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Hate the sound. Need help on how to replace sucky speakers

14K views 48 replies 26 participants last post by  kettlinton 
#1 ·
Just bought a Pilot EX-L. Hate the way original radio sounds, its simply aweful. I dont have any fun drving my brand new SUV because of this. I am not an audiofile, but handy and just want to replace the original speakers with something more decent. I am looking to spend $200 tops on some half-decent door speakes. I would like to do this without drilling or altering car's interior appearence in any way. I just want to replace the original disgusting speakers with something that fits perfectly in their place. My problem is that I have no idea how to remove the door panels and original speakers without causing damage. There is a philips screw just below the handle, but I dont want to attempt anything unless I know exactly how to remove the panel after I unscrew it.

I would much appreciate if someone could post step by step instructions on how to get this done.

Thank you in advance.
 
#3 ·
iggy said:
Just bought a Pilot EX-L. Hate the way original radio sounds, its simply aweful.
Ah, don't tell me that - I thought they sounded OK (Seriously - I'm not audiophile, either). Now it's going to bother me. :D

kad
 
#4 ·
I totally agree. I'm not an audiophile- however this is clear-cut trash sound. The posts contained on this site will give you all the detail you need to remove the door panels and install better speakers. I did the Infinity 6002si and am delighted with the improvement. Purchased on the net- search around- there is a big swing in pricing, usually driven by tax and shipping. Make sure the site clearly specifies "per pair" got nailed by that once.

Total install took 3 hours, but I was careful and not pressing for a world record.
 
#5 ·
duroejc said:
I'm not an audiophile- however this is clear-cut trash sound.
Oh my...

This makes me worried. When we test drove the car we listened to the radio and a cd and we thought it sounded OK. Of course, we didnt really crank up the volume too much.

Can you please try to describe what you mean by "Trash Sound"? Is it a volume thing? Sound tinny, like one of thoes little radios?
 
#6 ·
I'll try to describe it, although one really needs to play with the radio for about 30 minutes in order to fully "appreciate" the obnoxious and irritating quality of the sound this unit produces.

1. The door speakers in the mid-upper frequencies are too loud relative to mid-lows or upper-lows and its impossible to adjust via radio's eq control. They sound "dirty". This gives the sound a very irritating police-horn like quality. Just imagine playing music thru a hand held horn loudspeaker. "COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP!!!!" There's also no "warmth" to the sound. They dont produce too many highs either.

2. The sub-woofer is too loud relative to the rest of the sound spectrum and sounds dull. It does not produce enough "lows" but too many "low-low-lows". May be this is what subwoofer is supposed to do, except that with loudness control set to about 25% and bass control set to default middle position it produces these loud, booming and annoying low frequency sounds that are completely out of balance with the rest of the sound spectrum. This naturally forces me to turn the bass gain down a notch or two, which helps alot, but in turn aggravates the mid-low/upper-low situation that was bad to begin with as described in 1.

3. Sound begins to get distorted with volume level set to about 50%. At about 60 - 70% the distortions in the mid-high range are clearly heard. At this point, if bass gain left at default, the sub is booming very loudly at the very low end of frequency spectrum too.

4. The high frequencies coming out of the front tweeters dont sound very clean either, but I can live with that.

5. This is not just my car, all Pilots sound like that. Non-EX models are even worse, I checked it myself by going to a different dealer, pretending to be shopping for a Pilot and spending some 5-10 minutes playing with the radio.

Again I am not an audiophile. I just know bad sound when I hear it and it pisses me off immensely because I just dropped about $30,000 on this car.
 
#7 ·
At first glance, the quality of the audio system is quite good. I was very surprised to find aluminum tweeters in the dash.

Upon further listening, there is just something missing.

The soundstage and image is non-existent, the mid bass is muddy. Tone controls do not offer a solution, playing with them often makes things worse. The subwoofer is tied into the fader which is a huge design flaw. The rear door speakers are so low in the doors as to not be needed by front passengers.

