Jump to content
LegacyGT.com

Using Subaru door spaker crossover?


Stewart_Marler

Recommended Posts

Does anyone know if the standard door speakers have a passive crossover? I'm assuming the stock stereo only has 4 full range channels, and somewhere down the line there is an active crossover that splits it to the tweeter and woofer. I am planning to replace pretty much the entire system, and would really like to leave the standard speaker wiring to the doors intact, and not have to add another cable for tweeters.

 

Can someone tell me where and how the highs and lows are split?

 

If there is a stock passive crossover, has anyone tried using it for aftermarket split component speakers? Is it worth me going to the extra effort of getting the supplied JL Audio passive crossover into the door somehow?

 

Has anyone done this? I'm trying to not make irreversible changes to the car, like ripping grommets by trying to fit too much aftermarket wiring in etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

im not sure but id bet they just roll off with no "true" x-over, and id bet the tweeter has a bass blocker of some kind.... aka small capacitor.

Yep, my guess as well. This his how cheap OEM set-ups usually operate. Never bothered to look at my OEM drivers when they were replaced.

 

Also, putting the crossover in the door is not the right way. Sure it can be done and requires less wire, but its also exposed to moisture and temps more readily. Also, any real upgrade includes aftermarket wire into the doors. The OEM door wire loom is split in the center and the two halves are taped together from the factory. This will make things a little easier when running new speaker wire. Do yourself a favor and run two pairs into the doors. Or don't, its your car. :icon_mrgr

ignore him, he'll go away.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

fweasel, thx for your thoughts. By rights, I should just run new wire. In my younger days I would put sound quality and the use of quality wiring above all else - including budget. These days, I'm more conscious of the tens of thousands I just dumped on a Sube! I really hate making irreversible changes, or damaging things like grommets and door trims in the process of an install.

 

I'm thinking I might just bite the bullet and go for active crossover. It makes the install more complex at the amplifier end of things (that's another story), but it means no box in the door, and just an extra cable to the door.

 

Are you saying that Subaru put the speakers in the doors, and then when they bolt the doors on they just do a dodgy connection in the cable? Maybe I should avoid that.

 

Can you tell me for sure, is there only one cable per door? So any separation is handled downstram of the door join?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know how the stock system is wired. Regardless of the number of wires going into the door, I personally would never use it. In my younger days I too would have installed this myself and could have all the answers for you, but this go around, I handed the project off to a capable professional. Time is money.

 

What I'm gettin at is the rubber boot/wireloom than connects the door to the doorjam is split in two pieces. Usually, running new speaker wire through these tight rubber looms can be difficult, but in the case of the Subaru part, you can unwrap the tape and now the distance required to fish the wire has been cut inhalf reducing your chances of tearing or ripping the boot.

ignore him, he'll go away.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anyone know if the standard door speakers have a passive crossover? I'm assuming the stock stereo only has 4 full range channels, and somewhere down the line there is an active crossover that splits it to the tweeter and woofer. I am planning to replace pretty much the entire system, and would really like to leave the standard speaker wiring to the doors intact, and not have to add another cable for tweeters.

 

Can someone tell me where and how the highs and lows are split?

 

If there is a stock passive crossover, has anyone tried using it for aftermarket split component speakers? Is it worth me going to the extra effort of getting the supplied JL Audio passive crossover into the door somehow?

 

Has anyone done this? I'm trying to not make irreversible changes to the car, like ripping grommets by trying to fit too much aftermarket wiring in etc.

 

One set of wires per door is what I remember. The crossover is passive, so the signal entering the door is full range. Using the stock wires won't kill the sound of the system. Many of us have done that, you just don't get it all through 18awg.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, if there is one cable into the door, that is a positive for that option, but it really doesn't sound like the crossover portion is that great. If the door grommets are that easy to pull apart and re-use, then I think I'm just going to do the two wires option. Just maybe when I get the doof-doof going on the freeway, I'll be glad I did it.

 

Now, I've got a small issue of where to put the subwoofer and amps, but that's a different question.

 

Thanks all for your info.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Subaru "crossover" is simply a cheap electrolytic capacitor in series with the tweeter. The woofer has no filter at all.

 

Aftermarket component systems are designed around their specific crossovers and it would be a bad idea from a sound and from a reliability standpoint to omit the system's crossovers and substitute the OEM capacitor in their place.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.



×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use