2007 2008 09 10 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Acura ELS Audio Amplifier Retention Interface

If you have any of the following Acura’s including the Acura ILX, Acura TL, Acura MDX, Acura RDX, and Acura TSX from years 2007 to 2014 with the ELS system you can now replace the factory radio and keep the factory amplifier in place to power all of your speakers. The factory amplifier requires digital volume control which is achieved with our interface and a dedicated external volume knob. Instructions

This interface will come with proper connector for your vehicle and you will have to connect two additional wires. You will have to connect the red wire to accessory power and the black wire to ground. This interface will plug in behind the radio. We will reach out via text to confirm all the details so please use a valid phone number when ordering.

This integration does not keep the factory navigation working. You can retain your navigation if your car has a DVD based navigation unit somewhere in the car. The 2010 and up Acuras all have Hard Drive based navigation so you will not be able to retain it. You can only retain the navigation in some 2007-2009 Acuras. You can not retain the navigation in any 2009-2013 Acura TL.

This interface allows you to control the volume of the factory amplifier. This interface does not allow you to control balance and fader. You can change the EQ on the radio for the desired sound but the factory amplifier will still keep the factory crossovers in place. The factory amplifier only uses the FL and FR audio outputs of the aftermarket radio and expects the voltage of the RCAs to be between 0v- 1.3v. This means this interface can work with almost any aftermarket radio. Along with this interface you will still need the other necessary harnesses to install you aftermarket radio. You will not have the ability to fade the audio between the front and back but you can balance between left and right.

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Acura Speaker Installation Instructions – DIY How To

Here is the pdf version

  1. Open the door all the way to ensure you have enough room to work with and the door won’t hit anything. If you rather follow video instructions checkout our YouTube channel @acurauadiogarage.
  2. Roll up the window and find a comfortable seat.
  3. Remove any items from the door panel storage areas.
  4. Use a pry tool or small flat head screwdriver to expose screws hidden behind covers and removal panels. Screws are often hidden behind the door handle or arm rest.
  5. Depending on the Acura you will also have screws on the edges of the door panel to check for any hidden screws or screws with covers on them.
  6. After locating all the screws in your Acura remove them and begin prying the door panel from the bottom with a pry tool.
  7. The pry tool goes between the door panel and the metal of the door. The door panel is held on with plastic clips that are pressed into the metal of the door when they release they will make a loud noise. The noise is normal, you have not broken anything.If your door panel does not release easily you might have missed a screw.
  8. Stand up and lift the door panel towards your head no not yank or pull it harshly. Attached to the door panels are different cables you will need to remove. You might need a buddy to hold the panel while you disconnect
  9. Disconnect the door latch and lock cables from the door panel. These cables are made of metal so be careful as they will easily break the plastic they are attached to. On most Acura’s made after 2009 you can unclip the entire door handle from the door panel. On older Acuras you will need to unclip the cables from the door panel.
  10. Next Disconnect the electrical cable connectors from the door panel. Almost all of the electrical connectors will have triggers or tabs that you must press down on to release them from the mating connection.
  11. Now with all cables disconnected you can set the door panel to the side and start the removal of the speaker. There are 1 to 3 visible screws holding on your factory speaker.
  12. Remove all the screws and then pry the speaker from the top. If your speaker does not have any screws you must just pry against it from the top with a flathead screwdriver. After prying the top of the speaker the speaker will separate from the door panel but it might not come all the way out. Next you will need to lift the speaker towards you to release the holding tabs from the door.
  13. Disconnect the speaker from the factory connector. This connector has two triggers or tabs on the side that you must squeeze to release the speaker. These sometimes are hard to come off and you will need to wiggle them out. Remove the speaker and place it to the side.
  14. Place the correct plastic inserts into the door. The white inserts are for Acuras made after 2009. The black inserts are for Acuras from before 2009. There are special inserts for the 2nd gen TSX and accord. After matching all the inserts to the proper wholes you may mount the spacer.
  15. Line up the speaker spacer with the matching holes of the door cavity and insert locations. Regardless of the year 3 mounting screws will be used to secure the spacer to the door. Apply the gasket foam tape to the back of the spacer and begin securing it to the door.
  16. Secure the spacer to the door using the provided 3 long black screws. We recommend hand tightening these screws.
  17. Prepare your speaker for installation, attach the acura speaker harness to the speakers and locate your 4 mounting screws.
  18. Connect your speaker to the factory harness and use the 4 mounting screws to mount the speaker to the speaker spacer. Only utilize the holes already made on the spacer and do not drill new holes. When mounting the speaker make sure that the final position of the speaker does not allow for the speaker terminals to touch the metal of the door. This will create a short.
  19. Test the speaker by playing audio through your system to make sure it is working as expected and securely mounted so it will not rattle.
  20. Grab the door panel and begin plugging in the electrical connectors and mount the door lock and latch cables back.
  21. When installing the door panel back on the door make sure to not scratch or damage the speaker. If you find that your speaker/spacer combination is touching the door panel or not allowing it to sit flush. You can use a box cutter to trim ¼ inch from the plastic that surrounds the factory speaker on the door panel. Removing some plastic will allow it to sit flush.
  22. Slide the door panel into place and then press it onto the door so that the clips engage back onto the mounting locations. You want to make sure you slide the door panel over any edges or components it was originally over such as the window track or the door latch.
  23. After the door panel is mounted you can reinstall the screws and covers you removed. Once the panel is fully installed the door panel will sit close to but will not touch the new speaker you installed. You can shine a flashlight into the speaker grill to verify.

