl.com work fast! I just emailed a couple of last minute notes to sask this afternoon, and here this evening I find the notations added and posted here on the board for all to see. This board is something that everyone should be proud of.

YOU GUYS ARE THE MEN! I'm impressed... Coool!

P.S. Buy your DX6s from Streeteffectz... as of 12-19-02 he still has several pairs available.

Sask32TL

Sounds great... just e-mail them to me (jmackenzie3@shaw.ca), and I can easily add them to the file. I can even search around the board for some photos and merge everything together...

systek

im clueless, why go through all this trouble?? what purpose does it serve?

egilsrud

You said it, not me

This topic has been discussed ad nauseum for several months now - use the search feature if you really want to know more.

The short answer is that it is an easy, cheap upgrade (< $250) that yields a huge improvement in sound. The Pok DX6's fit in the factory speaker location with little modification necessary. The simple electronic additions described in the sticky 1) roll off the high frequency boost added by the Bose EQ to compensate for the lack of a tweeter in the stock Bose speakers, and 2) improve the impedance matching of the speaker & speaker wire with the amp.

That's it - everything else in the stock audio system is retained, including HU (and amp), speaker wire, etc.

I understand you have a very elaborate (and expensive) audio setup. I think that's great. You must also understand that some of us are unwilling/unable to buy and install such a setup. The DX6's yield a big improvement in sound for relatively little cash and effort.

systek

dont hate, i havent been here in months! if your concerned about saving cash, see my post here http://acura-tl.com/forum/showthread...642#post468642

also, there are alot of other options available out there that can be used instead of that polk setup which will still do the job, sound better and maybe even cost less! my diamond audio M5 components only cost me $199 on sale at a car stereo shop in houston...! they are alot higher quality and when i first installed them, i tried the factory amp...which worked them quite nicely.

egilsrud

No hate from me - sorry if the first line seemed a bit cruel. I put a smiley at the end to indicate that I was kidding, but I guess it could be interpreted differently. I never want to write something in email/forum postings that I wouldn't say to the person's face.

The fact that you haven't participated in this forum for months means that you have missed out on many long discussions about replacing the Blose speakers. That's why I suggested that you search to get the scoop on the Polks.

However, I did read your other recent post before I replied, and I must admit that the first sentence
led me to believe that you had already made up your mind regarding the Polks.

No one has ever stated (Southbound included) that the Polk DX6s are the finest speakers ever made. However, at this point they are the ONLY speakers found to fit in the factory speaker location with no modification. That's not to say that others don't exist - but so far no other alternatives have been discovered.

Regarding the methods you used to install your Diamonds in the factory speaker locations - I have no doubt that you did an excellent job, judging from the pics. But, your install requires fabricating baffles out of plastic/wood, mounting a crossover, running wires etc. which some folks aren't comfortable doing. While that may not be rocket science, a lot of folks reading this forum have never previously messed with car audio (myself included), and might not feel comfortable with the work required.

The Polks basically drop right in. The only "modification" necessary is to cut the speaker basket (which even I could handle).

Also, my quoted price of $250 was for all four speakers. In fact, I spent $200 on the 4 Polks, $40 on Dynamat and $10 on miscellaneous resistors and capacitors.

I'm not knocking what you have done - quite to the contrary. I'm sure your system sounds awesome! But again, remember that one size doesn't fit all. For some, the Polks are entirely adequate. For others like you, better components are required to satisfy the need for quality audio. More power to you!

I do hope that you continue to hang around this forum. You obviously have a lot of expertise in installing audio/video equipment in TLs, and there are people who could benefit for your knowledge. There are also quite a few TL owners who would like higher quality sound than the Polks can provide. It would be a huge benefit if they could use your installation techniques as a baseline.

OK, I've said my piece. PEACE! I'll go back into hiding now

Southbound

Don't hide egilsrud!

You are very gracious in your posts and also MOST INFORMATIVE. You defend and put the scope of this mod/upgrade into its proper perspective.

As you and I have always stated, it's not the BEST upgrade that one can do to the TLS sound system by any means. But as you elaborated... It is the EASIEST and CHEAPEST upgrade WHILE ALSO CORRECTING FOR THE HIDEOUS FACTORY EQ RESPONSE... and STILL PROVIDE SUFFICIENT VOLUME FROM THE STOCK HEADUNIT.

