Very cool! Thank you for posting this

I wanted to say thanks to the OP for the write up. I ordered the red trim piece and the 5.25 speaker plates from Pinball Life but I decided to go with a Pinball Pro kit. Greg put together a kit with 5.25" speakers for only $17.70 more than his standard SWTR-4 kit with 4" speakers. I have to say that this kit sounds amazing and makes a huge difference, both with the music and voice. Thanks to Greg as well!

5.25 Speaker (resized).JPG

The tweeter of that speaker isn't rubbing against the back of the honeycomb speaker grill with it mounted like that? I figured it would have a tweeter that extended out and would need the additional $30 worth of spacers and gaskets (that normally come mounted on the LE games with the 5.25" speakers) for them to mount properly. Or, as the OP did, mount a Speaker Light Kit to be used as the spacer.

I am working to have the speaker plates needed for this type of 4" to 5.25" speaker upgrade at a substantially lower price in the future. It should work out so a person can do the 4" to 5.25" speaker upgrade INCLUDING a Deluxe 5.25" Speaker Light Kit and the price will be lower than this upgrade currently costs without the speaker lights.

I can also get custom color speaker surrounds for $22.50 a set and plan on having (what I guess would be) popular colors in stock to order. I currently have red, yellow and green in stock if you ask for them, but can get 20+ colors and styles.

Doug (SpeakerLightKits.com)

Assorted Speaker Surrounds (resized).JPG

Doug, I was worried about this too. It turns out that the red spacer provides just enough clearance. This is using the 5.25" plate from Pinball Life. The screws mounted on it are just the right length, no washers needed. There is enough space between the front honeycomb and the tweeter to probably slide a note card, but if i push on the honeycomb it can touch the tweeter. This picture shows the installed speaker not touching.

speaker (resized).JPG

Do these kits work better on spike than SAM? I have FF on all my games, mainly because I bought them around the same time, but the sound difference is negligible at best. In fact I think the mids were better on the factory set-up

I want better sound on my maiden, GOT and JP2 but haven't considered anything due to my disappoint from my SAM games.

I just order my kits from PinWoofer to get better than LE sound!

Cool.

I guess it all really depends on the speaker and how much its tweeters are sticking out from the speakers mounting points. In most cases they are given way more room in the front than they actually need (usually 1/2" or 5/8" of added space). In your case, you have the thickness of the red acrylic, the speaker plate itself, plus there are clear spacers, washers and hinges that add to the buffer area between the speaker plate and the speaker panel.

There are many different 5.25" speakers you can change to. I don't mean to speaker for the OP, but I think the main gist of this thread was to show how he upgraded from 4" speakers (that were on his DP from the factory) to larger 5.25" speakers and describe what he bought and how it installed.

I have heard from people just upgrading to the larger sized speakers and saying it was an improvement in the sound over the stock 4" speakers. This may depend on what speakers they chose. I have heard others also add a separate powered amp to help the bigger speakers even more. If a person would choose to go from the Stern stock 4" speakers to the 5.25" Kenwood or JBL speakers they have used in some of the LE games...the speakers are nearly the cheapest part of the upgrade (about $30 a pair). Where the larger expense lies in in the speaker plates that can accommodate the bigger 5.25" speakers.

Of course people can also go for higher end aftermarket pinball speakers (either 4" or 5.25") that will cost you more. If they are worth that added cost...I don't know. I upgraded my 4" factory speakers in my Spider-Man to Flipper Fidelity 4" speakers and they were a noticeable improvement in my opinion (but not as noticeable as the FF cabinet speaker upgrade was that I did before the backbox speakers).

Someone doing a comparison between different 4" and 5.25" speakers, with and without an added amp would be interesting. I actually have quite a selection of different speakers myself. I keep them on hand for fitting, mounting and space requirement tests, but I am not the knowledgeable audiophile that is needed for such a sound quality comparison. I generally know what sounds OK, what sound good, what sounds bad and what sounds better, but that is the about the extent of my audio critiquing.

Doug (SpeakerLightKits.com)

Dallas_Pin is right and there is simply no comparison to the PinWoofer system. Our powered, amplified kits add amazing presence to your title with deep, rich bass and a crisp backbox. You'll hear things you have never heard before and guys often remark that their game play is better. You'll also feel the bass in your hands and feet.

Do a quick search for PinWoofer and see the feedback - our customer support is second to none. If you're on the edge we offer engineering tech support with our kits and see you through your install end to end.

Our product array has grown to all of the major brands and we offer backbox and cabinet amplifiers, dual amplifier kits so you can continue to use your current speaker upgrades, or the full super kit with high quality Pyle speakers, mounting rings and a safe, fused power solution. Everything is engineered to work with your pin without guesswork and risk to your power system and boards.

This is a great discussion and there is benefit to the larger 5-1/4" backbox speakers. Changing your speakers alone does little to improve your audio. Adding amplification AND better speakers is a game changer and that's what we do!

