PSA to anyone doing this in the future: When putting the door panel back on, you have to hook the door panel at the top against against the metal body of the door. It basically hooks and kinda snaps a bit down into place up top all along the top of the door panel, then the white clips will go in after that if you've done it correctly. If you look at the area where I am talking about you will see what has to hook where, its easy once you see it. If the white clips aren't going in then you did not hook it on top correctly. If you are putting the white clips in first before hooking it on you are doing it wrong and will have a large gap where the window goes down into, or will not be able to fully screw in the two screws. This was not mentioned much in the video so thought I would share.
I just did this on my 2024 base wrx with kicker cs speakers. This install video helped out big time, thank you! I had no surprises and everything went smooth. Subaru has "upgraded " the front speakers to real 6x9s now but they are still one way paper garbage. The car sounds great now, thanks again!!
OMG I'm about to do ALMOST the same, 2024 'premium' spec & 'primus' infinity. Same stock speakers as you describe. Q: Did your Kickers have enormous WIDE magnets, like the CSC693 model? Slightly bigger than the Rockford Fosgate R169x3 used here? The Infinity's (width not depth) are between yours and the Fosgate. I worry about fit, ..., in spite of the video. Got to get in there and see, I guess! Q: Did you add any sound deadening material? I already added (without changing the speaker) a small slab of three 2" x 10" strips (Amazon basics) in one of the rear doors, cut my fingers (use gloves), but even with the Paper Rear, deadening improved things a bit, modestly better bass response - tested using the four-way Balance / Fader UI in the interactive radio display thingie. Excited to pull the door panels off - (spouse is not!).
Those are the exact speakers I have, kicker csc693. No clearance issues but the magnets are HUGE compared to stock. I didn't add any sound deadening as I'm afraid to peel back the moisture barrier but if I had some laying around I would have given it a try. A few tips I can give you, the 2 door panel electrical connectors in the front and the 1 in the rear can be a huge pain in the ass to depress to get them to unlock. I used my plastic panel tools to unlock the tab but 3 of the 4 doors were not easy. Second is when you put the the door panel back on after you connect all of the connectors make sure the top of it is pressed down flush before you try to pop it back or they won't line up. Overall a 2 hour job at most and the sound quality is greatly improved. Good luck!
This Video is a perfect step by step. It really is as easy as it looks one’s you’ve watched this video. I just replaced my fronts with Memphis Audio component 6X9 and every single step went like this. Thank you so much for making this. I’m doing my rear doors as soon as the speakers arrive.
Glad to hear you enjoyed the step by step detail. I had Memphis Audio 8” component speakers in my 02 WRX with some speaker door pods up front. That was 21 years ago now. Memphis speakers sound very nice. Thanks for watching and have fun with your new VB.
Thank you so much for the video, you did a great job explaining how to remove the panels! I just picked up my 24' Premium CVT this past weekend and I couldn't stand the stock non-HK audio. If I increased the bass at all the stock speakers start to clip or distort. I did notice a message on Crutchfield that said the stock dash speakers are 6.7 ohms and caution it could damage the head unit or factory amp (stock non-HK doesn't have), but found a reddit post where someone measured the resistance and confirmed they are in fact 3.5 ohms. the 6.7 ohms must be the HK speakers. I ended up ordering some JBL Club series speakers from Crutchfield for the dash, front and rear doors. They included the adapters cables and brackets for free with each speaker set.
Used your videos to reference how to remove the door panels. Just installed Kicker KS 3way silk dome 6X9 coaxial's in the front and Kicker KS 2way silk dome 6.5 coaxial's in the rear on my buddy's 22 WRX. The speakers came with their own kicker made universal brackets. Everything fit flawlessly and my buddy is so happy with the results. Subs coming next
That's awesome, glad your buddy likes his new Kicker speakers. Nice to hear my video helped you guys out. I just installed new dash speakers yesterday. That video will be coming next week. Thanks for watching.👍
@@Kylethemestupfile amzn.to/3XnN3RU I think these are the one's your talking about. They look pretty nice. Cant beat the easy plug and play capabilities.
Crutchfield does have the 2022 WRX listed now but under Vehicle spacific speakets it says "We cant determine if the speakers fit your Subaru" So thanks for doing the research.
Crutchfield does that if it is not a direct fit. If any modification is needed, any at all, they will say "can't confirm" or "does not fit". For liability reasons and prevent hoards of returns.
Thanks for making this video. I just replaced all of my speakers in my 2023 WRX Base and this was BEYOND helpful! I ended up getting the Rockford 6x9 2-ways and then Hertz 165's for the rear through Crutchfield. The improvement in sound quality is huge. Thanks again for making this video.
Great to hear, when I made the video I initially didn't realize that both the Crosstrek and Outback have the same speaker set up as the WRX. Thanks for watching.
You bet Gabe, crazy how $200 in speakers and a little bit of install work makes the car so much more enjoyable of an experience to drive having some good sounding music.
Thanks for both of these videos. I’ve got everything I need and plan to tackle it tonight or tomorrow. I’m happy to not have any surprises after watching you do it for us!
Glad it was helpful! You can do it. Thanks for watching and I will be installing some new in dash 3.5" speakers next. That video should be out in the next week or so.
Dude your channel is amazing. I did this setup today and my god the difference. I also added some sound deadening material behind the door panels as well. Thanks!!!!
Nice work and that's awesome to hear you are so pumped about the new speaker set up. I need to add the sound deadening to my doors still. Do you notice your side and rear view mirrors shake from the bass now? Glad to hear you enjoy the content and thanks for watching.👍
Just ordered everything, excited to hear the difference! Had my 22’ since May 22’ and my biggest complaint of the car is the speakers so I’m happy to finally be doing something about it!
Yeah for sure, the stock paper speakers were an absolute joke. I know Subaru wants to sell people the HK audio upgrade. But they should have at lease done something a little nice than the paper speakers inside the base model. Good job on the speaker install, how did you like the sound with the upgraded speaker now?
@@JDMRightHandDrive I took the 6x9 kickers I had in rear deck of my old G5 and threw them in, I actually have bass now it sounds so much better. I also got all the adapters from Best Buy the same day for under $40. Only problem was I didn’t have a drill but I had bits so I heated one up with a lighter and twisted it through the plastic then put a screw in it and it was nice and tight in
I have a 22 WRX GT with the Harmon Kardon setup but I still enjoyed this video. I use to have a 2020 legacy premium with the base speakers that I had Subaru install the RF upgrade and dam did they wax me like $600 or more.
I just did this upgrade on my 2024 Crosstrek. Exact same door speakers came out. I put in some Rockford Punch 1692. But I also put in a ton of amazon sound deadener on the inside and outer panels of the doors, plus foam strips on the speakers. eEven with oem head unit these speakers really thump and I would imagine there would be a lot of to potential for rattles and lowered acoustic performance just bolting them on to these empty tin can doors. Still I ordered a BeatSonic inline amp (plug and play unit harness for Subaru stereo) to bring it up another notch.
I used the Kicker KCS690 two ways and the Kenwood KFC-X3C dash speakers with the supplied bass blockers. I got it all from Crutchfield, adaptors and all for a really reasonable price. I haven't done the rear doors yet, maybe next weekend. I did do a total CLD and Siless foam treatment on the whole door interior and some CLD on the door card as well. A PROFOUND difference! Set the EQ to 0 all across, and turn off all the bass enhancer crap, ALL of it. Very natural sounding, airy, sound stage is on dash. I have spent more money on other cars and have not had success like this. The only drawback is that it gets loud but not hella loud. When I do the rear doors I am tying a speaker lead in and run it to the trunk in case I ever want to feed a subwoofer amp.....right now I think it doesn't need one. Time will tell. This is a great thread for all of us that didn't get a Limited trim, it is just to much of a premium and I didn't want a sunroof either.