For many a person, it is a sufficient upgrade and well worth the money and effort. For many a novice, the work involved requires minimal audio knowledge and/or skills to accomplish. This gives many unexperienced TL'ers the courage to take on the upgrade challenge by themselves. The resulting sense of accomplishment and obvious audio improvment is a nice reward.

THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE OF THIS STICKY... It's not a competition or a proclomation of the best and only way to proceed... Simply a GOOD option.

For those who wish to install bigger and or better speakers and complex systems. I've always said... "More power to you"... (no pun intended) I respect and admire those who have the fortitude to tackle a major complete system overhaul. But as egilsrud has also eloquently explained... "One size or system does not fit all"

This is just one GOOD easy solution for a modest improvement with minimal effort and expense.

The POLK DX6 speakers have been discontinued, and therefore, the attempt to notify our fellow TL'ers of this option (before it is too late to find any of the speakers) is the point of this sticky.

GOOD LUCK to all in whichever route you take to improve your system!

Southbound

systek

eh, no need to hide...jej! personally, i find it is more time consuming soldering those resistors and such than making a simple round baffle. plus i went the higher end route when i picked the speakers i used. the baseline remains the same. make a baffle, fit any decent speaker in the blose place. alot of companies make high quality coaxials such as image dynamics, jl audio and mb quart, which would mean no need for the external xover.

and to clear one of ur comments, i didnt have to cut anything on the plastic factory baffle. it is the mount that the wooden baffle and the speaker goes mounted on. waxxx on, waxxx off

Southbound

Again, to each his own...

But soldering the resistors, etc neutralizes the factory EQ and takes VERY LITTLE TIME. Your baffle does not do that. So even if you have a mod that enables other speakers to fit... you still have to deal with the EQ issue... Also the terminator mod is a mod for ALL speakers. It will improve the clarity and detail out of ANY setup... INCLUDING YOURS! And again, if you haven't cut the baffle off of the back of the factory basket... THEN YOU ARE GOING TO THE IMPEDE THE ABILITY FOR THE SPEAKER TO BREATH. If a speaker does not have room to sufficiently breath from the backside, it will experience acoustical loading that inhibits the quick action rise times known as "PUNCH".

I just can't be convinced that your method (as described) is that much better than the DX6 mod. It has the POTENTIAL to sound better... but only after you have added the extra amount of work that I have outlined for the DX6 mods. I still think that your system would sound better if you cut the back of the factory basket off, added the terminator mod, did something to neutralize the factory EQ, and also did something to make sure that the raised mount of the new speaker does not have its suspension material resting and resonating against the front door panel.

I have no problem with people who want to chose bigger or better speakers. But it's not as simple as you suggest to fully implement them. I have NO STOCK in POLK speakers. I'm only passing on a bit of knowledge that is good information for many "do it yourself'ers"... You could also benefit from the terminator mod if you took the time to read about it and weren't too proud to accept someone else's decades of experience.

Your solution is a GREAT idea as well. It's just in a little different league of upgrade options. You still haven't answered how you deal with the overly pre-emphasized factory EQ when feed to a really bright aftermarket speaker??? Also will you be around to answer the flood of questions on how to build your baffle plate once members become interested in your system? I hope so, but to do so, will take a lot of committment and time from yourself. To knock a particular upgrade procedure is easy... to continually help others to implement your better method is the difficult part...

PEACE! It's all good... HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Southbound

Sask32TL

If you have limited funds or limited experiance in do-it-yourself car stereo installation, the DX-6 is a great way to go. It gives you a chance to get a little experience in ripping cars apart, and is a marked improvement over the factory system. It's a serious confidence builder for newcomers, and it sounds great compared to the factory Blows system.

If you have some more money to spend and/or more experience in stereo installs, buying a component speaker system and mounting it on a baffle board is also a great way to go. If the component system doesn't have a zobel network built in, Southbound's terminator mod will ALSO improve the clarity.
It's not designed to solve a shortcoming in just the Polk speaker. It solves a shortcoming in all speaker systems.

Sure, component speakers typically sound better than coaxials, especially if you're buying decent quality from a well known manufacturer, but not everyone can afford to blow one or two thousand dollars on car stereo (three kids, mortgage payments, college tuitions, new refrigerators, etc).

