Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter
Polk EX357's are 5x7" 2-way speakers which are a direct replacement for the o.e.(non-Bose)door speakers in my '99 M2 Miata. Tweeter has a rotateable cover to "aim" treble frequencies.
Mounting depth of 2 3/16" is one of the few 5x7 or 6x8's that fit the M2 doors. Others I auditioned were the Alpine SPS-5729 and an Eclipse model. I had speakers installed professionally and used Dynamat in the door panels. No buzz and sound volume more than adequate with o.e. head unit as the Polk's have a 91db efficiency rating.
Sound is clear and crisp with very good definition. I can believe all the nuances of familiar tunes I can now enjoy in my Miata. May however be a bit "bright" for some. Overall, a remarkable improvement over the o.e speakers and a local cost of ~ $100 pair.
Under 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to '90 - '97 1.8 liter
The speakers are 2-way, poly coned, with rubber surrounds for longer life and crisper bass. They’ll handle the wattage the MD player can provide and then some, and were very efficient (91db) to help the higher volume capability.
The Polk Ex602A speakers were also purchased from Crutchfield, installation instructions and door panel removal instructions were provided, as well as a plug in wiring harness. They didn’t include the moisture baffle Clearwater does, they need to be purchased extra. But at $99 for the pair they were far less than the Clearwater’s were, at to my ears sound better.
The original speakers have a 3 hole configuration which a limited number of speakers will fit without modification to the door structure. I needed to drill a new hole pattern for the Polk’s, not a big deal. If you do any drilling, be sure you seal the drill holes with paint to resist rust on the bare metal. It is NOT necessary to modify the existing holes, so if you want to return to your stock speakers, you can.
I bought two types of weatherstripping about 1/8 inch wide with adhesive backing. One I added to the back of the speaker basket to eliminate any metal on metal vibrations between the basket and the door structure, once they were bolted in.
The other, I added to the face of the speaker basket, on the outer rim. Eliminating the door panel resting on the speaker face, during full movement of the speaker cone and surrounds. This eliminated the possibility of damage to the speaker, and any vibrations between the speaker and the door panel.
The original speaker grills in the door are retained – completing a totally stock look.I’d do it again in a minute, the sound is great, it was an easy install. It makes a great car even better if you love music. And it’s completely reversible if the next owner wants the stock unit or you want to take this setup with you.
Over 30 minutes to remove completely
Polk's top of the line Dynamic Balance 6.5" dual speaker with directional capability on the tweeter.
When I first went to buy speakers for my doors I was going to buy JBL but after hearing these fabulous Polk's I changed my mind. So for the same price as the JBL's I was going to buy I got Polk's top of the line speaker. Never have I heard a car audio speaker put out such crystal clear sound as these. You can actually hear every aspect of your favorite music from classical to metal. They go down to 50Hz so if you add in a subwoofer and put the crossover at 50Hz you have quite the symphony playing in your little Miata. (Subwoofer goes well with PIONEER FH-P404 deck see my review on it about the crossover built into the radio.)
The regular price for these speakers was $179.00 but I got them for $119.00 on sale. They are a very good deal especially when they come with free install like mine did. One awesome set of speakers!
Under 30 minutes to remove completely
| Back to Product Reviews | 16 February, 2002 |