Finally got the fronts 6x9s in tonight to go with the tweeters. Massively balances out the previously too bright sound feom the mid/tweets only. 1) I didn't disconnect the door release wires, i just moved the panel out the way. 2) wish I had bought a panel popper. 3) I added thick high heat electrical tape to the door where the speaker will sit to reduce vibration. 4) I didn't need to drill the 4th hole, I got away with screwing into all four holes. 5) I had to trim one of the adapters to clear the two silver bolts on the door. 6) Rain and snow, and was surprised by the amount of water droplets in the door panel. Definitely glad about swapping out the paper cones now! Not sure added rears will make that much difference to overall sound other than volume at this point. I will get those done hopefully in next few months though. Since I have a premium, it is definitely missing the deep tones of a subwoofer. I am unlikely to add one, as I can't be bothered with cable management for an amp, and the woofer will take up trunk space. Happy so far, but still overall brighter noise than I had expected..
A big thankyou Josh for your inspiration for me to change my speakers out too. So I went with high efficiency JL Audio C1 series 6.5inch 2 ways in the rear, 6x9 splits in the front but am running the factory tweeters which aren't too bad, not sure if they are silk domes , i may put the JL C1s in. I used 5mm thick sound deadening and adhesive foam around the bottom speaker surrounds. The difference is huuuuge !!! So much more cleaner bass and no distortion , the factory deck must be at least 20wrms, the more they are broken in the better they get. Hoping to do the charge pipe and panel filter too 😊
You bet, glad you watched the audio video and decided to upgrade your WRX stereo system. So glad to hear your enjoying your upgrade audio system. Makes one heck of a difference driving this car a listening to good sounding music. Have fun with your VB mods Deckard!👍
The limited doesn’t only offer better sound for the price difference, but it also has the sunroof, large screen, heated seats, larger wheels, push button steer. Just to name a few features. I only got the HK system because I wanted the sunroof and they come together in a package.
Awesome! Thank you! Subaru's in the Pacific Northwest and such an awesome car for our weather up here. Congrats on your new 22 WRX. Thanks for watching my channel!
@@JDMRightHandDrive...I believe there are attenuators you can install in line w/the tweeters to knock down their brightness. They usually offer a 3dB reduction. I like the parts express (in Franklin, OH) for audio gear. I like Crutchfield too, but parts express caters to the hobbiest, DIYer.
Curious: Crutchfield says that this model of speaker (R169X3) does NOT fit the WRX. How did you select this particular model? Do you think it's the fact that it needs the spacer bracket that keep it from "fitting"?
I am not sure why Crutchfield says they don't fit. I showed that they fit perfectly. I selected these speakers because I have had several sets in my different cars and like the way they sound. Every speaker you install in this car will need a speaker bracket or the speaker would be to deep into the door and it would hit the glass window as it slides down the track.
Great guide! Just did this exact job this morning on my VB WRX, and it came out pretty well. I used Kicker 46CSC6934 (6x9 3-way), so for the moment, the system is a little treble-heavy, but I'll get it dialed in soon enough.
in my experience the more you take the door panel off the more likely you are to lose and break the little plastic clips. you definitely want to do all sound deadening while you have the door panel off the first time so you’re not going back and forth. just do it once and enjoy!
Heck yeah. I like all genres of music myself. I have been rocking out to Elvis this week! Happy you got your speakers upgraded in your WRX. What a night a and day difference from stock speakers. The front 6x9 shake the side and rear view mirrors. An experience I have not had since high school with my subwoofer days. Thanks for watching!
First off thank you for figuring it out I just did the same on mine and can confirm Infinity Kappa fits and under 3 ohms they are super efficient and loud. I added some sound deadening for good measure.🍻
@@JDMRightHandDrive The front door panels are "ok" but a bit more deadening doesn't hurt. I used a combination or rubber based mat and a 1/4" flexible foam mat on top, especially directly behind the speakers. Rear panels are another story, little to no deadening so the biggest difference is made here. Again used a few sheets of rubber to hit the big open metal areas and foam on top. Over all it's a very worthwhile add for a few buck and lets you run the bass much higher without rattling. Next I'll add a few sheets on the trunk lid etc. You don't need to cover every inch of metal just a bit here and there to kill rattle. Cheers!
Those 3 ohm are going to make the factory hu work (hard). Sure 1 ohm doesn't sound like a lot, but the front speakers are going to "see" more watts rms. I'm sure all will be fine, but the 3 ohm will make those speakers louder than others
@@K03sport so they are “true” 3 ohm so with wire etc ur getting closer to 4 at the amp as opposed to others where ur closer to 5 at the amp. All in all it’s minor and marginally loader. These have been great and I just got the matching 2.5s that go on the dash will install later. 🍻
When it is just me in the car, I put the fade full front. This way I eliminate the puny rear speakers. I don't need rear fill when it's just me. 65w RMS seems too high for the factory hu. If you plan to upgrade to amps in the future, I guess they are fine. I would have thought speakers w/RMS values closer to 20-25 would be better matched to the Subaru hu. High sensitivity is good to retain the lower end. Something from Kickers CS or DS series or Infinity's es/ex series may be a better match to the hu.
Great to hear my video helped you out. What do you think of the sound performance over the stock speakers. Thanks for watching my channel and for the kinds words.👍
i’m having trouble reinstalling the door panel. the front top corner does not want to sit in place. i think it has something to do with the molding that seals the window in. any thoughts?
Thanks for the video, very helpful. I am curious about the link to the inline amp. I didn't see you install it or mention it, are you making another video for it or did I just miss something?
Thank you so much for posting your install. This helps out a ton! I’m about to install new speakers in my 22 WRX and had a question: did you disconnect the battery before installing the speakers?
Glad the speaker install video helped you out. It is not necessary to disconnect the battery while installing the new speakers. Thanks for watching and have fun with your speaker project. I hope you like how much better they sound!
Curious, did any of you mess with the audio equalizer settings on stock speakers? I just got a 23 WRX, messed with the equalizer and they don't sound horrible.
I messed with the stock head unit EQ on my car and the front dash tweeters were still overly bright. A few other 23 owners said their car was not equipt with dash tweeters. I wonder if your car has them, or if Subaru made a revision to the sound system.
What a nice video! Is it possible to install aftermarket 6.5" speakers using the factory bracket?? Just like you reused the brackets for the rear speakers, so we can have 6.5" both front and rear.
On the driver's side, is the bracket supposed to lay on top of the two hex bolts? Both brackets are identical, not symmetrical, so the part of the bracket that bulges on the driver's side is covering those bolts. This is when the bracket is oriented correctly with the wiring hole oriented up.
I searched for quite a while online and could not find any information stating the RMS power. My guess would be 10 watts rms. Thanks for watching man, and have fun with your new VB.
For anyone doing this if you really want to experience better audio you’re gonna have to install an inline amplifier because subaru lost to throw this under powered headunits in their vehicles, just upgrading the speaker can sometimes sound worse than factory.
If it is a concern for you, then you should reach out to your local Subaru dealership to be sure. In my opinion, I would not believe installing speakers would void the warranty. My car still is running like a champ with no issues at 41k miles now. Speakers are still sounding awesome.
Did you run into any issues with it not being the same ohms as the factory system? I hear you can’t get deep speakers or they will get water in them. Did you have any of those issues?
No issues with these speakers at all. They will be more moisture resistant that paper stock speakers. The bass is also much better compared to stock speakers. The new speakers have enough bass to slightly shake the rear view and side mirrors.
Not at all, I think these speakers are a little louder and more efficient over the stock speakers. I used to listed to the stock speakers at max volume 38, with theses speakers I usually only listen at 32 to 34 and its more than loud enough. Glad the video helped you out. Thanks for watching.
Do those spring clips that you used when attaching the speaker to the bracket come with the bracket? Also, did you have to use your own screws to attach the speaker to the bracket or were those included. If you had to use your own, which screws did you use?
Did this set up this week! Can’t thank you enough! Added the sound deadening as well. I know everyone is different… what are your settings? Thanks again, much love!
