Scion iM Speaker Size

Front Door Panel Speaker

Rear Door Panel Speaker

Scion iM Speaker FAQ

Which speakers should I replace first in my Scion iM for the biggest sound improvement?

Start with the front 6.5-inch speakers in the door panels. These handle most of your music's midrange and bass content, so upgrading them delivers the most noticeable difference. The front speakers get about 80% of your attention while driving anyway. Look for coaxial speakers rated around 50-90 watts RMS at 4 ohms. Component speakers work too if you want to keep the separate 1-inch tweeters, but coaxials might be simpler for your first upgrade. The rear 6.5-inch speakers can wait - they mostly fill in ambient sound.

Can I install component speakers in my Scion iM's front doors without major modifications?

Yes, the front door panels already accommodate component setups since there are separate 1-inch tweeter locations. You'll mount the 6.5-inch woofers where the current speakers sit and connect new tweeters to the existing tweeter spots. Most component sets include crossovers that split frequencies around 3000-4000 Hz. The wiring should be straightforward - just make sure your new components match the 4-ohm impedance. Component speakers typically offer better imaging than coaxials because the tweeter placement is optimized, though installation takes a bit longer.

What's the difference between coaxial and full-range speakers for the Scion iM's rear doors?

Coaxial speakers have a tweeter mounted on top of the woofer cone, while full-range speakers use the entire cone to reproduce all frequencies. For rear applications in your Scion iM, coaxials usually sound better because they have dedicated tweeters for crisp highs. Full-range speakers can sound muddy in the upper frequencies, especially at higher volumes. The rear 6.5-inch locations can handle either type, but if you're running component speakers up front, coaxials in back help maintain frequency balance. Power handling varies, but most aftermarket options will be 30-60 watts RMS, which is plenty for rear fill.

Do I need to replace the 1-inch tweeters separately in my Scion iM?

Depends on your front speaker choice. If you install coaxial speakers in the front doors, you might want to disconnect or remove the separate 1-inch tweeters to avoid frequency overlap around 3000-5000 Hz. Running both could create harsh or uneven sound. With component speakers, you'd typically replace the 1-inch tweeters with the ones included in your component set. Some people leave the factory tweeters connected and adjust levels by ear, but that's not ideal. The separate tweeter locations do give you flexibility though - you could even run a 3-way component system if you find speakers designed for that setup.