need some advise !! I have the original HU in a C5 and years ago I upgrade the speakers to the Polk Audio DB series 3.5 and 5.25 ( sounds nice ) , I was planning on adding a JL Powerwedge powered sub ACS110LG-TW1 and was wondering while I am adding the sub, would it be worth it to upgrade to the new JL GX Series ? would the newer technology in speakers make a difference? I understand it would make a world of difference upgrading the HU but I like the original look and it's a garage queen , only goes out on the weekends to play golf or cruise.

 

for that amount of money, you could get a 3 or 5 channel amp, a box that fits down in the well, and a good 10" to go with it. Adding an amplified sub without amplifying the door speakers would probably not sound as good as you thing. If you're set on replacing the door speakers with newer ones, I would recommend a 6.5" or 8" speaker also.

 

Vince , I hear what you are saying about the cost , but I was trying to get a multi purpose out of the Power wedge , I would use it in my truck for the DD and when I use the vette , I would transfer over. But now you have me thinking " the door speaker would not sound that good since they are not amped? might have to rethink what I do !!!! maybe its not worth it trying to get a dual purpose out of the powered sub.

 

how well something sounds is up to each individual. For me, powered sub without amplifying the other spectrum would not sound good. you could get the powered sub and another 2 channel amp for the door speakers.

 

Thanks for the information Vince , looks like I will just go the route of an amp to power the door and subwoofer , its not worth me spending that money on a power wedge.

 

Yep, keep the Polk speakers and get a Polk 4000.4 amp. You'll need an adapter. Run 2 channels to the front speakers, run the sub bridged on the other two channels. What brand sub is the million dollar question?

 

thank you for the information , appreciate everyone’s help =)

 

If you do decide to get new JL's, let me know. I got some speaker adapters for a C5 that I don't need since I have a C6.

 

@Sting99 I take it that you are actually referring to the JBL GX Series, right?

I'll try to answer your original question

Perception is very subjective and, therefore, it is centered on personal preferences. What doesn't change, however, is that when upgrading speakers, for the results to be felt as rewarding, quality sound has to go hand-in-hand with loudness.

Having said that, I must add that I haven't been able to compare them in an audition, but I could try to venture an educated guess :

• Polk Audio DB Series 2-way car speakers:
  • Silk dome tweeter
  • Mineral-filled, polymer/mica composite, cone woofer
  • Butyl rubber surround
  • Impedance: 4 ohms.
• DB351 (3½")
  • Sensitivity: 91 db
  • Frequency Response: 90Hz-22kHz
• DB521 (5¼")
  • Sensitivity: 93 db
  • Frequency Response: 60Hz-22kHz
• DB651 (6½")
  • Sensitivity: 92 db
  • Frequency Response: 40Hz-22kHz

• JBL GX Series 2-way car speakers:
  • Soft dome mylar tweeter
  • Polypropylene cone woofer
  • Rubber surround
  • Impedance: 2.3 ohms.
• GX302 (3½")
  • Sensitivity: 89 dB
  • Frequency Response: 90Hz-21kHz
• GX502 (5¼")
  • Sensitivity: 91dB
  • Frequency Response: 65Hz-21kHz
• GX602 (6½")
  • Sensitivity: 92 dB
  • Frequency Response: 50Hz-21kHz

Even though manufacturers tend to play with their specs, it seems reasonable to say that they're both high quality 2-way coaxials with very similar design and construction, so their sound shouldn't be dramatically different.

That leaves us with the loudness aspect. When available power is at a premium, replacement speakers not only need to be well designed, but they need to be able to extract the maximum possible power from the headunit's amp, while also having good sensitivity. Otherwise the perceived results tend to be unsatisfying.

The JBL GX Series has a 2.3 Ohms impedance, whereas the Polk Audio DB Series impedance is 4 Ohms. Since P = U² / R, that means that the JBLs can extract twice the power than the Polk Audios from the headunit's amp (the OEM headunit can handle this with no problems - plenty of installations around that have withstood the test of time). This translates to a 3db increase of available power.

On the other hand the JBLs 3½" and 5¼" speakers have a sensitivity that's 2db lower than the corresponding Polk Audios. That means that they would need 1.58 more power than the Polk Audios to play at the same level.

All this almost balances out the loudness aspect: the JBLs can extract 3db more power, but at the same time would need 2db more power to play at the same level than the Polk Audios. That leaves them with an advantage of 1db, which translates to the equivalent of having 1.26 more amp-power available.

The OEM headunit's built-in 4-channel amp is about 18 watt rms/ch (72 watts RMS total), so a 26% increase (1db) would be 22.68 watt rms/ch for a total of 90.72 watts RMS, but that is not enough to tip the scale in favor of the JBLs: it's there, but you really wouldn't notice the difference. To barely notice a difference, it would need to be at least 3db, while most listeners would need 5db.

So, in the end, unless you go and audition the JBLs and decide that that was the sound you were really looking for, I would say keep your Polk Audios and continue to enjoy them!



NOTE: Adding an external multi-channel amp has the potential to take you to a whole new level, but to really make it noticeable beyond the nuances that an audiophile installation can unveil (and let's not forget that this is a car, not a dedicated listening room), you would want to be able to perceive at least twice the loudness than before. For that to happen, it would take a 10db increase, which translates to 10 times more power than what you currently have. That would give you a target of at least 180 watts rms/ch, with a total of 720 watts RMS for a 4-channel amp, just for your 4 main channels. You would also need an interface adapter, like the PAC AOEM-VET1.

 

Wow , that is a very thorough comparison , I would like to thank you for taking the time to break it all down for me. Let me ask , I see you are also in Miami , are you an installer that I can go by your place? I’m thinking of going with the amp and also a sub and would like your assistance.