 

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Acura TL Wired Aftermarket Radio Receiver PNP Harness

If you are having trouble wiring a new aftermarket radio in your 4th Generation Acura TL spanning years 2009 to 2010, 2011 to 2012, or 2013 to 2014 then this custom made wiring harness will solve your issue. Our wiring harness to connects to your aftermarket radio and integrates with the factory amplifier in your Acura TL to power all of your speakers. This harness is compatible with Acuras that have the premium sound system(base) or the ELS sound system(tech package with navigation).

In the base or premium sound system this harness uses the RCAs to send a low level signal to the factory amplifier. The harness is also wired with the lead to turn on the factory amplifier when you are playing audio. The harness eliminates the need for any wiring splicing or wire cutting. It makes you installation plug and play. If you do wish to keep the steering wheel controls you will need an additional part. The center speaker is not retained on the base audio system when you replace the factory radio.

In the tech package with navigation and the ELS audio system our harness uses RCAs along with the ELS amplifier interface to keep your factory amplifier and power all of your speakers. The ELS audio system requires the ELS Amplifier Interface to manipulate the factory amplifier volume. If you do not use the ELS interface you will have power and audio but you will not be able to achieve full volume with your aftermarket radio. This harness makes your installation plug and play and requires no additional wiring.

*DISCLAIMER FOR ACURA TL WITH NAVIGATION*
When you install an aftermarket radio in your Acura TL with navigation you will lose the ability to see the climate control information. You will also lose the factory navigation functionality and the backup camera. We offer the harnesses to convert the navigation display to the audio HVAC display to allow you to see the climate information again but you will need to purchase a used/new AUDIO HVAC Display and vents part number 39710-TK4-A02 and part number 77270-TK4-A010 . If you want to retain the factory backup camera then you will also need to to purchase the camera retention harness. This harness will allow you to view the factory backup camera on your new aftermarket screen. When you keep the factory camera you will need to wiretap the reverse trigger. You will also need to install the ELS Amplifier volume knob in an accessible area to control the volume of your system. Please watch the clips below.
*END DISCLAIMER*

When you replace the factory radio in your Acura TL you will lose some factory components. Those components include Sirius XM Radio, Factory Hands Free Calling and streaming, Factory Navigation Guidance, Acuralink, USB port, and the factory AUX Port. If you want Satellite radio you will need an extra tuner as you cannot use the factory one. Your new aftermarket radio will have Bluetooth streaming and calling along with USB and AUX.

After placing your order we will create a custom wiring harness for your exact radio installation. The custom harness will allow you to install a new aftermarket radio without the need for any wire splicing or wire tapping. This harness will allow you to have a plug and play installation for your Acura TL with a supported compatible radio. A parking bypass is highly recommended with your order if your radio brand is Pioneer, Kenwood or Alpine. You can learn more about the bypass and add one to your cart using this link.

Our plug and play harness integrates with the factory amplifier to retain your front door speakers and tweeters, the rear door and rear deck speakers and the factory subwoofer. Included in our harness are the necessary three connectors for your Acura TL and the radio specific connector that will plug into the back of your radio. Our harness uses RCAs to feed a low level signal from the aftermarket radio to the factory amplifier. We also add the connector for the AXSWC steering wheel control interface so you can retain your factory steering wheel controls if desired. The AXSWC is an additional purchase it is not included. The wiring for the AXSWC is completed so if you do purchase it you can just plug it in. You can find the AXSWC here. The ASXWC allows you to retain volume up, volume down, next, previous and mode on your steering wheel but not the call control buttons with your aftermarket radio.

In order for your aftermarket radio to be compatible with our harness it must have at least 5 RCA outputs including FL, FR, RL, RR, and SUB. Also the brand of the aftermarket radio must appear in the selection menu of this listing. If you are unsure if your radio qualifies please call us at 877-542-2872.

In order to complete your order we may need your radios model number please include it in the billing checkout notes or if you forget please include a valid phone number where me may reach you in case of any questions.

FAQ.

