EASY replacements for stock speakers

[3Zoom3]

I replaced my front set of speakers this past weekend with a set of Infinity 6800cs component speakers. These are 5x7/ 6x8 replacements with a 1" tweeter and crossover box. I have a second set for the rears, but haven't put them in yet. Awesome! Much better than stock. I price-matched at sounddomain.com, and got them for $105.21/ pair plus $15 shipping. These are new, not refurbs. First install took 45 minutes, other door took less than 30. Infinity tweets fit right into the stock spots with NO mods. This is honestly the easiest install I've ever done. I've had the Infinity Basslink in the back for a couple of months. I'm more than happy with this setup, and I didn't have to butcher the car for any of it. Hopefully, adding tweets to the rear will help with the fill. My only beef with the speakers I got from sounddomain is that the wires were missing, but I had some from another, older Infinity set in the garage, so it wasn't a huge deal. My apologies, I can't remember where I found the low price for them to match. My discount code was TY9MA and is only good through 3/15.
Jeff, Ohio

 

[yonutz]

Where'd you mount the crossovers?

 

[TheMirror]

So the stock speakers are 5 X 7s?

 

[ards]

That would even sound great with an amp. By the way, nice purchase. I'm also considering that speaker for my fronts.

 

[proc]

Speaker Mods

Hey Jeff. I'm interested in these speakers as well and am curious as to what steps I'd need to go through. Did you connect your speakers to the stock stereo? Or was your install a bit more complicated because of the installed basslink?

Piero

I replaced my front set of speakers this past weekend with a set of Infinity 6800cs component speakers. These are 5x7/ 6x8 replacements with a 1" tweeter and crossover box. I have a second set for the rears, but haven't put them in yet. Awesome! Much better than stock. I price-matched at sounddomain.com, and got them for $105.21/ pair plus $15 shipping. These are new, not refurbs. First install took 45 minutes, other door took less than 30. Infinity tweets fit right into the stock spots with NO mods. This is honestly the easiest install I've ever done. I've had the Infinity Basslink in the back for a couple of months. I'm more than happy with this setup, and I didn't have to butcher the car for any of it. Hopefully, adding tweets to the rear will help with the fill. My only beef with the speakers I got from sounddomain is that the wires were missing, but I had some from another, older Infinity set in the garage, so it wasn't a huge deal. My apologies, I can't remember where I found the low price for them to match. My discount code was TY9MA and is only good through 3/15.
Jeff, Ohio

 

[bilzfan]

I used Jeff's dicount code and bought the same speakers. I've always liked the Infinity reference series because it is very efficient and can run with most oem headunits. Same this time, I finished the install in record time because the speakers fit the oem mountings very well. I used double sided foam tape to mount the crossovers inside the door between the woffer hole and the hinge end of the door, on a flat area.

(band2)

 

[3Zoom3]

Piero,
Stock stereo (at least until someone comes out with a nice replacement faceplate....). I had done the Basslink earlier, and it was more complicated because of having to run a new power wire, and having to find the wires for the rear speakers BEFORE the wires go into the door back there.
The 5x7 were super easy. I also mounted the xovers inside the doors, and wrapped in plastic to keep the water out.
I finally put the rear set in last week, and now have much more rear-fill, to the point that I have to use the fader to push some more sound to the front. WIth the stock speakers, there was very little sound coming from the rear.
Best of luck.
Jeff

 

[proc]

Thanks Jeff. So just replacing the stock speakers should be fairly straightforward. Curious, people on the group and from infinity are saying the 6802cfs (6x8/5x7) will fit. When I look at the stock Grille, it is perfectly round. It looks like a 6.5 rather than the more elliptical sizes. Can anyone on the forum comment on this? I have the 5 door GT, Canadian model.

One more question Jeff, after you installed the infinity's up front, did you disconnect the stock tweeters or did you leave them intact? Are there replacements available for the stock tweeters?

It's a bit annoying that the manual has absolutely no specs on the stereo system.

Piero

Piero,
Stock stereo (at least until someone comes out with a nice replacement faceplate....). I had done the Basslink earlier, and it was more complicated because of having to run a new power wire, and having to find the wires for the rear speakers BEFORE the wires go into the door back there.
The 5x7 were super easy. I also mounted the xovers inside the doors, and wrapped in plastic to keep the water out.
I finally put the rear set in last week, and now have much more rear-fill, to the point that I have to use the fader to push some more sound to the front. WIth the stock speakers, there was very little sound coming from the rear.
Best of luck.
Jeff

 

[proc]

Alt setup

If the stock speakers are indeed 6.5", and since I have the 6 speaker factory system would this setup not make more sense than the 6802s?

