Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Audio door speakers

Since money is so scarce in my household(will have to buy stereo components piece at a time)was wondering, will the factory speakers handle the additional power from an aftermaket HU until I can get new speakers? Looking at a Clarion and Alpine unit that are 18wrms.

Im pretty sure they will. Ive been running stock speakers (i think they're stock, havent checked since i bought the car) for almost half a year and i turn the music up like crazy every day and they still havent blown. They dont sound that good all the time, but i turn it up to almost painful levels for long times and are still going strong.
Im running them with a jvc head unit.


-ivan c.

Not really they are only 20 watts. I used to have a JVC headunit with stock speakers, now I have 180watt speakers, sounds really good for just speakers, can take it way up to without blowing them.

My Alpine (9807) puts out 23w RMS and easily drives the stock speakers to their Xmax (limit of movement for the speaker). You will hear the speakers distort when this happens. With the Alpine driving the stock speakers, you don't really have to turn the volume up that much for it to be LOUD.

Oh yea, I was debating between Alpine and Clarion when I bought my Alpine... Let's just say i'm very happy with my decision

I never did get a chance to listen to a Clarion head unit in person though, they may be just as good. I really don't know which would be better.

i wouldn't worry too much about blowing out the stock speakers with just the headunit. hopefully you will blow them out so then you can justify spending your scarce money on good speakers!!! Of course, then you will need an amp. And then of course a subwoofer. Be careful, it gets addicting

True dat, I've already got some other stuff lined up if my ship(money) would just come in.

you can start off with an inexpensive system that will do wonders for your car. First of all, dont even worry about your back speakers that much. You are mainly going to be hearing your front speakers while you are driving. You can buy a 4 channell amp to poweryour front speakers and bridge the other 2 channels to power a small 10 or 12" sub. You can do this all for under a grand if you talk to guys on here on where to go to get what. May run you a bit more if your not able to do the install yourself. the glory of credit cards. I bought my contour on August 6th 1999 with no intention of putting a major stereo in it. On August 8th it was sitting in the shop getting a system. Stock radio is awful in these cars!!!!!! In the 90's most car companies started putting decent systems in cars but not ford apparently (maybe the ones with premium sound were better?" Even with the 2grand I spent on the stereo that brought my car up to 17,500 total. God I love this car!!!

cheap stuff ebay ebay ebay

got infinity subs audiobahn amp

infinity kappa front door speakers

all for around $400

in stores like sircuit city the amp alon runs 350
the kappas are 150 to 200 and the subs are about 120 each so ebay saves u a whole bunch.

my HU was a different story that was 450 but since u already have one u can get all the other stuff and have a very solid system for a lot less than going out and buying it one at a time...

heres my 2 cents. Everyone who says to forget about your rear speakers is wrong. You cant get the proper sound without em, or at least youll miss out if the musician likes to play around and have the music come from different areas of the sound stage. Now I aint saying to go spent a gazillion dollars, I got a nice set of alpine 5x7 (i think) for 99 dollars. Sounds great.