Upgrading speakers on 1958

[Onandoffroaddriving]

Setup	Resistance	Power Source	Wattage	Voltage	Amperage	Equalizer Impact (Before)	Equalizer Impact (After)
Factory (4Ω + 8Ω)	2.667 ohms	Head Unit (12W)	~12–15W	~6–6.93V	~2–2.6A	Stable, no cutouts. Designed for 2.667 ohms.	~10–12W, ~5.5–6V. Cutouts unlikely.
Factory (4Ω + 8Ω)	2.667 ohms	BeatSonic (25W)	~37.5W	~10V	~3.75A	Stable, no cutouts. Matches stock load.	~30–35W, ~8–9V. Cutouts possible.
Aftermarket (4Ω + 4Ω)	2 ohms	Head Unit (12W)	~12–15W	~5–6V	~2–3A	Possible clipping, cutouts if protection engages.	~10W, ~5V. Cutouts possible.
Aftermarket (4Ω + 4Ω)	2 ohms	BeatSonic (25W)	~25–50W	~7–10V	~3–5A	Cutouts likely due to protection or instability.	~30–40W, ~7–9V. Cutouts likely.

Grok "AI" produced this in response to the questions about speakers and beatsonic in the 1958 trim wiring.

 

[Rubicon15]

This is very helpful information. Based on the 4ohm + 8ohm theory, installing the JL 350’s in the dashboard is a no brainer at 8ohms. I definitely want to avoid the system shutting down as described at all costs.

 

[SOCAL250]

Made front dash speaker brackets for 3 inch speakers. Let me know if anyone wants it. I can print it.

 

[rslundquist]

In the 1958 trim, the corner dash and front door speakers are wired in parallel. Crutchfield Notes say the factory speakers are 4 ohm door and 8 ohm dash. My research reports that aftermarket 4 and 4 ohm speakers reduce the circuit resistance to 2 ohms and changes the electrical demands on the amp/headunit. Many amps are not 2 ohm stable. I don't know how all the electrical factors work out exactly, but reducing the resistance can increase the wattage output from amps that are stable lower (from say 50w to 65w). I'm guessing this is how the 3 ohm infinities killed the equalizer, the combined resistance would be 1.5 ohm I think and presumably further increasing wattage draw from the amp and through the equalizer.

I don't know the speaker wiring is setup on the other trims, they both have external amps.

I put these factors into grok and chatgpt, the both outputted the same answers of the 3ohm speakers in parallel combining to 1.5 ohm and causing a 67W draw from the beatsonic setup. The two 4 ohm speakers combine to 2 ohm and draw 50W.

Good options may be to use an upgraded 4 ohm door speaker without a dash speaker or with the 8ohm factory dash. My system upgrade last week had upgraded doors, no dash speakers, factory headunit only, and sounded signficantly better than original that had dash speakers. I figure only the four door speakers with the extra beatsonic power would be really good, but not having what people call the "front soundstage" enhancement lifting the perception of voices higher in the cabin. Different levels of better...

The Beatsonic install guide has it working with the factory 4 and 8 ohm speakers in parallel... which seems like it would exceed its own stated 4 ohm spec. Perhaps that's not so far off spec that they see it as still safe? Some Crutchfield advisors say that smaller speakers draw less current, affect the electrical dynamics less, and it's all a bit more complicated than simply two 4 ohm in parallel makes 2 ohms.

My project plan is to route an external amp 40w through the factory wire and equalizer to the doors alone (new wiring for dash) and am now wondering if that may be too much for the equalizer. Crutchfield tech studied what he could find online and advised to try with carefully testing of the gain levels. It'd be 40w at 4 ohm, rather a Beatsonic perhaps 50W at 2 ohm.

Did you see much about how the equalizer is wired in?

In the 1958 trim, the corner dash and front door speakers are wired in parallel. Crutchfield Notes say the factory speakers are 4 ohm door and 8 ohm dash. My research reports that aftermarket 4 and 4 ohm speakers reduce the circuit resistance to 2 ohms and changes the electrical demands on the amp/headunit. Many amps are not 2 ohm stable. I don't know how all the electrical factors work out exactly, but reducing the resistance can increase the wattage output from amps that are stable lower (from say 50w to 65w). I'm guessing this is how the 3 ohm infinities killed the equalizer, the combined resistance would be 1.5 ohm I think and presumably further increasing wattage draw from the amp and through the equalizer.

I don't know the speaker wiring is setup on the other trims, they both have external amps.

I put these factors into grok and chatgpt, the both outputted the same answers of the 3ohm speakers in parallel combining to 1.5 ohm and causing a 67W draw from the beatsonic setup. The two 4 ohm speakers combine to 2 ohm and draw 50W.

