im a total n00b, but i decided to go ahead and buy the dx6's on my own planning to install them.

i read southbound's directions in an older thread, but im completely lost.

how much would it cost to go to a professional and get them installed?

thanks.

 

I was planning on doing it myself but upgrading system to Xtant amp(600x1) and JL 15W3 sub so I figured I'd ask the shop to do it while they were installing everything else. They charged me 30 bucks to do it...wanted to do it myself...just lazy i guess
However, if you're just puttin' in the DX6 I would try it yourself. Southbound put up some great posts. Thanks Southbound!

 

with the crimping and the positive, negative terminals and male, female parts... i just cant... its too much for me... i never had any experience with anything like this

 

Do a SEARCH on "DX6"...prepare to spend around 2 hrs of READING. You will find ALL kind of info on how to install them. Iggy even has a nicely scanned pic of factory wiring specifying exactly what color wire is "+" and which on is "-". The FAT terminal on your speaker is "+". So hook up the proper positive wire from your car to the fat terminal and of course the other to the negative. If you want to do that resistor/terminal mod then same thing...solder them to the proper terminal like the instructions told you. Also check out the thread called "Iggy/SouthBound -- help", it'll clear up a few wiring on the resistors/capacitors as well as lastest update on the parts that you'll need.

 

thanks randomwalk... i guess i'll do even more reading now.

 

Taestee,
It really bothers me to see you have to take these speakers somewhere else to be installed.

THEY REALLY ARE SIMPLE TO INSTALL!

YOU DO HAVE TO WATCH OUT FOR THE BOTTOM TERMINAL STRIP ON THE BACK OF THE SPEAKER!!! IT WILL REST VERY NEAR IF NOT ON TOP OF THE METAL DOOR FRAME HOLE CUTOUT. THIS CAN CAUSE A SHORT ON THE SPEAKER LINE IF THE TERMINALS ARE NOT BENT UP OUT OF THE WAY. THE NEW TERMINAL LUGS NEED TO HAVE INSULATION SLEEVING OVER THEM AS WELL (LIKE THE ONES POLK PROVIDES) RADIO SHACK SELLS THE INSULATED SLIDE ON TERMINALS AND A CRIMP TOOL FOR $4.99. YOU NEED TO ALSO INSULATE THE METAL BOTTOM OF THE DOOR HOLE CUTOUT WITH SEVERAL LAYERS OF DUCT TAPE TO PREVENT ANY SHORT CIRCUIT. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!

Sorry for the all upper case letters, but I can't emphasize that point enough! Other than that, the install is a complete piece of cake for anyone who has done even a little bit of wiring. You could buy the connectors and crimp tool and do a lot of practice on scrap wire first, until you get the hang of the crimp tool etc. Again, it's simple... you could probably have the Radio Shack guy show you how to strip wire and crimp the terminals onto it. You may have to go to more than one store before you find somebody willing to show you the technique, but an electronic supply store where you will have to buy the tweeter resistors usually has guys who LOVE to show people how to do things.

The other issue with having a shop install them, is that they probably won't do the mods on the back of the speaker for you without asking you twenty questions and then try to tell you that what you are asking is wrong, etc, etc. Then they will try to sell you a crossover or something...

While the POLK DX6s are good speakers, they sound pretty bright in the stock TLS. Other speakers sound even brighter. The BOSE system has an EQ unit involved which really boosts high frequencies in order to make the stock BOSE speakers (without a tweeter) try to give you some high frequency response. Therefore, once you replace the crappy BOSE speakers with ones that will actually reproduce high frequencies, the net result is that you have TOO much high frequency response. A lot of us have lived with the boost, because the clarity is SO MUCH better. You could have a shop install the speakers and live with this condition... BUT I've come up with a simple circuit to cut the tweeter brightness down. I have been testing values all weekend and I would hate to see you miss out on this mod. The speakers REALLY sound a LOT better with the mod(s) installed.

SOOOOOOO, do you have a friend or somebody else who can follow the directions on all of the zillion threads that I have posted on this subject???? I hope so... because you will miss out on the full benefit of the DX6s if you don't install the tweeter and terminator mods at the same time.