  1. In my premium audio system, will the display above the radio continue to show climate control information.
    – Yes your climate control will continue to function as normal.
  2. In my tech package, will I lose the climate control information?
    – Yes the climate information will be lost unless you convert your navigation screen to the audio HVAC display with our harness.
  3. In my tech package, will I lose the factory backup camera?
    – Yes the factory backup camera is lost. You can use our camera retention harness to keep it on your aftermarket radio.
  4. Can I add an amplifier and subwoofers with your harness?
    – Yes you can. You will just need run your RCAs to the back of the radio and wire tap the blue or blue/white wire of the harness.
  5. Can I add an aftermarket backup camera with your harness?
    – Yes just follow the instructions provided in the radios owners manual or the cameras manual to complete the installation.
  6. Can I use a random radio I found on Amazon or eBay that has an unknown brand?
    – Most likely not. If the radio you purchased on Amazon is less than $100 it most likely won’t have all the features and ports needed for you to complete the installation.
  7. Do I get to keep all my speakers?
    – Yes all speakers are retained in the tech package, on the base all are retained except the center dash speaker.
  8. Do I get to keep my steering wheel controls?
    -Yes but an additional part is required. The AXSWC you can find it here. You will get to keep volume up, volume down, next, prev and mode. The call control buttons will not be retained.

 

 

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Acura TL Aftermarket Radio Install Complete Kit

If you want to simplify installing an aftermarket in dash stereo receiver in your 4th generation Acura TL covering years 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013, then this radio installation kit is complete with everything you will need to install a new stereo in your Acura TL. This kit does not include a radio. Our kit includes all the necessary components to install an aftermarket radio in your Acura TL. These components include a dash kit, a custom made wiring harness, the AXSWC steering wheel control interface and the ELS Amplifier Interface if necessary. Our custom harness allows you to have a plug and play installation with a supported compatible radio, the dash kit allows you to install a new radio in the factory location and the AXSWC allows you to control the aftermarket radio with your factory steering wheel controls. The ELS Amplifier Interface allows you to retain the factory amplifier in the navigation equipped models. The non navigation models do not need this interface.

A parking bypass is highly recommended with your order if your radio brand is Pioneer, Kenwood or Alpine. You can learn more about the bypass and add one to your cart using this link.

Your Base Acura TL has a total of 8 speakers that are powered by the factory amplifier. When replacing the factory radio using our complete kit you are able to keep all of the speakers except the center channel. The front door speakers, tweeters, rear deck speakers and the factory subwoofer will all continue to work; the center dash speaker will not work. Our harness integrates with the factory amplifier to keep all your speakers working. If your factory amplifier does not work this kit will not work.

Your Tech Package or Navigation equipped TL has a total of 10 speakers that are powered by the factory amplifier. When replacing the factory radio using our complete kit you are able to keep all the speakers. The way the ELS Amplifier Interface retains the factory amplifier is by feeding left and right audio from the aftermarket radio to the factory amplifier and the factory amplifier up-mixes the audio from stereo to 5.1 surround.

You will lose Sirius XM, AUX Input and the factory handsfree link functionality. The steering wheel controls including volume up, volume down, next, previous and mode will work. The call control buttons are not retained. The navigation control buttons are not retained. The components included in this complete install kit are:

  • Radio Specific Wiring Harness
  • ABS Molded Dash Kit
  • 24 Pin Grey Radio Harness
  • 14 Pin Grey Secondary Harness
  • FM Antenna Adapter
  • AXSWC Steering Wheel Control Module
  • ELS Amplifier Interface (NAV MODELS Only) Instructions here

In order for your aftermarket radio to be compatible with this harness it must have at least 5 RCA outputs including FL, FR, RL, RR, and SUB. Also the brand of the aftermarket radio must appear in the selection menu of this listing. If you are unsure if your radio qualifies please call us at 877-542-2872

In order to complete your order we may need your radios model number please include it in the billing checkout notes or if you forget please include a valid phone number where me may reach you in case of any questions.

FAQ.

  1. In my premium audio system, will the display above the radio continue to show climate control information.
    – Yes your climate control will continue to function as normal.
  2. In my tech package, will I lose the climate control information?
    – Yes the climate information will be lost unless you convert your navigation screen to the audio HVAC display with our harness.
  3. In my tech package, will I lose the factory backup camera?
    – Yes the factory backup camera is lost. You can use our camera retention harness to keep it on your aftermarket radio.
  4. Can I use this complete kit on a TL with navigation?
    – Yes. But you will need additional parts to convert the climate control display and to keep the factory backup camera.
  5. Can I add an amplifier and subwoofers with your harness?
    – Yes you can. You will just need run your RCAs to the back of the radio and wire tap the blue or blue/white wire of the harness.
  6. Can I add a backup camera with your harness?
    – Yes just follow the instructions provided in the radios owners manual or the cameras manual to complete the installation.
  7. Can I use a random radio I found on Amazon or eBay that has an unknown brand?
    – Most likely not. If the radio you purchased on Amazon is less than $100 it most likely won’t have all the features and ports needed for you to complete the installation.
  8. Do I get to keep all my speakers?
    – Yes all speakers are retained on the navigation equipped Acuras, on the base you lose the center dash speaker.
  9. Do I get to keep my steering wheel controls?
    – Yes but an additional part is required. The AXSWC in included in this kit. You will get to keep volume up, volume down, next, prev and mode. The call control buttons will not be retained. The navigation control buttons are not retained.