Front Speakers:
Infinity Kappa 60.5 CS 6.5" components

Rear Speakers:
Infinity Kappa 63.5 3-way 6.5"

Thanks Jeff. So just replacing the stock speakers should be fairly straightforward. Curious, people on the group and from infinity are saying the 6802cfs (6x8/5x7) will fit. When I look at the stock Grille, it is perfectly round. It looks like a 6.5 rather than the more elliptical sizes. Can anyone on the forum comment on this? I have the 5 door GT, Canadian model.

One more question Jeff, after you installed the infinity's up front, did you disconnect the stock tweeters or did you leave them intact? Are there replacements available for the stock tweeters?

It's a bit annoying that the manual has absolutely no specs on the stereo system.

Piero

 

[ragingxtc]

I price-matched at sounddomain.com, and got them for $105.21/ pair plus $15 shipping. These are new, not refurbs.

hehe, i can get infinity speakers straight from infinity (with full warranty) for about 65% off. i'm installing my three-way 6x9's tomorrow. got them for $66 shipped.

 

[csvencer]

Can you go into more detail about installing the Basslink? Where did you tap into the rear speakers, at the HU or in the middle of the car? What did you use as an accesory? Thanks.

-Svence

 

[ragingxtc]

Can you go into more detail about installing the Basslink? Where did you tap into the rear speakers, at the HU or in the middle of the car? What did you use as an accesory? Thanks.

-Svence

 

[B_blake53]

I installed a set of memphis 5x7's.... Just curious how to get some bumps in the trunk?

 

[proc]

speaker and audio specs

Limited specs from Mazda.

> In regard to your inquiry, the speakers are 5.5x7.5 inches, 55.8 mm in
> depth, and 65 mm diameter magnet. The tweeters are 1 inch in diameter.
>The audio system output is 160 watts maximum, which is 40 watts per 4
channels.

 

[3Zoom3]

Sorry so late...

I haven't been watching the thread.
Stock grills look round, but speakers in fact are not. 5x7 and 6x8 speakers will work. the infinitys come with a plate to put these speaker in a 6.8 hole. infinity tweeter replaced the stocker perfectly. just unclip the stocker and set it aside. if you want to put the stock speakers back in later, it will be very easy.
Basslink is highly recommended by me . lots of different music styles. sometimes i want more bass, but will wait until i can put an aftermarket system in the dash...
jeff

 

[3Zoom3]

hehe, i can get infinity speakers straight from infinity (with full warranty) for about 65% off. i'm installing my three-way 6x9's tomorrow. got them for $66 shipped.

WOO HOO! Get a dozen, sell them here for $95/ set, yours are practically free. I was very happy with the deal I found. If i remember correctly, everyone else had them for about $179+ per pair.
Jeff(blah)

 

[av1122]

Not to be annoying, but can I get a solid confirm on the size of the stock speakers?
The grills appear to be 6.5 round. Are they actually 5x7?
Also, would a decent 6.5 round give out better sound than a comparable set of 5x7? Im inclined to believe that round would create a more balanced sound than oval.

Also, I not a big bass fan, but the stock bass is just horrendous. Are there 8 stand alone bass units that I can add for under $75? I know I sound a little green, but Ive never really upgraded any cars audio..and be approaching 40 yrs old I not inclined to want to attract attention with booming base. I know I sound like an old fart.
Thanks in advance.

 

[genericuser]

if someone could develop or link me to a step by step instruction page (preferably with photos) on the speaker swap, that would be fantastic. I'm planning on putting one of those infinity systems in my 3s when I get it, and I may put either a basslink sub or a bass tube in the trunk at some point.

 

[luvmyprotege5]

Not to be annoying, but can I get a solid confirm on the size of the stock speakers?
The grills appear to be 6.5 round. Are they actually 5x7?
Also, would a decent 6.5 round give out better sound than a comparable set of 5x7? Im inclined to believe that round would create a more balanced sound than oval.

Also, I not a big bass fan, but the stock bass is just horrendous. Are there 8 stand alone bass units that I can add for under $75? I know I sound a little green, but Ive never really upgraded any cars audio..and be approaching 40 yrs old I not inclined to want to attract attention with booming base. I know I sound like an old fart.
Thanks in advance.

The speaker ARE 5x7/6x8 that was confirmed by proc. Just because the factory put round covers doesn't mean they are round. There was a ford a think that had rectagle grills, yet the speaker was 5x7. I was an installer for over a year and did a few Proteges.. it is right, and very easy..even for a guy new to upgrades to do

 

[purrrvert]

if someone could develop or link me to a step by step instruction page (preferably with photos) on the speaker swap, that would be fantastic......

Here is a link to a GREAT install guide by a Mod at one of the other Mazda 3 forums that I frequent: http://www.sounddomain.com/memberpage/495957

He made a step by step guide of the install of his 6.5" speakers and even an easy way to make an adapter to fit the stock mounting position. All credit goes to Rich a.k.a. vaBooM