Worth it?

[UHero]

My plan was to replace the bose front door speakers with a pair of earthquake speakers I had lying around.

The earthquake speakers are FC6.2R

I have just replacaced the speaker in one of the doors and left the other one stock just to hear the difference.
Seriously it seems to me that the bose speakers give better sound quality than the ones I was going to put in or am I just totally wrong?

Is the bose system worth keeping? Or is it my aftermarket speakers that is low quality?

Thanks for any help

 

[Porno Joe]

one of my stock bose speakers blew in my 07 and I replaced the front two with a pair of mid-price range speakers i got. to me they sounded so much better than stock i ordered a set for the rear doors also

 

[LBZ_Duramax]

I am pretty sure the bose system is like 3ohm

 

[UHero]

one of my stock bose speakers blew in my 07 and I replaced the front two with a pair of mid-price range speakers i got. to me they sounded so much better than stock i ordered a set for the rear doors also

One should think that the bose-speakers were quality.. Sounds like it's much more treble in the bose-ones than in the aftermarket ones. Is that a good thing?

 

[UHero]

I am pretty sure the bose system is like 3ohm

I know that ohm is resistance, but what does that mean in this situation? :/

 

[mpbond]

The only thing "Bose" in the truck is the amp. The speakers are still the same paper coned type junk as the non-Bose ones. Any aftermarket speaker should sound better.

As for the treble problem, make sure that there are only 2 wires going to the speaker. GM liked to bi-amp the speakers in the Monsoon systems. They used separate channels for the driver and tweeter. If there are 4 wires, then you grabbed the "midrange" channel instead of the "treble" channel. You have to get a set of speakers with exposed tweeter leads and cut them and wire them to the other channel, or bypass the amp.

It's been awhile since I installed a set of speakers in one of these trucks with Bose so I don't remember if they bi-amped or not.

 

[PhilsLB7]

I had a non-Bose system and did the same thing. Replaced the front speakers with aftermarket JL Audio components (6.5 mid and separate tweet). Sounded like crap with the factory unit power. Finally got the aftermarket amp in and wow what a difference that made. Aftermarket speakers sound 10 times better than factory but have to have enough power to push them. I'd recommend you ditch the factory stuff and go aftermarket. You will be much happier.

 

[UHero]

The only thing "Bose" in the truck is the amp. The speakers are still the same paper coned type junk as the non-Bose ones. Any aftermarket speaker should sound better.

As for the treble problem, make sure that there are only 2 wires going to the speaker. GM liked to bi-amp the speakers in the Monsoon systems. They used separate channels for the driver and tweeter. If there are 4 wires, then you grabbed the "midrange" channel instead of the "treble" channel. You have to get a set of speakers with exposed tweeter leads and cut them and wire them to the other channel, or bypass the amp.

It's been awhile since I installed a set of speakers in one of these trucks with Bose so I don't remember if they bi-amped or not.

I removed the earthquake speaker and replaced it with the bose speaker again. I realize that the "bose" crap that's in the truck from the factory is no good, but I don't think that the earthquake speakers do a major difference..
After checking around I found out that they are cheap and not really that good.

It was only 2 wires connected to the speakers so I don't think it is bi-amp?

I have found a focal utopia kit unused and for well under half the price of new, think I will buy it and put it in instead

I had a non-Bose system and did the same thing. Replaced the front speakers with aftermarket JL Audio components (6.5 mid and separate tweet). Sounded like crap with the factory unit power. Finally got the aftermarket amp in and wow what a difference that made. Aftermarket speakers sound 10 times better than factory but have to have enough power to push them. I'd recommend you ditch the factory stuff and go aftermarket. You will be much happier.

As I answered mpbond, the earthquake system isn't really that good.. Looks like it will be the focal utopia's for me!

My headunit is actually not stock, I forgot to mention but I replaced it with a pioneer AVIC F40BT last fall! Think I'll need an amp to power the front speakers in addition to the headunit

 

[TROJAN366]

I run a kicker 5 channel amp behind the back seat. Polk Audio components in the doors and an 8" kicker CVT sub. The base obviously isn't very impressive but its a good clean sound and I gave up barely any space.

 

[Vrabel]

I put sony expodes in front door and polk cloth cones in rear doors. the 1/2 the price sony's sound way better.

 

[Harbin_22]

I don't have Bose but I replaced all my door speakers with Polk MM651's and they sound really good with the factory head unit.

 

[workin' diesel]

I replaced my two front door speakers with some Pioneers. The originals were not even working at all. Still have the stock radio, so I am sure the Pioneers are not reaching their full potential. Still way better than no speakers!!

 

[mpbond]

OP, do not try and run those Utopias off of the deck power alone. If you don't put a good sized amp on them, you will smoke them. They are great speakers.

Earthquake is pretty much junk, but they still should have been better than stock. You were probably under powering them.

If you are looking for an amp, the Pioneer GMD-8604 is 100RMS x 4 and it is a digital amp so it has a very small footprint, easy to hide, and not that expensive.

 

[UHero]

I run a kicker 5 channel amp behind the back seat. Polk Audio components in the doors and an 8" kicker CVT sub. The base obviously isn't very impressive but its a good clean sound and I gave up barely any space.

I have looked at different options when it comes to wxpend the original stereo. I have 2 Alpine 12" type R subs that will go under the back seat in addition to new front door speakers

I put sony expodes in front door and polk cloth cones in rear doors. the 1/2 the price sony's sound way better.

I didn't realize that the original bose was that bad..

I don't have Bose but I replaced all my door speakers with Polk MM651's and they sound really good with the factory head unit.

Cool! I have never used polk myself, but I have heard good stuff about them!

I replaced my two front door speakers with some Pioneers. The originals were not even working at all. Still have the stock radio, so I am sure the Pioneers are not reaching their full potential. Still way better than no speakers!!

Time to add an amp then!

OP, do not try and run those Utopias off of the deck power alone. If you don't put a good sized amp on them, you will smoke them. They are great speakers.

Earthquake is pretty much junk, but they still should have been better than stock. You were probably under powering them.

If you are looking for an amp, the Pioneer GMD-8604 is 100RMS x 4 and it is a digital amp so it has a very small footprint, easy to hide, and not that expensive.

My plan was to find a really good amp for these speakers since they are so insanely expensive. Can't half-ass it! What do you mean by "smoke them"?

You are probably right that i didn't give them enough power, but i am starting to realize they are shit..

Thanx for the advice, I will check out the pioneer

 

[Bryce418]

Please for the love of god get a decent amp and learn proper installation techniques if you get the Utopias. They are more than a good speaker, they are fantastic.

 

[UHero]

Please for the love of god get a decent amp and learn proper installation techniques if you get the Utopias. They are more than a good speaker, they are fantastic.

Will do, good sir