Awesome, glad to hear you enjoy the new upgraded speakers as much as me. The settings very based on if I am listening to radio vs Apple Car Play music. I wish the stereo had different sound settings for each audio source. I tune it for Pandora and have to change the settings when I listen to the radio. Kind of annoying. I still leave the treble at -3 for all audio sources.
What a great install video, thanks so much for the in depth guide. I am planning on doing this swap asap. I have a premium with 11.6 inch screen. Would this setup work with it as well?
I have been told that the Crosstrek, Outback and WRX speakers are the same. 6x9 should fit on all the cars. I would just take your door panel off real quick and take a look before you order the speakers.
I believe you are talking about the center seatbelt holder cover? My friend has the Limited with the HK. That has a large opening for the HK sub if I remember correctly.
@@JDMRightHandDrive So, actually now I don't need to change the speakers. I got the HK system. I was going base model, but someone ordered a Limited and I got a smoking deal on it. I love this freaking car... lol
For the cost of Harmon kardon it’s better to do this upgrade. I think the speaker upgrade would get it very close in sound for a tiny fraction of the cost.. It’s now a 14 speaker setup.
I never thought of that, yeah your right 14 speakers with 4 3-way speakers in the in dash tweeters. Only thing that would get it close the the HK system is a small subwoofer. I will have to compare my stereo side by side to my friends HK system.
More info: the HK system has many more speakers, the speakers are higher quality, there is a subwoofer.. its way better. just not upgradable. you can get much more bang for your buck with an aftermarket amp, active line output converter, and sub than the HK. the HK blows any factory, non-amplified setup out of the water.
My friend has the HK system on his 22 WRX. I will have to compare with his stereo and find out which one sounds better. I know that subwoofer in the HK makes the side mirrors and rear view mirror shake. Even my 6x9 speakers make the rear view mirror shake, so they perform pretty well with stock power. I think I will do the in line Alpine amp later for fun.
@@joshanderson3716 just because it has more speakers and an amp doesn't make it better automatically. From what I've heard the HK system sounds a bit muddy. The tuning and quality of hardware means a lot. I had a 2018 WRX limited with the HK system in it, and it was just okay. The OEM Audio + system is always the way to go, and they're working on replacement parts for the HK system, but currently their replacement for the base system is prob the best way to go.
sorry, back again. hate to say, but your metal panel popper tool (totally) SCRATCHED your door (significantly) at 4:32. when you pivoted the tool off the metal to remove the last popclip, the elbow of the tool dug into the paint. INVEST in some plastic door tools. I never use metal pry tools when working on the interior.
awesome Video! i was sad that i wasnt getting the HK sound system on my 22 WRX, but after watching both of your videos, youve convinced me to just change them myself! Also, did you have to solder anything for the front speakers? i believe you did for the rear speakers... Thank you, awesome content!
Glad my video was able to help you out. As far as the front speakers, no soldering was required. Direct plug and play with the harness and speaker brackets. If you buy the rear speaker brackets and harnesses, those are direct plug and play as well. I have full parts list in the description. Thanks for watching.
The stock speakers are 6” and I installed new 6.5’’ new Rockford Fosgate speakers. I also did a install video on this. Just do a channel search for WRX rear speakers. Thanks for watching!
I'm planning to do this to my base so this is very helpful. Are you planning on installing a sub too? I'm thinking of something small like the jbl basspro nano.
I did this exact same setup and somehow I get a slight hiss from the speakers at all times any idea what that might be? I have the premium audio system but not the HK system fyi.
@@JDMRightHandDrive It does not it just sounds like the type of hiss you get when the gain is set too high. I think it just has to do with the stock head unit and it’s honestly not a big deal at all you can only hear it when it’s dead silent in care and the engine is tuned off.
There are several speakers that will be compatible. If you buy more expensive speakers, they may require more RMS power to perform correctly. Just make sure there have a lower RMS power. Not sure what the factory head unit power rating is, probably 12-20 watts RMS power. If you buy a speaker set up that is to power hungry, you will get bad distortion. You can always get an external amplifier and run component speakers as well. I just like the way the Rockford Fosgate speakers sound. They are smooth and not overly bright on the treble. Good luck choosing and thanks for watching.
Yes for a small bit more you can go with infinity Kappa go with the 3 ohm version they are efficient and sound great. I always go with infinity kappa so I’m biased. Not sure how it sounds compared to these would love to compare if anyone is in the NY area 🍻
Just picked up a 22 wrx do you know by chance if the stock radio has RCA outputs? And where to find a dash teardown? I've searched the depths of yt and Google haven't found anything... you f/r speaker install is the closest thing I've found.
Man I am so glad I came across your channel. I have to say the this WRX has the worst sound I have ever heard. Even my stock 2010 Corolla sounds better. I have a 1 hour commute to work. And man my ears get so much fatigue from listening to anything. I have to ask for your advice I would definitely use your links for everything that you purchased to do it. It seems simple enough and worth doing. The only question I have is that I just got this car a week ago and I can’t stand to turn on the radio. The advice I’m going to ask you is that I bought this vehicle as a lease with the potential of buying it and I’m not sure if I will. Do you think it’s worth me doing this and perhaps keeping everything original if I decide to turn back the lease and put back all stock and remove the speakers I buy when I turn in the car in case I don’t purchase it. Or do you think I should just leave it alone and deal with it? Thank you for any advice and that you can give me man. I love your channel
If it was be and I leased the car. I would go ahead and install the upgraded speakers. Its only a few hundred dollars. If you decide the purchase the car at the end of the lease you win because you have enjoyed higher grade audio for the last few years. If you decide to turn the car back in at the end of the lease, personally I would just leave the upgraded speakers in the car. I don't think it would be worth the effort to remove and reinstall the stock speakers for the small amount of money they cost. Congrats on your new car and have fun with it. Thanks for watching my channel. 👍
@@JDMRightHandDrive nice! Thank you! I went ahead and bought a replacement set but the P165-SI and P1675, crutchfield had an awesome holiday sale. Can't wait to install them!!
I am not sure, I have not had the chance to take the dash apart and look at the factory head unit. I am considering taking a look at this to upgrade the head unit to run a 4 channel amp for the speakers and a subwoofer. Let me know if you discover the factory deck can be easily replaced. Thanks!
Great car and great video. I have a 2022 Outback Touring XT with the HK system, but it still needs improvement. I subbed and can't wait to see what else you do!
I am not sure in the 2020, I believe the front speakers might be a different size. Go to Crutchfield.com and put in your 2020 WRX, it will show you exactly what size speakers will work for you. Good luck, on your speaker upgrade project and thanks for watching!
Glad it was helpful! Have fun with the install, it is pretty simple. You will definitely be happy with the speaker upgrade from the factory speakers. Thanks for watching.
Amazing video man. I just installed the same one to my 2020 Premium Subaru Impreza Sedan and I don’t understand why the OEM speakers sound more louder than the Rockford 😭.
Glad you like the video. I actually thought that the Rockford speakers sounded slightly louder over the OEM speakers at same volume level. I am very happy with how these speakers sound. Hope you like them as much as me. Thanks for watching.
Sensitivity of the new speakers most likely. Aftermarket speakers have huge magnets. The stock speakers are tiny. A higher sensitivity (91+) will restore some of the bass. Make sure the new speaker has a lower rms value, closer to 20-25, not above 60.
@@K03sport Oh ok, Got it. I think is hard to find speakers with that low rms. Yesterday I ordered the Rockford Fosgate amp kit for my Subaru. It cost me $300 with a coupon code. The kit come with amp, two front speakers, hardness and more. It should be Plug-N-Play kit. Thank you very much for the info SummerBRZ
What ohms are the stock speakers? Perhaps front speakers could go with a lower ohm to over power treaters a bit more? A set of 3ohm or 2ohm JBL? Depends what stock speakers are rated at
OK, so I actually had a problem with loud volumes getting 'garbled'. Turn it down, then turn it up, sounds good for a few seconds, then sounds garbled again. (My system is like your's just rear's are currently stock. I'm wondering if I'm overheating the headunit (Volume at 28 to 32) and song it started happening was The Prodigy, Smack my ****** up, which is a real bassy song. It doesn't sound like a blown speaker.. it's like I was asking too much and it couldn't handle it. Electronic garbling a little. Do you use an amp at all?