It's just as important to provide low cost high quality solutions as it is to provide high cost high quality solutions.

I don't see much point to this diplomatic urinating contest over whose method is better. Both methods have their merits and shortcomings. It's up to each person to educate themselves, set priorities, decide on an upgrade budget and make a decision.

Southbound

Exactly...
SB

egilsrud

I think you misinterpreted what I wrote - it's the Polk speaker install that requires cutting the rain basket. In any case, no big deal.

kennelm

systek,

So, what is your solution to dealing with the Bose EQ (since you dismiss the SB resistor mods)? Your component speakers will sound too bright hooked up to the Bose EQ won't they?

Sask32TL

Ladies and gentlemen... I believe we have the winner of the shortest reply ever given by Southbound in recorded history!!!!

Southbound

Hey sask, it was TOUGH to stop there. I was hoping that someone would notice my restraint... LOL

systek

my component's xover has 3 tweet level settings, i played w/them and found the sound I am looking for at -3db setting. it may not be what ur looking for, but then again,like u said, to each his own.

as for my commitment, i have an extensive sounddomain page w/all the mods that i have made in order to help anyone who is interested in taking apart their car like i did at http://members.cardomain.com/systeq

as for the actual remedy to the blose eq problem....rip that sucker out! i eventually plan to get an aftermarket headunit....but alas, i am also an aspiring "mid life crisis" individual, going through a divorce, having to juggle the mortgage, the car note and school loans that i have to finish paying, while the exwife lives it up...not worrying about all the junk we have acquired over the years on credit....and im not even 30yo yet.

btw, i never dismissed the eq hacking, per say, i simply tried to explain that there are other options than simply having everyone and their mother look for the dx6...unlike that damn navi conversion hack...no more avc's to be found..no easy or inexpensive alternative out there now...

Sask32TL

I just followed your link and started surfing around...

Everywhere I went all I saw was a very professional, well thought out and laid out group of instructions. Photos everywhere, great tips, etc...

I only have one suggestion: lose the electrical tape, and start using heat-shrink tubing. Two years from now when the tape starts falling off and shorting everything to everything else, yer gonna be pretty bummed out...

You've obviously put a lot of work into your site, and everyone else gets to benefit from all that hard work.

OK, I'm done sucking up now...

Southbound

I too agree that systek has a nice website and some good ideas about upgrading the TLS sound system.

However, it's NOT apples to apples... It's two different leagues of upgrades. Of course a component system will sound better than simple coaxials. and of course (as I stated) the crossover is likely to have several settings to "CUT" the tweeter. This is the same thing that the 3.9ohm resistor does in the DX6 mod. BUT in addition, I have added a rolloff cap to provide a smoother transition of the high frequency rolloff while maintaining the midrange response. The tweeter being mounted at the same level as the midrange does nothing to improve the soundstage over a coaxial speaker. Mounting the tweeter up in the sail panel would be a better choice to me... Otherwise, what has really been gained over the component system verses a simple coaxial speaker? I suppose the sharper external crossover does provide for better definition... BUT I SEE SIX SOLDER JOINTS... wtf, to put down a rolloff mod because of a few solder joints and then solder wires to a crossover instead of crimping lugs to the wires... still requires that the installer have the skills to solder properly. I am trying to provide an upgrade that is easy for novice installers. Cutting baffles, drilling holes, countersinking holes, installing crossovers, adjusting crossovers, installing complete dampening material, running new wiring, precision cutting of the door panel without cutting the grill cloth, etc. is an upgrade that is in another league of expertise to perform.

THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH STYSTEKS COMPONENET SYSTEM... I'm sure that it does sound much nicer than the simple DX6 replacement.

BUT THEY ARE DEFINITELY TWO DIFFERENT LEVELS OF UPGRADES! I have never contended that my solution is better than a component system... just that it is easier, and cheaper to accomplish. Since the easy to mod speakers have been discontinued, I only wanted to bring this particular solution to the members of this board before the option became completely unavailable. I have also always said that because of closeout prices on the speakers, the upgrade is "completely disposable". If down the road, one wants to jump up to another level of improvement... they can simply toss these speakers and start all over. What's a few hundred bucks in a $30K+ car?

