Infinity speakers on dash & doors

[ericinca]

I've wanting to upgrade the speakers in my 986 for many years. This is the year! I've been investigating speakers recently and like the sound of the Infinity Kappas.

A couple questions:

1. Has anyone had experience installing Infinity Kappa 42.9i into the dash? I'm concerned about the mounting depth and want to make sure these speakers fit before I order them. I saw several posts mentioning successful installs with this speaker, but it might depend on the particular mounting configuration. This is a coax speaker, and the tweeter protrudes from the main mounting bracket by 5/8" and the rest of the speaker is 1 7/8" deep, so I don't know if there's enough clearance.

Rather than cutting the original speaker bracket, I'm considering using the mounting rings from:

http://www.directcircuit.com/products/Porsche-Audio-Speaker-Upgrade-Kit-%28US-Only%29.html

2. About the door speaker... is the signal traveling to them really low-passed for a subwoofer, or is there a full-range signal going to those speakers? I'm wondering whether I should spend the money on putting coax speakers there or just getting a single "woofer" speaker there.

Appreciate feedback from this setup...

Eric

[geoff]

...Rather than cutting the original speaker bracket, I'm considering using the mounting rings from:

http://www.directcir...US-Only%29.html...

Another option is to just use the blank speaker covers and mount your new speakers directly onto the plastic plate, so you don't mess up your originals. I'm not sure if you can put a deeper speaker in that way or not. See http://www.renntech....__1entry76749 for details on how I did this

[juniinc]

I like those Kappa series, personally have a set in the back.

& a set of Rockford P142C on the dash,,,my RF 4" depth was close to 1.6" . with those mounting rings Kappa 42.9 should be fine.

About the door speakers, the signal is passed. unless U'd modify the factory amp, putting coax(full range) speakers wouldn't do any good.

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?/topic/21184-audio-upgrade/page__p__113520__hl__fosgate__fromsearch__1entry113520

I've wanting to upgrade the speakers in my 986 for many years. This is the year! I've been investigating speakers recently and like the sound of the Infinity Kappas.

A couple questions:

1. Has anyone had experience installing Infinity Kappa 42.9i into the dash? I'm concerned about the mounting depth and want to make sure these speakers fit before I order them. I saw several posts mentioning successful installs with this speaker, but it might depend on the particular mounting configuration. This is a coax speaker, and the tweeter protrudes from the main mounting bracket by 5/8" and the rest of the speaker is 1 7/8" deep, so I don't know if there's enough clearance.

Rather than cutting the original speaker bracket, I'm considering using the mounting rings from:

http://www.directcir...US-Only%29.html

2. About the door speaker... is the signal traveling to them really low-passed for a subwoofer, or is there a full-range signal going to those speakers? I'm wondering whether I should spend the money on putting coax speakers there or just getting a single "woofer" speaker there.

Appreciate feedback from this setup...

Eric

[ericinca]

Thanks for all the responses and the help from members of this board! This forum has been such a great source of info.

I am now in the heat of installing the dash speakers. Any advice on how to seal the tweeter area, since I'm using new 2-way speakers to replace the full range and tweeter pair? I heard that the sound will be better if the front and the back of the speaker are sealed from each other to prevent the sound waves from canceling each other. Taking out the old tweeter obviously leaves a big hole for the sound to get through!

I'm sure I'm not the first to encounter this!

Eric

[Gary H]

After doing some research I decided on the Infinity Kappa 42.9i co-ax speakers as the replacements for my dash-top speakers. I'm not going for hi-fi, nor am I going for street bass, but 93dB/Watt is impressive.

Anyway, the procedure was fairly straightforward. There are plenty of guides on the web, but this is how I did it:

1) remove hex-screws with a tip. These should be hand-tight only.

2) Use a small screw driver to push the edge of the connector in to remove the socket. Curiously , this has a VW/Audi logo on it (!)

3) UPi may have a tweeter installed. Just snip the wires near the tweeter and leave it in situ, we won't be using it.

4) Thank your little helper, but tell him politely but firmly his help isn't needed :)

5) Don't let the fact that the paper coned original looks bigger...

6) Flip them over to see the obvious difference.

7) We only require the mounting ring from the original , so cut all the way round...

8) and then seprate by cutting out the cone by the rubber ring surround

9) What you're left with looks simple, but is invaluable for a quick and easy fix:

10) you will need to cut the lugs down, approx half-way and go for a trial fitting. It's better to have a tight fit than a loose one - as the four lugs will be the securing points on to the mounting ring

11) Once your happy with the fit, hot glue/silicone the bottoms of the lugs, and pull up the mounting ring. Once the glue has gone off/set, use the foam supplied with the speakers to seal the edge the whole way round

12) I decided to get rid of as much of the dirty, dusty crumbly foam from the inside of the grill as I could:

13) Finally, re-assemble the speaker with the now attached mounting ring back onto the grill housing using the three screws that you removed to take off the speaker.

The Kappas have a lead with a +ive and -ive junction box so rather than try and re-use the old connector, I simply cut off the connector, bared back the wires and screwed them in to the junction box. IIRC Yellow and Yellow/brown and red and red/brown were the speaker wire colours, the brown stripe indicating negative.

Before remounting the speakers, I managed to stuff approx 12" square of acoustic wadding down the cavity.

14) AS a final touch, I prised off the infinity badges from the original grills and managed to get them glued to the car's.

:cheers:

[number9ine]

12) I decided to get rid of as much of the dirty, dusty crumbly foam from the inside of the grill as I could:

Great job on the speakers, Gary. I'd be concerned about losing the foam, doesn't it protect the speaker from direct sunlight?

[Gary H]

It's a Kevlar weave...and I live in the UK :D

[ericinca]

Gary H, nice writeup!

Nice touch on the Infinity badges on the grilles! I may do the same!