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Acura MDX Wired Aftermarket Radio Receiver PNP Harness

If you are having trouble wiring a new aftermarket radio in your 1st Generation Acura MDX spanning years 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 then this custom made wiring harness will help. After placing your order we will create a custom wiring harness for your exact radio installation. The custom harness will allow you to install a new aftermarket radio without the need for any wire splicing or wire tapping. This harness will allow you to have a plug and play installation for your Acura MDX with a supported compatible radio. A parking bypass is highly recommended with your order if your radio brand is Pioneer, Kenwood or Alpine. You can learn more about the bypass and add one to your cart using this link.

Our plug and play harness integrates with the factory amplifier in your Acura MDX with Bose to retain your front door speakers and tweeters, the rear door speakers and the factory subwoofer. If you are unsure if your MDX is equipped with the BOSE system watch the video below to help you determine. If your Acura MDX is not equipped with the BOSE system then our harness uses the aftermarket radios internal amplifier to power all of your speakers.

Included in our harness are the necessary two or three connectors for your Acura MDX and the radio specific connector that will plug into the back of your radio. Our harness uses RCAs to feed a low level signal from the aftermarket radio to the factory amplifier to retain all of your speakers. If your Acura MDX is not equipped with the BOSE system then standard speaker lines are used to feed audio to all your speakers directly from the aftermarket radio. We also add the connector for the AXSWC steering wheel control interface so you can retain your factory steering wheel controls if desired. The AXSWC is an additional purchase it is not included. The wiring for the AXSWC is completed so if you do purchase it you can just plug it in.

In order for your aftermarket radio to be compatible with this harness it must have at least 4 RCA outputs including FL, FR, RL, RR. Also the brand of the aftermarket radio must appear in the selection menu of this listing. If you are unsure if your radio qualifies please call us at 877-542-2872

In order to complete your order we may need your radios model number please include it in the billing checkout notes or if you forget please include a valid phone number where me may reach you in case of any questions.

FAQ.

  1. Will this allow me to keep my factory navigation working with a new aftermarket radio?
    – Yes your factory navigation will continue to work but there will be no audio prompts
  2. Will this harness allow me to keep my factory subwoofer with a new aftermarket radio?
    – Yes your factory subwoofer will continue working, your factory amplifier gets the subwoofer signal from the rear speaker input signal.
  3. Can I add an amplifier and subwoofers with your harness?
    – Yes you can. You will just need run your RCAs to the back of the radio and wire tap the blue or blue/white wire of the harness.
  4. Can I add a backup camera with your harness?
    – Yes just follow the instructions provided in the radios owners manual or the cameras manual to complete the installation.
  5. Can I use a random radio I found on Amazon or eBay that has an unknown brand?
    – Most likely not. If the radio you purchased on Amazon is less than $100 it most likely won’t have all the features and ports needed for you to complete the installation.
  6. Do I get to keep all my speakers?
    – Yes all speakers are retained.
  7. Do I get to keep my steering wheel controls?
    -Yes but an additional part is required. The AXSWC you can find it here. You will get to keep volume up, volume down, next, prev and mode. The call control buttons will not be retained.
  8. Will I get to keep the DVD player and screen in the back?
    – No the screen and DVD player will not be retained.

*When replacing the factory radio in your Acura you will lose the factory Sirius XM, HFL and Rear Seat Entertainment. *

 

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How to Replace Your Acura’s Front Speakers

If you are looking for an instruction video instead click here. Also for videos on how to remove your door panel please click the links below.

1999-2003 TL
2004-2008 TL
2009-2014 TL
2004-2008 TSX
2009-2014 TSX
2001-2006 MDX
2007-2013 MDX
2014-2020 MDX
2007-2013 RDX (please contact us)
2013-2022 ILX
2015-2022 TLX
2015-2020 RLX (please contact us)

These instructions are for 2009-2020 Acura Speakers for the instructions on how to install the speakers on other years use the links above.

      1. Remove the screw securing the factory speaker
      2. pull the factory speaker forward and lift up.
      3. Disconnect and remove the factory speaker. Leave the top clip inserted into the door panel.
      4. Install the two white inserts. The metal screw is for the top the black screws for the bottom.
      5. Install the speaker gasket onto the spacer.
      6. line up the spacer with the corresponding holes on the door panel. Screw the spacer into place
      7. Connect the speaker harness to the factory harness. Connect the harness to the aftermarket speaker.
      8. Mount the speaker onto the spacer and test the speaker.
      9. Pry the tweeter panel away from the door
      10. Disconnect the tweeter and carefully pry the tweeter out of the factory housing.
      11. Prepare the tweeter and tweeter cup for installation. Add the necessary foam to reduce any rattle.
      12. Install the tweeter on the factory housing and adjust the tweeter cup until it clicks into place.
      13. Connect the tweeter harness to the factory harness and aftermarket tweeter.
      14. Secure the wiring and install the tweeter housing back onto the door panel.

     

 

Acura Front Door 6.5 JBL Component Speaker Set – Plug and Play Upgrade Package

What is the Acura front door JBL Component speaker set?

The front door upgrade set is a component set of JBL stage speakers paired with all the accessories needed to make your install fully plug and play. It requires no wire splicing and no metal cutting. The mounting adapters, tweeter cups, and grommets are our own designs. The harnesses are built to our spec for your car’s factory connectors. The adapters are precisely measured to match your factory mounting points, so no cutting or bending is necessary.