So far I have replaced my front speakers with a set of Boston Z6 component speakers and I am powering them with a PPI amp (PCX 280). After applying dynamat to the two front doors and floor spaces in the front compartment, the sound is beginning to improve.

I need to replace the sub as it is not up to the job and it is severly underpowered. I will probably disconnect the rear door speakers as they add nothing to the overall sound.
 
#8 ·
Thanks for the descriptions. I can definatly relate to what you mean by "warmth" of sound. We have the Bose system in our RL and it really sounds great. Ill have to wait to hear it again when we pick up the car. We will have a three hour drive home after taking delivery.

After reading esaydam's post in another thread it seems as though it may just be a problem with the speakers and not necessaraly with the head unit itself...

http://www.honda-pilot.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1530&perpage=15&pagenumber=2

I think the whole problem with the factory system on the EX is that the speakers in the door don't produce good, clean, and loud highs and lows, without distortion. Once I replaced them and installed Dynamat, I felt that the subwoofer was no longer blaring and drowning out the rest of the music. I can set my bass to any level now and it sounds great. I spent $149/pair plus about another $120 for the Dynamat. Money definitely well spent.
Again, I will wait and hear for myself.

I wonder if I should have waited to join the board until AFTER I picked up the car! :eek: Every little thing I have read about I will be looking and listening for during the drive home. :p

Thanks!
 
#9 ·
Opinion Piece

Allow me chime in with the perspective I've always had on car audio systems. I do claim to be an audiophile, although not an anal retentive one. I'm an amateur musician, have a background in EE, and have worked from time to time on audio systems and software. I think I have a good ear for sound, and know what to listen for in the time/space/phase/frequency domains.

I have never, and I mean NEVER heard a car audio system that sounded good. Some are terrible, some are better than others, but they're all a compromise. The shape of the passenger compartment, placement of speakers, size, presence of seats, and other occupants simply make it an acoustical exasperation. No amount of money or wattage will ever change that. Maybe when they come out with a vehicle that has only one seat for the driver in the rear of the compartment, speakers in the dash and around the sides unobstructed by other seats, and optically perfect anechoic material for the glass, we might be part way there. Short of that, we all have to compromise on sound and budget.

Personally, I think the Pilot stock system is fine for listening to a few tunes and getting traffic reports.
 
#10 ·
After reading esaydam's post in another thread it seems as though it may just be a problem with the speakers and not necessaraly with the head unit itself...
I should note, I am using the stock head unit to preserve the steering wheel controls. I believe the head unit is fine for the basic controls, however, the amp inside the head unit is not going to produce quality sound especially if you replace the speakers.
 
#11 ·
I second krygny's post. Automobile sound quality, above some rudimentary level, seems to be in the ear of the listener. I personally think that the Pilot system stacks up well relative to other cars I have owned. Prospective Pilot buyers and current owners should judge for themselves. I have been a member of several different car forums, and interestingly, they all contain posts denigrating the OEM sound systems. This is great for the after market audio manufacturers and installers!

Larry
 
#12 ·
I may as well add my 2 cents ....

I've had my '04 Pilot EX with nav for about a week now and most of my complaints are minor. In all fairness to the Pilot I'm still getting used to it.

Probably my single biggest disappointment so far is with the audio system. I just don't like the way it sounds compared to my prior vehicle (2001 Lexus ES300). The system in the Lexus was totally stock but it sounded SO MUCH BETTER than what I hear in the Pilot. "Sounds better" is such a subjective term that it's tough to describe with words. Prior posts have used phrases like "soundstage and image is non-existent" and "mid bass is muddy." I completely agree.

The Lexus system just sounded more "alive" and less "muddy." I'd very much like to have the same sound in the Pilot but I don't know if simply replacing the door speakers will do it. The thought of popping in 4 new speakers for about 200 bucks sounds appealing. Is that the answer?

