Yesterday my speakers came, i got 3 in before i called it a night. They sound good so far, i can't wait to finish up today. But, what i pulled out of the front did not look like it was the factory speaker and i could tell the door may have been off before. So il get a pic on here if someone can help me with re sizing! They are a cool piece, there like a 3 inch round speaker with a tweeter and on the back it says mach. So i assumed it was from the mach system but what do i know.
Shelby Kicker speakers came yesterday!
ScottyG
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I ended up buying the Kicker KS680 speakers for the doors, and the Shelby Kicker replacement 8" subs. I had them installed yesterday and I was/am very dissapointed with the subs.
With the factory subs the bass was almost over powering. I had the bass setting 1 or 2 notches above flat.
With the new Shelby Kickers, the mid seems very muffled and the deep bass is almost gone. I have the bass setting near max and the subs are barely moving any air at all.
If I put my ear next to the KS680s, they are delivering decent detail, but these replacement subs are not good. The Shelby Kicker subs are probably going back. I am very, very dissapointed.
BTW, I did not add any new amplification.
With the factory subs the bass was almost over powering. I had the bass setting 1 or 2 notches above flat.
With the new Shelby Kickers, the mid seems very muffled and the deep bass is almost gone. I have the bass setting near max and the subs are barely moving any air at all.
If I put my ear next to the KS680s, they are delivering decent detail, but these replacement subs are not good. The Shelby Kicker subs are probably going back. I am very, very dissapointed.
BTW, I did not add any new amplification.
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You "had them installed"?
I bet the hack at the audio shop hooked up BOTH subwoofer wires - you ONLY USE ONE PAIR on the Shelbys. The OEM speakers have four terminals, the Shelbys you only use two of the car's four wires to hook to two wires on the Kickers.
Check it out. I bet you find installer FAIL. :yes
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I will check that out. I gave them the instruction sheet that came with the speakers. So are there 4 wires in each door, but only 2 get used? The other 2 just get capped/terminated somehow?
Thats why I posted here.....Thanks!
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Yes. They should place either crimp caps or some adhesive lined heat shrink on them to seal them off. Electrical tape would be ghetto, unless you used a small bit to seal (with the adhesive) and then put heatshrink around the e-tape.
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Thanks DiMora!
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Sorry to hear that. I have to agree with DiMora, I installed mine myself and only ONE set of wire is used. That sounds like your problem, The biggest difference I noticed between the stock and the Kickers were the "tightness" of the bass. The stock Shaker subs were too boomy and didn't sound right but the Kickers are nice. Hope they get that fixed for you. If they don't or say it's fine I'd pull off the door panel and check anyway; it's pretty darn easy.
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Not "easy" for a guy with 5 thumbs... 
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It's the best way to learn! And I'm with you man, 5 thumbs here too!Not "easy" for a guy with 5 thumbs...
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Oh and one more thing, are you installing a new head unit? I used the PAC Can-bus adapter when I installed my mine so the factory amp is "controlled" by my Pioneer head unit via RCA out. So I can adjust a little more than I could with the factory stuff.
Pac-Audio.com Product Details | iPod Integration for your car and More by Pac-Audio - Connecting you to the future
Pac-Audio.com Product Details | iPod Integration for your car and More by Pac-Audio - Connecting you to the future
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I am sticking with stock, I like the controls (SYNC) and want to keep it stock.
I just talked to Kicker. He told me which wires should be connected to the sub (White with grey stripe is positive, and white with black stripe is negative). He also had me do a left to right balance check to see if one of them is out of polarity, and they are not. Sucky bass in both when I went from left to right.
He highly suggested the 4.1 amp, as did customer service from where I bought the subs (not sure if I can post that here).
I was looking at my receipt, and even though I paid $139 for the two subs, my receipt says it was $99. I wonder if they sent me the wrong receipt?!
Anyway, I am going to take the plunge and get the 4.1 amp. I have seen other posts that some folks were more impressed with the only doing the speaker upgrade without the amp, than they were when they got the amp. $400 is a steep gamble!
I just talked to Kicker. He told me which wires should be connected to the sub (White with grey stripe is positive, and white with black stripe is negative). He also had me do a left to right balance check to see if one of them is out of polarity, and they are not. Sucky bass in both when I went from left to right.
He highly suggested the 4.1 amp, as did customer service from where I bought the subs (not sure if I can post that here).
