# 2008 Civic Speaker Locations



## DraKhen99 (Apr 14, 2008)

Hi all, I just got a 2008 Civic EX, supposedly with a 6-speaker sound system.

Where in the world do they hide the last two speakers? I see two in the doors, two in the rear deck, and what looks like speaker grills (but no noticeable audio) up by the window on the top of the dash???

Can anyone help me here? I'm thinking about transferring the head unit, amp and sub from my truck to this car, but need to know where the speakers are first, to replace them.

Thanks,

-John


----------



## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

I believe they are in the dash/apillar corner. I just looked at a custom civic system last week and I am pretty sure thats where the stock location was.


----------



## DraKhen99 (Apr 14, 2008)

Ok, so that confirms my suspicions.

Where does everyone like putting aftermarket tweeters? I would love to just replace the ones that are in there, since it's more stealth that way!


----------



## DraKhen99 (Apr 14, 2008)

And while I'm here, does anyone know if there is a stock amplifier to bypass, or crossovers between the front door speakers and the dash tweeters? I'd like to utilize the stock speakers for now, until I figure out which ones I want to replace them with.

I plan on installing a 4-gauge wire to a power distribution block, and only running one amplifier for the time being - to the subwoofer, and then sometime later installed a set of components in the doors, and maybe a set of 6 1/2" coaxials in the rear deck for fill.

What do you think?

Thanks!


----------



## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

www.8thcivic.com


----------



## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

I drive an LX Sedan. You can check my install thread linked in my signature.

x2 on 8thcivic.com


----------



## capnxtreme (Feb 5, 2008)

DraKhen99 said:


> And while I'm here, does anyone know if there is a stock amplifier to bypass, or crossovers between the front door speakers and the dash tweeters? I'd like to utilize the stock speakers for now, until I figure out which ones I want to replace them with.
> 
> I plan on installing a 4-gauge wire to a power distribution block, and only running one amplifier for the time being - to the subwoofer, and then sometime later installed a set of components in the doors, and maybe a set of 6 1/2" coaxials in the rear deck for fill.
> 
> ...


There IS a stock amp to bypass, underneath the console in front of the shifter. The amp accepts 4 channels of balanced input, and performs the crossover for the tweets, mids, rears, and sub, and has 8 (really 7) outputs.

I hotglued my aftermarket tweeters exactly in place of the factory tweeters. It fits perfect and works perfectly.


----------



## DraKhen99 (Apr 14, 2008)

capnxtreme said:


> There IS a stock amp to bypass, underneath the console in front of the shifter. The amp accepts 4 channels of balanced input, and performs the crossover for the tweets, mids, rears, and sub, and has 8 (really 7) outputs.
> 
> I hotglued my aftermarket tweeters exactly in place of the factory tweeters. It fits perfect and works perfectly.


Really? Interesting ... so how did you bypass the amplifier? Do you have aftermarket crossovers so the front woofers & tweeters get their proper inputs?

When running an amp, in the past I have simply run the RCAs from the back of the aftermarket HU to the amp, and a 9-wire back up front, where it splices into the car-side of the wiring harness (the part that would normally come from the HU and go directly to the car's wiring harness).

-John


----------



## capnxtreme (Feb 5, 2008)

mercman (on 8thcivic and acurazine) makes a harness that plugs into the factory harness and gives you RCA's to plug into an amp that accepts balanced inputs. I was tempted to DIY my own twisted pair balanced cables, but he did a real nice job with the cable and custom factory plug.

That's what I'm running into a JL 500/5, which gives me crossovers for the mids and tweets. Or you could run a component set with passive crossovers, but you will need crossovers.

On the speaker connection side, you can just get the amplifier bypass (I think that's what it's called?) harness from Crutchfield and do what you're talking about, I think. I think I'm gonna go ahead and do that for the door speakers, just so that I don't have to mess w/ the molex plugs in the doors.


----------



## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

capnxtreme said:


> There IS a stock amp to bypass, underneath the console in front of the shifter. The amp accepts 4 channels of balanced input, and performs the crossover for the tweets, mids, rears, and sub, and has 8 (really 7) outputs.
> 
> I hotglued my aftermarket tweeters exactly in place of the factory tweeters. It fits perfect and works perfectly.


There IS an amp, you DO NOT have to bypass it. Just solder RCA ends onto the harness and plugs the RCA outputs from the HU into that and you're good. That's how I did my Si.