@@JDMRightHandDrive i have. The radio its self is separate from the screens and sits down behind everything. The 2 screens have a single giant circuit board behind them thats as big as the single touch screen. Maybe a maestro rr2 could deal with it but no confirmation on it yet from them. Need to be able to remove the circuit board and top screen while and integration device keeps the HVAC controls on the bottom screen and the steering wheel controls
You can only upgrade the two front door speakers. The stock rear speakers and tweeters are cheap and lousy. I have a 2016 Impreza and Subaru offered a full six speaker upgrade set via kicker. I got those and had my own amp installed.
Heck yeah, I would like to add an amp to my system when I have some extra time. I have replaced the front/rear door speakers with the dash on mine and it at least sounds decent now. Thanks for watching.
I have the "Premium" sound system upgrade in my 2023 and it sounds like ASS. I think the oly real advantage of having that done is the extra power and the sub in the back, but the front speakers are garbage. I might pull the trigger on this when I have some extra time/money.
Anyone had issues mounting the front bracket (w the speaker attached) onto the door? I had to cut of the plastic off the edge of the bracket that is closer to the door latch because of the two silver bolts on the door panel. no big deal but I thought the bracket would fit without any trimming.
Did you order the exact bracket model number that I had in the video? Mine lined up perfectly with no trimming needed. Did you mount the brackets upside down? Just thinking out loud. Thanks for watching.
I only finished the driver side yesterday and encountered the issue. When I mounted the bracket onto the door, I could only lineup the screws to the holes in one direction. The side of the bracket with more plastic sticking out was covering the two silver bolts on the upper right part of the door. That was where I had to trim the plastic off the bracket. I will open the door panel tomorrow to check again. It was not big deal anyway and everything works after trimming the plastic.
@@JDMRightHandDrive you can see these bolt heads at 1:29 - your bracket is installed right over the top of them. I'm wondering if they're supposed to be left and right and we're just getting all rights?
Are you running the stock summer dunlops? Any recommendations for a decent all season? Thinking about the ETS intake. any thoughts on the JB4. I HJAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS. I'm also in 253/Pierce county.
@@pupp8529 Thaqnks for the reply. It was my understanding the mass airflow was specifically engineered to be within stock limits, but that is from what I watched on a few ETS vids. I'll hold my horses for now!
@@joshanderson3716 Yea it is all within stock limits, it does give performance but at the cost of "more engine wear" in a sense, ill be good cold for a couple miles then further down the line youll just be killing it with heat. Also depends where your located im in texas so im refraining
@@pupp8529 I am in WA state, so the heat is less of an issue. That being said, if there is a significant downside to switching to the aftermarket intake, I am not in a hurry. I'll just make my own turbo noises when no one is in the car with me.
looks like the guy that runs the speaker store near me lied out his azz! I have the base trim too.. He told me I dont need new speakers.. what I needed was a 400 watt amp and I would be fine. 700+ dollar install. What a joke. I think ill be doing this as well.. those stock speakers are horrible
Stock speakers are 100% grade ass. Thanks for the thorough install…. Def my next upgrade
You bet, get those stock shit speakers out of your car asap. Thanks for watching!
PSA to anyone doing this in the future: When putting the door panel back on, you have to hook the door panel at the top against against the metal body of the door. It basically hooks and kinda snaps a bit down into place up top all along the top of the door panel, then the white clips will go in after that if you've done it correctly. If you look at the area where I am talking about you will see what has to hook where, its easy once you see it. If the white clips aren't going in then you did not hook it on top correctly. If you are putting the white clips in first before hooking it on you are doing it wrong and will have a large gap where the window goes down into, or will not be able to fully screw in the two screws. This was not mentioned much in the video so thought I would share.
Thanks for sharing.
thanks legend saved me a ton of guessing
I just did this on my 2024 base wrx with kicker cs speakers. This install video helped out big time, thank you! I had no surprises and everything went smooth. Subaru has "upgraded " the front speakers to real 6x9s now but they are still one way paper garbage. The car sounds great now, thanks again!!
OMG I'm about to do ALMOST the same, 2024 'premium' spec & 'primus' infinity. Same stock speakers as you describe. Q: Did your Kickers have enormous WIDE magnets, like the CSC693 model? Slightly bigger than the Rockford Fosgate R169x3 used here? The Infinity's (width not depth) are between yours and the Fosgate. I worry about fit, ..., in spite of the video. Got to get in there and see, I guess! Q: Did you add any sound deadening material? I already added (without changing the speaker) a small slab of three 2" x 10" strips (Amazon basics) in one of the rear doors, cut my fingers (use gloves), but even with the Paper Rear, deadening improved things a bit, modestly better bass response - tested using the four-way Balance / Fader UI in the interactive radio display thingie. Excited to pull the door panels off - (spouse is not!).
Those are the exact speakers I have, kicker csc693. No clearance issues but the magnets are HUGE compared to stock. I didn't add any sound deadening as I'm afraid to peel back the moisture barrier but if I had some laying around I would have given it a try. A few tips I can give you, the 2 door panel electrical connectors in the front and the 1 in the rear can be a huge pain in the ass to depress to get them to unlock. I used my plastic panel tools to unlock the tab but 3 of the 4 doors were not easy. Second is when you put the the door panel back on after you connect all of the connectors make sure the top of it is pressed down flush before you try to pop it back or they won't line up. Overall a 2 hour job at most and the sound quality is greatly improved. Good luck!
Just went ahead and installed a pair of KS kickers in the front and my goodness. Day and night difference!!
Man you deserve like $5000 a month for the content. You always have great install vids. Great video, definitely sounds waaaaay better
I appreciate that! Glad to hear you like the content. Thanks for watching.👍
Amazing video love it!
Great video. Just replaced the front speakers following your video. Dude much better. Your content is the best. Really appreciate you!
This Video is a perfect step by step. It really is as easy as it looks one’s you’ve watched this video. I just replaced my fronts with Memphis Audio component 6X9 and every single step went like this. Thank you so much for making this. I’m doing my rear doors as soon as the speakers arrive.
Glad to hear you enjoyed the step by step detail. I had Memphis Audio 8” component speakers in my 02 WRX with some speaker door pods up front. That was 21 years ago now. Memphis speakers sound very nice. Thanks for watching and have fun with your new VB.
Thank you so much for the video, you did a great job explaining how to remove the panels! I just picked up my 24' Premium CVT this past weekend and I couldn't stand the stock non-HK audio. If I increased the bass at all the stock speakers start to clip or distort. I did notice a message on Crutchfield that said the stock dash speakers are 6.7 ohms and caution it could damage the head unit or factory amp (stock non-HK doesn't have), but found a reddit post where someone measured the resistance and confirmed they are in fact 3.5 ohms. the 6.7 ohms must be the HK speakers. I ended up ordering some JBL Club series speakers from Crutchfield for the dash, front and rear doors. They included the adapters cables and brackets for free with each speaker set.
Used your videos to reference how to remove the door panels. Just installed Kicker KS 3way silk dome 6X9 coaxial's in the front and Kicker KS 2way silk dome 6.5 coaxial's in the rear on my buddy's 22 WRX. The speakers came with their own kicker made universal brackets. Everything fit flawlessly and my buddy is so happy with the results. Subs coming next
That's awesome, glad your buddy likes his new Kicker speakers. Nice to hear my video helped you guys out. I just installed new dash speakers yesterday. That video will be coming next week. Thanks for watching.👍
@@JDMRightHandDrive he was looking into the DS18 plug and play drop ins for the dash himself
@@Kylethemestupfile amzn.to/3XnN3RU I think these are the one's your talking about. They look pretty nice. Cant beat the easy plug and play capabilities.
