Upgraded my stock speakers to MB Quart
01-27-2012, 06:09 PM
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Upgraded my stock speakers to MB Quart
I chose these
FKB 116 6.5" 2-WAY COAXIAL SPEAKER SYSTEM 40WATTS RMS / 150WATTS MAXX
FTB 169 6 X 9" 3-WAY SPEAKER SYSTEM 50WATTS RMS / 180WATTS MAXX
They fit my 2006 Cobalt SS/SC perfectly no drilling or modifying required.
I also purchased 2 pairs of speaker harnesses to simplify the installation. NOTE** After installing them I noticed the front speakers cutting out. It turns out these harnesses need another small 'adjustment to work correctly so the pins make a better connection. This was adequate for me but you may choose to pass based on this info.
Mod - Looking at the pins give them a gentle twist with a small pair of needle nose. Twist a bit and try the fit. If you twist too far they may break. Solve my problems.
The stock GM speaker plugs need to have the 'key' trimmed to fit into the harness but the plug 'lock' still works. Simple no solder solution.
I hilighted the portion of the plug which needs trimming with a felt marker
Definitely a huge improvement over stock. These are not high end by any means but they worked well enough for me.
Amazon carries a package which includes both sets -
Amazon.com: Package: Mb Quart Ftb169 6x9" 3 Way Formula Series Full Range Coaxial Car Speakers Totaling 360 Watts + Mb Quart Fkb116 6.5" 2 Way Formula Series Pair of Full Range Coaxial Car Speakers Totaling 300 Watts: Car Electronics
Last piece to add is my Infinity Basslink
FKB 116 6.5" 2-WAY COAXIAL SPEAKER SYSTEM 40WATTS RMS / 150WATTS MAXX
FTB 169 6 X 9" 3-WAY SPEAKER SYSTEM 50WATTS RMS / 180WATTS MAXX
They fit my 2006 Cobalt SS/SC perfectly no drilling or modifying required.
I also purchased 2 pairs of speaker harnesses to simplify the installation. NOTE** After installing them I noticed the front speakers cutting out. It turns out these harnesses need another small 'adjustment to work correctly so the pins make a better connection. This was adequate for me but you may choose to pass based on this info.
Mod - Looking at the pins give them a gentle twist with a small pair of needle nose. Twist a bit and try the fit. If you twist too far they may break. Solve my problems.
The stock GM speaker plugs need to have the 'key' trimmed to fit into the harness but the plug 'lock' still works. Simple no solder solution.
I hilighted the portion of the plug which needs trimming with a felt marker
Definitely a huge improvement over stock. These are not high end by any means but they worked well enough for me.
Amazon carries a package which includes both sets -
Amazon.com: Package: Mb Quart Ftb169 6x9" 3 Way Formula Series Full Range Coaxial Car Speakers Totaling 360 Watts + Mb Quart Fkb116 6.5" 2 Way Formula Series Pair of Full Range Coaxial Car Speakers Totaling 300 Watts: Car Electronics
Last piece to add is my Infinity Basslink
Last edited by jvirginillo; 02-27-2012 at 02:09 PM. Reason: Updates for issue with connectors
02-01-2012, 02:10 AM
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Since the car is parked for winter I have been doing it in stages and reading posts on the forum on doing the installation (thanks to everyone who contributed those).
Honestly I would say the fronts took me about 30 minutes. The rear parcel deck I did over 2 seperate days. The first day I spent less than 30 minutes to take out the parcel shelf but I could'nt get it out. Read some more the follwing couple of days and got out there and finished it. Seriously if the bolts were not so fricken long (not sure what the point of that is) I would have had them swapped in 30 minutes.
Oh and some time to take some pictures wihch I hope are a bit helpful.
I'll try to keep in mind to post some pictures for every job I do becuase I have found everyone elses info very helpful.
Sub will go in on the weekend. I opened the case and soldered a cable directly to the sub connection. The sub seems like it has 2 coils. There are 2 poistive and 2 negative connections. I soldered the 4 connector cable which plugs into the Infinity base link to the sub connectors and sealed it all up. Now I just need to mount the sub and make my + and - connections at the battery. The sub has current sensing when using the high level inputs so no need to run an ignition cable.
Only cable I need to run up front is the base level control.
I'll post a final picture of the completed sub installation later and let you know how it sounds.
Honestly I would say the fronts took me about 30 minutes. The rear parcel deck I did over 2 seperate days. The first day I spent less than 30 minutes to take out the parcel shelf but I could'nt get it out. Read some more the follwing couple of days and got out there and finished it. Seriously if the bolts were not so fricken long (not sure what the point of that is) I would have had them swapped in 30 minutes.
Oh and some time to take some pictures wihch I hope are a bit helpful.
I'll try to keep in mind to post some pictures for every job I do becuase I have found everyone elses info very helpful.