I was looking at my receipt, and even though I paid $139 for the two subs, my receipt says it was $99. I wonder if they sent me the wrong receipt?!
Anyway, I am going to take the plunge and get the 4.1 amp. I have seen other posts that some folks were more impressed with the only doing the speaker upgrade without the amp, than they were when they got the amp. $400 is a steep gamble!
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Holy steep gamble indeed! IMHO if I were you I'd skip it. This is just my opinion mind you. If it were me and you're going to spend that much I'd get something a little nicer. Not that I don't LOVE mine, I do, but I think there are more options and I didn't do the amp.I am sticking with stock, I like the controls (SYNC) and want to keep it stock.
I just talked to Kicker. He told me which wires should be connected to the sub (White with grey stripe is positive, and white with black stripe is negative). He also had me do a left to right balance check to see if one of them is out of polarity, and they are not. Sucky bass in both when I went from left to right.
He highly suggested the 4.1 amp, as did customer service from where I bought the subs (not sure if I can post that here).
I was looking at my receipt, and even though I paid $139 for the two subs, my receipt says it was $99. I wonder if they sent me the wrong receipt?!
Anyway, I am going to take the plunge and get the 4.1 amp. I have seen other posts that some folks were more impressed with the only doing the speaker upgrade without the amp, than they were when they got the amp. $400 is a steep gamble!
You could sell the Kicker door subs and buy some shallow mount 8" Pioneers for the doors. OR try and power the Kickers with one of the amps mentioned below.
Buy a JL Audio XD600/6 OR an Alpine PDX-5. Either would give you 4 channels + a sub channel. Both can be had for $400 and under. The PDX-5 is a single channel sub output but you can power 2 4 ohm subs with a 2 ohm load on that amp. Run a LOC (line out converter) to the amp and you can keep your SYNC head unit.
And those amps are WAAAY nicer than the Shelby Kicker IMO. If you look at the instructions for the amp upgrade, you're going to be getting into a lot of work! I'd hate for you to do all that and not enjoy it!
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I am sticking with stock, I like the controls (SYNC) and want to keep it stock.
I just talked to Kicker. He told me which wires should be connected to the sub (White with grey stripe is positive, and white with black stripe is negative). He also had me do a left to right balance check to see if one of them is out of polarity, and they are not. Sucky bass in both when I went from left to right.
He highly suggested the 4.1 amp, as did customer service from where I bought the subs (not sure if I can post that here).
I was looking at my receipt, and even though I paid $139 for the two subs, my receipt says it was $99. I wonder if they sent me the wrong receipt?!
Anyway, I am going to take the plunge and get the 4.1 amp. I have seen other posts that some folks were more impressed with the only doing the speaker upgrade without the amp, than they were when they got the amp. $400 is a steep gamble!
If you are going to spend $400, there is better stuff to be had.
If you end up with a 5 channel amp as mentioned above, I would run the front door speakers, and door subs off of the 4 channels, and the rear speakers off the headunit, then throw a sub in the trunk.
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The Shelby kicker 4.1 amp is supposed to be fairly easy to install, plug and play, eh?
I have considered going with different subs, but others raved about these Shelby Kicker 8" subs (again, plug n play). I dont know why mine are not sounding good. I really think the stocks were much better. MUCH!
I will remove the door panels to be sure its wired correctly. Too bad the door panels have to come off to look. I am not excited about doing that.
I have considered going with different subs, but others raved about these Shelby Kicker 8" subs (again, plug n play). I dont know why mine are not sounding good. I really think the stocks were much better. MUCH!
I will remove the door panels to be sure its wired correctly. Too bad the door panels have to come off to look. I am not excited about doing that.
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http://www.teamshelby.com/shelbystore/docs/kickeramp_09.pdf
Looks like just as much work as a standard amp install to me!
But I understand where you're coming from, good luck!
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I'm a car audio nut, and I've built competition systems...and I've heard Bose and JBL and Infinity OEM systems...but I must say I did hear a Shelby upgraded system in a SuperSnake and it did sound really, really good.
Competition level? No...but by far one of the better OEM systems I've heard.
Anyway, for plug-and-play and not taking up any space, that little kicker amp is not a bad idea - and $399 is not bad for a four channel amp solution that sounds really good.
Oh...and it is $399 at Champion Mustang (a hundred less than buying it from Shelby, but it looks like you already knew that).