----------



## capnxtreme (Feb 5, 2008)

quality_sound said:


> There IS an amp, you DO NOT have to bypass it. Just solder RCA ends onto the harness and plugs the RCA outputs from the HU into that and you're good. That's how I did my Si.


Sure, I just don't see why you would replace the head unit and not the amp. The factory head unit has a nice flat output, the amp doesn't.

OP mentioned he's transplanting the head unit and an aftermarket amplifier, so really, he needs neither the factory amp nor mercman's harness.


----------



## DraKhen99 (Apr 14, 2008)

Yeah, I spoke to a friend of mine who's been doing car stereo installs for a long time, and has dealt with my specific setup (2006+ Honda Civic EX w/out navi), and he suggested just powering the stock speakers with the 4-channel amp I have, and just not turning it up too loud - and when the stockers DO blow, we'll pick out a set of good replacements 

-John


----------



## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

capnxtreme said:


> Sure, I just don't see why you would replace the head unit and not the amp. The factory head unit has a nice flat output, the amp doesn't.
> 
> OP mentioned he's transplanting the head unit and an aftermarket amplifier, so really, he needs neither the factory amp nor mercman's harness.


I have to admit, I did really like the volume knob on the OEM radio and the steering wheel controls but that was it. If I'm going to replace everything from the HU back I'm going to replace the HU as well. As nice as the OEM HU is it's not that nice.


----------



## DraKhen99 (Apr 14, 2008)

Yeah, I really want to keep the steering wheel controls ... the rest I'll replace.

I'm also going to keep everything in a state where I can reinstall the factory stereo components, should I ever need to get rid of the car and want to keep my aftermarket parts.

-John


----------



## capnxtreme (Feb 5, 2008)

quality_sound said:


> I have to admit, I did really like the volume knob on the OEM radio and the steering wheel controls but that was it. If I'm going to replace everything from the HU back I'm going to replace the HU as well. As nice as the OEM HU is it's not that nice.


So if you're replacing everything from the HU back, why are you integrating with the factory amp?

I have the factory navi w/ touchscreen mp3 folder browsing, it's awesome.


----------



## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

Because not everyone does it all at once. I'm glad I didn't. I only had the POS for 3 months.


----------



## DraKhen99 (Apr 14, 2008)

quality_sound said:


> Because not everyone does it all at once. I'm glad I didn't. I only had the POS for 3 months.


The car, or the audio components you added?

-John


----------



## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

The car.


----------



## DraKhen99 (Apr 14, 2008)

quality_sound said:


> The car.


Wow, what didn't you like about it?

-John


----------



## capnxtreme (Feb 5, 2008)

quality_sound said:


> Because not everyone does it all at once. I'm glad I didn't. I only had the POS for 3 months.


Why would you post that here?

I wouldn't wanna hang out with you.


----------



## mike123 (May 19, 2008)

i'll post my install later this week when i get my new speakers in


----------



## mike123 (May 19, 2008)

i love this car its the best for the price IMO

i have an 07 lx coupe


----------



## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

DraKhen99 said:


> Wow, what didn't you like about it?
> 
> -John


The tranny that was ALREADY having problems and Hondas continued denial that there was a problem with the 6-speed gearbox. And they STILL don't have a workable solution. I also didn't like the interior plastic that scratches if you look at it sideways. Everything I loved. It has EASILY the best seats I've been in in a LONG time. Engine sounds great, lots of space, I even like the dash layout. 



capnxtreme said:


> Why would you post that here?


Because I was asked why I wouldn't install gear in a certain order. I used that as one reason someone wouldn't and added that I didn't care for the car. What's your problem with that?



> I wouldn't wanna hang out with you.


Because I didn't like a car I bought??


----------



## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

quality_sound said:


> I also didn't like the interior plastic that scratches if you look at it sideways.


Amen. The plastic is crap.


----------



## DraKhen99 (Apr 14, 2008)

Yeah, The Civic Si, which has the 6-speed you mention, has a TSB about the 3rd gear synchros now, and yeah, the plastic is easily scraped. I'll be doing the install myself, and everyone who ever gets in my car knows the rules, and abides by them, so I'm not too worried about getting scratches. I got an EX, so no tranny problems (that I know of).

+1 for the seats, they are really nice. I like the leather in my Mustang, but these are good and comfy 
-John


----------

