I just bought a new 05 TSX and would like to upgrade the speakers. I've found the speakers sound better (to me) if I turn the treble up +2 and the bass down -1, however the bass then is gone (very similar to my Nissan w/ BOSE which I improved with a sub). I have a Sony amp (50x4 or 150x2 or 50x2 + 150x1) and a smallish 8" Pioneer Premier sub sitting in a box from my Pathfinder. My thought is swap out the door and rear deck speakers then put my amp on the rear deck 6x9s so I can adjust the gains (bring the bass back up). I've read a lot on this site and it looks like an efficient speaker will perform well off the stock amp.

So put an efficient 6 1/2" in the doors, adjust the fader to get the right rear fill, then install a punchy 6x9 to run off my Sony amp? If that doesn't give me enough bass, I could run the amp as a 3 channel and try the sub (the 8 probably may be too small for the trunk but worth a try for now). The custom shop (the one I'd trust the most to do a good job) is willing to install my existing amp, except they really don't want to install after market speakers to a OEM amp. They mainly carry Diamond Audio, JL and Kicker and say the OEM amp just won't drive them well and any gains will be minor for the cost. They said add the amp and sub (preferably a 12") but don't change the front or rear deck speakers unless I'm going to change the amps.

Should I have them install my amp then take the car to CC or BB for the speaker swap? Do I need to build a spacer ring for the door speakers or is there an adapter out there that most installers can use to fit a 6 1/2" in the door? I could possible do this all myself, but like the idea of freeing up my weekend by dropping the car off and having someone else deal with it -- how things change when you have kids!

Thanks for your help.

 

Welcome

I'd say just get the avincar speaker upgrade package from Elduderino, an Official Vendor on this board.

 

So upgrading is pretty involved if you want to add the amp. if you just upgrade the speakers you can do it in about 2-3hrs, however only base comes out of the 6x9 in the rear deck, it is not a full range single such as what is sent to the front and rear door spealers. I dont have a full write up on this but if you want to add the amp, you are basicly going to incure alot of work as you need to get a signal to the amp and run new speaker wires to all speakers. I did my car on my own and it was alot of work. So before I expand on this are you going to do it yourself or pay someone.

If you have a shop install speakers that will be cheap, but if you want them to make the amp go, your probalby looking at $800-$1000 for an amp install, speaker install. Its not that its complicated, but it takes a lot of time.
CarToys in seattle wanted $1200 to install new speakers, amp, make it all work.
Another shop flat out turned me down as they had never seen the TSX.

 

I really hated that I couldn't hear any mid level voice on our speakers and messed around with the settings and found the settings that I think work for the most part. I set it +1 forward, -3 treble, -3 base and found that at any volume, I can hear the voice clearer. I can listen to XM channels 150-151 (comedy) and hear the voices clearly. Try this setting. I was a big bass fan and thought it would take away the boom but I think it makes the boom more clearer. Our stock speakers are incapable of keeping a clean bass at the high settings IMO. With it lowered I think it sounds great.