@@JDMRightHandDrive those are the ones! We've seen a few reviews where people have used them in tacoma's and loved the results
Crutchfield does have the 2022 WRX listed now but under Vehicle spacific speakets it says "We cant determine if the speakers fit your Subaru" So thanks for doing the research.
You bet and glad to hear the video helped you out. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment.👍
Crutchfield does that if it is not a direct fit. If any modification is needed, any at all, they will say "can't confirm" or "does not fit". For liability reasons and prevent hoards of returns.
Thanks for making this video. I just replaced all of my speakers in my 2023 WRX Base and this was BEYOND helpful! I ended up getting the Rockford 6x9 2-ways and then Hertz 165's for the rear through Crutchfield. The improvement in sound quality is huge. Thanks again for making this video.
Your welcome, glad you found the video helpful. Enjoy that new sound system, your right it makes a world of difference.
Thanks for this video. This mod is 100% a must have. It made a word of difference. The install took less than an hour.
Glad the video helped and yes completely agree for just a little money and work makes a world of difference in sound.
Wanted to say thank you for making these videos! Helped a ton on my 2024 Crosstrek!
Great to hear, when I made the video I initially didn't realize that both the Crosstrek and Outback have the same speaker set up as the WRX. Thanks for watching.
Super super cool. Ordered and installed all three sets. What a difference. Thanks for sharing
You bet Gabe, crazy how $200 in speakers and a little bit of install work makes the car so much more enjoyable of an experience to drive having some good sounding music.
Thanks for both of these videos. I’ve got everything I need and plan to tackle it tonight or tomorrow. I’m happy to not have any surprises after watching you do it for us!
Glad it was helpful! You can do it. Thanks for watching and I will be installing some new in dash 3.5" speakers next. That video should be out in the next week or so.
Does it sound a lot better.
Dude your channel is amazing. I did this setup today and my god the difference. I also added some sound deadening material behind the door panels as well. Thanks!!!!
Nice work and that's awesome to hear you are so pumped about the new speaker set up. I need to add the sound deadening to my doors still. Do you notice your side and rear view mirrors shake from the bass now? Glad to hear you enjoy the content and thanks for watching.👍
How much did the sound deadening do for your vibration and sound quality? I usually dont mess with it until I get subs installed.
Just ordered everything, excited to hear the difference! Had my 22’ since May 22’ and my biggest complaint of the car is the speakers so I’m happy to finally be doing something about it!
That's awesome, I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. Have fun with the install and thanks for watching.
Thanks again for the video install. I'm ordering after I type this. Can't wait for some decent sound!!
Glad to hear you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching and have fun installing you speakers.
Great video. I just got my 22 and did the speaker swap just now. It’s criminal how they put those paper speakers in such a nice car.
Yeah for sure, the stock paper speakers were an absolute joke. I know Subaru wants to sell people the HK audio upgrade. But they should have at lease done something a little nice than the paper speakers inside the base model. Good job on the speaker install, how did you like the sound with the upgraded speaker now?
@@JDMRightHandDrive I took the 6x9 kickers I had in rear deck of my old G5 and threw them in, I actually have bass now it sounds so much better. I also got all the adapters from Best Buy the same day for under $40. Only problem was I didn’t have a drill but I had bits so I heated one up with a lighter and twisted it through the plastic then put a screw in it and it was nice and tight in
I have a 22 WRX GT with the Harmon Kardon setup but I still enjoyed this video. I use to have a 2020 legacy premium with the base speakers that I had Subaru install the RF upgrade and dam did they wax me like $600 or more.
I just did this upgrade on my 2024 Crosstrek. Exact same door speakers came out. I put in some Rockford Punch 1692. But I also put in a ton of amazon sound deadener on the inside and outer panels of the doors, plus foam strips on the speakers. eEven with oem head unit these speakers really thump and I would imagine there would be a lot of to potential for rattles and lowered acoustic performance just bolting them on to these empty tin can doors. Still I ordered a BeatSonic inline amp (plug and play unit harness for Subaru stereo) to bring it up another notch.
I used the Kicker KCS690 two ways and the Kenwood KFC-X3C dash speakers with the supplied bass blockers. I got it all from Crutchfield, adaptors and all for a really reasonable price. I haven't done the rear doors yet, maybe next weekend. I did do a total CLD and Siless foam treatment on the whole door interior and some CLD on the door card as well. A PROFOUND difference! Set the EQ to 0 all across, and turn off all the bass enhancer crap, ALL of it. Very natural sounding, airy, sound stage is on dash. I have spent more money on other cars and have not had success like this. The only drawback is that it gets loud but not hella loud. When I do the rear doors I am tying a speaker lead in and run it to the trunk in case I ever want to feed a subwoofer amp.....right now I think it doesn't need one. Time will tell. This is a great thread for all of us that didn't get a Limited trim, it is just to much of a premium and I didn't want a sunroof either.
Thanks for all the feedback and information. Have fun with your new WRX and thanks for watching.
Thanks for these videos. Been years since I’ve installed speakers this makes it seem quite doable
You can do it! Heck yeah these are a huge upgrade over stock. Thanks for watching.
Finally got the fronts 6x9s in tonight to go with the tweeters. Massively balances out the previously too bright sound feom the mid/tweets only.
1) I didn't disconnect the door release wires, i just moved the panel out the way.
2) wish I had bought a panel popper.
3) I added thick high heat electrical tape to the door where the speaker will sit to reduce vibration.
4) I didn't need to drill the 4th hole, I got away with screwing into all four holes.
5) I had to trim one of the adapters to clear the two silver bolts on the door.
6) Rain and snow, and was surprised by the amount of water droplets in the door panel. Definitely glad about swapping out the paper cones now!
Not sure added rears will make that much difference to overall sound other than volume at this point. I will get those done hopefully in next few months though.
Since I have a premium, it is definitely missing the deep tones of a subwoofer. I am unlikely to add one, as I can't be bothered with cable management for an amp, and the woofer will take up trunk space.
Happy so far, but still overall brighter noise than I had expected..
A big thankyou Josh for your inspiration for me to change my speakers out too.
So I went with high efficiency JL Audio C1 series 6.5inch 2 ways in the rear, 6x9 splits in the front but am running the factory tweeters which aren't too bad, not sure if they are silk domes , i may put the JL C1s in. I used 5mm thick sound deadening and adhesive foam around the bottom speaker surrounds.
The difference is huuuuge !!!
So much more cleaner bass and no distortion , the factory deck must be at least 20wrms, the more they are broken in the better they get.
Hoping to do the charge pipe and panel filter too 😊
You bet, glad you watched the audio video and decided to upgrade your WRX stereo system. So glad to hear your enjoying your upgrade audio system. Makes one heck of a difference driving this car a listening to good sounding music. Have fun with your VB mods Deckard!👍
@JDMRightHandDrive I was unsure about it before no regrets now, love your channel , subbed now :)
The limited doesn’t only offer better sound for the price difference, but it also has the sunroof, large screen, heated seats, larger wheels, push button steer. Just to name a few features. I only got the HK system because I wanted the sunroof and they come together in a package.
That's good to know, thanks for sharing that info.
Thanks for the vid. I just installed these and it’s a huge difference.
Heck yeah that is awesome! Glad you hear you like the sound of those speakers as much as I do!👍
This whole install also works on a 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Sport (Just did it on mine)... in case anyone was wondering
That is awesome to hear, I will add that to to description information. Thanks for watching and letting me know.
22 WRX driver in Seattle, awesome channel!
Awesome! Thank you! Subaru's in the Pacific Northwest and such an awesome car for our weather up here. Congrats on your new 22 WRX. Thanks for watching my channel!
Did you change your three and a half inch dash speakers? Also very detailed video lots of people skips over something you are very detailed thank you.
Thanks a lot for this content. I did my WRX and I’m very happy.
You bet, glad that my video helped you. I am also happy to hear that you are enjoying the new speakers as much as me! 👍
Think this set up works on 2021 crosstrek? Great content and explanation.
