abqhudson

Has anyone upgraded the speakers in a C55?
Any observations/advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

cdk4219

They are 2 ohm speakers, and you have a very limited selection to choose from. The whole system is really crap, and replacing just the speakers more than likely won’t help very much( unless they’re blown) the amplifier is not good at all either. Unfortunately upgrading is an all or nothing deal, as it’s a really bad sound system all around.

The c32 has a great sound system, but the newer ones like in my c55 and e55 are really poor. I upgraded the e55 speakers, but like I said, it really didn’t make that much difference, and isn’t inexpensive because of the 2 ohm speaker needed.

abqhudson

Thx.

Found some speakers from Hertz.

Anyone try them?

cdk4219

Where do you find hertz speakers in 2 ohm?

abqhudson

Crutchfield says they fit my car, but, upon checking, I see that they are 4 ohm.

If the Hertz are more efficient, they might work??

BBC55

I'm not sure that my sound system works... I usually just open the windows and listen to the roaring bear in the can up front.
I'm not sure how the accelerator is connected, but he gets very noisy.... Who needs more music?

cdk4219

. Not sure what efficiency has to do with it, but a 4 ohm speaker won’t work well with this system. Do what you like, but I have tried the speaker upgrade, and unless the speakers are blown, it really isn’t worth the money. The most system sucks, the amp is under powered, and the sound isn’t clean at all.

brauhaus313

Theoretically, if a 4 ohm speaker is about 3db/watt more efficient than the 2 ohm HK speakers, the overall output may be about the same, even though amplifier output would be roughly halved going from 2 to 4 ohm speakers. However, no one knows what the sensitivity of the stock speakers are, and precisely ZERO can be assumed about the relevancy of manufacturer speaker ratings across different manufacturers and relative to stock speakers.

You don't say which Hertz speakers, so what input could anyone give? Have you already bought them? If so, why not go ahead and install them and let us know how they sound.

cdk4219

Looks good on paper, doesn’t work well in the real world. Even the 2 ohm infinity kappa 6.5” I put in my e55 years ago ( 2ohm) sound marginally better than the stock door speakers, increase the ohm rating, decrease the sound level.

brauhaus313

Perhaps for the Infinity's in your E55. It is an overstatement to say it only works on paper and not in the real world. If the Hertz speakers are more efficient than the stock speakers by 3db/watt, they can be just as loud on half the watts. That's not just on paper and doesn't have anything to do with your Infinity speakers (which IMO are crap car speakers, with a few exceptions, none of which are made in 2 ohm). Problem is, we don't know what the efficiency of the stock speakers are. So, no one can answer OP's question about the Hertz potentially working well because they may be more efficient, and is not answered by saying your Infinity's sounded like crap in your E55.

I do agree though, the amplification and processing in the the HK system is pretty crap.

cdk4219

The infinity Kappa speakers I have are 2 ohm. Have you replaced any of your speakers with aftermarket ones in these cars with the Harmon Kardon system?

Doubling the resistance that the amplifier delivers, lowers the amplifier output, lowering the volume.it’s really as simple as that. As brauhaus as stated, you can be the Guinea pig,, because “maybe” the hertz 4 ohm speakers are magically efficient and break the laws of electrical physics.

brauhaus313

Dunning Kruger in full effect. You state you don't understand what speaker efficiency aka sensitivity has to do with it, and think you know all there is to know based on speaker impedance. You then brush off speaker sensitivity/efficiency, a fundamental speaker stat as a "magical" concept after it's explained to you. Such strong opinions when you don't understand the fundamentals. There are people with decades of experience in actually setting up systems and not just swapping stock speakers with POS Infinity's who know what they're talking about.

Like I said, IMO Infinity car speakers are crap, with few exceptions, and none of those exceptions were ever made in 2 ohm versions.
​​​
All of this is really laughable. You don't know what the sensitivity of your stock E55 speakers are do you? It's all still "magical" talk to you isn't it? You question my credibility by asking if I've replaced speakers in this system, and then immediately reveal the basement level limitations of your knowledge and understanding of any of this with the foregoing. I have decades of experience in car audio on multiple platforms doing all kinds of things from simple speaker swaps to full system builds, including on HK systems, but it's completely irrelevant. What you say about speaker sensitivity/efficiency being a magical concept and beyond the laws of physics is completely wrong and it has nothing to do with my level of experience or yours with crap Infinity speakers.

Magical efficiency and breaking the laws of electrical physics? It's getting uncomfortable how unaware you are that you're embarrassing yourself. Do you think all speakers of the same size have the same decibel output given the same wattage input? That is the only way any of what you've said about magical efficiency and breaking the laws of electrical physics makes any sense whatsoever. You would be wrong and part of the never-ending chorus of people on the internet who think they know more than they do, don't hesitate to act like they do, and advise others as if they do.

Here's some info for your edification: https://www.lifewire.com/speaker-sensitivity-3134850

Hopefully it will be illuminating and you won't come back with some ego driven fact averse butt hurt comment about how you're still right.

cdk4219

So you’ve replaced your speakers with great success? What have you replaced them with, so we can understand which speaker to go with. I am simply asking from your experience replacing speakers with this system. Please let us know what speakers you used to replace the stock ones with. Thanks and really looking forward to getting this information.

brauhaus313

. I used speakers your mom gave me. You want to distract from how wrong you were. I didn't use Hertz speakers so I don't know out of hand that OP's Hertz wouldn't work well, unlike you who thinks they won't work without even knowing which speakers they are because you know something about speaker impedance.

You're still laughably wrong about speaker sensitivity/efficiency and want to distract from that by questioning my credibility despite your BS story about just wanting to know which speaker to go with. I've explicitly stated I find the stock amplification and processing to leave a lot to be desired. You turn that into I've replaced the speakers with "great success" based on what? Nothing. Rhetorical bush league.

cdk4219

cdk4219

Again,,this is what I have, 2 ohm infinity 6.5” components. Maybe they don’t make them today, but 14 years ago they did, and they are quality speakers. Did you replace the speakers in your car? And if so what did you use?

Very classy with the mother comment, you raised the bar with more disinformation. I do believe the dunning Kruger effect will apply to you.

brauhaus313

Good for you. They are crap speakers. They're only good to the Best Buy car audio crowd.

A person like you can be seen coming from a mile away. What difference does it make what speakers I used? How many times do I have to say I replaced speakers in my car? You're embarrassed so you probe and prod for something you can nitpick to redeem yourself. You're not getting it here.

You were laughably wrong, so you want to talk about anything and everything but what you said.

Ah, the old "I know you are but what am I" retort. The stuff of persuasive genius. Saying I used the speakers your mom gave me is disinformation? Completely predictably and as usual, you're the victim.

cdk4219

What speakers did you use when you replaced them in your car?

brauhaus313

Ask your mom.

abqhudson

After talking to 4 car stereo dealers in Albuquerque, I have concluded that a simple upgrade of speakers is not feasible in this car.

cdk4219

Yes kind of an all or nothing deal with these systems. It’s the amplifier that holds it back. The older c32 system is much better.

brauhaus313

Those dealers and your statement as it's been stated would be wrong.

cdk4219

So what speakers should he use to make this system sound better? I’m wrong, the four audio dealers are wrong? Please let us know.

brauhaus313

STFUB ask your mom.

Did he really say what you've been saying? You think there's a one speaker fits all situation? I guess so, just like you think speaker efficiency is a magical concept that breaks the rules of physics.

You need remedial reading comprehension and critical thinking courses. https://lincs.ed.gov/

cdk4219

That’s helpful. I guess if you’re 12 you can’t help much can you?