That’s what makes this kit truly plug and play. Your factory speaker connector plugs into our harness. Our harness plugs into the speakers and tweeters. The adapter bolts to the same holes the factory speaker used. The tweeter cup clips into your factory tweeter housing. Nothing gets cut, drilled, spliced, or bent.


Is this the right speaker for my Acura?

This is the question that changed in 2026, so it’s worth two minutes before you order.

For years the Stage series was our number one recommendation for every Acura, any year and any trim. Price, performance, and factory amplifier compatibility all lined up. After the recent refresh that’s no longer true across the board. This stage series set moved to a higher impedance, and impedance is one of the main factors we consider when selling speakers and it also is usually what decides which speakers to install in your Acura.

Look at your dash

2009-2020 with No navigation screen. You most likely have the premium system, which uses 4-ohm speakers and tweeters in the doors. This kit is built for you.

2007-2020 with Navigation screen. That’s the Tech package with the ELS system, and it runs low-impedance speakers. You want the Club series instead.

Navigation is the tell. If your Acura came with a nav screen you have ELS; if it didn’t, you don’t. You don’t need to know anything else about your system to answer it.

The 2004-2008 cars are the exception — read this first

The navigation test above does not work on these two. Go by the car instead:

2004-2008 TL — do not buy this set. Every one of them runs 2-ohm speakers in the doors, navigation or not. The Infinity Primus is the right set for your car, or the Club series if you want the next step up.

2004-2008 TSX — this is your set. Every one of them runs 4-ohm speakers, navigation or not. Buy with confidence.

If you want what the old JBL Stage speakers were

The Infinity Primus component set is the closest thing on the market to the Stage series we sold for years — same low-end character, and it meters 2.61 ohms against the old JBL’s 2.45. A quarter of an ohm apart. For most Acuras that’s now our overall recommendation.

Vehicles this kit fits

These are the Acuras that run 4-ohm speakers in the front doors and the ones we recommend you use this kit for.

Vehicle Trim
1999-2003 Acura TL All — see tweeter note below
2004-2008 Acura TSX All
2007-2019 Acura RDX Premium Audio
2009-2014 Acura TL Premium Audio
2009-2014 Acura TSX Premium Audio
2007-2013 Acura MDX Premium Audio
2013-2022 Acura ILX Base and Premium

1999-2003 TL: your car left the factory without tweeters, so the tweeter cups that clip into a factory housing don’t apply here. The tweeters are still included and still worth installing — they just need a mounting location you pick and mount yourself. Everything else in the kit is plug and play as described. Call us before you order if you want to talk through where they go.

What if my Acura has 2-ohm speakers?

They’ll still work, and they’ll still sound good. This isn’t a compatibility warning — plenty of these went into 2-ohm cars over the past couple of months and those customers were happy. Nothing about a 2-ohm system stops this kit from bolting in and playing.

What changed is that you now have better options. The Infinity Primus is matched to your impedance and is the closer match to what the old Stage speakers did in these cars, and if you’re on the ELS system the Club series is a real step above both. Two years ago this was the answer for every Acura. Today it’s the answer for the 4-ohm cars, and there’s something better aimed at yours.

If you want these anyway, order them. Just know what you’re choosing.

If your car isn’t listed it’s possible these speakers will work — call us at 877-542-2872 and we’ll verify before you spend anything.


Will these sound better than my factory Acura speakers?

Yes. The premium and base audio systems Acura configured used some of the cheapest speakers that sounded terrible. The only good sounding premium system was the 2009-2014 Acura TSX all the other could benefit from this upgrade. These speakers have a bigger cone, a stronger motor, and better materials than what came out of the door.

Will these fit in the factory speaker location?

Yes our adapter allows a 6.5-inch woofer to mount in the factory holes, no cutting, no drilling. There is a limitation on woofer size to fit in your door but these are not anywhere near the limit.

The factory speakers also have one thing working against them that these don’t: runtime. Thousands of hours of playtime plus age means cones tear and surrounds crumble. It’s not unusual for someone to pull a factory speaker during this install and find the cone barely attached to the frame at all.

What these do better than the old JBL set they replace and should you replace yours?

Compared to the previous generation the cone is larger and stiffer, the motor is stronger, and the tweeter crosses over higher — which keeps the silk dome doing top-octave duty only and create a smoother sounding speaker. Those are real improvements. But the output difference is under a decibel, and you will not hear that in a moving car.

The power rating makes this look like a much bigger jump than it is. The old set was rated 50 watts and these are rated 95, which reads like the speaker nearly doubled in capability. It didn’t. What changed is which measurement JBL prints on the box. Rate both the same way and they land within a few watts of each other.

So if the old set is already in your doors and it’s working, leave it. The one honest reason to swap is the tweeter — if the highs on your current set bother you, that’s a real difference between the two generations, and you can address it without buying the whole kit. JBL will begin selling just the tweeters later this year.