I'm certainly not after the end all be all of stereo systems ... just something that sounds quite a bit better than the stock Pilot setup.
 
#13 ·
The Lexus system just sounded more "alive" and less "muddy." I'd very much like to have the same sound in the Pilot but I don't know if simply replacing the door speakers will do it. The thought of popping in 4 new speakers for about 200 bucks sounds appealing. Is that the answer?
Replacing the speakers is a start although you may need an amp to power them properly.
 
#14 ·
Wow- my cursory description as "clear-cut trash sound" certainly got some additional detail. All of which I agree with. I'd summarize my opinion by stating the system lacks definition- highs/mids/lows all blend together. With the Infinity 6002si you are able to distictively hear those components through out the entire volume range. I found the the 6002si for $69/pr, no tax, free shipping - money very well spent. Kept the OEM head unit.

Key here is that sound is a very personal taste- most likely why Honda doesn't waste too much energy (or $$) on the sound system is that many people will just replace it to satisfy their particular listening needs.
 
#15 ·
Hey Duroejc, are the 6002si speakers drop in replacements or will there be any cutting to get them to fit in the front and rear?

I haven't done a custom stereo install for over 10 years and I don't want to do one now. If those speakers drop in with no cutting then I'll pick me up a pair tomorrow.
 
#17 ·
Ordered 2 pairs of Infinity speakers. 6002si for the front, 6002i for the rear. Will install on Wednesday, cant wait until next weekend cuz it bothers me too much. For the last week I only turned it on briefly to get weather/traffic reports on 1010-WINS in the morning on the way to work. Anyone who says Honda radio sounds OK is out of his/her mind. Oh, another thing, FM reception blows bad. Must be that etched antenna because AM is OK. Tried playing a few CDs and tapes this weekend: well... it still sucks bad.

Whoever designed this sound system should be fired or better shot in the ass. My Camry's original JBL radio sounds 1000 times better and the car costs $8,000 less. I betcha even some stupid Chevy Caprice has a much better sounding radio.
 
#19 ·
Audio system sound problems

Hi, all!

I wonder if my 2004 EX-L has had some minor improvements over the 2003 in the audio department? I am having most problems with what, I presume, are the small dash-mounted speakers. there are times when it sounds like the sound is being made by a wax-paper and comb kazoo :D It happens most often when the DJ or announcer is speaking. Very much like a cheap, blow-out speaker. My Pilot has less than 1100 miles. Have any of you sought warranty relief from your dealers regarding poor quality parts?

Thanks for your feedback! :2:
 
#20 ·
It happens most often when the DJ or announcer is speaking
I would not use radio programs to evaluate audio quality.

Try a cd you are familiar with.

The situation you describe could be cause by interference, overmodulation of the radio signal, crosstalk, etc.

I found the oem speakers to be adequate, not really poor quality, just not up to any serious type of music listening ability.
 
#21 ·
Hey, beshannon,

Would you believe I get it through the XM radio! I don't even bother with AM, and the FM doesn't seem to create the same problem (it also doesn't have the same clarity, fidelity, or crispness of sound!). :4:
I need to play a few CDs in it, too.


My wife has the 2004 Accord with the factory XM radio, and her system does not have the same distortion when listening to the same channel at the same time. Sure wish I knew the cause...
 
#22 ·
To ARwebpilot:

No, your 2004 EX-L does not have any improvements over 2003 EX-L in the sound department. My 2004 EX-L is only a week old with 140 miles on it and it sounded terrible until I replaced the OEM speakers that is.

To duroejc:

Installed 6002si in front, 6002i in the rear. Took me about 2.5 hours. A few observations:

1. 6002si are the easiest to install, didnt have to cut the white plastic rain cover.

2. To install 6002i I had to cut a little bit of plastic off the white rain covers and move the capacitor - very easy since the plastic is soft. This way the speaker can go all the way into the rain cover and the holes between the metal adapter, the rain cover and the speaker will line up.

