Replacing dash speakers

[geoff]

I wanted to replace my dash speakers, but keep my old ones intact in case I ever wanted to revert to stock. I found out Porsche sells dash speaker blanks without any speaker holes cut out that aren't too expensive. (Replacement grills with the speakers glued in are well over $100 each!) Part number 996-645-049-02-01C, about $28 each from Sunset. After I got the speaker grill, I found out there is a left and right side. If you're going to install a tweeter, it makes a difference (the tweeter area is angled differently for the two sides). If you're just going to install a 4" coaxial speaker, it won't matter.

I pulled the old speakers out and found the speaker wiring connector in the car had VW part number 191906231A. With this information, my local VW dealer parts guy found the matching connector and wires. The VW part number for the connector is 1HO-906-712 (retails for $4.35) and the corresponding wire is 000-979-129 (retails for $6.63). Like the speaker grill, you'll need two of each. If your VW parts dept can't get the speaker connectors, places like Crutchfield sell some that look like they'll work also.

Harbor Freight has a really inexpensive right angle bit ratchet that works great for removing and installing the torx screws holding the speaker grills on the dash. Right angle 8 piece screwdriver set, item number 92630, about $2 when on sale

After reading various posts, talking to car stereo stores and listening to some speakers, I picked the CDT CL-4EX 4" coax speakers, bught from Phantom Electronics in Thousand Oaks. (I don't see the speakers listed on their web site any more)

I dropped off the grills at Phantom Electronics and had them mount the speakers when they came in (it took a while due to production backlog). They ground off the flat plate with a dremel, then screwed the speaker into the grill. The speakers are much more substantial than the stock ones. Cost for the speakers and installation into the grill was a little under $200. It took me about 5 minutes per side to remove the old speaker and install the new one. Here's the new vs old.

VFXBOX's speaker mounting bracket would probably have worked just fine with these speakers, but I'm not sure if he has a new supplier. In hindsight, I would try his bracket first, before paying someone else to mount the speakers. However, now I can just replace the speakers in the grill by unscrewing the current ones and screwing in some new ones whenever I end up replacing the speakers in the future.

Without changing the head unit and amp, the speakers sound quite a bit better than the stock ones, but not so great that I would say the car has a fantastic audio system. Replacing the door subwoofers would have probably improved the sound more, but it would have added another $600 to the bill, which I didn't want to spend. Frequency response and sound quality from these speakers are much better than what I started with, and the more I listen to them, the more I can tell how much better they are. From talking to a friend who is a hard core audiophile, he said that paper speakers (which came stock in the car) can produce excellent sound. Howard at Phantom Electronics said the stock Porsche speakers are way better than what comes stock in a typical Honda or Toyota. So a lot of complaints about the stock Boxster sound system seem to be a bit overly critical.

[flyby75]

Thanks for this...!

Regards

[rick3000]

Do you know the PN for leather matched color grills?

Great Write-Up!

[Richard Hamilton]

You can only get black ones as blanks. I looked a while ago and found that the savannah "blank grilles" come complete with speakers!

[rick3000]

Thanks! :D