Better isn’t the same as louder

A new speaker set doesn’t change your amplifier. Same amp, same power, same ceiling. Some people report a big jump in volume after this install, and that’s usually because the speaker they pulled out was already damaged. If real volume is what you’re after, these want a high-power amplifier behind them.


How hard is the install, and what does it cost?

Installing it yourself

Plan on about 3 hours for both front doors with basic hand tools — trim tools, socket set, screwdriver. No soldering, no crimping, no wire stripping. The hardest part is the door panel, and most of your time goes into the first one. Installation instructions and door panel removal videos are available here.

Having a shop install it

Typically 1.5-2 hours of labor, which runs about $150-$250 in labor charges depending on your area. Shops aren’t fabricating brackets or splicing your harness with this kit, so there’s less to go wrong — some will quote lower once they see it’s plug and play.

What to expect when you call a shop

This part is worth knowing in advance, because it catches people off guard.

Most shops will be skeptical. Some will turn you away outright — plenty of them won’t install equipment they didn’t sell, and that’s their policy, not a judgment about the kit. What works: send them the install video and the product link before you book. Smaller independent shops will usually watch it, see there’s no fabrication and no splicing involved, and take the job.

If a shop tells you the kit won’t work or that your car needs something cut, have them call us. That conversation takes five minutes and we’ve had it many times.


Do I need an amp? What will these speakers work with?

This kit is built to run on your factory system exactly as-is. No amplifier required, no head unit change, nothing else to buy.

It works with:

  • Your factory amp — no modifications needed
  • Our plug-and-play amplifiers — the easy path to more power. Vehicle-specific harnesses, no wire running, no cutting, no splicing. Same install philosophy as this kit.
  • Aftermarket amplifiers — standard speaker-level or line-level connections, nothing unusual about these. Be aware it’s a full install: power wire from the battery, a mounting location, and signal routing.
  • Aftermarket head units — works with any standard head unit output

These reward power more than the set they replace. The published power handling is a burst rating rather than a continuous one, so pair them with roughly 60-80 watts RMS per channel and you’re in the right window — comfortably more than any factory amp delivers, and well short of anything that would hurt them.

Nothing about this kit locks you into one path. Start on the factory amp today, add an amplifier later, and the speakers and hardware carry over.


Will these speakers damage my Acura’s factory amp?

No — and on this particular set, the answer is better than “no.”

These meter 3.3 ohms at rest. Your factory driver is right around that. Higher resistance means the speaker draws less current at the same volume, so your factory amplifier is working less hard than it was with the original speakers in the doors, not more. That’s the one genuine upside of the impedance change.

If your factory amp is already failing

This is worth knowing before you start, and it has nothing to do with the speakers.

If your system already has symptoms — only the tweeters playing, only the rear speakers working, channels cutting in and out, sound that comes and goes — your factory amplifier is already failing. An amp in that condition can finish failing during any work done in the system, speaker swap or not, and you can end up with limited or no sound afterward.

The new speakers don’t cause that. A failing amp gets disturbed by the work and completes a failure that was already underway. We see it most on the 2004-2008 TL, but it happens on other Acuras too.

If your system is doing any of that right now, call us before you order and we’ll talk through it.


What’s included in the front door speaker kit?

This kit covers both front doors — driver and passenger.

What you’ll install

  • 2 JBL 6.5″ woofers — one per front door
  • 2 JBL tweeters — one per side
  • 2 speaker harnesses — built to our spec, factory connector to speaker terminals
  • 2 ABS mounting adapters — our design, factory location, no modification
  • 2 foam gaskets — seal the adapter to the door, cutting rattle and tightening midbass
  • 2 tweeter cups — our design, clip into the factory tweeter housing and hold the tweeter
  • 2 tweeter harnesses — built to our spec, factory tweeter connector to tweeter, with an inline bass-blocking capacitor that keeps low frequencies off the tweeter
  • Mounting hardware — nylon inserts, adapter screws, speaker screws

What you won’t need — and that’s normal

The speakers ship as a universal component set, so the box includes parts meant for a generic install. In your Acura, several of them aren’t used:

  • The external crossovers — optional, and worth keeping. Your tweeter is already protected by the bass-blocking capacitor in our harness. The crossover is your tuning option if the highs come out brighter than you like — see below.
  • The generic tweeter mounts and pods — not used. Ours clip into your factory tweeter housing instead.
  • The generic mounting hardware and grilles — not used. Ours matches the factory location.

Leftover parts in the box means the install went right, not wrong. Keep them or don’t.


Specifications

Model JBL Stage3 68CF
Configuration 2-way component set
Woofer size 6.5″
Power handling (RMS) 95W*
Power handling (peak) 760W
Sensitivity (@2.83V) 91 dB
Nominal impedance 4 ohms
Cone Glass fiber
Tweeter Silk dome
Crossover point 5,900 Hz

Thiele-Small parameters

BL (Tm) 3.943
DCR 3.3 ohms
Mms 12.325 g
Sd 150.66 cm²
Cms 383 µm/N
Vas 12.3 l
Fs 73.3 Hz
Qes 1.206
Qms 9.586
Qts 1.071

What if I am not happy with the sound?