Good options may be to use an upgraded 4 ohm door speaker without a dash speaker or with the 8ohm factory dash. My system upgrade last week had upgraded doors, no dash speakers, factory headunit only, and sounded signficantly better than original that had dash speakers. I figure only the four door speakers with the extra beatsonic power would be really good, but not having what people call the "front soundstage" enhancement lifting the perception of voices higher in the cabin. Different levels of better...

The Beatsonic install guide has it working with the factory 4 and 8 ohm speakers in parallel... which seems like it would exceed its own stated 4 ohm spec. Perhaps that's not so far off spec that they see it as still safe? Some Crutchfield advisors say that smaller speakers draw less current, affect the electrical dynamics less, and it's all a bit more complicated than simply two 4 ohm in parallel makes 2 ohms.

My project plan is to route an external amp 40w through the factory wire and equalizer to the doors alone (new wiring for dash) and am now wondering if that may be too much for the equalizer. Crutchfield tech studied what he could find online and advised to try with carefully testing of the gain levels. It'd be 40w at 4 ohm, rather a Beatsonic perhaps 50W at 2 ohm.

Did you see much about how the equalizer is wired in?

Very informative Onandoffroaddriving. The 4 ohm speakers I have in the dash now sound louder than the rest of the speakers.

The equalizer for the 1958 trim is under the carpet under the driver's seat. I didn't get to see how it's wired, but do know that the passenger side rear door is not wired through the equalizer. For some reason it is direct wired. When I fried the 1st equalizer, I still got sound out of the rear passenger side door.

 

[Onandoffroaddriving]

Very informative Onandoffroaddriving. The 4 ohm speakers I have in the dash now sound louder than the rest of the speakers.

The equalizer for the 1958 trim is under the carpet under the driver's seat. I didn't get to see how it's wired, but do know that the passenger side rear door is not wired through the equalizer. For some reason it is direct wired. When I fried the 1st equalizer, I still got sound out of the rear passenger side door.

I wonder about bypassing the equalizer if the wires going into it can be spliced to the wires coming out of it. So as to eliminate any possibility of an amped signal overloading it. A Crutchfield tech studied it for a good while, and said 40w from the JBL amp is likely to be fine, but to test with slowly raising the gain after install.

 

[rslundquist]

I wonder about bypassing the equalizer if the wires going into it can be spliced to the wires coming out of it. So as to eliminate any possibility of an amped signal overloading it. A Crutchfield tech studied it for a good while, and said 40w from the JBL amp is likely to be fine, but to test with slowly raising the gain after install.

I wondered the same. But bypassing the equalizer is over my head. I figured it needs to go through the equalizer to speak to head unit for balance.

Side note: I did find the original dash speakers. They are 8 ohm. I reinstalled them, running through the beats sonic amp. They sound "good enough for now", good news is my equalizer does not seem to be overloaded and does not clip out anymore.

 

[Rubicon15]

I did contact Beats Sonic. They tried to help by asking me to me to disconnect their amp to see if the problem still exists. With the problem still occurring without the amp, they didn't believe it was Beats related. A lot of other users on the forum have had great luck with the beats amp.

Here is the response I received from Beats.
“Thank you for providing the additional information and the attached picture for our review. We understand your concern about potential damage to the OEM radio and equalizer, and we appreciate you bringing this data to our attention.

As we've discussed, our ENA-2T3 amplifier is rated for 4-8 ohm impedance, and we haven't conducted specific testing with a 2-ohm load in your particular vehicle configuration and wiring in parallel. Therefore, we are unable to offer a definitive guarantee that the amplifier will not experience any issues or potentially affect other components in the long term when used with a 2-ohm load.

As mentioned in our previous correspondence, if you prioritize long-term reliability and want to ensure optimal performance without the risk of overloading the amplifier, especially if you anticipate further system upgrades or increased listening volumes, opting for an amplifier specifically designed to handle 2-ohm loads would be the safest approach.”

I think the Beats amp is no longer an option. It’s already 100 degrees in Central Texas. I can’t imagine the amp performing well without overheating.

 

[Rubicon15]

Setup	Resistance	Power Source	Wattage	Voltage	Amperage	Equalizer Impact (Before)	Equalizer Impact (After)
Factory (4Ω + 8Ω)	2.667 ohms	Head Unit (12W)	~12–15W	~6–6.93V	~2–2.6A	Stable, no cutouts. Designed for 2.667 ohms.	~10–12W, ~5.5–6V. Cutouts unlikely.
Factory (4Ω + 8Ω)	2.667 ohms	BeatSonic (25W)	~37.5W	~10V	~3.75A	Stable, no cutouts. Matches stock load.	~30–35W, ~8–9V. Cutouts possible.
Aftermarket (4Ω + 4Ω)	2 ohms	Head Unit (12W)	~12–15W	~5–6V	~2–3A	Possible clipping, cutouts if protection engages.	~10W, ~5V. Cutouts possible.
Aftermarket (4Ω + 4Ω)	2 ohms	BeatSonic (25W)	~25–50W	~7–10V	~3–5A	Cutouts likely due to protection or instability.	~30–40W, ~7–9V. Cutouts likely.

