Polk Audio DB6501 and DB651S speaker install

[avera01]

For those interested, I have installed the Polk DB6501 in the front and the DB651S in the rear. The DB6501 comes with a plastic adapter for the woofer that makes that install quite easy. You just need to re-drill one hole in the plastic adapter and then use the original screws to install it. The speakers then install onto the adapter with the provided 4 screws. The big question was where to place the tweeters; flush or surface mount. The speakers comes with both mounts. Since I did not have Touring model and the diameter of the either tweeter mount was too big for the blank tweeter panels in the door, I opted to surface mount on the door in between the end of the large door handle and the dash (I'll try to get some photos later). Flush mount would have required a 2" hole in the door panel and after looking at what was behind it (the motor for the window) I did not think I would have enough room (depth) to mount it. Requires about an inch of depth. So on the safe side, but not my first choice, I surface mounted it. Looks fairly nice and not in the way, although it does protrude.

The crossover was placed in the bottom of the door panel in that skinny space where you would put maps. I wanted access to it in case I need adjustments to the tweeters and did not want to take apart the door. I adhered it with plastic mountable Velcro tape bought at HD. The speakers come with all the necessary wiring.

I placed the DB651S (coaxial) in the rear, but had to make an adapter using 3/4" MDF, took a little bit of time, but the whole thing works well. Used 1 1/4" #6 pan screws to mount the wood adapter to the door. As for the wiring, I simply sipped off the existing clip and soldered additional wiring which then attached to either the crossover or directly to the speakers for the rear ones. Used a voltmeter to check for polarity.

Big improvement in overall sound and all for around $180 US (from Amazon) including the MDF board and additional screws from HD.

The stock stereo works well, but I use my iPod with a Headroom headphone portable amp which even further improves the sound. Bass is pretty good with those speakers unless you really like it heavy and hard. The DB6501 have a good dynamic range.

My next step is to make an iPod adapter so that the device can simply be inserted in the center console with a cleaner look and easier access to it

Here are some of the photos:








Note the tweeter is not centered on the door panel because the dashboard protrudes further out on the driver's side than on the passenger side. In order to keep them at the same opposite position, I centered it using the driver's door and kept it in a position that avoided contact with opening/closing the door. So far my experience indicates a good placement and a closer balance with the woofers.

 

[Axela05]

Thanks for the detailed review. I'm looking for speaker install ideas myself as I'm dead set on using the stock tweeter panels from my touring edition to mount aftermarket tweeters. All I know is I told my friend who installs car stereo equipment at Best Buy that it looked too small for tweeters and he said it's not impossible so that gave me the shred of hope I need, lol.

 

[avera01]

The tweeter itself could fit in the panel, probably hot glued in without the Polk mounts. It is the Polk tweeter mount that is too big in diameter, especially the flush mount as it is about 2 1/4 in diameter and therefore the lip of it would stick out a bit. Even the surface mount is still too big. Mounting just the tweeter behind the panel could probably work. I just did not want to spend the additional money on blank Touring panels - less the Mazda tweeters (if available - only seen it with the tweeters already mounted for $80/pair). Overall I am very happy with the results, much crisper and cleaner in sound quality, nice bass for my taste, adjustable tweeters and all for a low price. Note the crossover is fairly large, a little bigger than a pack of playing cards.

 

[Axela05]

Definitely understand. I was honestly thinking of doing the same thing I did with my old Mazda3: buy the blank tweeter panels from a 3i model (in this case the MZ2 sport panels), roto drill a small hole for the tweeters and go from there. Hoping it'll work.

 

[DrWebster]

Note the crossover is fairly large, a little bigger than a pack of playing cards.

I'm probably going to be swapping out my front speakers for a set of Infinity Reference components. I have a set of them in my 3 as well, and it sounds like the crossovers are about as big as the ones for the Polks. Any idea if there's room anywhere behind the door cards to mount the crossover? I don't want to give up space in the map pocket, and I'm not willing to drill holes to run wires either.

 

[avera01]

Behind the door there are some large pieces of hard foam I guess to deaden the sound and to act as fill. If you look at the fourth picture I have of the passenger front door, towards the bottom right corner where the map pocket and door handle ends you might be able to mount the crossover in there. There is the chunk of foam behind it, but I think there is space.

