Hi guys. New here. Got a quick question. I just installed a new speaker to replace a blown stock speaker... left rear. The speaker I installed( Skar audio tx8) doesn't sound like it has much bass at all. It's not louder than the other stock speakers. I even used the original connectors so there is no mix up between positive and negative. Do I need an Amp for these speakers or what? How much power is the head unit putting out? Not sure what to do here. Any help is very appreciated. Thanks guys and gals.

 

I would not expect really anything spectacular by just replacing a stock door speaker with an aftermarket one. Additionally, you replaced a stock component 6x8 speaker with a coaxial speaker. There is no tweeter in the door on a stock speaker. The front tweeter is on the A-pillar. I would expect a separate component speaker to be louder/better than a coaxial with the center post for a tweeter. If you wanted to make it louder/better you would really need an amplifier at the bare minimum. A better idea would be to get a DSP, amplifier, and component speakers up front. You can use coaxials in the rear, as they come factory like that.

 

The factory speakers are a paper speaker and are made for a "full range" sound. I replaced my speakers with all aftermarket components and yes they had less bass but the mids and highs were lightyears better. A full range speaker will never sound as good as several speakers designed for different frequencies(low, mids, highs).

To get the aftermarket speakers to shine, you really need an amp and/or aftermarket head unit.

My current setup which is great for me is Kicker components speakers, aftermarket kenwood HU, and I have a powered sub under the rear seat. That easily destroys the stock system and it has separate speakers for lows(power sub), the mids (6x9's), and highs (tweeters). If you get components they come with crossovers to only send the appriorate frequency range to the mids/highs. The subs should also use a crossover to just get low frequencies as well.

 

that's great advice. Thank you. I didn't realize the goof up I did with replacing it with a different kind of speaker. I just got the truck less than 6 months ago and I want to start upgrading some things. The sound system to start with. Ford Didn't put any effort into the sound system in 2014 did they? Lol

 

Welcome to car/truck stereo! It's an expensive drug! Here is a good channel to follow, even watch everything they have previously made.

 

Having owned a custom car stereo shop, I can tell you exactly why you’re experiencing what you are. The OEM speakers are cheap, light, and require very little power to function. When you replace it with a much “beefier” speaker, you’ll typically get cleaner sound, but with lower volume, or less output. Higher quality speakers simply require more power to function at similar volume levels. The low end (bass) reproduction requires more power than higher frequencies (treble), simply because there’s more speaker mass that has to move to reproduce those lower frequencies. When the amplifier source runs out of power, so does your speaker’s ability to produce sound.

 

Yep, needs amp to perform its best.

 

thank you! That makes so much sense. I appreciate you.

 

I'm not sure if the 2013 Platinums had better speakers, but the stock sound system in my 2014 FX-2 was trash.

 

I'll just add that, unless the speaker you swapped in has a lower impedance than the factory speakers, there will be no change in power output from the oem amp, not that they are anything like a Rockford Fosgate that will deliver twice as much power when you halve the impedance, they *might* give you 20% more power if you hook up a 2Ω speaker, but the rub is that you likely won't notice the change, as it take 4x more power for speakers to generate enough pressure for us to perceive a doubling of volume.

If, while you have the door panels off to replace the speakers, you adequately insulate the doors against noise transmission, the reduction in the floor noise of the vehicle while in motion will be noticeable, and it will appear as if the speakers are louder.