PinWoofer is the single best thing you can do for your audio and you'll never look back. Go with something that's proven and engineered to work:

https://pinwoofer.com/

Thanks

Just finished installing the super kit in Iron Maiden
And for sure it’s a much needed improvement

Install was pretty simple with their instructions

One thing after few games : I get the smell of something melting ?
Can’t see nothing burned or melting

Put it up to 60 by the way
Too much perhaps ?

Since this thread got bumped....I figured I would mention here that I now have the 5.25" SPIKE 2 speaker plates on my site. They are $50 a pair OR only $25 a pair if you are also buying a SPIKE 2 Speaker Light Kit from me at the same time.

I have the Deluxe 5.25" Speaker Light Kits and the 5.25" speaker plates in a combo for $100, but if a person would want to have a Deluxe or Standard SPIKE 2 Speaker Light Kit with the 5.25" speaker plates plates....you can just add the plates and light kit to your order separately and I will refund the $25 savings back to your PayPal transaction when the order is processed.

http://www.speakerlightkits.com/5.25-SPIKE-2-Speaker-Plates.html

I also have a few different colors of the acrylic speaker surrounds listed on my site now, but if there are other colors that you see pictured, but not listed...feel free to ask and I can get them for you.

http://www.speakerlightkits.com/5.25-SPIKE-2-Speaker-Surrounds.html

Doug (SpeakerLightKits.com)

Doug, just added your light kit for Iron Maiden! Outstanding!

Hey, brother! Just did the Elvira!

Just did Maiden LE and love it now for Elvira LE and Metallica Monster

Just did this to my Elvira Premium and Jurassic Park Premium. Really a nice and easy MOD. Well worth it for me.

C616886D-7F84-4EDB-9CFE-738EF0148697 (resized).jpeg

interested in this mod.
Question. do the speakers light create any annoying reflections on the glass?

Time for some "better late than never" answers.

Yes, you can mount a type 13 kit behind a type 12 or type 11 light kit. You would have to be careful about the depth of the 5.25" speaker though. I know the Kenwood KFC-1366s speakers that Stern has been using in their LEs will fit fine, but I don't know any type of measurement to go by. I just know a low profile speaker will work and I doubt a fat boy speaker would fit.

This type of install is done and consists of just what you would expect....it is just one light kit mounted behind the other. If you are doing a type 13 behind a type 12....you would also need a Bill Validator power splitter from my website to power both of the power transformers for each light kit.

Doug (SpeakerLightKits.com)

All of my Speaker Light Kits (as of now) have adjustable brightness.

Doug (SpeakerLightKits.com)

I just ordered some speaker light kits and kenwoods for my Sterns. I am not handy with my pins….the process seems easy, but the one piece I’m not sure about is the actual wire connections to the speakers. This part requires some soldering, correct (something I have never done before).

Very easy. Watch a soldering YouTube or two, and you will be fine. Just make sure the solder is shiny when you are done to assure a good solid connection.

Thanks, watched some videos and looks pretty straightforward.

DugFreez , I'm getting Type 13s for my GZ Premium and would like your opinion if you have a moment. If I plan on utilizing a few different colors on the LEDs as time passes, is it smart to just go with white surrounds? Or should I stick with my initial choice of yellow surrounds? I really think yellow would look great, and I'm hoping the LEDs won't create some weird mixture of colors with certain surrounds.

Thanks!

Well, a person doesn't really have to use any surrounds at all. Here are some pics of games without the surrounds and here's a video showing the last game in the lineup (Star Wars LE) without any surrounds installed.

What you are saying about the surround color and how it effects the light color coming from the light kit is correct....kind of. I've never really noticed the color of the surround and the light kit mixing to make any funky colors, but the surround color does effect the color of it from the light kit light being displayed. It's not so much as much of mixing to make colors as much as either lighting up the surround or it not lighting up the surround with how the light kit color effects it. Let me try some examples here:

Yellow is what I consider a very "accepting" color for the surround. Red will light it up red, green will light it up green, blue will just barely light it up it's natural yellow color. It doesn't really make it green as you would expect (mixing the yellow surround and blue lighting). Cyan lighting actually does light the yellow surround greenish. All and all though....yellow is pretty versatile as far as what it can show.

A red surround, on the other hand, is pretty much always red. Some colors light it up bright, other colors don't light it at all, but what you can count on is the red surround will always be red. Green and Blue are also pretty stubborn colors but not as limiting as the red.

I would think this is due to some color being darker than others, but that's not really it as purple is one of the darker colors I have and it will change to quite a few different colors. So I guess it is just the way certain surround colors interact with the different light colors and how some are more easily changed than others. As you suggested....white is clearly the surround color that would display all of the light kit colors most accurately.

Keep in mind, you will still be seeing the light kit color changing on the speaker cones. The extent of that is largely dependent by the color of the cone material, but it's not like the surrounds are blocking or effecting all of the light coming from the light kits.