I used the map pockets as I rarely use it for anything else, wanted quick access to it, and the wires holes cannot been seen. The only down side is if you remove the door panel later on you must to remember that the wires are attached to.

I have had previous installs (professionally done) with crossovers behind the door panels and after some time, one or both of them would come loose from all the opening/closing of the door and start to rattle in the door requiring remount.

Not being an expert or very experienced in this, there might be more places for it as it is not that thick, just long and wide. The door panel is very easy to take off:

1)Pop off the tweeter panel - connected by two plastic clips
2) Removed the plastic strip behind the opening door handle and remove that screw
3) Remove the little piece of "rug" (not attached) from inside the door handle and remove that screw.
4) Start from the bottom corner near the hinges, pry out the panel with your fingers as there is a bit of space to get it opened. I used small plastic auto pry bars that don't mark up the finish to assist with the first pull, after that slide your fingers around the panel in between the metal door and panel pulling outward the panel, it should all pop off (I think there are 5 plastic connectors).
5) Push the panel upward to unhook it from the top edge and its done.
6) Lay it down somewhere soft so that it does not mar.

 

[DrWebster]

OK, sorry to bump this again, but I'm starting to get some part numbers together for an install. Any idea what kind of depth is available for speakers? You said you made spacers out of 3/4" MDF; I see that Scosche and Metra make 1/2" and 1" spacer rings, just not sure which ones I'd need. I think I've talked myself out of components for the front doors, I don't think I want to deal with the crossovers (you're right about them coming loose over time -- I've had to deal with that with my 3) so I'll just go with 6 1/2" coaxials instead and buy some blank sail panels. I sure hope Scosche hurries up and starts making speaker harness adapters soon!

 

[avera01]

The Polks coaxial come in slim and regular. The specs for them says the slim's depth is 2" and the regular & components is probably about 2 5/16" The Polk website quotes a depth of the regular/components as 1 5/8" with adapter ring. Like the components, the regular size brings a plastic adapter that works perfectly and the speaker should not be a problem in terms of depth. The slim ones work very well, but you will need to make/buy an adapter. I used 3/4" MDF since if was available at Home Depot, cuts easily with a jigsaw and is cheap.

Since I had those speakers now for several weeks, they really sound very very nice. Crisp, tight and clear. I use a Head Room headphone portable amp and an iPod since the radio songs sound like C##P. As I previously mentioned, I mounted the tweeters near the woofer on the front door panel and the staging works well.

Not sure if the 1" adapter will cause a problem with the height; hitting the door panel. Obviously if the 3/4" does not cause a problem with speaker depth, 1" won't either. I doubt that a 1/2" adapter would be a problem. Like I said, the regular size one comes with an adapter and if I did it again, I would have used those speakers in the rear (avoid making adapters) instead of the slim ones.

As for the speaker harness, you really don't need it. Just cut of the plug and solder wire and connectors. It is very easy to do and each door only has 2 wires (plus and negative)

 

[DrWebster]

So would you say it's safe to assume, without spacers, that there's maybe 1 3/4" of depth available? I'm trying to figure out if non-slim Infinity Reference 6 1/2" two-ways would fit with a 1/2" spacer -- they're rated as needing 2 1/8" for mounting depth (minus 1/2" from the spacer, I'd need at least 1 5/8" of depth in the doors).

I'd cut the plug off, but I want to be able to eventually swap the factory speakers back in some day...I just don't like permanently modifying the car if I don't have to.

 

[avera01]

I think you will be fine as another person used the slim version with the Metra adapter and claimed to have worked for them. Note the Metra adapter is around 1/8" thick so just about the full 2" of depth from the speaker was used.

BTW, the suggested Metra adapter is not wide enough to adequately connect to the metal door in my opinion. I bought them and threw them out, could not get a solid attachment to the door. Also note that each poor connection reduces the audio quality of the music. Adding an adapter with less than high end audio wiring and cold (cheap - likely to corrode) metal - contacts may impact what you hear. This is the case with high end home stereo. The speaker wire and audio interconnects (the wiring between audio components) can dramatically change the sound, which of course is a matter of taste and depended on the sound source. That is why I cut the adapters and solder the connections using silver audio solder. However, I do understand and appreciate your need/desire to keep the car stock.