Sub will go in on the weekend. I opened the case and soldered a cable directly to the sub connection. The sub seems like it has 2 coils. There are 2 poistive and 2 negative connections. I soldered the 4 connector cable which plugs into the Infinity base link to the sub connectors and sealed it all up. Now I just need to mount the sub and make my + and - connections at the battery. The sub has current sensing when using the high level inputs so no need to run an ignition cable.
Only cable I need to run up front is the base level control.
I'll post a final picture of the completed sub installation later and let you know how it sounds.
02-01-2012, 02:33 AM
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sooooo I smell a how-to comin from you soon?? 
but with just the small speakers there was an upgrade? How big is that sub?? I'm askin cuz *hopefully* Ima be upgradin my **** soon 2
but with just the small speakers there was an upgrade? How big is that sub?? I'm askin cuz *hopefully* Ima be upgradin my **** soon 2
02-01-2012, 02:38 AM
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The Infinity is a 10 inch sub with a 10 inch passive radiator.
There a re some good writeups on this unit. It will thump pretty well within the car and my wife says she can hear when I pull up but you won't hear me comin up the street. I leave that for the guys with twin 15's and a few hundred watts
It will definitely have more punch than the stock sub. I got it at cost so it was perfect for me when I bouhgt it. Been used in 3 cars now so I definitely had my moneys worth.
As far as how to's I'd love to at some point. Not sure I'm worthy
There a re some good writeups on this unit. It will thump pretty well within the car and my wife says she can hear when I pull up but you won't hear me comin up the street. I leave that for the guys with twin 15's and a few hundred watts
It will definitely have more punch than the stock sub. I got it at cost so it was perfect for me when I bouhgt it. Been used in 3 cars now so I definitely had my moneys worth.
As far as how to's I'd love to at some point. Not sure I'm worthy
02-01-2012, 03:32 AM
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Well the stcok fronts are just paper cone speakers (dynamic) and the rears were coax but not really anything great. I think the sound is much better than before. Better base and clearer sound. For the price I paid I wasn't expecting it to be "OMG!!!"
If I could have afforded it I would have gone to Infinity Reference or the higher level MB Quart model.
I'm happy. Of course someone will come along with better speakers than mine and I'll be blown away but for now it sounds good to me.
If I could have afforded it I would have gone to Infinity Reference or the higher level MB Quart model.
I'm happy. Of course someone will come along with better speakers than mine and I'll be blown away but for now it sounds good to me.
02-01-2012, 12:01 PM
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I didn't notice any difference in volume and I tihnk that is becuase the speakers have a decent efficiency rating. I have in the past purchased cheap speakers for another vehicle which I had to return for that very reason. You can read about the importance of efficency here.
Stereo Amplifier Power - Amplifier and Speaker Efficency - Amplifier Power and Speaker Loudness
The 6x9 speakers have a 90 DB sensitivity (efficiency) rating and the 6.5" speakers have an 88 DB sensitivity (efficiency) rating. So they are decent.
I founf the 2 ohm speaker options pretty limited. I shopped around a bit online. Crutchfieds site is very good. Also read some articles one here too before rolling the dice on the MB Quart units becuase they went on sale at a ridiculous price.
I am pretty happy with the decision.
I would say if you find a set of speakers you tink you might like go listen to them at a dealer if you get a chance and take your own music and don't let them amplifiy them. You want to hear what they do on just a 40W per channel head unit if that is what you will be driving them with.
Again I'll stress that I am beyond the 'ear bleeding' years but I do like to crank it too. I never turn up my tunes so loud that the speaker have distortion that I can hear. So this setup does me well.
This from a guy who used to drive around (at 16) with 2 Rock monitors on the back seat of his car pounding out Paranoid by Black Sabbath...... 15" Woofers Yeah Baby!! I was SO COOL HAHAHA
Stereo Amplifier Power - Amplifier and Speaker Efficency - Amplifier Power and Speaker Loudness
The 6x9 speakers have a 90 DB sensitivity (efficiency) rating and the 6.5" speakers have an 88 DB sensitivity (efficiency) rating. So they are decent.
I founf the 2 ohm speaker options pretty limited. I shopped around a bit online. Crutchfieds site is very good. Also read some articles one here too before rolling the dice on the MB Quart units becuase they went on sale at a ridiculous price.
I am pretty happy with the decision.
I would say if you find a set of speakers you tink you might like go listen to them at a dealer if you get a chance and take your own music and don't let them amplifiy them. You want to hear what they do on just a 40W per channel head unit if that is what you will be driving them with.
Again I'll stress that I am beyond the 'ear bleeding' years but I do like to crank it too. I never turn up my tunes so loud that the speaker have distortion that I can hear. So this setup does me well.