Categories : Champion Mustang, Online shopping for Exterior & Interior Parts, Accessories, Air Conditioning, Resto-Mod & more
Also, an aftermarket high-quality head-unit mated to the factory shaker 1000 sounds a LOT better than a shaker 500 or shaker 1000 factory setup with the "skipper" head units - especially if you get a unit that has built in active electronic crossovers, time-alignment, and parametric EQ. I run an Eclipse and it sounds great.
Competition level? No...but by far one of the better OEM systems I've heard.
Anyway, for plug-and-play and not taking up any space, that little kicker amp is not a bad idea - and $399 is not bad for a four channel amp solution that sounds really good.
Oh...and it is $399 at Champion Mustang (a hundred less than buying it from Shelby, but it looks like you already knew that).
Categories : Champion Mustang, Online shopping for Exterior & Interior Parts, Accessories, Air Conditioning, Resto-Mod & more
Also, an aftermarket high-quality head-unit mated to the factory shaker 1000 sounds a LOT better than a shaker 500 or shaker 1000 factory setup with the "skipper" head units - especially if you get a unit that has built in active electronic crossovers, time-alignment, and parametric EQ. I run an Eclipse and it sounds great.
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Agreed, I think the controls you gain from an aftermarket head unit are priceless. I had the Skipper 500, so frustrating!
And DiMora I've seen some of your work on some other forums nice job! While I'm certainly not at your level car audio wise, I can hold my own!
You mind if I hijack and ask a question? I've got a Kicker 12" sitting in my office that I've never got around to installing b/c the upgraded 8" Kickers and head unit made SUCH a difference. Do you have any recommendations for a box? I was leaning towards the Bass Slammer custom (empty MTX Thunderform). http://www.bassslammer.com/products/vehicleSpecific/specs/BS_FMUST05_specs.pdf
Volume-wise my Kicker is within spec and I can't afford a Stealthbox. What do you think?
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DiMora,
Thats where I got my 8" Shelby Kicker subs. And that is where I will buy the 4.1 amp if I decide to buy it. I just hate to go thru all the work (or cost-if I pay someone) to install it if its not going to sound great.
Like I said earlier, I upgraded to the Kicker KS680 4x6 door speakers (they are heavier and have a much larger magnet) and the 8" Shelby Kicker subs, and the sound is awful compared to what was stock. That should NOT happen.
For when I remove the door panel, what color is the positive and negative wires going to the front door speakers regarding the Kicker KS680?
Thats where I got my 8" Shelby Kicker subs. And that is where I will buy the 4.1 amp if I decide to buy it. I just hate to go thru all the work (or cost-if I pay someone) to install it if its not going to sound great.
Like I said earlier, I upgraded to the Kicker KS680 4x6 door speakers (they are heavier and have a much larger magnet) and the 8" Shelby Kicker subs, and the sound is awful compared to what was stock. That should NOT happen.
For when I remove the door panel, what color is the positive and negative wires going to the front door speakers regarding the Kicker KS680?
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I've got some schematics...I'll see if I can get you that tomorrow and post it up.
The OEM speakers are labeled positive and negative when you pull them out...it's not hard...but I'll see what I can find for you as far as colors go.
There is something wrong...either in your head unit setup, head unit hookup, wiring, etc. The Shelby kicker door subs are tighter, cleaner, and more accurate than the muddy and boomy stockers.
When you get it sorted you will be happy with it all...I promise.
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I like that a LOT. Looks good, fits good. What will you power it with? I'd like to see a lot of power if only running a single sub. :yesAgreed, I think the controls you gain from an aftermarket head unit are priceless. I had the Skipper 500, so frustrating!
And DiMora I've seen some of your work on some other forums nice job! While I'm certainly not at your level car audio wise, I can hold my own!
I've got a Kicker 12" sitting in my office that I've never got around to installing b/c the upgraded 8" Kickers and head unit made SUCH a difference. Do you have any recommendations for a box? I was leaning towards the Bass Slammer custom (empty MTX Thunderform). http://www.bassslammer.com/products/vehicleSpecific/specs/BS_FMUST05_specs.pdf
Volume-wise my Kicker is within spec and I can't afford a Stealthbox. What do you think?
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I'll have my door panels off tomorrow (doing window felt upgrade to prevent tint scratching)...I might be able to get a look-see...but here is what I have...if you don't understand I can translate. I speak nerd. (You are interested in 8,11,12,and 21 on the J1/C290d connector)
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