I did it! I installed the new Infinity Kappas Saturday and they freakin' ROCK!! I thought the Monsoon sounded great when I bought the car, now it's amazing. Before I go any further, I just want to say "Thanks" to everybody that posted the helpful info. So, I know alot of you don't like the Monsoon but, I'm not the type who likes a car wrapped around my stereo. I'm a purist and, it's all about the car. The coolest thing is the interior looks exactly the same. Even with the iPod hookup (I just ran the cable into the glove box). In order of easiest to hardest: iPod hookup, 4" speakers in hatch, 7" speakers in doors. In the hatch, I put in Infinity Kappa 42.5i coaxials. They almost fit perfectly. I had to use the Dremel with a sanding wheel to grind away a little plastic in the opening but, not enough to where you couldn't go back stock (if I needed to). The speakers come w/ an external Xover which worked out perfectly. Only one wire (+/-) coming into those speakers. The doors are different. 2 sets of wires (+/-) run to those. I put Infinity Kappa 652.5i coax there. The hardest part was the fact that there was NO slack in those wires. Had to just lean them outward and snip the wires. Didn't need the Xover for those speakers. Just marked the wires (Woofer/Tweeter) as I snipped them, spliced in some extra wire and wired up the Kappas. I was even able to use the stock screws to mount the new speakers. They fit right into that plastic flange that the stock speakers were bolted to. The most time consuming part was removing the door panels. But, thanks to you guys, piece of cake. Left the stock speakers in the sail panels. Just bass anyway and they still kick. The whole system just really kicks a$$ now. Enough bass that I could defib myself in an emergency, and highs as crisp as a new bag of potato chips. The BEST part of all, I only spent $140 on speakers at Car Domain and $80 on iPod cables My Radio Store btw, I want to give a shout out to Tweeter Audio here in Knoxville who told me that I couldn't hookup aftermarket speakers to the Monsoon just shows what a white boy can do with a little help from his LS1 friends

 

exactly what speakers did you get....i am a newbi when it comes to this stuff..and was looking on the site you gave....but they have so many..and also are you using the monsoon H/U with all this?? thanks and congrats on the install looks good!!

 

Hey BryanSS,
I had never done this before either. But, necessity IS the mother of invention. This little project is how I wound up on this site to begin with. The reason I chose Infinity Kappa speakers is because of what I read in this forum. The particular models I chose were for fitment AND price. When you go on Car Domain you can input info about what car you have and the site will automatically load products that will work with your car. Also, they have great customer service. There's an 800# you can call and talk directly to a tech and tell them what you want to do and they'll help you. After I chose my speakers,(4" - #42.5i ; 7" - #652.5i) I called them. Ten minutes and I was confident with my choices. And yes, I am still using the Monsoon HU and the stock "woofers" in the sail panels (back seat).

I don't know if I can be of any more help. But, if I can, I will. Good Luck!

 

Thanks for posting your experience. I also am wanting to put in infinity kappa's and hook up my ipod to the factory HU. Got a question though, aren't those speakers 4 ohms? I believe the rear speakers were wired at 2 ohms, and the front speakers were wired at 2 ohms, and the front tweeters at 4 ohms. So I think, the only thing running at proper ohmage are the tweeters. Is that right?

 

I'm no expert, man. What I do know is that the rear speakers and the ones in the sail panels are stamped on the magnets as 4 ohm.

The door speakers had no stamp on them but, the tech I talked to at Car Domain said that these 4 ohm Kappas were the safest way to go.

 

kappas are awesome speakers if you have a sub.. they put out waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay tooo much highs.. what did you do about the speakers right behind the front seats... the 5 ichers i believe

 

They are four ohm speakers in the back, but I believe they are wired somehow as 2 ohms.

 

I'm beginning to notice that. I had to adjust my treble/bass ***** from where they were. I usually had the treble **** at 2 o'clock (w/stock speakers) now it's at 10 o'clock. Bass went from 11 o'clock to 1 o'clock. Too much volume and the highs can cut you in half. I'll have to check into the sub thing.

 

Cool. I am thinking about an all Infinity system (except for the amps). Kappas were the only thing I actually heard in person and they sounded pretty good. Of course I will be ditching the hatch speakers and going with components up front. Still debating on what to do for the sail panels. I'll probably only put the 6.5" woofer in there and leave out the tweeter.

As for subs, I heard an Infinity Perfect 10" sub in an S-10 truck. It sounded real clean and hit pretty good for what I want so that is the sub I would suggest since you like the Kappas.

 

The midbass speakers "behind the front seats" right next to the rear seats are 2 ohm.

 

Nice write up. Many people don't know what to do with a blown monsoon because most audio shops say there's no other replacement than stock monsoon.

 

Most shops ive been too are more then happy to sell you some replacement speakers....

 

Oh, the shop I went to wanted to sell me some speakers. They just wanted to sell me a HU and an amp or two as well. Maybe that's why they told me that it wasn't possible to hook up aftermarket speakers to the Monsoon. All I know is, I spent nearly 2k (about ten years ago) at the same shop on a system that they installed in my '93 Camaro. Kenwood HU and 6-disc Changer, Boston Acoustics, and a Pro Logic amp and it wasn't nearly as loud and not even close to the sound I've got now with the Monsoon and Infinitys. And, I only spent $150 this time. The Kenwood HU was pretty cool though. Rotating face plate, AM/FM, Cassette w/ integrated changer controls. Talk about stealth… w/ignition off it looked like I bought the car w/o a stereo. The back of the face plate was flush with the filler plate and even had the same texture. You could even turn it off manually so that no one could use the stereo if they were driving your car. (service tech, friends, parents, etc.) Pretty damn cool…

 

Alot has changed in the car audio world in the past 10 years. Efficiency is now a factor