This from a guy who used to drive around (at 16) with 2 Rock monitors on the back seat of his car pounding out Paranoid by Black Sabbath...... 15" Woofers Yeah Baby!! I was SO COOL HAHAHA
02-01-2012, 12:15 PM
#12
subd! seems like a great upgrade, and thanks for posting pics! i've been thinking about upgrading atleast my door and rear deck speakers because the stock pioneers really dont cut it. the sound has no depth or clarity no matter how i set the bass/treble. and the rear sub can only do/handle so much.
so when it comes to this sub that youre putting in, you basically take out the one already in the trunk, and just switch the connections?
like, the only wires going to the stock sub are signal wires or am i missing an amp? it seems the infinity you posted has its own amp, idk if stock does, and wheres the ignition wire you want to tap into?
and lastly, any link to that specific sub? i might bite on that one!
so when it comes to this sub that youre putting in, you basically take out the one already in the trunk, and just switch the connections?
like, the only wires going to the stock sub are signal wires or am i missing an amp? it seems the infinity you posted has its own amp, idk if stock does, and wheres the ignition wire you want to tap into?
and lastly, any link to that specific sub? i might bite on that one!
02-01-2012, 01:39 PM
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Dear Riceburner
You ask a lot of questions........HA HA I joke I joke
Lets see if I can answer all of them for you (hey I'm contributing!!!)
" i've been thinking about upgrading atleast my door and rear deck speakers because the stock pioneers really dont cut it. the sound has no depth or clarity no matter how i set the bass/treble. and the rear sub can only do/handle so much. "
I would say that describes it in a nutshell...
"so when it comes to this sub that youre putting in, you basically take out the one already in the trunk, and just switch the connections? "
No. I decided to keep the stock sub but take outputs from it (they are already going through a low pass crossover I assume from the head unit) which are perfect to drive the high level inputs of the amplified sub. (the sub has RCA low level inputs too but since our head unit lacks this kind of output or easy access I decide to use the high level). You could certainly remove the old sub box and replace it with this but I want to add more bass and not remove any. So I soldered one of the 4 wire cables (they are like 20 ft long) to the connection of the sub (they were kind of short to tap on the plug or the harness in the trunk and I was puzzled by the fact there were 4 wires) So being the curious guy I am I opened the sub. Yup 4 wires 2 Black 2 Red. So Left +and - and Right + and - I wired the 4 wire cable to this zip tied it to the cables coming out for the stock connection and now I can plug in the stcok sub but have singal for the Basslink. If I ever need to remove it permanently I can just cut the cable close to the sub and I can move it to another vehicle and only lose about 6 inches of the cable.
"like, the only wires going to the stock sub are signal wires or am i missing an amp? it seems the infinity you posted has its own amp, idk if stock does, and wheres the ignition wire you want to tap into? "
You are correct the unit has an amp. Power and signal is all that is needed. Now I am not running an ignition wire yet becuase there is a switch on the unit called AutoSense (or someting like that) and the manual says it will detect current on the input signals and turn the amp on. I have not yet tested this so look for an update when I install this weekend.
Link to Basslink and a review as well.
Infinity - Car Audio
The Battle of the Giants: Infinity's BassLink vs. Kenwood's wOOx
Infinity BassLink 200 Watt Powered 10" Subwoofer
You ask a lot of questions........HA HA I joke I joke
Lets see if I can answer all of them for you (hey I'm contributing!!!)
" i've been thinking about upgrading atleast my door and rear deck speakers because the stock pioneers really dont cut it. the sound has no depth or clarity no matter how i set the bass/treble. and the rear sub can only do/handle so much. "
I would say that describes it in a nutshell...
"so when it comes to this sub that youre putting in, you basically take out the one already in the trunk, and just switch the connections? "
No. I decided to keep the stock sub but take outputs from it (they are already going through a low pass crossover I assume from the head unit) which are perfect to drive the high level inputs of the amplified sub. (the sub has RCA low level inputs too but since our head unit lacks this kind of output or easy access I decide to use the high level). You could certainly remove the old sub box and replace it with this but I want to add more bass and not remove any. So I soldered one of the 4 wire cables (they are like 20 ft long) to the connection of the sub (they were kind of short to tap on the plug or the harness in the trunk and I was puzzled by the fact there were 4 wires) So being the curious guy I am I opened the sub. Yup 4 wires 2 Black 2 Red. So Left +and - and Right + and - I wired the 4 wire cable to this zip tied it to the cables coming out for the stock connection and now I can plug in the stcok sub but have singal for the Basslink. If I ever need to remove it permanently I can just cut the cable close to the sub and I can move it to another vehicle and only lose about 6 inches of the cable.
"like, the only wires going to the stock sub are signal wires or am i missing an amp? it seems the infinity you posted has its own amp, idk if stock does, and wheres the ignition wire you want to tap into? "
You are correct the unit has an amp. Power and signal is all that is needed. Now I am not running an ignition wire yet becuase there is a switch on the unit called AutoSense (or someting like that) and the manual says it will detect current on the input signals and turn the amp on. I have not yet tested this so look for an update when I install this weekend.
Link to Basslink and a review as well.
Infinity - Car Audio
The Battle of the Giants: Infinity's BassLink vs. Kenwood's wOOx
Infinity BassLink 200 Watt Powered 10" Subwoofer
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