Tweeters not working properly after new deck installed...

[Wildcard1077]

So I got really tired of my stock stereo in my Mazda 2, So I installed a Pioneer AVH-P8400BH into the car with the Metra kit. Install was a cake walk, used the wiring harness and the ASWC-1 to get steering controls. My problem is after installing I noticed the tweeters near the A-Pillar (Factory Installed) are not working properly. They are absurdly quiet and it throws off the sound of the car a lot. I am still using the stock speaker setup and only used the standard harness to install but I cannot get the tweeters to work right. Anyone have any ideas what I may need to do to fix this?

 

[utmorpheus]

The stock tweeters are directly connected to the stock door speakers. If the speakers get a signal, the tweeters will as well. Make sure that you have the polarity right on the wiring harness. You problem is likely to be the extremely low power output of the Pioneer's amp(4x14RMS), coupled with the increase in resistance due the the second speaker being placed in line. The easiest way to test this is to play some music and disconnect the tweeter while it's playing, if the door speaker gets louder you'll need to either replace the speakers with a standard coaxial 4ohm or add a component set that the radio sees as 4ohm.

 

[Wildcard1077]

Thanks for the help. To make sure I understand the response, are you saying I should look at potentially replacing the door speakers or the tweeters? It seems strange that Mazda would just straight wire tweeters to the door but I gathered that may have been the issue. I'm not looking for a crazy audio set up so I don't want to run amps and such... I just want the extra clarity and treble that comes with decent performing tweets.

 

[utmorpheus]

I personally nixed the door tweeters in mine because the location leads to a poor audio stage regardless of component set used. I opted for a co-axial set of high sensitivity 6.5" speakers(Hertz Dieci series for what it's worth) and just didn't reconnect the tweeters. Sounds a hell of a lot better than the stock setup. If I remember correctly all 4 speakers cost me about $300, but of course there are much more affordable speakers like the Polk db series that will only set you back about $120 for a set of 4. I made custom brackets for mine out of plastic HPDE cutting board because the Hertz had omgwtf massive magnets on them, but you SHOULD be able to get away with using the Ford Fiesta brackets for any normal sized speaker.

 

[Wildcard1077]

I just may look into that, thank you for the help. I could tell when I bought the car the tweeters were just thrown in as a "this is better" package for people who didnt have a lot of audio experience. Like I said, I just want clarity more than anything. I was considering if I did aftermarket tweets to move them to the dash, but I guess ill have to do some more research into what I want to do now.

 

[JLiRD808]

I personally nixed the door tweeters in mine because the location leads to a poor audio stage regardless of component set used. I opted for a co-axial set of high sensitivity 6.5" speakers(Hertz Dieci series for what it's worth) and just didn't reconnect the tweeters. Sounds a hell of a lot better than the stock setup.

Hmmm...the 2002.0 P5 I just bought had Alpine SPS-517 Type-S coaxials in the front doors already, and I was gonna buy the 2003 door sail tweeters to add--since I don't really like the idea of the tweets aiming at my knees.

U don't think it's worth it though?

 

[utmorpheus]

Hmmm...the 2002.0 P5 I just bought had Alpine SPS-517 Type-S coaxials in the front doors already, and I was gonna buy the 2003 door sail tweeters to add--since I don't really like the idea of the tweets aiming at my knees.

U don't think it's worth it though?

Depends on your desires. I can hear a distinct break in sound when coming from two different point sources and it drives me nuts. I can tell where the tweeter has cut off and where the woofer has cut off and to me it sounds like a cheap high-school ricer sound system. The co-axial gives all the sound from a single point, and typically the tweeter and woofer are output-matched so as you increase the volume neither individual component overpowers the other. I have a Memphis component set in my Miata and hate it; with the top down all I hear is the tweeter, with the top up the woofer is so much louder the sound is muddy. Switching to co-axials in a couple months when it comes out of storage.