Has anyone replace the cheap speakers??

[Texascamper]

Just took the new jayhawk out. Liked pretty much everything except the cheap speakers. Inside ones seemed worse than the outside ones. I like the colors on the jensen but it may also be part of the problem. Anyone replaced the speakers?? Has anyone attempted to put in a surround sound system?? I looking now to see if I can upgrade the jensen. Anyone have an upgraded Jensen they like or don't like??

[huskerdu]

funny ours sound horrid on the outside especially when playing a dvd...radio sounds good inside...I just bought a cheap portable that sounds a heck of alot better..at least until we can take back for them to look at it...

[dmax_83]

I replaced the head unit and speakers and it makes a huge difference. I replaced the speakers first and even that mad a difference.

[jjotmo]

My 5er is a 99 so it had a different radio but it sounded horrible and was starting to go out. I replaced it with a car deck and it sounds much better. I will replace the speakers this winter. Just be careful some auto speakers are too deep to fit. Take out one of the old ones and measure before you buy

[Dakota]

I just took delivery on a 2013 Jayco Eagle 33.5QBDS a couple of weeks ago and was amazed that Jayco is still putting Mickey Mouse $4 Quest QX3 speakers in the ceiling.

I finely was able to pull the grill off one of these --- not an easy task for those of us with some arthritis in our hands, thought I was going to pull the ceiling down it came off so hard.

Anyway, after pulling the speaker and checking the cutout dimensions it looks like I can fit in Polk Audio DB651 speakers that Amazon has a good buy on at $57.87 a pair shipped.
Most of the reviews are pretty good on these.

Would there be any advantage in slitting the fiberglass insulation above the speakers and work it to the sides around the speakers to give them a little more open working space? I would think that the insulation laying directly on the rear of the speakers would muddy the bass somewhat.

[squidmotion]

thanks for the part numbers on the polk replacements, Dakota... i see 4 of those in my future.. i'm even thinking of adding a sub in mine! use some of that dinette box space... :hihi:

i would think moving the insulation out of the way should be ok...

are you also replacing the outside speakers as well?

[Dakota]

I have these Polk Audio speakers installed now and wow --- they are a huge improvement over the stock speakers.
Now I can stream Pandora or listen to a DVD and not be continually distracted by the distortion / sound quality of the Jayco installed speakers.

They easily fit in the existing cutouts and if you are going to add a sub, these speakers also have a Bass Blocker component on the Pos terminal
you can connect to that will dedicate the bass freq’s to the sub.

I’m not planning on replacing the outside speakers as I doubt I will use them much, but may change my mind as this unit does have the outside kitchen.

[Garyjr]

Dakota,

Are the Polk Audio speakers an exact match? In other words, just unscrew the old ones and screw the Polk's in there place?

[Dakota]

Garyjr,

The DB651 speakers will fit right in the existing cutout.

The connection spades are a different size --- you could probably get an
adapter to match them or crimp on new connectors on the wires. I just
cut the connectors off the wires and soldered them to the speaker spade
connectors --- pretty simple.

[rbrumfield]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Garyjr,

The DB651 speakers will fit right in the existing cutout.

The connection spades are a different size --- you could probably get an
adapter to match them or crimp on new connectors on the wires. I just
cut the connectors off the wires and soldered them to the speaker spade
connectors --- pretty simple.

I haven't pulled the cheap speakers in my fiver out and looked at them but are the wires coded for the correct phase (+/-)? Also I noticed the speakers that you bought have a 4 Ohm impedance. I am assuming that the OEMs are the same?

Thanks.

[Dakota]

The wires are all a unique color / stripe and the OEM speakers have a + and - marked on each spade connector.
I just marked each wire that I took off the + connector with a piece of tape.

Yep, the OEM speakers are 4 ohm also.

[rbrumfield]

Originally Posted by Dakota

The wires are all a unique color / stripe and the OEM speakers have a + and - marked on each spade connector.
I just marked each wire that I took off the + connector with a piece of tape.

Yep, the OEM speakers are 4 ohm also.

Thanks.

[Garyjr]

Thanks for all the feedback. I will definately be ordering enough to replace all the cheap speakers that came with the unit.

[LilBigfoot]

Originally Posted by Dakota

I just took delivery on a 2013 Jayco Eagle 33.5QBDS a couple of weeks ago and was amazed that Jayco is still putting Mickey Mouse $4 Quest QX3 speakers in the ceiling.

I finely was able to pull the grill off one of these --- not an easy task for those of us with some arthritis in our hands, thought I was going to pull the ceiling down it came off so hard.

Anyway, after pulling the speaker and checking the cutout dimensions it looks like I can fit in Polk Audio DB651 speakers that Amazon has a good buy on at $57.87 a pair shipped.
Most of the reviews are pretty good on these.

Would there be any advantage in slitting the fiberglass insulation above the speakers and work it to the sides around the speakers to give them a little more open working space? I would think that the insulation laying directly on the rear of the speakers would muddy the bass somewhat.

Hello....just to be sure....are these the speakers you used? http://www.polkaudio.com/products/db651

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by LilBigfoot

Hello....just to be sure....are these the speakers you used? http://www.polkaudio.com/products/db651

Yep --- they are, Amazon has them --- $57 for a pair and free shipping if you have a Prime Membership.

[tlhdoc]

I may be adding the speakers to my Christmas list.

[rbrumfield]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Yep --- they are, Amazon has them --- $57 for a pair and free shipping if you have a Prime Membership.

I ordered mine from Amazon and got free shipping and I do not have the Prime Membership. May just be a current promotion...dunno. BUT they are a whole lot better than the MagnaDynes that I took out. Only thing I wish I had of done before I installed them was spray paint the silver cover white before I put them up. Also I had to trim out the laun a little bit for them to fit properly but the backing board had a large enough opening.

I did not soldier the original wires to the new speakers. I happened to be near a Best Buy store and went in to see if they had the proper connections. The Geek guy asked if the wires came with the ones I bought and I told him that they did not. He said that they come with the speakers they install and they just throw them away. He went back in the shop and got me four connectors out of the trash and gave then to me free of charge. I just used butt connectors to connect the original wire to the wires on the connectors that he gave me. Easy Peasy....:-)

[Super B]

Hi rbrumfield.
I just sent the message below to Dakota.
Can you offer any assistance re: my questions ... since you probably already replaced the speakers in your RV?
Thanks!

Good info, Dakota. If you have a moment I have 2 questions:
1) How the heck do you get the installed speakers out of the ceiling? I tried by hand but they're in there pretty tight. I'm concerned if I use something to pry them off, I'll tear up the ceiling around them.
2) rbrumfield asked some technical questions about what phase and ohm impedance were the Polk Audio speakers you used. I know nothing about specs for speakers, so do I need to have some kind of tecnhical match between the Jenson system and the speakers I use to replace the original installed ones? Like a certain Ohm level (whatever that is!)

[eldermike]

Mine were 8 ohm but the same load based upon series/parallel setup for the channel. I replaced mine with pioneer full range speakers.

If you can find a paint can opener, one like you get free with paint from Lowes it makes the perfect tool for removing the grille.

[Super B]

Excellent advice, eldermike. Paint can opener idea is fantastic. Thanks!