Grok "AI" produced this in response to the questions about speakers and beatsonic in the 1958 trim wiring.

I received a response from Beats. Please read below. They were not aware of the parallel wiring or 2.6-2 ohm data. In essence, they are selling an untested product.

“Thank you for providing the additional information and the attached picture for our review. We understand your concern about potential damage to the OEM radio and equalizer, and we appreciate you bringing this data to our attention.

As we've discussed, our ENA-2T3 amplifier is rated for 4-8 ohm impedance, and we haven't conducted specific testing with a 2-ohm load in your particular vehicle configuration and wiring in parallel. Therefore, we are unable to offer a definitive guarantee that the amplifier will not experience any issues or potentially affect other components in the long term when used with a 2-ohm load.

As mentioned in our previous correspondence, if you prioritize long-term reliability and want to ensure optimal performance without the risk of overloading the amplifier, especially if you anticipate further system upgrades or increased listening volumes, opting for an amplifier specifically designed to handle 2-ohm loads would be the safest approach.”

 

[Onandoffroaddriving]

I received a response from Beats. Please read below. They were not aware of the parallel wiring or 2.6-2 ohm data. In essence, they are selling an untested product.

“Thank you for providing the additional information and the attached picture for our review. We understand your concern about potential damage to the OEM radio and equalizer, and we appreciate you bringing this data to our attention.

As we've discussed, our ENA-2T3 amplifier is rated for 4-8 ohm impedance, and we haven't conducted specific testing with a 2-ohm load in your particular vehicle configuration and wiring in parallel. Therefore, we are unable to offer a definitive guarantee that the amplifier will not experience any issues or potentially affect other components in the long term when used with a 2-ohm load.

As mentioned in our previous correspondence, if you prioritize long-term reliability and want to ensure optimal performance without the risk of overloading the amplifier, especially if you anticipate further system upgrades or increased listening volumes, opting for an amplifier specifically designed to handle 2-ohm loads would be the safest approach.”

I believe speaker circuit resistance can be easily measured with a multimeter. Contacting the harness that enters the head unit with one lead, and the dash speaker connector on the other multimeter lead, would presumably show that 2.67 ohm resistance.

That's probably how Crutchfield identified the front speakers as wired in parallel.

Also, when constructing the Beatsonic amp 10-pin connector, with 8 wires (4 pair) leading in to power 6 speakers, some of those have to be wired in parallel.

Not answered yet is the speaker wiring layout and resistance of the "10 speaker" and JBL-audio systems. Is the Beatsonic safe for those?

A Beatsonic that was 2-ohm stable may be a good match for the 1958, except I think the front speakers 2-2.67 ohm circuit would receive higher wattage and be much louder than the rear door speakers.

Crutchfield has a big job in its hands to correctly match audio upgrades to the large variety of cars and electrical layouts. One tech spoke about how they have to borrow a vehicle from a dealer somehow, remove the trim, inspect and measure the system, and then reconnect and return the vehicle. Given this, it seems proper for a collaboration approach with Crutchfield and consumers to find the right fit. Crutchfield has the 60-day return policy if it turns out some recommended components don't actually fit.

Crutchfield has been in business for 50 years and has something like 600 employees.

 

[Rubicon15]

I believe speaker circuit resistance can be easily measured with a multimeter. Contacting the harness that enters the head unit with one lead, and the dash speaker connector on the other multimeter lead, would presumably show that 2.67 ohm resistance.

That's probably how Crutchfield identified the front speakers as wired in parallel.

Also, when constructing the Beatsonic amp 10-pin connector, with 8 wires (4 pair) leading in to power 6 speakers, some of those have to be wired in parallel.

Not answered yet is the speaker wiring layout and resistance of the "10 speaker" and JBL-audio systems. Is the Beatsonic safe for those?

A Beatsonic that was 2-ohm stable may be a good match for the 1958, except I think the front speakers 2-2.67 ohm circuit would receive higher wattage and be much louder than the rear door speakers.

Crutchfield has a big job in its hands to correctly match audio upgrades to the large variety of cars and electrical layouts. One tech spoke about how they have to borrow a vehicle from a dealer somehow, remove the trim, inspect and measure the system, and then reconnect and return the vehicle. Given this, it seems proper for a collaboration approach with Crutchfield and consumers to find the right fit. Crutchfield has the 60-day return policy if it turns out some recommended components don't actually fit.

Crutchfield has been in business for 50 years and has something like 600 employees.

