Safari SLE upgrade-speaker question

[Bret Schmerker]

I am currently looking over several manufacturers' offerings for upgrade speakers for my 1997 M11006. The 4" x 6" positions in the D-pillars are a known and well-supported size in the automotive aftermarket; but the 6" positions in the cab doors (full-range or multiaxial) and Dutch doors (woofers) are relatively new in the automotive aftermarket. I have identified satisfactory coordinated coaxials in the Rockford Fosgate POWER series; the T1462 4" x 6" coaxials and T16 6" coaxials feature carbon-fiber-and-polypropylene woofer cones and aluminum dome tweeters.

I already anticipate Dynamatting both Dutch doors in preparation for a modest subwoofer retrofit; the only unknown as of 4 September 2019 is available depth. What is the depth; and what are the deepest component speakers in the 6" size that will fit? (I really wanted those super-long-throw AuraSounds, but the NS6-255-4A has an inferior dome-capped paper cone rather than a carbon-fiber-and-polypropylene "cup" cone cone with broadgage surround consistent with the much larger NS18-992-4A, which is intended for home-theatre infrawoofers as well as horn-loaded subs in pro audio.)

[Captn. Crunch]

I was just looking at speaker sets for my van at Crutchfield inc. but I think I will watch with great interest as you explore options for what appears to be amazing sound in your van.
Carry on!?

[Bret Schmerker]

:-k Update: I ran across a brochure PDF from Scosche indicating that the stock speakers are actually ø7" for the front doors and rear Dutch doors. I'll have to measure the screw-holes to see whether ø6.5" or ø6.75" aftermarket speakers will work in terms of solid mounting. The 4"x6" for the D-pillars is verified correct.

[Bret Schmerker]

:fball: Update 2: I went directly to the Shop By page at Scosche.com and the PDF my last Reply has been superseded! Shop By Vehicle -> GMC -> Safari -> 1997 shows the Front Door and Rear Dutch Door as sized for 6-3/4" speakers; SCOSCHE® now sells the SAGMT95B adapter pair for 6-1/2" speakers. The 4"x6" for the D-pillars is still verified correct.

In the event a direct-fit upgrade receiver is unavailable, SCOSCHE® also offers the GM1483B ISO-DIN receiver adapter, as well as the GM02B and GM02BCB sub-harnesses for splicing the receiver into the stock dash harness. I'm amending the ideal-respeaker plan based on this info: The Rockford Fosgate® T1462 (75 Hz - 22 kHz, 45W RMS) is still shortlisted for the D-pillars, but the front doors now have the T1675 (55 Hz - 22 kHz, 75W RMS) shortlisted, probably to be mounted inverted to place the tweeter above the woofer voice coil. (The T1650 (44 Hz - 22 kHz, 75W RMS) is a fallback in the event of constrained supply for the T1675.) For a 6-3/4" subwoofer, the KICKER® 43CW672 (dual 2Ω voice coils, 30 - 500 Hz, 150W RMS in a 14L sealed box) is a shoehorn fit, and I cannot rule out having to fabricate stretched-metal grilles to replace the GM-supplied plastic; I'll probably have to leave a hole in the Dynamat® on the outer shell of the Dutch door to clear the sub's motor. Pioneer® has a fallback set of coaxials for 4"x6" and 6-3/4" available in the event of funding constraints.

[Captn. Crunch]

Still following! So I’m here to admit that I am an audiophile Sarg. Schultz - I know nothing NOTHING! I do appreciate good sound though so I am truly interested in how you end up re-speakering your van. Do you have a ball park $$ amount for what you’re looking at?

[Bret Schmerker]

#-o Update 3: After checking depths of products at CRUTCHFIELD®, I am forced to rule the Rockford-Fosgate® POWER speakers out of further consideration - have to cut the Rear A/C evaporator outlet conduit to clear the T1462's motor, meaning an instant air leak. PowerBass® is a new alternate vendor, but I'll need to take more care on the amplifier config - the L2-675 (front doors) and L2-462 (D-pillars) are 2Ω units (all other candidates excepting the KICKER® 43CWRT672 (Dutch doors) are 4Ω units). Bass roll-offs are higher than with the POWER's, but I can probably compensate by raising the midrange roll-off on the subs to 75 Hz.

[Bret Schmerker]

Update 4: Things have gotten really interesting now! The previously-unconsidered KENWOOD® apparently has exact fit transducers in the eXcelon® range. The woofers for the KFC-XP184C two-way component package should drop right into the nacelles still occupied by GM 19116641 and/or 19116642 (as of 16 October 2019). Same for the KFC-X183C coaxials. Should I pull the trigger on the KFC-XP184C, I'd like to substitute 35mm balanced dome midrange-tweeters with clips for the upper door provisions, for the included 24mm textile soft domes. The KFC-X463C coaxials will fit the D-pillars just like all the other 4"x6" coaxials under consideration.

[Bret Schmerker]

Update 5: KENWOOD® packages the best sub I have found for a 7" GM location as of 24 October 2019 in a duplex component group: The eXcelon® Reference™ XR-1703HR, which includes two 25mm silk dome tweeters in surface-mount "bullet" enclosure plus two 12 dB/octave LC crossovers. The ø6.5" woofer is cast aluminum and packs a ceramic-magnet motor with heat-sink phase plug and aluminum short ring (JVC-Kenwood must have licensed U. S. Patent 5,151,943, originally issued 29 September 1992 to Carl Van Gelder, McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.) and a fiberglass cone with semi-accordion rubber surround. Rated frequency response (±10 dB) for the entire two-way package is 25 Hz - 48 kHz. I have all but shortlisted the Dayton Audio DMA45-4 for the high position in the cab doors, as its response (150 Hz - 20 kHz ±3 dB) extends low enough to make the treble roll-off into a midrange roll-off for the Kenwood woofers at 210 Hz, and I plan to design and build custom crossovers for the install. Unless I run across an 8-channel amplifier with active crossovers built in, that is.

[Bret Schmerker]

Update 6: After researching a bunch of items at Parts Express®, I've a fallback shortlist in the event that the Kenwood® woofers my previous Reply cannot be obtained à la carte. The GOLDWOOD® GW-6024 should fit the cab doors and Dutch doors with minimal modification to the nacelles. The Lanzar® MX462 is a dead-on fit for the D-pillars. And I actually found my idea of a door tweeter in the FOUNTEK® FR59EXE, a 2" aluminum-cone driver that runs down to 200 Hz; I already shortlisted two grilles General Motors P/N 15724868 for the tweeter positions (to replace the stock block-off caps) and am prepared to do a bit of cutting to fit the FR59EXE's where GM provided for 25mm textile domes.