I hope that helps, but I could actually see it making things more confusing. In any case, if you think yellow is a color you would like for a surround.....it's a good one to pick since it will change to more colors than just yellow. The only one better in that aspect would be white, but I don't think it would be worth the choice if you think the yellow will match your game better. The bronze, silver mirror and gold mirror are also good choices for being able to show any color from the light kit through them as they are basically just an etched / frosted look when backlit and will let any color from the light kit shine through them very accurately.

Doug (SpeakerLightKits.com)

Aerosmith 5.25 no surround (resized).jpg

LZ T13 no surrounds (resized).jpg

Thanks for the perfect and thorough explanation! I think I'll go with yellow since I'd like that to show even when the game is off.

Have any others experienced challenges, on a stern pro/premium, removing the small screws that attach the speaker panels to the monitor? Without the stripping the screws?

I used to run into the occasional cross threaded screw from the factory. Never more than 1 per game it seemed, but I have seen plenty of single stubborn ones. Keep in mind, I also never found one that I really had doubts if I would get removed. Just the occasion one that would make me spit and cuss a bit and go through a half a dozen different screw drivers trying to see if any did a better job with it. That is until I bought myself the perfect screw driver for the job.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FW63FE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title

The tip is the correct #1 size for those screws and more importantly the shaft is long enough so the grip is out past the edge of the panel. This makes it so you can get to the screw at a much straighter angle than you can with a screw driver with a shorter shaft (with your knuckles up on the back of the speaker plate trying to get a good grip and a decent angle at the screw). I haven't had any troubles with those screws when using this screw driver. Of course, if the screw head is already stripped, it might still be trouble.

Doug (SpeakerLightKits.com)

Thanks doug!

Hey all, I am finally getting to my lights and speaker upgrade because my GZ is here. Trying to fire up my lights, I have no power leaving my bill validator plug for my deluxe light kit - Anyone know why? setting? fused differently?

Keep in mind, I don't know where you got your light kit. There are a lot of copy cats out there, with some of them even being so scummy as to call their knock off kits "Deluxe" light kits also. If the Speaker Light Kit was from me, I would first ask if you read the install instructions? Particularly the big red lettering that reads:

THE POWER CONNECTION FOR THIS TYPE OF LIGHT KIT IS IN THE BACKBOX. IT IS NOT INSIDE THE CABINET OF THE GAME. THERE IS NO REASON TO LIFT THE PLAYFIELD OR EVEN OPEN THE COIN DOOR WHEN INSTALLING THIS TYPE OF LIGHT KIT.

The bill validator power connection is NOT in the cabinet near the front of the game. I think folks hear "bill validator" and their minds automatically jump to the front of the cabinet. However, the bill validator power connection is actually behind the AC cover in the lower right-hand corner of the BACKBOX as shown here:

http://www.speakerlightkits.com/High-Power-Connection-North-America.html

If the light kit is not from me.....carry on. If it was from me and you are still having issues, feel free to contact me at my support e-mail address on my website.

Enjoy your Godzilla,

Doug (SpeakerLightKits.com)

Thx for the info.

The light kit is from you

Anyone with speaker upgrade experience on a spike 2 machine?

I upgraded my AIQ (premium) to the pinballlife 5.25” kenwoods (with plates and light kit, at a really good price all things considered) which are the same speakers LE uses (or so I think?). I also swapped the cab “sub” for the boom boom 8”.

Any advice on what settings I should be using with this particular combination of speakers? They are both have a 4 ohm impedance.

The only concrete advice I've found was in a 3 minute tutorial video from pinsound that demonstrates -10 fade, 8 ohms for both cab and backbox, with audio filter set to none (video here:

).

(In case anyone reading this thread wants some guidance on similiar issue). Its not a setting. Probably time to get your meter out and some old fashioned troubleshooting. Start with the AC cover off and check those two pins in the power connector. You should see 120VAC. Make sure that the AC connector is installed tight to the cable that feeds the AC power brick that Doug provides. That power brick takes the 120VAC and delivers 12vdc. Worth checking the output of the power brick to confirm its 12vdc. Another step is to make sure that your 5-pin inrow header pins (that feeds each speaker assembly) is not inserted backwards: Pin1 needs to line up on both sides. Look for the tiny arrow.

I'm pretty sure the issue you are responding to was the poster not connecting the light kit power cable to the correct connection. I get e-mails like this and 100%...yes 100%, are due to the person not connecting their power cable in the correct location. I have never had anyone buy one of my light kits and have a dead bill validator connection in their game or a DOA power supply. I've had people remove the AC cover and Stern didn't install a bill validator connection (missing parts...send it on down the line says Stern, they probably will not notice), but never the bill validator power connection not having power or a dead power supply.

You are incorrect on my power supply info. It outputs +5vdc, as I use +5vdc addressable light strips. Those light stips will not work with +12v and it may damage them.

Doug (SpeakerLightKits.com)