If you’re unhappy with the way these speakers sound, it’s usually tuning. The most common feedback we get about any speakers we sell is that the tweeters are bright or the mid-bass isn’t as punchy as before.

Mid-bass

The punch you’re missing is the kick drum or that specific bass note. Your old speakers had a big hump right there. That wasn’t good engineering — it was a cheap speaker resonating in a door that flattered it. It couldn’t play any lower, so everything piled up at that one frequency and got loud. Made kick drums slam. Also made them slam on tracks where the engineer never put much kick, because the speaker added that kick to everything and you got used to it.

These don’t do that. They reproduce the music the way it was recorded. So the kick hits hard on songs recorded with a hard kick, and it doesn’t on songs that weren’t. That’s the difference you’re hearing — you’re getting the real thing instead of an exaggerated copy of it.

What to do: if you have the factory radio, adjust the EQ bass control up +2 or +3. Not more. Past that you’re making distortion at volume, not bass. Don’t reach for the subwoofer level — the factory sub is stuck behind a low-pass filter that cuts off well below where the punch you’re missing lives, so turning it up rattles the rear deck instead of putting the kick back.

If you have an aftermarket radio, put a 2-3dB bump between 60Hz and 80Hz.

If you still want more low end, the factory subwoofer is the weak link. A proper sub setup takes a full-range signal from the door and sub channels together, which gets you past the factory low-pass and lets you cross over where you want it instead of where Acura decided. That’s what our sub and amplifier packages are built to do.

Bright tweeters

Start with the treble control on your radio. Most brightness complaints come down to a treble setting that was compensating for tired factory speakers, and pulling it back a notch or two costs nothing and fixes it most of the time.

If that isn’t enough, wire in the crossover that came in the box — this is what it’s for. Our tweeter harness uses an inline bass-blocking capacitor. It protects the tweeter, keeps the install simple, and runs the tweeter at full level. The external crossover is a complete filter network instead: it attenuates the tweeter to level-match the woofer, and it rolls off the low end of the tweeter’s range more steeply than a capacitor can. That second part matters more than people expect, because harshness usually lives in the lower treble rather than the very top.

It’s more work — the crossover has to be mounted and wired in the door — but it’s a real change in how the tweeter behaves, not just a volume trim.

Either way, call us first. We’ve tuned these in a lot of cars and we can usually tell you which of the two you need in a few minutes. Reach us at 877-542-2872, Monday through Friday, 10AM to 6PM Eastern.


Returns and warranty

Returns

Unused kits can be returned within 30 days of delivery. Unused means the kit has not been installed in the vehicle in any way — not mounted, not wired, not connected to the car — and comes back in the original packaging with all hardware and accessories included. Once a kit has been connected to your vehicle, it’s considered installed and is no longer eligible for return.

Return shipping is the customer’s responsibility. If the item is defective, we cover return shipping and take care of it from there. There’s no restocking fee — we don’t accept used product back, so there’s nothing to restock.

Full details are in our return policy.

Warranty

All components in this kit are warranted for one year from the date of purchase against defects in materials and workmanship. If a covered part fails within that period, we will repair or replace it at our discretion. Replacement is the sole remedy under this warranty.

Please handle all warranty claims through us rather than contacting the speaker manufacturer. We’ll take care of the claim from start to finish.

This warranty covers parts only. It does not cover shop labor, installation time, or the cost of removing and reinstalling components. It also does not cover damage from improper installation, physical damage, or speakers driven beyond their rated power.


Who do I call for help?

You can reach us Monday through Friday, 10AM to 6PM Eastern, by text or call at 877-542-2872. If you prefer email, you can reach us at sales@mobilemaxcaraudio.com.


Already own the speakers? Get the install hardware only

Get just the hardware — adapters, harnesses, tweeter cups, gaskets, and mounting hardware for your car.

If you are looking for the installation instructions and door panel removal videos you can find them here

 

Infinity Front Door 6.5 Infinity Component Speaker Set – Plug and Play Upgrade Package

Upgrade to crystal clear sound and and enjoy your music like never before with this Infinity speaker package. This Infinity set of component speakers comes with all the hardware and accessories you need to make your installation plug and play. There is no wire cutting or splicing. There is no drilling into metal or cutting any metal.

These speakers work perfectly with the factory sound system in your Acura. They also work great with our plug and play amplifier packages. These speakers fit into the factory locations with the assistance of our speaker spacer and tweeter cup. Installation on most Acura’s can be completed under two hours. We provide instructions and guided how-to videos to help you complete the installation. If you do run into an issue when installing your package you can call our tech support department at 877-542-2872 to help resolve it.

We offer two day shipping and all of our orders receive tracking numbers so you can track your package from the moment it leaves our warehouse to the moment it arrives at your door. The average shipping time for this package is 2-3 business days. We ship from NY.