Yes sir, I believe the same setup should work on the 2021 Crosstrek.
another great video! I have 6x9 DS kickers to install tomorrow! just got my brackets!
Heck yeah, time to get after it. I hope my video gave you some insight for your project in the morning. Thanks for watching!👍
I have a premium, but the base speakers... unimpressive at stock. the only bad thing I have to say about the 22 wrx is that the base audio is crap.
Took an hour drive after the install and the stock dash tweeters are still to overpowering! Have fun tomorrow!
@@JDMRightHandDrive...I believe there are attenuators you can install in line w/the tweeters to knock down their brightness. They usually offer a 3dB reduction. I like the parts express (in Franklin, OH) for audio gear. I like Crutchfield too, but parts express caters to the hobbiest, DIYer.
Curious: Crutchfield says that this model of speaker (R169X3) does NOT fit the WRX. How did you select this particular model? Do you think it's the fact that it needs the spacer bracket that keep it from "fitting"?
I am not sure why Crutchfield says they don't fit. I showed that they fit perfectly. I selected these speakers because I have had several sets in my different cars and like the way they sound. Every speaker you install in this car will need a speaker bracket or the speaker would be to deep into the door and it would hit the glass window as it slides down the track.
Great guide! Just did this exact job this morning on my VB WRX, and it came out pretty well. I used Kicker 46CSC6934 (6x9 3-way), so for the moment, the system is a little treble-heavy, but I'll get it dialed in soon enough.
Did you only replace the door speakers? Where is it treble heavy? the dash speakers?
Heck yeah, glad you like the video. Congrats on your new VB WRX and thanks for watching.
in my experience the more you take the door panel off the more likely you are to lose and break the little plastic clips. you definitely want to do all sound deadening while you have the door panel off the first time so you’re not going back and forth. just do it once and enjoy!
Thanks for watching and yes do it all at once for sure while your in there.
Great content AGAIN 👍🏼
I also have a base 22 WRX, will be upgrading in the next several.
Thanks again for the content
Right on! Makes me happy to hear you like the content. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. Good luck on you speaker install.
Thanks, brother; my Subie now sounds great. And yes, I listen to the Doobie Brothers at 38!
Heck yeah. I like all genres of music myself. I have been rocking out to Elvis this week! Happy you got your speakers upgraded in your WRX. What a night a and day difference from stock speakers. The front 6x9 shake the side and rear view mirrors. An experience I have not had since high school with my subwoofer days. Thanks for watching!
You should make a tutorial for a subwoofer install. Can't find any info on doing one on the new 22 wrx.
First off thank you for figuring it out I just did the same on mine and can confirm Infinity Kappa fits and under 3 ohms they are super efficient and loud. I added some sound deadening for good measure.🍻
Awesome, glad to hear the video helped you out. What do you think of the sound deadening, did it make a difference in your opinion? Thanks!
@@JDMRightHandDrive The front door panels are "ok" but a bit more deadening doesn't hurt. I used a combination or rubber based mat and a 1/4" flexible foam mat on top, especially directly behind the speakers. Rear panels are another story, little to no deadening so the biggest difference is made here. Again used a few sheets of rubber to hit the big open metal areas and foam on top. Over all it's a very worthwhile add for a few buck and lets you run the bass much higher without rattling. Next I'll add a few sheets on the trunk lid etc. You don't need to cover every inch of metal just a bit here and there to kill rattle. Cheers!
Those 3 ohm are going to make the factory hu work (hard). Sure 1 ohm doesn't sound like a lot, but the front speakers are going to "see" more watts rms. I'm sure all will be fine, but the 3 ohm will make those speakers louder than others
@@K03sport so they are “true” 3 ohm so with wire etc ur getting closer to 4 at the amp as opposed to others where ur closer to 5 at the amp. All in all it’s minor and marginally loader. These have been great and I just got the matching 2.5s that go on the dash will install later. 🍻
Did you ever do a video on adding sound deadener to this car?
When it is just me in the car, I put the fade full front. This way I eliminate the puny rear speakers. I don't need rear fill when it's just me. 65w RMS seems too high for the factory hu. If you plan to upgrade to amps in the future, I guess they are fine. I would have thought speakers w/RMS values closer to 20-25 would be better matched to the Subaru hu. High sensitivity is good to retain the lower end. Something from Kickers CS or DS series or Infinity's es/ex series may be a better match to the hu.
Best installation video hands down! I just installed my Rockford Fosgate speakers on my 22 WRX thanks to you.
Great to hear my video helped you out. What do you think of the sound performance over the stock speakers. Thanks for watching my channel and for the kinds words.👍
@JDM Right Hand Drive my favorite upgrade so far! Much better than the stock speakers 😅
i’m having trouble reinstalling the door panel. the front top corner does not want to sit in place. i think it has something to do with the molding that seals the window in. any thoughts?
Thanks for the video, very helpful.
I am curious about the link to the inline amp. I didn't see you install it or mention it, are you making another video for it or did I just miss something?
I have not purchased the in line amp yet. Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much for posting your install. This helps out a ton!
I’m about to install new speakers in my 22 WRX and had a question: did you disconnect the battery before installing the speakers?
Glad the speaker install video helped you out. It is not necessary to disconnect the battery while installing the new speakers. Thanks for watching and have fun with your speaker project. I hope you like how much better they sound!
No need. I didnt
Very helpful. Thanks for posting!
No problem, glad you found the video to be helpful. Thanks for watching.👍
thanks for sharing, any sound deadener needed?
I still have not done the sound deadening. But I would throw a sheet on the door skin inside while I was in there if I was doing this again.
Curious, did any of you mess with the audio equalizer settings on stock speakers? I just got a 23 WRX, messed with the equalizer and they don't sound horrible.
I messed with the stock head unit EQ on my car and the front dash tweeters were still overly bright. A few other 23 owners said their car was not equipt with dash tweeters. I wonder if your car has them, or if Subaru made a revision to the sound system.
What a nice video! Is it possible to install aftermarket 6.5" speakers using the factory bracket?? Just like you reused the brackets for the rear speakers, so we can have 6.5" both front and rear.
I tried to mount my RF speakers into the factory bracket and it does not fit.
On the driver's side, is the bracket supposed to lay on top of the two hex bolts? Both brackets are identical, not symmetrical, so the part of the bracket that bulges on the driver's side is covering those bolts. This is when the bracket is oriented correctly with the wiring hole oriented up.
About how much mounting depth is there? The RFs seem fairly low profile. Could you of gone with a beefier 6x9?
You could definitely install a beefier speaker. But that would require more power and would probably need an external amp to sound good.
Great installation, do you know how many watts RMS the factory Subaru stero puts out per channel ?
I searched for quite a while online and could not find any information stating the RMS power. My guess would be 10 watts rms. Thanks for watching man, and have fun with your new VB.
@JDMRightHandDrive Thanks for the info man, i sure will :)
For anyone doing this if you really want to experience better audio you’re gonna have to install an inline amplifier because subaru lost to throw this under powered headunits in their vehicles, just upgrading the speaker can sometimes sound worse than factory.
idk if I caught this but did you add an alpine power pack?
No, just running stock head unit. I am still considering adding the Alpine to my set up.
Absolutely amazing guide. Will be doing this very soon!
I would say the base speakers are a 6/10. Would this bump the sound to a 8-9/10?
Awesome, glad to hear the guide helped you. Have fun with your install.
Question I know it’s two years later but does this void warranty on your car. Still gonna do it just asking.
If it is a concern for you, then you should reach out to your local Subaru dealership to be sure. In my opinion, I would not believe installing speakers would void the warranty. My car still is running like a champ with no issues at 41k miles now. Speakers are still sounding awesome.
Did you run into any issues with it not being the same ohms as the factory system? I hear you can’t get deep speakers or they will get water in them. Did you have any of those issues?
No issues with these speakers at all. They will be more moisture resistant that paper stock speakers. The bass is also much better compared to stock speakers. The new speakers have enough bass to slightly shake the rear view and side mirrors.