Once you jump to the component level of an upgrade... then someone else will just jump in and say "why did you add those nice separate speakers without adding a decent amp to drive them?". Then as it has been suggested (by myself) the best way to deal with the EQ beast is to bypass it totally and add an aftermarket amp... i.e. Iggy's system...

Of course there are MANY options to chose from when upgrading any sound system.

I'm just here to defend my simple BUT EFFECTIVE option. It has it's place as one of the best ways to go for a SIMPLE upgrade.

THERE SHOULD BE NO POINT OF A DEBATE BETWEEN THIS UPGRADE AND AN UPSCALE COMPONENT SYSTEM WITH EXTERNAL TWEETERS, AN AFTERMARKET AMP, AND A TOTAL EQ BYPASS.

This is the last I will speak of the controversy... I'm disappointed in myself for letting this topic get to me in the first place. I guess I've just seen enough people benefit from the upgrade to still feel it worthwhile to defend.

If anyone else comes to this thread with a TRUE "apples to apples" comparison of another "like" solution, then that would be of some merit.

But,There is just no point in debating a full blown component system verses this simple plug and play speaker replacement. It just opens the gates for a flood of other options that are beyond the scope and realm of this mod.

Thanks for everybody's understanding in keeping this DX6 mod in its proper perspective. It doesn't matter to me if anyone performs the mod or not... I'm not in it for any kind of money... I'm just here to pass on a bit of good information before the speakers become completely obsolete.

"To each his own"...
PEACE!
Southbound

systek

thanks for the suggestion, but i never leave things alone long enough to worry about that....2yrs from now? try every couple of months...! btw, for anything that i do plan on leaving long enough w/out touching, i do try to use heatshrink tubing...

systek

umm, yes and no. first off, mounting on the same plane and close to each other means you dont get ugly sound(read, distorted) at the xover point that the mid and tweet are cut off at. the further apart both speakers are, the worse sound you get at that transition. of course, this can be fixed w/a complex 1/3 band eq, but i dont have one, nor the patience to deal w/that...another reason to keep them where i did is cause i want to try and get the pathlengths as equal as possible for soundstage purposes. again, mounting at the sail panels(a pillars) would mean that my left ear hears the sound coming from the left tweet first, then the sound from the left mid hits my ear, then the sound from the right tweet and finally the sound coming from the right mid. this isnt exactly a nice soundstage to work with, is it? there are tradeoffs in everything related to installing comps, make ur choices wisely depending on ur electronics at hand.


[QUOTE]Originally posted by Southbound
BUT I SEE SIX SOLDER JOINTS... wtf, to put down a rolloff mod because of a few solder joints and then solder wires to a crossover instead of crimping lugs to the wires... still requires that the installer have the skills to solder properly. [/i]

i think ur confusing my front and rear doors. the front door components have a xover w/screws. depending on how "clean" you want to make ur connections look, you can simply strip the wire, divide the strands in two, in the shape of a fork and let the clamp screw down on the bare wire.

yes, the rear door xover isnt that simple, but that was my choice to deal w/when i purchased them.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Southbound

I am trying to provide an upgrade that is easy for novice installers. Cutting baffles, drilling holes, countersinking holes, installing crossovers, adjusting crossovers, installing complete dampening material, running new wiring, precision cutting of the door panel without cutting the grill cloth, etc. is an upgrade that is in another league of expertise to perform. [/i]

i have no doubt ur upgrade is easy for anyone to do. after all, i have a hard time imagining that the ppl who can afford this car are smart enough to do some of the mods i have documented on my site. furthermore, most of the work ive done simply takes a talent that anyone have possess, patience. anyway, the last time i consulted w/diy'ers who install stereos in their cars on a regular basis at www.caraudioforum.com most will answer that they have a jigsaw in their garage instead of a soldering iron. regardless, my solution was a simple one, make a baffle that you can use to mount any mid, regardless of its mounting hole configuration or availability of the driver. hell, u can have the best of both worlds, make the baffle, buy a different mid, and do the eq buster as well! i have no problem w/that, i just didnt see the necessity to have members of this forum scrounge for that polk mid and nothing else...

btw, i never asked for anyone here to do any of my other mods, cause i know most ppl on this forum dont have the time or see the worth into going into that much trouble...


