Installation
The proper installation of the speakers is critical to them functioning well. Poor or shoddy
work could result in damage to the speakers and reduce their level of optimum performance.
While this manual gives general advice on how to install the speakers, if you do not have
sufficient experience or tools, it is best to have them professionally installed.
There are a few installation options available that are described in this section:
-
Fitting them as a straight swap for existing standard speakers
-
Modifying the rear “parcel shelf”
-
Constructing your own “parcel shelf”
Please see exploded installation diagram below for how the speakers should be installed:
If fitting as a straight swap for existing speakers:
1.
Depending on where the speakers are situated, it may be necessary to remove parts
of the trim to replace the speakers (like door cards, trim panels, rear-panels, etc.). If
you are unsure, it is best to consult your vehicle’s manual, speak to the vehicle’s
manufacturers, or post a message on the vehicle “owner’s club” message board for
information on how to do this.
2.
With any appropriate door panels/trim cards removed, use a screwdriver to unscrew
the screws/bolts that hold the standard speakers in place.
3.
Remove the speaker (it may be stuck down hard on older cars). Pull the connectors
on the leads out from the speaker terminals.
4.
Remove the Competition Pro speakers from their packaging and place them into the
vacant hole to check that the depth of the hole is large enough for the Competition
Pro speakers. If the speaker depth is too large for the hole, it will be necessary to
remove some of the materials behind the hole to allow for the larger speaker depth.
If this is not possible, measure the additional depth required, and carry out one of the
following:
OWNER
’
S MANUAL
-
Use multiple washers (for example 4 or 5) in-between the mounting point on
the car and the speaker, to bring it forward slightly
-
Purchase a “spacing ring” from a retailer
-
Construct a spacing ring yourself from mdf or similar
OWNER
’
S MANUAL
Component setup (Removing tweeter and mounting separately)
Advantages of using component setup:
-
Tweeters are free to be mounted wherever the listener wants
-
Total control over stereo imaging
-
Tweeters that are close to the loudspeakers but positioned higher up, enable the
sound stage to be lifted closer to the listener’s ears
-
Higher power handling capabilities
Disadvantages of using component setup:
-
More work, and more difficult to install
-
Need to install the external crossovers
-
An amplifier is required
-
Mounting tweeters to the car doors/dash almost certainly will permanently disfigure
the vehicle’s trim (this is OK if the tweeters are to be installed permanently
If deciding to mount the tweeters separately to the loudspeaker, the following diagram
demonstrates the correct configuration:
In this situation, use the speaker cables provided, to connect the speakers to the amplifier.
Use the end with spade connectors to connect to the speaker, and the end with stripped
wires to connect to the amplifier.
The tweeters are to be powered from the source unit’s speaker outputs, via the
crossovers. They can be amplified separately if desired.
Although the TL-1092 amplifier is not specifically required, the speakers and amplifier have
been manufactured to complement each other, and are very well matched. The TL-1092
amplifier (available from
www.theloudest.com
) is capable of producing enough power to
overpower (i.e. “blow”) the TL speakers, so it is important to configure the amplifier with
the speakers correctly, to ensure this doesn’t happen (as detailed later in this manual
under “Calibration of speakers with power source”).
SOURCE UNIT
TL-1092
AMPLIFIER
= TL speaker
= removed
tweeter
= crossover
= pre-out from
source unit
= speaker cable,
consisting of a
positive and
negative wire