I finally installed the whole set up, including the infinity tweeters. What amplifiers do you think would work well with this set up?
Thanks for this tutorial. Going to be doing this in the near future. Are you noticing any loss in volume with the stock head unit?
Not at all, I think these speakers are a little louder and more efficient over the stock speakers. I used to listed to the stock speakers at max volume 38, with theses speakers I usually only listen at 32 to 34 and its more than loud enough. Glad the video helped you out. Thanks for watching.
Do those spring clips that you used when attaching the speaker to the bracket come with the bracket? Also, did you have to use your own screws to attach the speaker to the bracket or were those included. If you had to use your own, which screws did you use?
Not OP, but the clips and screws should come with your speakers.
Did this set up this week! Can’t thank you enough! Added the sound deadening as well. I know everyone is different… what are your settings? Thanks again, much love!
Awesome, glad to hear you enjoy the new upgraded speakers as much as me. The settings very based on if I am listening to radio vs Apple Car Play music. I wish the stereo had different sound settings for each audio source. I tune it for Pandora and have to change the settings when I listen to the radio. Kind of annoying. I still leave the treble at -3 for all audio sources.
What a great install video, thanks so much for the in depth guide. I am planning on doing this swap asap. I have a premium with 11.6 inch screen. Would this setup work with it as well?
Yes, this set up would work with your stereo exactly the same. Thanks for watching and good luck with you speaker upgrade!
I would recommend getting an amp to drive the nice new speakers, the factory head unit has no power. It will be another "night and day" difference
Does the speaker (6x9) bracket fits a 2024 Crosstrek?
I have been told that the Crosstrek, Outback and WRX speakers are the same. 6x9 should fit on all the cars. I would just take your door panel off real quick and take a look before you order the speakers.
wait a minute what is that black plastic box inside the trunk up top? Is that a placeholder for the HK sub on higher models?
I believe you are talking about the center seatbelt holder cover? My friend has the Limited with the HK. That has a large opening for the HK sub if I remember correctly.
Subscribed dude. Nice job.
Thanks for the sub and I appreciate your support!
@@JDMRightHandDrive So, actually now I don't need to change the speakers. I got the HK system. I was going base model, but someone ordered a Limited and I got a smoking deal on it. I love this freaking car... lol
For the cost of Harmon kardon it’s better to do this upgrade. I think the speaker upgrade would get it very close in sound for a tiny fraction of the cost.. It’s now a 14 speaker setup.
I never thought of that, yeah your right 14 speakers with 4 3-way speakers in the in dash tweeters. Only thing that would get it close the the HK system is a small subwoofer. I will have to compare my stereo side by side to my friends HK system.
Did you actually install that inline amp in the description? Didn’t see it in the vid
I have not. I am considering upgrading the head unit and installing a 4 channel amp. I want adjustable equalizer settings.
I wonder if these are better than the HK system speakers?
the HK system has amplifiers, so it is pretty dang god. the problem is the HK system also uses weird Ohm ratings and cannot be upgraded easily.
More info: the HK system has many more speakers, the speakers are higher quality, there is a subwoofer.. its way better. just not upgradable. you can get much more bang for your buck with an aftermarket amp, active line output converter, and sub than the HK. the HK blows any factory, non-amplified setup out of the water.
My friend has the HK system on his 22 WRX. I will have to compare with his stereo and find out which one sounds better. I know that subwoofer in the HK makes the side mirrors and rear view mirror shake. Even my 6x9 speakers make the rear view mirror shake, so they perform pretty well with stock power. I think I will do the in line Alpine amp later for fun.
@@joshanderson3716 just because it has more speakers and an amp doesn't make it better automatically. From what I've heard the HK system sounds a bit muddy. The tuning and quality of hardware means a lot. I had a 2018 WRX limited with the HK system in it, and it was just okay. The OEM Audio + system is always the way to go, and they're working on replacement parts for the HK system, but currently their replacement for the base system is prob the best way to go.
sorry, back again. hate to say, but your metal panel popper tool (totally) SCRATCHED your door (significantly) at 4:32. when you pivoted the tool off the metal to remove the last popclip, the elbow of the tool dug into the paint. INVEST in some plastic door tools. I never use metal pry tools when working on the interior.
awesome Video! i was sad that i wasnt getting the HK sound system on my 22 WRX, but after watching both of your videos, youve convinced me to just change them myself! Also, did you have to solder anything for the front speakers? i believe you did for the rear speakers... Thank you, awesome content!
Glad my video was able to help you out. As far as the front speakers, no soldering was required. Direct plug and play with the harness and speaker brackets. If you buy the rear speaker brackets and harnesses, those are direct plug and play as well. I have full parts list in the description. Thanks for watching.
Hello, what is the size of the rear speaker? thank you
The stock speakers are 6” and I installed new 6.5’’ new Rockford Fosgate speakers. I also did a install video on this. Just do a channel search for WRX rear speakers. Thanks for watching!
@@JDMRightHandDrive thank you
Do you have any issues w/ any rattling? I did this on my 24’ impreza RS and the window switches rattle like crazy
My car does not have any rattles, but the drivers seat was a really annoying squeak over bumpy roads.
I'm planning to do this to my base so this is very helpful. Are you planning on installing a sub too? I'm thinking of something small like the jbl basspro nano.
I want some extra bass for sure. I will have to check out the JBL basspro nano you mentioned. Thanks for watching.
I did this exact same setup and somehow I get a slight hiss from the speakers at all times any idea what that might be? I have the premium audio system but not the HK system fyi.
A hiss in the audio could be caused from a bad ground maybe. Does the tone change with the engine rpm?
@@JDMRightHandDrive It does not it just sounds like the type of hiss you get when the gain is set too high. I think it just has to do with the stock head unit and it’s honestly not a big deal at all you can only hear it when it’s dead silent in care and the engine is tuned off.
What an awesome video! I will be doing this. Quick question for you. Did you find any other speakers that would be compatible that are more expensive?
There are several speakers that will be compatible. If you buy more expensive speakers, they may require more RMS power to perform correctly. Just make sure there have a lower RMS power. Not sure what the factory head unit power rating is, probably 12-20 watts RMS power. If you buy a speaker set up that is to power hungry, you will get bad distortion. You can always get an external amplifier and run component speakers as well. I just like the way the Rockford Fosgate speakers sound. They are smooth and not overly bright on the treble. Good luck choosing and thanks for watching.
Yes for a small bit more you can go with infinity Kappa go with the 3 ohm version they are efficient and sound great. I always go with infinity kappa so I’m biased. Not sure how it sounds compared to these would love to compare if anyone is in the NY area 🍻
I wonder how this compares to audio plus
So I can use the meta adapter for the rear with new bracket like the front without having to soldier?
Yes. I put links for the rear adapter with plug in harness. The rears will install just like the fronts. Good luck and thanks for watching!
Good content man! I did this in my FXT but it was plug and play. Keep it up! And get that bumper painted. Haha.
Just picked up a 22 wrx do you know by chance if the stock radio has RCA outputs? And where to find a dash teardown? I've searched the depths of yt and Google haven't found anything... you f/r speaker install is the closest thing I've found.
Man I am so glad I came across your channel. I have to say the this WRX has the worst sound I have ever heard. Even my stock 2010 Corolla sounds better.
I have a 1 hour commute to work. And man my ears get so much fatigue from listening to anything.
I have to ask for your advice I would definitely use your links for everything that you purchased to do it. It seems simple enough and worth doing.
The only question I have is that I just got this car a week ago and I can’t stand to turn on the radio. The advice I’m going to ask you is that I bought this vehicle as a lease with the potential of buying it and I’m not sure if I will.
Do you think it’s worth me doing this and perhaps keeping everything original if I decide to turn back the lease and put back all stock and remove the speakers I buy when I turn in the car in case I don’t purchase it. Or do you think I should just leave it alone and deal with it?
