Factory radio ohms
 

Hi all,

new to the accord world and just bought an '09 ex with 6 disc cd. My first upgrade will be speakers.

Does anyone know if the factory radio is 2 ohm or 4 ohm? I'm looking at Infinity Ref6030CS which are 2ohm. I don't want to get them if they will burn up the HU or run too hot.

Honda factory speakers are usually 4 ohms. They are made by Pioneer.

i don't recommend installing aftermarket speakers on a factory amp/head unit and expecting any great results. the downside to factory systems is mostly weak amplification.

the lower impedance of the Infinity speakers will cause the factory system to run hotter, and also increase distortion. it may or may not have thermal problems and may or may not damage the factory system with extended listening during summer (high temps). the wire and passive crossover adds some appreciable resistance, which is why Infinity says they will work.

if you want the system to sound better overall, an aftermarket amp will make a HUGE difference in volume and sound quality. the factory speakers will even sound better themselves on an aftermarket amp.

i've seen this a lot in the past. take three identical cars with factory systems. replace the speakers in one, replace the head unit in one, and add an external amplifier in the third. an aftermarket amp has always outperformed the others, with a new headunit coming in second, and new speakers in third place. it all comes down to adequate amplification. the factory speakers are usually engineered for that vehicle with good factory seals. installing new speakers requires high attention to detail since the installation is 80% of their performance. most aftermarket speaker installations are poorly done with no seals and no control of the back wave. tweeter installations can also suffer if not properly seated, sealed, and aimed.

the best results when upgrading factory speakers directly is had with high efficiency (93dB or higher) speakers and an installation that is very well done.

i'm not saying that factory speakers are great or that replacing them is not a good idea. my main message is that upgrading a factory sound system should include amplification and speakers.