Attempting 850 speaker replacement.

bob850 · Post by **bob850** » 15 Apr 2011, 13:25

I have a wagon with 4x50 OE amp and an SC-816 head unit. So I thought I might just try the front speakers for an improvement.

Also, do you still have the stock front tweeters hooked up? Or did you disconnect them, or even replace them?

Post by **kcodyjr** » 15 Apr 2011, 14:26

I have left the stock tweeters in place and connected, though they're all but invisible to the ear.

I intend to replace them after dealing with the doors, at the moment, Lanzar TWS is the one I'll try. I have confirmed the SAK-3211 adapter plate fits like a glove, I'm just having trouble getting outer diameter specs on tweets.

Your wagon should sound just like mine then, until the volume goes all the way up. I went with the 4x40 so it wouldn't be in the path of the rear seat foot vents... any trouble with rear passengers kicking it in yours? Is it visible at all?

bob850 · Post by **bob850** » 15 Apr 2011, 14:32

Mine is the one that goes behind the head unit. I thought it was a 4x50 watt. Volvo part number is 6816302, out of an 850R.

I looked up the speakers but they are pricey. The $65 shipping cost from UK doesn't help either. Not sure what I'll do at this point. I'll be real interested to hear how your rear door speakers work out, if you lose a bunch of bass or not. If it all works good, I might go for new speakers all around and order together to save on shipping.

Thanks for the info though.

bob850 · Post by **bob850** » 15 Apr 2011, 14:49

I made a mistake when looking up the prices. About $75 for the pair, not too bad if they sound really good. Still want to hear how the rears work out so I can order all together if it comes to that.

Post by **kcodyjr** » 15 Apr 2011, 14:57

Actually, I tried ordering two sets at once, they called me up and said they needed more due to weight constraints. Wound up being the same price twice. I do have the additional set in hand, I'm just waiting for another set of the wire leads to arrive from that first eBay vendor I was buying brackets from.

I have not found a domestic speaker with similar characteristics, but any 5.25" or 5.125" (130mm) should fit these brackets.

I actually didn't think $75 was all that outrageous for a quality pair of speakers, though you're right, shipping hurts.

Perhaps you could find a local Pioneer outlet and have them special-order it?

I have this amp http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... K:MEWNX:IT

I expect to have the rears installed in another week or so; hopefully I can borrow a camera by then. I'd offer to let you hear them, but it's an awfully long drive, even for an 850 pilot. Perhaps others from the site in northeast Massachusetts might like to meet at a Dunkin's somewhere to provide independent review?

I'll warn ya, my wagon is uuuu-gly, with about 1/2 its clearcoat gone, but with my butt covering the drivers seat and my foot covering the hole in the carpet, the interior doesn't look too bad. I don't mind it getting made fun of, for a good purpose.

bob850 · Post by **bob850** » 15 Apr 2011, 15:12

Hmmm... wonder if they're the same as these:
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/ ... /TS-D1302R

Can get them for about $68 shipped in the USA, but then again, it defeats the whole purpose of the "no cutting" thing. With regard to the rears, I thought the stock rears are bigger than the fronts. I thought I'd heard of people mounting 6.5" speakers in the rear, but they stuck out a bit too far and they had to modify the grill. Perhaps there is a european equivalent size for the rears thats bigger than 130mm, but will still fit? Just a thought.

Anyway, look forward to hearing how the rest of your install goes.

Post by **kcodyjr** » 15 Apr 2011, 15:20

I'm not sure it would defeat the purpose; those would probably fit the bracket just fine, leaving only the adapter brackets themselves to ship overseas. The TS-D1302R should be 0.125" larger than the TS-E1302i.

And, those do look pretty damn similar, down to every last published spec... odd they seem to be marketing them so differently. To my ear, a 4-way component reference system could hardly do better within their expected range. Perhaps they're trying to push the competition gear harder in the US.

However, I found them at $120 per pair from the Pioneer site, were you quoting $68 per speaker?

Only saving about $20 over having them shipped from Europe, in that case...

bob850 · Post by **bob850** » 15 Apr 2011, 17:13

Just google TS-D1302R, plenty of vendors, Amazon, etc. I believe prices are for the pair. Amazon was the $68 shipped price.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog? ... CFQQ8wIwAg#

Post by **kcodyjr** » 15 Apr 2011, 19:25

In that case, if our positions were reversed, I'd give the TS-D1302R a try.

Definitely go through a reputable vendor to get the adapter bracket kits. I had trouble with the bargain bozos on ebay.

bob850 · Post by **bob850** » 16 Apr 2011, 06:59

I'm curious to see a photo of the Autoleads front speaker grills installed. I have the really dark gray interior (black leather seats).

Attempting 850 speaker replacement.

Re: Attempting 850 speaker replacement.