Thank you for any advice and that you can give me man. I love your channel
If it was be and I leased the car. I would go ahead and install the upgraded speakers. Its only a few hundred dollars. If you decide the purchase the car at the end of the lease you win because you have enjoyed higher grade audio for the last few years. If you decide to turn the car back in at the end of the lease, personally I would just leave the upgraded speakers in the car. I don't think it would be worth the effort to remove and reinstall the stock speakers for the small amount of money they cost. Congrats on your new car and have fun with it. Thanks for watching my channel. 👍
Thank you so much for the advice. Hope to see more of your videos.
How do you like the Rockford sound? I'm considering installing a Rockford set in my 2021 WRX.
I think they sound awesome. Much clearer sound compared to OEM speakers and lots more bass as well. Sounds 3 times better that OEM speakers.
@@JDMRightHandDrive nice! Thank you! I went ahead and bought a replacement set but the P165-SI and P1675, crutchfield had an awesome holiday sale. Can't wait to install them!!
do you think it’s possible to replace the top screen with a double din?
I am not sure, I have not had the chance to take the dash apart and look at the factory head unit. I am considering taking a look at this to upgrade the head unit to run a 4 channel amp for the speakers and a subwoofer. Let me know if you discover the factory deck can be easily replaced. Thanks!
Great car and great video. I have a 2022 Outback Touring XT with the HK system, but it still needs improvement. I subbed and can't wait to see what else you do!
Awesome, thank you! I appreciate the sub!
Oh man! I love it. I have a 2020 Subaru Impreza Sedan. Would that fit in my car? Thank you for the great video.
I am not sure in the 2020, I believe the front speakers might be a different size. Go to Crutchfield.com and put in your 2020 WRX, it will show you exactly what size speakers will work for you. Good luck, on your speaker upgrade project and thanks for watching!
@@JDMRightHandDrive Thanks buddy
THANK YOU! This was of incredibly helpful! I cannot wait to try the installation on my VB!
Glad it was helpful! Have fun with the install, it is pretty simple. You will definitely be happy with the speaker upgrade from the factory speakers. Thanks for watching.
Amazing video man. I just installed the same one to my 2020 Premium Subaru Impreza Sedan and I don’t understand why the OEM speakers sound more louder than the Rockford 😭.
Glad you like the video. I actually thought that the Rockford speakers sounded slightly louder over the OEM speakers at same volume level. I am very happy with how these speakers sound. Hope you like them as much as me. Thanks for watching.
Sensitivity of the new speakers most likely. Aftermarket speakers have huge magnets. The stock speakers are tiny. A higher sensitivity (91+) will restore some of the bass. Make sure the new speaker has a lower rms value, closer to 20-25, not above 60.
@@K03sport Oh ok, Got it. I think is hard to find speakers with that low rms. Yesterday I ordered the Rockford Fosgate amp kit for my Subaru. It cost me $300 with a coupon code. The kit come with amp, two front speakers, hardness and more. It should be Plug-N-Play kit. Thank you very much for the info SummerBRZ
What ohms are the stock speakers? Perhaps front speakers could go with a lower ohm to over power treaters a bit more? A set of 3ohm or 2ohm JBL? Depends what stock speakers are rated at
great vids great help!!!!!
Glad it helped! Thanks for watching.
OK, so I actually had a problem with loud volumes getting 'garbled'. Turn it down, then turn it up, sounds good for a few seconds, then sounds garbled again. (My system is like your's just rear's are currently stock. I'm wondering if I'm overheating the headunit (Volume at 28 to 32) and song it started happening was The Prodigy, Smack my ****** up, which is a real bassy song. It doesn't sound like a blown speaker.. it's like I was asking too much and it couldn't handle it. Electronic garbling a little. Do you use an amp at all?
Now to figure out how to get a maesteo rr2 so i can replace the top radio all togeather
Have you taken apart the dash to look at the factory head unit to see if they can be easily separated?
@@JDMRightHandDrive i have. The radio its self is separate from the screens and sits down behind everything. The 2 screens have a single giant circuit board behind them thats as big as the single touch screen. Maybe a maestro rr2 could deal with it but no confirmation on it yet from them. Need to be able to remove the circuit board and top screen while and integration device keeps the HVAC controls on the bottom screen and the steering wheel controls
I"m guessing this would be pointless on a harmon kardon equipped version?
Had HK in my 2015 premium. I tested it out in a limited. Went with a base model cause its honestly not that far apart
You can only upgrade the two front door speakers. The stock rear speakers and tweeters are cheap and lousy. I have a 2016 Impreza and Subaru offered a full six speaker upgrade set via kicker. I got those and had my own amp installed.
Heck yeah, I would like to add an amp to my system when I have some extra time. I have replaced the front/rear door speakers with the dash on mine and it at least sounds decent now. Thanks for watching.
video was op 🤌🏻
Thanks so much.
I have the "Premium" sound system upgrade in my 2023 and it sounds like ASS. I think the oly real advantage of having that done is the extra power and the sub in the back, but the front speakers are garbage. I might pull the trigger on this when I have some extra time/money.
Good to know the premium sounds is just as bad. Thanks for watching.
Anyone had issues mounting the front bracket (w the speaker attached) onto the door? I had to cut of the plastic off the edge of the bracket that is closer to the door latch because of the two silver bolts on the door panel. no big deal but I thought the bracket would fit without any trimming.
Did you order the exact bracket model number that I had in the video? Mine lined up perfectly with no trimming needed. Did you mount the brackets upside down? Just thinking out loud. Thanks for watching.
I only finished the driver side yesterday and encountered the issue. When I mounted the bracket onto the door, I could only lineup the screws to the holes in one direction. The side of the bracket with more plastic sticking out was covering the two silver bolts on the upper right part of the door. That was where I had to trim the plastic off the bracket. I will open the door panel tomorrow to check again. It was not big deal anyway and everything works after trimming the plastic.
Update, the other bracket fits on the passenger side door. No need to trim the bracket.
Same here-had to trim on driver’s side
@@JDMRightHandDrive you can see these bolt heads at 1:29 - your bracket is installed right over the top of them. I'm wondering if they're supposed to be left and right and we're just getting all rights?
Please note: speaker brackets do not fit 2022 Levorg or Wrx TS Sportswagon but the cables do.
Good to know, thanks for the update!
Hey man, did you upgrade door speakers in a tS Sportswagon, is it worth it? Are the stock speakers in the tS really those crappy ones?
If you have the sportswagon, it's a MUST. Big difference in the front.
Good to know, What speaker brackets did you use? Im looking at upgrading my Wrx TS Sportswagon soon
APS333:- adapter plate (for 6.5 rears) APS332 6x9 adapter plate for 6X9 speakers
Are you running the stock summer dunlops? Any recommendations for a decent all season? Thinking about the ETS intake. any thoughts on the JB4. I HJAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS. I'm also in 253/Pierce county.
don’t do ets intake it’s not cold air it’s just gonna heat soak your engine, yes there’s performance but the heat soaking and mass airflow won’t help
@@pupp8529 Thaqnks for the reply. It was my understanding the mass airflow was specifically engineered to be within stock limits, but that is from what I watched on a few ETS vids. I'll hold my horses for now!
@@joshanderson3716 Yea it is all within stock limits, it does give performance but at the cost of "more engine wear" in a sense, ill be good cold for a couple miles then further down the line youll just be killing it with heat. Also depends where your located im in texas so im refraining
@@pupp8529 I am in WA state, so the heat is less of an issue. That being said, if there is a significant downside to switching to the aftermarket intake, I am not in a hurry. I'll just make my own turbo noises when no one is in the car with me.
@@joshanderson3716 i do it when people are in the car as well, gotta get that stutututu down
Pretty good demo, and details. The music selection is a bit of a put off, especially for a test :T
Thanks for watching.
My ‘22 WRX has the HK system but even that doesn’t sound all that great in my opinion.
looks like the guy that runs the speaker store near me lied out his azz! I have the base trim too..
He told me I dont need new speakers.. what I needed was a 400 watt amp and I would be fine. 700+ dollar install. What a joke. I think ill be doing this as well.. those stock speakers are horrible