I've posted the stock TLS wiring color codes a zillion times also, but here they are again to save you time from searching or reading the schematic... and something tells me that you will have a difficult time in interpreting a schematic. That's nothing to be ashamed about, electronic knowledge isn't for everybody. I'm sure you have plenty of other topics that you would know much more about than the rest of us...

2002/2003 Acura TL/TLS BOSE speaker wiring:

LEFT FRONT DOOR:
+ RED/GRN
- BRN/BLK

RIGHT FRONT DOOR:
+ BLU/GRN
- GRY/BLK

LEFT REAR DOOR:
+ BLU/YEL
- GRY/WHT

RIGHT REAR DOOR:
+ RED/YEL
- BRN/WHT

I hope you can find someone to help you, because it really is a fairly simple install and the mods are easy to do for SOMEONE WHO HAS SOLDERING EXPERIENCE... THE SOUND IMPROVEMENT IS MUCH ENHANCED BY THE MODS!

If you are left with no choice but to have a shop install the speakers for you, they will sound considerably better than the BOSE junk... but you just probably won't be able to "tweak" them into the optimum setup for the TLS because of its bogus EQ circuit. Have them at least install a sheet of dynamat underneath them. This helps with providing better and tighter bass response. Several people have installed the DX6s without any of these additonal mods and have reported being pleased with the results. So you will still be glad that you have them installed, even if you don't proceed with the follow up mods. They can just be made to sound better with these mods. Maybe you could find a shop that would solder the tweeter resistors in line for you, but I can only imagine all the questions you would be hit up with????? NO DISRESPECT MEANT TO STREETEFFECTS or other very competent custom designers and installers... BUT most of the people out there know very little more than you do. They just do the same thing over and over. When it comes to someting new... they're typically clueless.

Good luck! I wish I could help more...
Southbound

 

thanks for the response SB. unfortunately i dont have any friends who are good with this kind of stuff. i would like to do it myself, save myself the cash and gain the satisfaction having done it myself.

however, removing the door panels, and cutting wires and such make me too nervous. do i have to turn the battery off or something? i wont be shocked will i? questions like this should point to the fact that i am completely new to all of this.

i'll check out your many many many posts and see if i can do this.

i called the shop: it's going to cost $35 to install.

 

Taestee,

I believe I am beginning to understand your reluctance...

Having noted all of your concerns, it probably would be better to have a shop install these if it's only going to cost you $35.

You will be pleased with the improvements that these speakers make over the old BOSE speakers.
EVEN WITHOUT ANY OF MY ADDITIONAL MODS! I have only modded my front speakers as of this weekend. I have been driving around for two months with the POLK DX6s in their STOCK configuration and have been happy with them. It's just that you might find them a bit too bright (especially at first) then you get used to the new highs and they sound a lot better. You can turn the treble control down a bit and probably find yourself content.

Just warn the shop about the clearance issue of the terminal strip on the back of the speaker, and make sure they insulate things on the door hole cutout so that you don't end up with a short later on. FOR $35 bucks, these guys will proably just slap them in, in a hurry... Make sure they are aware of that potential problem!

YOU CAN ALWAYS DO THE MODS LATER ON if you feel that you can't live with the extra brightness. That's what I've done... and that's what a lot of other people on this forum will be doing...

For now, if you've got the speakers in hand, I'd say have someone put them in the car for you so that you know what you've got to listen to and whether or not you feel inclined to go through the mod process later on...

GOOD LUCK!
SOUTHBOUND

 

Like Southy said, but I would add one more order for the installer. Make sure they trim the factory Basket(the part that goes around the rear of the speaker) all the way, so that all is left is just a plastic spacer. I did'nt do this at first and found that it chokes the lows from the speakers. After I trimmed them there was quite a difference in bass responce because the speakers could breath easier.

Iggy

Attn Southy: We should start up a consulting business . I bet we could retire next year!

 

ahaa... okay guys

after reading all the stuff, looking at the speakers and figuring things out one by one, im going to try and do this myself.

okay so let me tlel you guys what i will be doing .. ill try to make this as short as possible:

1.) remove current speakers, cut wire at factory connectors

2.) bend all the terminals, lugs up on the dx6's

3.) insulate the bottom of the metal door hole

4.) cut out the back of the speaker basket.

5.) splice stock wires to the ones that came with the dx6. tie them up, etc...