[QUOTE]Originally posted by Southbound
THERE SHOULD BE NO POINT OF A DEBATE BETWEEN THIS UPGRADE AND AN UPSCALE COMPONENT SYSTEM WITH EXTERNAL TWEETERS, AN AFTERMARKET AMP, AND A TOTAL EQ BYPASS.[/i]

you are right, there is no reason for debating this issue. i was simply throwing another option to everyone who is trying this mod so they dont see the need for searching for one specific driver, when there are countless others out there readily available w/my simple mod.(if you can take off the door panel on ur own, i think you have the capacity to cut a baffle as well)

as for the comment on using the factory amp, i did so initially only, i have had my not so trusty rf punch 400a4 powering my doors, which will soon be replaced w/a kicker zx460.

btw, i never threw mud in anyone's face, so i dont see why u are so irked! after all, who threw punch after punch, while i remained calm and considerate???:yack:

Southbound

Silent night...

Merry Christmas All...
SB

bozzchem

Interesting discussions made by informed and intelligent individuals.

I really love this forum! It's nice to have so much information at my fingertips every day!

I agree with systek concerning the soundstaging issue. Tweeters mounted in the sail frame are a no-no. They will be too far from the midrange and will definitely affect the overall soundstage. His method of mounting the tweeter, assuming you insist upon keeping the stock look of the door panel, is the way to go for a component setup. The mid and the tweeter need to be as close to each other as possible or instruments start to sound like they're not playing "together". Sure, it starts to look like a simple coaxial speaker if they're mounted side by side, but it's NOT going to sound like a coaxial. I actually saw an install where the tweeter was mounted OVER the midrange just like a coaxial speaker. While I currently have 4 Polk DX6's ready to install, I know that I'll probably only end up using them for rear fill. I've used components for too long. I'm going to give the DX6's a whirl first. They'll be getting 65W each, so they're going to get "THE TEST"

Southbound's mods are exactly as he states, upgrades for the average Joe who wants better sound than the POS Blose offers us. He has never stated anything other than the fact that his mods will blow the doors off the factory system. His postings are always highly informative while remaining very explicit for whom their intended audience is. I have learned quite a bit from reading his posts and I have installed car audio systems, for me frineds and relatives, for the past 15 years. This Blose system is my first "difficult" install due to the factory EQ - of which he and Iggy have been instrumental in the discovery of how to bypass it.

I don't feel any real "mudslinging" has taken place here. In addition to Southbound's posts, I found systek's page to be VERY informative. I trust that systek will continue viewing this forum to answer the questions I know I have and potentially many others will to tap his knowledge.

We are here to help each other. That's why forums like this are created. I look forward to reading this every chance I get. Plus, I've got a sh!tload of stuff to install once the holiday buzz is over and I'll probably need ALL the help I can get from EVERY board member willing to supply the info.

Whoops, I slipped off my soapbox and bumped my head. Damn, that's going to leave a mark......

Happy Holidays All.

systek

cool

SilverBullet

were else can someone get the dx6...
the link seems to be not working when I click on it...

Southbound

Try Streeteffecz on this board. He had several pair back when this sticky was created.

Southbound

sundial2k

SOUTHBOUND, I have never seen anyone spend as much time to do things for people unknown to them as you have with the Polk DX6 upgrade!

THANK YOU!

I just picked up an Anthracite TL-S last week, and the stock audio system is really bad. I used to sell car audio many years ago, but have been satisfied with the stock systems in my past 2 cars, and the system in my wife's Base-MDX is fantastic.

I know I can physically mount the DX6's, but am very unsure about my ability to do the crossover modification myself. I had done some soldering about 10 - 15 years ago, but am very nervous about doing the amount of work on the Polks as is needed.

From your experience, and feedback from other members, is this something a soldering novice like me can do?

I ordered a set of DX-6's online for $109 shipped from OnlineCarStereo.com. They indicated that they had them in stock, but I have not received them yet. I didn't find them in stock at very many stores, so I am somewhat thankful I was able to get a set at all.

Any recommendations about where I should shop for the parts needed to do the crossover upgrade or are you aware of anywhere or anyone who will do the modifications for me (for a fee of course)?

Thanks,
sundial2k
sundial2k@hotmail.com

Southbound

sundial, thanks for the kind words.

