[josby]

This is some info that I'd looked for online in the past and couldn't quite find, so I thought I'd document and share when I recently finally got around to opening my car up. This is for the 2014 Bose system, but I'm sure the dash measurements are the same for all cars. I hope this will be helpful to someone.

(click the pics to see larger version)

You can wrap a screwdriver with tape for this, but a set of plastic trim tools are safer to keep from messing up your dash plastic. I got a big set from modifry.com, but I've seen a smaller set at my local Harbor Freight store too. Start prying up at the back corner as pictured, then work your way forward. There are two push-in pressure clips under there. They're hardest to get out the first time. Find the online Mazda6 shop manual if you want to see a diagram of exactly where the clips are.

Once the speaker cover is loose, if you have the Bose system, you'll have to disconnect the tweeter to get the cover out, because the tweeter is mounted inside the cover rather than in the dash itself. I always find it tough to figure out what to push on these stupid OEM connectors to get them loose, so here's a pic of it disconnected so you can see what you need to push.

Because the speakers are so close to the dash, it really helps to have some offset screwdrivers to break the speaker screws loose, then a stubby screwdriver to finish removing the screw. I bought three offset screwdrivers and Wilmar W80004 stubby screwdrivers for just $14 shipped from Amazon.

Again, for easier removal for you, here's what the tab on the connector for the midrange looks like once it's off.

Here's what's left once the factory stuff is out. The tweeter hole is an odd shape, but when you see the tweeter assembly later, you'll see why.

Mid-range hole is 80mm diameter.

Tweeter hole at its narrowest diameter is 47mm.

In case you want to try to wedge a tweeter up into the factory hole inside the speaker cover, it needs to be a max width of 36mm. The weird bit sticking off the bottom is why the hole in the dash is odd-shaped.

Interestingly, the mid and tweeter are fed from the same signal (check the electrical diagram), so the tweeter just has this capacitor (can't read the microfarad rating) on it acting as a first-order 6db/octave high-pass filter to keep it from getting destroyed by bass notes.

 

[GhostlyShdow]

@Byakuya I think this needs to be added to the 3rd gen one stop shop thread.


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[josby]

The center cover is held in the same way - four pressure push-in clips, then tilt up and lift out. The manual says to start with one of the center clips, then move to the clip closest to you on the same side next, then the other clip closest to you, then finally the other center clip. My last one was REALLY hard to get out, and ended up breaking a bit (it's the farthest back one, and you can kind of see where it's broken). In retrospect, I think wiggling it a little while pulling on it might've gotten it out with less force.

Here's what's underneath - the 80mm/3.15" midrange and the GPS antenna. They sure wasted a lot of space with that thing.

More room underneath the center speaker than the side ones.

80mm hole, same as the sides.

 

[josby]

For comparison purposes, I took some pics with the speakers I plan to put in, which are Hybrid Audio Legatia L3v2's. According to the manufacturer, they're a 3.7" speaker that require a 74mm mounting hole. Mounting depth is 43mm. The bolt circle diameter is 84.5mm, and total diameter is 93mm. Total height is 54.5mm

Here they are in the driver's side hole. These things are a TIGHT fit. I definitely thing 93mm is about as big a diameter speaker you could get in here. Notice that they're not sitting quite flat - that's because a bit of the dash underneath them interferring, shown in the next pic.

That black piece with the gray clip coming through it is what's in the way. You can actually see some scratches on the left edge of it from the side of my speaker's magnet where I was wiggling it around some. So I think I'll need to trim a little bit off it it to make my speaker sit flush.

Here's the same speaker sitting in the center channel. It sits flush, but is partially blocking one of the holes the cover hook slides into, the one on the side closest to the camera.

Here you can see part of that cover hook bending a little bit to the left due to hitting the speaker. I expect I'll have to cut a bit of that one hook off so it'll fit, but I don't think that'll affect anything.

 

[Byakuya]

@Byakuya I think this needs to be added to the 3rd gen one stop shop thread.


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@josby great write-up.

 

[Baydestrian650]

I'm thinking of swapping in some Hertz DCX 87.3. Splicing in is the only option? Any details on this exact process?