6.) the end?

the only part im hazy about is the splicing part. what exactly will i need to buy at radioshack to splice the wires together?

thanks for helping me out guys. its really much appreciated

 

taestee,

These should do the trick:
Vinyl Insulated Solderless Butt Connector, Wire Size 22-16 AWG
The red ones should work. The stock car wire is 22 gauge and the polk wire is 18ga.


And then use a crimping tool to squeeze the connector around the wire:


You won't need the entire kit. Just the crimping tool and two butt connectors for each speaker. Get a few extra connectors to make some test runs on some of the extra wire that came with the polks. Don't use the entire length they provided, you just need a couple of inches. The reason is because you want as little wire as possible on the inside of the door to prevent the window from snagging it when you roll it down.

Afew tips on crimping:

the crimping tool has some color coded notches at the end. Since you will using the red connectors you use the red notch.

Don't strip off too much insulation from the wire. Strip just enough to get some exposed wire into the connector and still have the red plastic overlapping the wire insulation.

Each connector requires a total of two squeezes. The wire will only fit half way into the connector.

It goes something like this: strip the wire and place it into one side of the connector. then crimp down fairly hard about 1/8 of an inch from the center on the wire side. Tug on the wire a bit to make sure you got it tight and repeat for the other side.

after you get the speakers in place I suggest you test them before putting the door panels back on. Also, with the panels still off and the speakers installed roll the window down and look into the window opening at the top with a flashlight. You should be able to see part of the speaker magnet. What you are looking for is any telltale signs of the wires maybe getting in the way of the window.


Hope this helps.

Iggy

 

n/m

 

Taestee

I was editing my last post while you were reading it. Go back to it and reread.

 

thanks a lot iggy. seems i got everything down now... the only snag... radioshack is out of stock on the butt connectors.. what a drag

 

just bought all the stuff now. going outside to attempt. wish me luck

 

Just finished the job... sounds great. thanks to all of you who helped,
(in no particular order)
Iggy, Southbound, tl life, randomwalk

thanks again!

 

Hey Tastee,

Did you install the terminal mod and the resistor and roll off capacitor? If not, do it..since you put install those like that, you're 1/2 way done...also put a sheet of dynamat extreme below the speaker and rock and roll

 

no i didnt do any of the mods just installed the speakers.. heh... where should i put the dynamat? directly in back of the speaker?

 

Well if just the speakers are good enough for you then that's cool. Many think that the treble is a little too high with the Polk and the resister/terminal mod help out in this regard. As for dynamat, it goes right under your speaker...ei. door frame, dynamat, basket/spacer, speaker, door cover...in that order

 

Hey Taestee, You should feel REALLY proud of yourself!!! You took on a challenge that was completely foreign to you and succeeded! NOW, you are an experienced custom car audio installer

Listen to the POLKS for a few weeks and truly evaluate them. If you find things are just a little too bright, you can go back in and do the mods. The second time around is a lot easier than the first... and according to your post times, you pulled the job off in around 2 hours. That's great!

Did you install all four doors or just the fronts? How would you characterize the difference in sound that you now have? Do you find them to be too bright? Some people will find them to sound just fine stock. Others will want to add the tweeter resistor to knock down the highs a bit, and others will also want to add the additional rolloff cap to further knock down the extreme highs. It's all up to you as to whether you find them in need of the extra mods. The tweeter mod does knock down the highs a bit and tends to bring out the midrange prominence again.

If you do pull the speakers back out for any reason... I would INSTALL THE TERMINATOR MOD NO MATTER WHAT. It helps to improve the overall clarity of the signal coming from the amp to the speaker. It has no direct effect on response, but rather helps transfer the signal from the HU to the speaker in its purest form.

Also put a sheet of dynamat extreme underneath each speaker. Yes, mount the dynamat directly to the door frame over the white plastic door covering, and then cut out the center of the dynamat with a utility knife in order for the speaker to fit through the center. Then mount the white plastice speaker spacer on top of the dynamat with the speaker on top of the spacer. This dampening material underneath the speaker will help to improve the bass response. It will be tighter and smoother.

Again, Congratulations!!!

Keep us informed as to how you think they sound after giving them a listen for awhile.

