Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Audio The last factory speaker replacement post, I promise...

So since I don't install car audio for a living, am I going to have to end up paying for an install, which I don't wanna do? If the install involves pulling off the doors and dropping in speakers, I can do it. If it involves building a plate, crossover, and figuring out how to mount a tweeter I may not be so confident in the install.

See what I mean? For my purposes I may be better off getting the best drop in speaker for the money, so the focals may be better sound, BUT once you add in the additional cost and headache installing, I may not be as happy with them. So while I need advice on speaker replacement, after reading several "focal install" posts from the past I think ease of installation and cost come back into the picture. This would again lead me back to the top 3 choices...

I would probably suggest the first three over the focals because of the ease of installation factor. There won't be enough of a sound quality increase to justify the extra work.

I agree with your and Dave's assessment: stick w/ the first 3 options. Of those, I'd get the Crystals, one pair or two.

Focals:

-Wonderful mids and highs
-Not much bass response (subwoofer required)
-Good price
-Much higher installation difficulty than drop-ins

Sorry for the late response, been out at a client all day.

-C

Finally found a good car audio store on the west side of columbus (ohio), The guy has the crystal 5x7s in stock, I heard em and they rock! I will order them for $138 for 2 pairs, he sells them for $119 a pair. He told me I should go thru him as he has a warranty and online won't, I told him I could get 3 pairs for the price of his 2! Anyways, he was real knowledgable, he had tons of audiobahn gear. I think I'm going thru him for an alarm, but my car audio will be self installs. That way I learn about it and save money...

Great! When you have them installed report back with your impressions.

He is sorta correct. Brands like Alpine, JL Audio, Kicker, etc do not authorize internet/mail order sales! The factory warranties are void! Even brands like Pioneer and Sony do not authorize Internet sales from any company aside from Crutchfield. The Crystal warranty does not fall into that category. It is covered thru MMXpress.

The warranty issues of purchasing electronics on-line has been a hot topic, since discounts are often 30-50%. Most companies have a disclaimer about internet sales, but many people have reported getting their service covered.