The Infinity speakers in this package have a greater cone surface area than the factory speakers resulting in louder output from the Infinity speakers. The Infinity speakers are also more efficient than the factory speakers allowing them to be clearer and respond better to the factory audio systems power. The Infinity speakers also have a larger voice coil and better frequency response that allows them to play lower bass frequencies than the factory speakers. Acura TL TSX

If you are looking for the installation instructions you can find them here

Honda Acura 8 Inch Subwoofer Adapter Spacer Bracket w/ Speaker Connector

Easily replace the subwoofer on the rear deck of your Acura or Honda Sedan with our subwoofer mounting bracket. This bracket is compatible with the following Acuras: 2009-14 Acura TL, the 2009-2014 Acura TSX, the 2013-2022 ILX, the 2015-2020 Acura TLX, the 2015-2020 Acura RLX. This bracket is compatible with the following Hondas: 2008-2020 Honda Accord and the 2012 to 2020 Honda Civic.

Acura and Honda sedans are often equipped with sound systems that include an 8 inch free air subwoofer on the rear deck. The factory subwoofer in these cars has a special mounting design. It mounts with 4 bolts located on the “ears” of the subwoofer. This means a traditional subwoofer will not mount correctly. In order to install and mount a new aftermarket subwoofer you either must create your own adapter or drill into metal at a weird angle because of the rear windshield. Our adapter makes it easier to mount your new subwoofer in the factory location. Our adapter bracket has the same mounting mechanism as the factory subwoofer but also has the holes necessary to install your aftermarket subwoofer. To install the adapter you will remove the factory subwoofer and with the same mounting bolts secure this new adapter in place. You will then use the supplied mounting screws to secure the aftermarket subwoofer to the bracket.

This adapter is roughly 1/4″ thick. It is this thick to properly secure the aftermarket subwoofer to this bracket. In some Acura’s and Honda’s the extra thickness causes the rear deck cover to touch the new aftermarket subwoofer surround after installation. If this is the case with your installation you will want to trim the rear deck cover interior surround bezel of the subwoofer. This surround is meant to direct sound from the subwoofer to the cabin but with your new aftermarket subwoofer it is not needed. You will need a box cutter to cut the plastic surround, make sure when you are cutting the surround that has no rough edges that can potentially damage your new aftermarket subwoofer.

Along with the bracket and the mounting screws, we also include the speaker harness connector so you don’t have to cut any wires when you replace the sub you can just plug the new sub in. The speaker adapter varies from model to model so please include the year and model of your Acura in the billing notes when you go to checkout.

Acura Front Door 6.5 Kicker Component Speaker Set

If you are looking for speakers to replace the front factory speakers in your Acura TL or TSX without replacing the factory amplifier these speakers are a possible solution. These pair of speakers include a woofer, a tweeter and a crossover. All of these components will need to be installed to replace the front speakers in your Acura. Please verify your factory speakers are 4ohms or it will result in less overall volume from your factory amplifier.

These speakers have:

  • final impedance of 4 ohms
  • a frequency response of 35-21,000 Hz
  • power handling of 100 Watts RMS
  • sensitivity: 90 dB
  • passive crossover with tweeter
  • 6.5 Overall Footprint

These speakers include the necessary:

  • speaker spacers x2
  • speaker adapters x2
  • tweeter harness x2

To make installation a breeze. There is no wire cutting necessary installation is plug and play.

Acura Front Door 6.5 Pioneer Component Speaker Set

If you are looking for speakers to replace the front factory speakers in your Acura TL or TSX without replacing the factory amplifier these speakers are the solution. These pair of speakers include a woofer, a tweeter and a crossover. All of these components will need to be installed to replace the front speakers in your Acura.

These speakers have:

  • final impedance of 4 ohms
  • a frequency response of 34-48,000 Hz
  • power handling of 80 Watts RMS
  • sensitivity: 85db
  • bass blocking capacitor with tweeter
  • 6.5 Overall Footprint

These speakers include the necessary:

  • speaker spacers x2
  • speaker adapters x2
  • tweeter harness x2

To make installation a breeze. There is no wire cutting necessary installation is plug and play.

Acura Tweeter Speaker Harness Adapters

When you are replacing the tweeters on your Acura the tweeters have there own bass blocking capacitor on them. There is no crossover in place for the tweeter instead it uses a capacitor to filter out lower frequencies and not damage the tweeter. When you replace this tweeter you will either need to run new speaker wire from your crossover to your tweeter or you can use our harness.

This harness comes with a aluminum electrolytic capacitor that is rated for 100v and 15uf brining the crossover point to right about 3500-4500hz for tweeters of 2-4 ohms. This means you can safely install your new tweeter with ease and not having to worry about running any new wiring. This listing contains 2 harnesses.

This adapters are verified working for

    • 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Acura ILX
    • 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Acura TLX RLX
    • 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Acura MDX
    • 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Acura TL
    • 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Acura TSX
    • 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Acura RDX
    • 2006 – 2020 Honda Civic
    • 2008 – 2017 Honda Accord
    • 2011 – 2016 Honda Pilot
    • 2003 – 2019 Honda CR-V
    • 2016 – 2021 Honda HR-V

They may fit these other Acura models but we have not been able to confirm fitment ourselves.