Glad we could all help out... Southbound

Yeah, Iggy, great crimping advice that you provided. I think you gave him the courage to continue. We do spend enough time on this board to be consultants... show me the money :p

 

SB- thanks for the kind words. lol. the sound does seem a bit bright, but turning the treble down to 0 takes it down to a good level. but yes, i am satisfied with the sound. much better than stock.

i did just the front doors like you suggested in many of your posts.

as for the mods... i'll have to procure a soldering iron then the courage to go and do it... maybe in a week or so.

thanks again guys.

 

Again, great work Taestee...

Since you have only replaced the front speakers, you will probably find that you can live without the mods (for a while, at least). I was happy in this condition for about a month. Then I decided that I should replace the rears before I could no longer locate them to buy. I was afraid that things might sound really bright with four of them, and I was right. However, the overall clarity made it a no-brainer decision to keep them. I'm sure you've witnessed first hand now, what crappy made speakers the BOSE ones are:yack:

When I replaced the rear speakers as well, the bass response was much improved and the highs were much crisper. Even if you think the rear BOSE don't sound that bad... THEY DO! They are all midrange and blaring at that... Their bass response is muddy, and their high frequencies are non-existent. Therefore, I'm sure you'll be glad whenever you replace the rears as well. Unless you've already done it, I'd advise buying a second set from Chaeha's source before they are no longer available... Even if you don't plan on installing them for a while. I'm buying a third pair just to have as backup in case one were to ever go bad someday.

At that point, I'm guessing that you will find the overall brightness to be bothersome. Your ears/brain will have adjusted to this new improvement that you are now experiencing, and will be wanting more and better sound. It's human nature to get used to what you have and always want more... So keep the mods in mind for when you replace the rears. In the meantime, enjoy your upgrade and be proud of yourself. Take your time to evaluate the overall sound. You will find yourself tweaking the treble control all day long for weeks until you finally find the best spot as you adjust to the new sound. My problem was that the treble control just didn't quite adjust things to my liking... in order to turn down the very highs to my liking, the midrange was lacking... and vocals were not as prominent as I would like. After the mods, the highs and midrange become much more balanced and the treble control now reacts more to my liking between various music material.

Hope some more of this makes sense to you. It feels good to have been able to help you gain the confidence to do this by yourself. (along with Iggy's help, of course) He is great at posting pics, etc. I don't have a website to link the pics to, or I'd post some cool ones of scope waveform pictures before and after the terminator mod.

A COUPLE OF THINGS TO REMEMBER... It is typical for the driver's door window auto up/down circuit to get confused after disconnecting the wiring from the door panels. Check to see if your auto up and down still works properly... If it doesn't, the reset instructions are in the manual. But all you have to do is: "Hold your finger on the button and let the window roll ALL the way down... then pull up on the button and continue holding it until the window rolls ALL the way up... CONTINUE HOLDING THE BUTTON UP FOR ANOTHER TEN SECONDS FROM WHEN THE WINDOW REACHES THE TOP!!! Then release your finger, and the circuit should be reset. The auto up/down feature should now work again.

ALSO, IF ALL OF YOUR DOOR SPEAKERS EVER QUIT WORKING SOME DAY DOWN THE ROAD... YET THE SUBWOOFER STILL PLAYS... Don't panic. This has happened to a couple of guys. It will mean that you have developed a short from one of the new speaker terminals to ground... or one of the wires got pulled off of the speaker by the window and shorted out to the metal door frame. If this happens, don't play the stereo even though it has a short cirucit protection circuit... it gets REALLY HOT! Just turn it on and off for short durations as you troubleshoot for the short problem. I added about 5 layers of duct tape to the bottom of the door frame hole. The terminals rest right on top of this. One person had the crossover cap lead cut through his insulation tape after a couple of weeks. So if this ever happens to you... just bend the terminals up better, cut off any sharp corners or sharp leads poking through the terminals, and add more tape, etc, etc. I've never had a problem... but then you can probably tell by my writing frenzies that I'm sometimes a fanatic about things... Sorry if I'm rambling and telling you things that you already have considered... but I'm really just trying to help EVERYBODY out.

GOOD LUCK!
Southbound

 

Sounds like all this clarity will cause me to change my ears lol. For the first time I like the sound of a stock system then again maybe the Inspire setup is better then the TL one. At any rate what can be done about the sub in the rear without getting a box.