You can do the soldering work yourself with a bit of practice on some other scrap terminal lugs, etc., first. Find or buy some terminal strip that you can practice soldering on before attempting the actual speaker work. Use ANY old components just to get the feel of soldering back to your touch. Then PROTECT the speaker cone with some thick paper such as a business card underneath the terminal strip, and go for it. The card will keep any solder blobs that do drip down from your work from burning a hole in the cone. That would ruin your day!

As far as the parts, NTE electronics carries everything that you would need for both mods. They have distributors all over the country. Check out their website and do a search for the nearest electronic supply store near you. It's been a while, but I believe their website is <www.nteinc.com> If I have misquoted their site here, do a yahoo or any search engine search for NTE electronics and you will find their home page.

GOOD LUCK! You can do all the work yourself... it's a definite improvement for little time and money. It's still a long way from a super system, but nonetheless well worth doing for any novice.

Southbound

sundial2k

I will give it a shot!

I have read so many of your posts that I don't remember what you recommend - replacing all 4 speakers or just the fronts? I don't necessarily care what the people in the back hear, but I know that sometimes replacing all the speakers helps in the overall imaging and sound-staging.

I completely understand that the system isn’t going to turn into a competition system; I did all that a long time ago when I was young and foolish. My biggest question (although subjective) is will the soundstage move up from below the center console by adding the DX6’s?

It is extremely frustrating that a $30K+ car would come with such a bad sound system when other Acura/Honda vehicles have much better sounding systems in them.

Thanks for your advice!

sundial2k

Southbound

I recommend replacing ALL FOUR SPEAKERS. Once you see the BLOSE sad excuse for full range speakers, you will be losing them. I just did the fronts for a month or two before deciding to do the rears. But when I did, the clarity improvement was greatly noticed. However the overall sound became too sibilant and hissy with the stock EQ still in circuit. I bypassed the EQ which flattened the sound, but also decreased the volume by 6db. That with the fact that the DX6 speakers (or most any speaker)are already down by about 3db in SPL from the blose, made the overall volume not loud enough for me. SO I went to work designing a way to roll of the response of the EQ at the speaker itself. This is particulary EASY to do with the DX6 due to its construction. It has a terminal strip mounted on the back of the speaker where the tweeter and crossover cap are mounted which gives you a place to solder the mod components. There have been several people do this mod and NONE of them have regretted the results. Some have gone on to bigger and better improvements... but none have said that the upgrade was not worth the relatively small amount of time involved and the ease of installation along with the cheap budget. Some have also only done the fronts first and waited for a bit. Those who ended up doing the rears as well also reported that the improvement in clarity was worth the effort. The bottom line is that the blose are really MUSHY speakers with NO HIGHS. There are several higher end upgrades that you could do, but this mod gets you to a point where you can at least listen to the music... while you ponder your next move, or decide that you are content for the time being.

Install the "Terminator Mod" on ALL FOUR SPEAKERS. This will give you the same effect as if you upgraded the speaker wires with high end cables like kimber Kable, etc.

On the FRONTS...Install the FULL tweeter rolloff mod that consists of a 3.9ohm/5watt resistor in series with the tweeter, and then a 4.7uf/NON POLARIZED cap across the tweeter AFTER the series resistor. This will tame the highs down while allowing you to turn the treble control back up on the HeadUnit to get the lost midrange back as well. (IF you don't perform the tweeter high frequency rolloff mod on any aftermarket speaker, you will have to turn down the treble control to the point that you have lost a lot of midrange before the high highs are down to an acceptable level).

ON the REARS... just do the PARTIAL rolloff mod by simply placing a 3.9ohm/5watt resistor in series with the DX6 tweeter. The highs from the rear don't reach your ears as directly as the fronts, due to the back of the seats blocking the highly directional signal. Therefore, I have found (and others agree) that the best balance between front and rear comes with the extra rolloff cap on the fronts ONLY.

Keep in mind that these mods at the speaker level are only safe to use with the STOCK HEAD UNIT POWER. IF you ever add a more powerful amp, you would need to add a larger wattage resistor. IN that case, it would be hard to fit in place, and you should do things right at that point, and bypass the EQ. You can make up for the lost gain in the new aftermarket amp!

Hope this helps... There are TONS of posts on this forum about this DX6 speaker and its rolloff/terminator mods, other than what's just under this "STICKY". Actually this "sticky" came along after most of the hooplah over the mod had diminished. I owe SEVERAL people for helping to make the descriptive photos and instructions stick to this sticky... But further searches of my posts would have you reading an encyclopedia of rambling technical posts. SO if you need more info or help... try some more searches.