3. Dont need any third party speaker adapters, just used the metal ones supplied with the speakers. Screwed them on top of the original white plastic rain cover/adapter. Used Honda speaker harness adapters, no soldering required.

4. Used pigtails to tie extra slack and hanging harnesses to thick cable inside the door so that it doesnt rattle or bang against retracted window glass. Had to use all of my dexterity for this one.

5. Its important not to overtighten the screws, as the door threads are pretty fragile - just feel the effort needed to unscrew them and apply same effort when screwing them back. I did mess up one small door release assembly screw in the right rear door by tightening it too much.

6. The results:
Overall the improvement is very significant. Definitely worth the money and the effort. Although this is only in comparison with the way it was before, I would say that it was Terrible/Disgusting before and more or less OK now. The "muddiness" is now gone and the sound is much "warmer" with much better separation and "soundstage" as you call it ". The subwoofer no longer sounds overpowering. I almost enjoyed playing my tapes on the way to work.
One small issue now, since Infinities produce good highs, the original dashboard tweeters create a bit of disbalance on the very high end of sound spectrum. I wonder if they could be easily disconnected.

Another point, the 6002i sound slighly better or deeper than 6002si and they should fit the front doors just like they do in the rear. I recommend using 6002i for both front and rear instead of following suggestions of installing shallows in front as I did.

Don't buy them for $99 from Crutchfield. They can be had for $55-$65. Honda harness adapters can be bought for about $5 a pair. Thats all you'll need.

Now onto my FM reception problem...
 
#24 ·
Even mine wifes Altima 03 has a better sound depth .The speakers in my new honda pilot definately suck.
Did anyone take pics and post it on the site on how to do the replacement of the speakers.
Which one to buy as replacement?
Have to keep pilot for the next few years and cannot drive everyday to such suckky sound.
 
#26 ·
I dont have a pilot yet but if things work out I will be getting one. I test drove a couple so far and my first impression of the audio system was.......well......at least it works. I actually had to drive an 02 or 03 chevy Malabu as a rental several weeks back whose stock system did sound better than this one. My thoughts are:
1 no imaging. Had a bad "other side bias".
2: Sound was dull, lifeless, harsh to my ears.
3: Sound has distortion introduced too soon
4: What they call a woofer is peaky and boomy. No real lows, just a mud slide of whump. Overpowering at low volumes and runs out of steam at louder volumes.
5: Amp power is not clean and really is not very powerful.


In other words, Ive heard some stock systems that I would like to listen to better. The pilots system made me feel fatigued very quickly and I found I just turned it down very low so I could at least hear a song to pass the time. I never keep a stock system for long Though. In a truck I have, I have 2 JL Audio 10" subs in a custom built sealed box that is heavy in internal braceing, powered by a PPI 150 watt rms/ch amp. Then for a front stage I have 2 Rockford 8" mid bass/ mid range (not the best at upper midrange, but they were free) and 2 Morel silk dome 1" tweeters all powered from 80hz and up by a Carver 120 watt/ch amp. With no eq, this system sounds way better than the pilots system and with a little eq tweaking will come close enough to my home system with Yamaha 500 amps and B&W CDM7SE floorstanding speakers so that I am not fatiqued by the sound. Since the Pilot will be a trip car as well as my wifes daily driver, and will be with us for the next 10 to 15 years (barring any unforseen situations) I would rather improve upon the amps, speakers and subwoofer as soon as possible. The actual head electronics may be quite good, except for maybe the radio reception. Id rather keep the head end just to get the steering wheel controls, but the amps and speakers would allow a vast improvement I think. Actual speaker locations may be a pain though. Im sure the wife would rather I not start sticking drivers all around the vehicle. Anyway, wish me luck that I might be able to buy a Pilot and go into this. Thanks all.
 
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