What speakers to use with an aftermarket HU and no amp?

[Joel114]

One of my speakers in my 2005 Pontiac Sunfire Coupe (Same as a Chevy Cavalier) stopped working and I have been trying to decide if I should spend $200-$300 on a HU and cheapish coaxials or spend $500-$600 on an HU, amp, and nicer speakers. I am wondering how well a 4x 22W rms HU would work with 6x9 speakers that recommend 40 or 45 watts? What would people recommend for a low power 4x6 and 6x9 coaxial to run on an HU? What brands make good inexpensive speakers?

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[AddicLee]

Good One

 

[youdoofus]

One of my speakers in my 2005 Pontiac Sunfire Coupe (Same as a Chevy Cavalier) stopped working and I have been trying to decide if I should spend $200-$300 on a HU and cheapish coaxials or spend $500-$600 on an HU, amp, and nicer speakers. I am wondering how well a 4x 22W rms HU would work with 6x9 speakers that recommend 40 or 45 watts? What would people recommend for a low power 4x6 and 6x9 coaxial to run on an HU? What brands make good inexpensive speakers?

4x6's up front?

Good One

go f**k yourself

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

You can get decent sound from good speakers off head unit power.  Maybe not super loud, but maybe loud enough.

The question is - what's "decent" and "loud enough" for you.  Nobody can help you with that.

I always suggest just going to some stores and listening to speakers that fit in your application.

For your particular car, I'd try to figure out how hard it is to adapt 6.5's for the 4x6 openings.

Get some decent speakers -- see how you like it.  You don't need to spend a ton on the head unit.  There are plenty of good options for ~$100.

If you decide you want more in the future (almost all of us do) it would not be difficult to add an amp at that point.

 

[Joel114]

You can get decent sound from good speakers off head unit power.  Maybe not super loud, but maybe loud enough.

The question is - what's "decent" and "loud enough" for you.  Nobody can help you with that.

I always suggest just going to some stores and listening to speakers that fit in your application.

For your particular car, I'd try to figure out how hard it is to adapt 6.5's for the 4x6 openings.

Get some decent speakers -- see how you like it.  You don't need to spend a ton on the head unit.  There are plenty of good options for ~$100.

If you decide you want more in the future (almost all of us do) it would not be difficult to add an amp at that point.

If I spend more and get an amp I was going to cut the door to fit a 6.5" but if not they would be hard to drive with an HU. What brand do you like for coaxial speakers?

 

[trumpet 5,000+ posts]

One of my speakers in my 2005 Pontiac Sunfire Coupe (Same as a Chevy Cavalier) stopped working and I have been trying to decide if I should spend $200-$300 on a HU and cheapish coaxials or spend $500-$600 on an HU, amp, and nicer speakers. I am wondering how well a 4x 22W rms HU would work with 6x9 speakers that recommend 40 or 45 watts? What would people recommend for a low power 4x6 and 6x9 coaxial to run on an HU? What brands make good inexpensive speakers?

It's been years but I installed just that into a Sunfire and I thought it was pretty far from good sound quality. It was an entry level Kenwood AM/FM/CD receiver and Pioneer A series 4x6s and 6x9s, if I recall correctly. To the owner the car was a college runner that wasn't intended to be owned for more than a few years. 

One of the Sony high power HUs would do a lot better job with a wide range of speakers. I sell CDT Audio speakers exclusively now which I trust to sound great on a wide range of power. The car is going to need 2 pairs of speaker adapter brackets and I strongly recommend vibration damping mat as there is a lot of stuff in a Sunfire that will tend to vibrate. If you'd like to see some ideas and figures pm me.

 

[Joel114]

It's been years but I installed just that into a Sunfire and I thought it was pretty far from good sound quality. It was an entry level Kenwood AM/FM/CD receiver and Pioneer A series 4x6s and 6x9s, if I recall correctly. To the owner the car was a college runner that wasn't intended to be owned for more than a few years. 

One of the Sony high power HUs would do a lot better job with a wide range of speakers. I sell CDT Audio speakers exclusively now which I trust to sound great on a wide range of power. The car is going to need 2 pairs of speaker adapter brackets and I strongly recommend vibration damping mat as there is a lot of stuff in a Sunfire that will tend to vibrate. If you'd like to see some ideas and figures pm me.

At the $200 price of the high power HU I might as well spend a little more for a dedicated amp. I will also consider the CDT speakers if I decide to spend $500 to $600 because they seam nice with a nice warranty.

 

[Joel114]

4x6's up front?

Ya I could cut out and put a 6.5 if I choose to go with more expensive speakers and an amp.

Or get an adapter