Good Luck!
Southbound P.S. Streeteffetz on this forum has stated several times that he has several of the POLK DX6 speakers in stock that you could buy through his shop, if your online order doesn't come through.

Southbound

OH yeah... As for the soundstage... Does it raise it up from the floor by adding the DX6 speakers? It's been so long that I can't exactly remember what it sounded like before. The addition of an actual tweeter does provide an improved sweet spot in the soundstage. Things sound really nice when you lean over and put your head right between the two front seats over the console/armrest but still at your normal sitting height. SO I guess it may tend to raise the soundstage by having some actual high frequencies hit your ears.

This is a question that ANYBODY who has replaced their stock speakers with COAXIAL speakers could help answer. IN any case, it's a definite improvement over the sad stock system.

I, too am utterly frustrated with the fact that a $30K plus (luxury) vehicle has a sound system worse than my 94 stock Camry. BUT what frustrates me even more is HOW ACURA and Car magazines tend to brag it up as one of the top systems out there. YOU AND I both know that it is truly a disappointing and inferior system. It truly sucks for the expectations one would have for a car of this class! YET whenever I bring that fact up on the other TLS forum on this GREAT website... I get trashed over and over by people who defend the system as great????? My snide comeback has been that it's alright if all you want to do is listen to "Books on Tape" But for REAL music... You gotta be kidding! Maybe its an improvement over a typical computer speaker setup... but for a luxury car audion SYSTEM... IT lacks in EVERY category!

Enough of my ranting...

Go for it and keep us posted. You will be glad you did... Just be aware that you may create a monster and not be able to stop there...

Southbound

Sask32TL

Yeah... the boys and girls at Acura need to be introduced to the good people at Mark Levinson...

Too bad the boys at Lexus beat them to it...

BlackBeauty

I did the Polk dx6 upgrade a while back...

I need more power. I will be addind an amp to drive them, with a remote adjustable power

sundial2k

Hi Southbound -

I completed installing my DX-6's in the front today - what a difference. Still isn't as good as the system in my wife's base MDX, but it is much better.

Thanks again for all your time and input.

sundial2k

Southbound

You're welcome. You're also right in that it's much better, but still lacks punch. It's really sad that this level of car has to suck so bad with respect to audio. My 94 Camry has a MUCH better STOCK system. If they can put a good system into the MDX... why couldn't they have spent a few more bucks on equipment instead of the BLOSE NAME???

It seriously had me almost not buy the car when I test drove it. I didn't want to have to go through all of the hassle to install an aftermarket system just to get good sound. I don't require the extreme competition grade sound, but I do appreciate respectable sound quality with adequate volume. Needless to say, I bought the car anyway, and still the weakest link is the stereo. I always crank my music on my work commute for stress relief... and some CDs sound pretty good with the FOUR DX6s and some still don't come close to cutting it. It's a REAL disappointment with the car!

Southbound

sundial2k

I feel the same way. I used to be into the competition car audio, but I am much to old for that now. I just want the system to sound good.

If I hadn't gotten the deal I did on the TL-S, I would not have gotten it. I really like the Audi A4 more than the TL-S, but they aren't discounting them like Acura is. I am also not that thrilled with the tires on the TL-S. I just listed my tires on eBay - hopefully there will be someone out there who wants a replacement set with under 1000 miles on them.

John

BlackBeauty

Can Anyone point me to a schematic on how to add-bypass the HU Amop and add a new one in?

I will keep the HU, just boost my DX6's with a new amp

(please don't tell me to search, I have. I don't want the "whine" from the engine either)

Thanks, Phil

BlackBeauty

Also, Any recommendations on an AMP to best fit our systems ?

systek

if ur only trying to amplify the dx6, a 50-75 watt amp per channel should be just fine.

if you dont want engine whine, you have to make sure you use a common grounding point for all the amps you use. in my experience, you can get away with 2 grounding points although the rule is one common grounding point. i say two cause one point is in the front, where the radio/eq/tv or any other component that goes in the cabin would be grounded. then you use another solid grounding point for the trunk mounted stuff, like amps, cd changers, etc...