I totally agree. Unless you re-wire the 1958 speakers, a 2-4 ohm amp is necessary. The Beats amp has the potential to permanently damage the head unit and equalizer. One person already reported damaging and replacing his equalizer. Others have experienced the amp shutting down repeatedly etc.

Based on the response I received from Beats, I would advise 1958 owners NOT to purchase or install the Beat Encore amp. They clearly never researched the wiring or required ohms needed to meet the OEM’s system requirements. Again, based on the data, I would avoid the Beats amp at all costs.

 

[Onandoffroaddriving]

I agree that is the principal summary of the situation. The 4-8 ohm Beatsonic is not equipped to power the stock speaker 2.67 ohm circuit, and even more problematic with the standard aftermarket speaker upgrade with two 4 ohm speakers with 2 ohm circuit. Risk is damaged EQ component, Beatsonic, and perhaps more.

With the dash speakers removed, and upgraded door speakers, the Beatsonic I believe would provide safe 25w RMS for a good sounding 4 speaker system.

 

[ryanjl]

It shouldn't be that hard to buy components, replace the speaker wiring, and use the aftermarket crossover. I'd doubt the stock crossover is all that great, anyway.

Of course, if you are doing all that, it would make more sense to me to buy a better quality amp than a Beatsonic. You'd also have to figure out how to have the stock head unit speak to the amp, which is something the Beatsonic makes "easy."

 

[Rubicon15]

I agree that is the principal summary of the situation. The 4-8 ohm Beatsonic is not equipped to power the stock speaker 2.67 ohm circuit, and even more problematic with the standard aftermarket speaker upgrade with two 4 ohm speakers with 2 ohm circuit. Risk is damaged EQ component, Beatsonic, and perhaps more.

With the dash speakers removed, and upgraded door speakers, the Beatsonic I believe would provide safe 25w RMS for a good sounding 4 speaker system.

That may be possible. However, heat may still be an area of concern, especially in the south.

 

[ryanjl]

That may be possible. However, heat may still be an area of concern, especially in the south.

Dude. People have been using aftermarket amps everywhere for decades. Even in the "south."

 

[Rubicon15]

Dude. People have been using aftermarket amps everywhere for decades. Even in the "south."

Absolutely, I was only referring to the Beats amp. And yes, in the south, your dashboard reaches temperatures above 100 degrees F. Based on my research, I would not install the Beats with the OEM system or with aftermarket speakers. The Beats amp is not designed to support 2 ohms or 2.6 ohms. Beats is clearly marketing and selling a product that is subject to overheating etc.

 

[ryanjl]

Absolutely, I was only referring to the Beats amp. And yes, in the south, your dashboard reaches temperatures above 100 degrees F. Based on my research, I would not install the Beats with the OEM system or with aftermarket speakers. The Beats amp is not designed to support 2 ohms or 2.6 ohms. Beats is clearly marketing and selling a product that is subject to overheating etc.

Sorry. For some reason I thought you were responding to my post.

The Beatsonic amp is probably one I would not fully trust, like you said. Both for the reasons you specified and--hate to say it--because of the price of the amp. Generally speaking, in audio, quality comes at a higher price.

 

[pizzlegreet]

Just re-wire the speakers. It is not that hard, and you only have to do one set, so choose the dash speakers. That way you don’t have to push wires through the door. It’s a small diy project.

I still think the best plan is to take the outputs from the headunit, run them through an aftermarket signal processor then run the signal to a four channel amp. The amp powers the front doors and the dash speakers. Add in the small jbl amp sub combo and you are in business

 

[AlexGates]

I still think the best plan is to take the outputs from the headunit, run them through an aftermarket signal processor then run the signal to a four channel amp. The amp powers the front doors and the dash speakers. Add in the small jbl amp sub combo and you are in business

If anyone wants quality, this is a good suggestion. The factory amp is the weak link, not only in power, but quality.

 

[Rubicon15]

Sorry. For some reason I thought you were responding to my post.

The Beatsonic amp is probably one I would not fully trust, like you said. Both for the reasons you specified and--hate to say it--because of the price of the amp. Generally speaking, in audio, quality comes at a higher price.

No worries. I agree, I’m looking at Focal or another trusted brand. Based on my research, I predict more people will start reporting problems with the Beats amp. Their marketing video etc is a bit deceptive. After receiving my inquiry, they should test the product in the LC. The amp is clearly out of spec. Any amp recommendations? I believe, the amp cannot be above 30 amps. I still need to verify the ohm rating on the head unit.

 

[ryanjl]

I'm not able to recommend an amp. Stuff like this (and a lack of time) is why I'll wind up leaving it to a pro installer. I do know the estimate I got involved JL Audio speakers, and a JL Audio amp and processing unit (that facilitated the communication between the head unit and the amp).

Home audio is more my jam. Car audio? Not as much.