Polk Audio DB6502 Component Install with Crossover - Front Door and Tweeter

[pointerDixie214]

Decided to go through a grommet below the main harness and tried to weather proof as best I could. Frigging stupid design for this purpose, but I get why they do it. This was a PITA and took me almost 5 hours for the driver's side alone. Need to still do the passenger side, which I think will take way less time now that I solved all the little puzzles.

On the plus note, it sounds awesome with just the back and front driver's side. haha

 

[enrique71]

Does anyone have a link to a video for removing the rear door panels and replacing the factory rear speakers? I have a 2018 GTI.

Thanks.

 

[flipflp]

another option can be to find a location under the dash for the crossovers, then you can use the output from the dash for the input too the passive then us the existing door speaker line for the door driver and then run new wire from under the dash to the tweeters.

This is my plan to install my Infinity Kappa separates but I'm going to pull each kick panel and dig through the harnesses to find these guys (driver - red/yellow and brown/yellow, passenger - red/green and brown/green) and where they split if possible. Then I'll tuck the crossovers up under the dash.

Hindsight, I REALLY should have just bought a set of separates with on-driver crossover components or one that only has a tweeter crossover so no wiring is needed. One of the installs I saw was a Alpine setup and it was a snap, with the hardest part being mounting the drivers. Something like this: https://www.crutchfield.com/S-vyG4xNSpK4I/p_500SS65C/Alpine-S-S65C.html

 

[El_bigote_AJ]

This is my plan to install my Infinity Kappa separates but I'm going to pull each kick panel and dig through the harnesses to find these guys (driver - red/yellow and brown/yellow, passenger - red/green and brown/green) and where they split if possible. Then I'll tuck the crossovers up under the dash.

Hindsight, I REALLY should have just bought a set of separates with on-driver crossover components or one that only has a tweeter crossover so no wiring is needed. One of the installs I saw was a Alpine setup and it was a snap, with the hardest part being mounting the drivers. Something like this: https://www.crutchfield.com/S-vyG4xNSpK4I/p_500SS65C/Alpine-S-S65C.html

yeah, much easier that way so you can literally just swap the speakers and don't even have to mess with the dash, but you do loose the tweeter attenuation option if you have that with the Kappa crossover now.

i have a simple DSP in the car so im able to control the input levels to each speaker specific.

 

[GTIfan99]

This is my plan to install my Infinity Kappa separates but I'm going to pull each kick panel and dig through the harnesses to find these guys (driver - red/yellow and brown/yellow, passenger - red/green and brown/green) and where they split if possible. Then I'll tuck the crossovers up under the dash.

Hindsight, I REALLY should have just bought a set of separates with on-driver crossover components or one that only has a tweeter crossover so no wiring is needed. One of the installs I saw was a Alpine setup and it was a snap, with the hardest part being mounting the drivers. Something like this: https://www.crutchfield.com/S-vyG4xNSpK4I/p_500SS65C/Alpine-S-S65C.html

I took a look a those speakers, Crutchfield says they don't fit. Maybe too deep? I like the idea of the cap being on the tweeter. I'm thinking you could just buy a cap for pretty much any tweeter and do the same though, right?

 

[dosjockey]

Nobody's ever happy with crossover location unless they just give up and put them beside the amplifiers or make custom panels.

That's just the way it is. You put them where they'll fit, do the best you can, and try to forget about it.

 

[Adurm]

There's a block of foam in the door panel that a xover can replace. I think those kappa are 2 ohm so things might get clipped when you turn em up. Also wires can change colors when they go through grommets or whatever. I had the silver looking kappa components. They sucked up 100+ watts without complaint.

 

[The Dude]

I had 4x Kappa perfect 6.5 2 ways in my jeep, along with a JL 13TW5 and matching power. That thing railed man, I miss that truck. Once you get it all done I'd imagine you'll be pretty happy with those Kappas.

 

[quality_sound]

Don't put your crossovers in the door. The heat can soften the solder and constant slamming of the doors can cause solder joints to break and I've even seen parts come off the board. In this case, I'd put the crossover wherever you want, run the woofer wire from the XO to the OEM wiring at the head unit and use the OEM wiring to the woofer from there. No reason to reinvent the wheel here. Then run new wires to the tweeter from the XO. Simple, fast, and then you can put your XOs where you want, don't have to trash your MOLEX plugs, and you won't risk damaging the XOs either.

 

[flipflp]

Installed my Kappa 60.11cs earlier this week, not too bad of an install wiring wise, just very fiddly. Ended up just cutting the wires from the harness as they go into the door, running that to the crossover input, the woofer output into the door harness, and running new wires to the tweeter. Total time spent was probably 8 hours, a lot was figuring out how I wanted to wire/mount things especially on the first side, and I did sound deadening as well (noico 80). Crossovers are just sorta tucked away for now, they will get zip tied to the dash frame once I'm sure everything is correct.

20200318_134115 by Jon Collier, on Flickr

20200318_102838 by Jon Collier, on Flickr

20200318_121742_HDR by Jon Collier, on Flickr

20200318_131459 by Jon Collier, on Flickr

Sounds pretty damn good, but the speakers could use way more power. I can nearly max the volume out now where 50% was about the tops for the factory speakers before they distorted. Haven't experienced any clipping or issues with these speakers. The OEM speakers are marked 4 ohms on each, so I assumed they are 2 ohms together, the same as the Infinitys. Just way different power handling and efficiency, even though the Kappas are 93db.

 

[GTIfan99]

If one doesn't want to run new tweeter wires, what cap could be used on the tweeter to get a similar affect?

 

[flipflp]

If one doesn't want to run new tweeter wires, what cap could be used on the tweeter to get a similar affect?

You can get something like this that is really generic and doesn't take into account differences in drivers: https://www.crutchfield.com/S-APN6QvhVv30/p_007BB5000/Crutchfield-Bass-Blockers.html

If you don't have a specific speaker brand you like, shop for one that doesn't require a cross over inline of both drivers, like the Alpine I posted. I believe the lower end Focal Integration line uses inline crossovers for each driver as well.

 

[GTIfan99]

You can get something like this that is really generic and doesn't take into account differences in drivers: https://www.crutchfield.com/S-APN6QvhVv30/p_007BB5000/Crutchfield-Bass-Blockers.html

If you don't have a specific speaker brand you like, shop for one that doesn't require a cross over inline of both drivers, like the Alpine I posted. I believe the lower end Focal Integration line uses inline crossovers for each driver as well.

You can get something like this that is really generic and doesn't take into account differences in drivers: https://www.crutchfield.com/S-APN6QvhVv30/p_007BB5000/Crutchfield-Bass-Blockers.html

If you don't have a specific speaker brand you like, shop for one that doesn't require a cross over inline of both drivers, like the Alpine I posted. I believe the lower end Focal Integration line uses inline crossovers for each driver as well.

Those Alpines look like a really good option, but Crutchfield says they don't fit.

 

[flipflp]

Those Alpines look like a really good option, but Crutchfield says they don't fit.

According to their guide (if you click the doesn't fit your vehicle text) they claim it doesn't fit because of the mounted height. Maybe with their adapter the driver could contact the grill? I used a 1/2" universal adapter from Amazon on mine and didn't have any issues.

 

[GTIfan99]

According to their guide (if you click the doesn't fit your vehicle text) they claim it doesn't fit because of the mounted height. Maybe with their adapter the driver could contact the grill? I used a 1/2" universal adapter from Amazon on mine and didn't have any issues.

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So you have fit those into a mk7? If so, that's perfect for me. I want simple, not the best speaker out there. Just better than stock and easy.