Acura RSX EDi 6500 Component Speaker Install (Door and Dash Fitment)
Introduction
This guide covers fitting an EDi 6500 component speaker set into the front doors and dash of an Acura RSX, in place of a typical CDT CL-61a set. The 6500 mids are physically deeper and carry mounting tabs plus an extra lip around the magnet, so unlike a straight CDT-frame swap they cannot simply drop into the factory opening on a spacer. Expect to fabricate MDF baffles, permanently trim the door sheet metal, and grind back the dash to seat the tweeters. If you prefer a no-cut install, the shallower EDi 6000 set shares the CDT CL-61a frame and magnet and mounts on a 3/4 inch baffle alone. The reward for the extra work is a noticeably louder, cleaner front stage. This procedure assumes the door panels and factory speakers are already removed and the new wiring is run; those basics are common to any RSX front-stage job. Adapted from a community writeup by Locotony on Club RSX (https://www.clubrsx.com/threads/edi-6500s-diy-guide.355174/), including corrections from the follow-up discussion.
Reference
Tools Required
- Panel removal tools / screwdrivers for door panels
- RotoZip, nibbler, or rotary tool (Dremel) with metal-cutting bit
- Rotary tool with grinding bit for the dash tweeter opening
- Jigsaw or hole saw for cutting MDF baffles
- Tape measure or calipers
- Marker and masking tape for layout
- Soldering iron or hot plastic-melting tool (optional, for cleaner dash trimming)
Parts Required
-
EDi 6500 component speaker set (mids, tweeters, crossovers)
-
3/4 inch MDF stock for the mid baffles/spacers
-
Speaker wire and connectors
-
Mounting hardware / fasteners
Safety Warnings
- ⚠ Cutting door sheet metal and grinding the dash is permanent; verify every measurement and dry-fit before removing material.
- ⚠ Wear eye and respiratory protection when cutting metal and MDF and when grinding the dash cup.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1 Assess clearance and plan the modifications
Test-fit a bare 6500 mid against the factory door opening before cutting anything. A 3/4 inch MDF spacer takes care of depth on its own; the mounting tabs, along with the raised lip around the magnet, still foul the opening and force you to enlarge it. Confirm where the speaker will sit relative to the door panel: mounting to match the old spacer location can leave the tabs sitting over metal that must be removed, so plan the final position first. For the tweeters, note that the factory dash cup leaves a lip roughly 1/8 inch proud that has to come almost fully out of the way before the new tweeter housing will seat.
2 Fabricate the MDF mid baffles
Build the mid spacers from 3/4 inch MDF. Measure the outside diameter of the speaker frame, measure the internal cutout of the door, then add about 1/2 inch of extra material beyond the speaker so the ring has a solid mounting flange. Cut the outer profile and the inner bore, then dry-fit. Keep the baffle at 3/4 inch: a 1 inch spacer pushes the assembly out far enough that the door panel will not clip back down fully.
3 Prepare and install the tweeters in the dash
Pull each factory tweeter and address the roughly 1/8 inch lip left in the dash cup. Grind it back nearly flush with a rotary tool, working in small passes and repeatedly test-fitting the new retaining cup so you remove only what is needed. Take it slow; the bit can score the surrounding dash. A heat-based plastic tool with a shaped tip does the same job with less scarring if you have one. Once the cup seats, press the tweeter and housing home until its four internal metal retaining wires fan out and lock the unit in place.
4 Mark and cut the door openings
With the MDF baffle and the door panel both dry-fitted in their final position, mark the sheet metal that the tabs and magnet lip will contact. Cut only after that test fit, since shifting the speaker location later means cutting again. A RotoZip with an all-purpose bit passes through the door metal cleanly; a nibbler or a rotary tool also works. Remove just enough material to clear the tabs and lip.
5 Mount the mids on the baffles
Fasten each mid to its MDF baffle, then secure the baffle assembly to the door over the enlarged opening. Verify the tabs and magnet lip now clear the metal and that nothing binds. Re-check that the door panel closes and clips fully with the deeper speaker in place before final assembly.
6 Mount the crossovers and finish the wiring
Route the speaker wiring to the glovebox area and split it from there to the doors and the tweeters. Locate the two crossovers loose in the cavity behind the glovebox; stacking one on top of the other lets them wedge and hold their own position without brackets. Dress the wiring, reassemble the door panels and dash trim, and test each driver before buttoning everything up.
Pro Tips
- 💡 Prefer a no-cut route? The EDi 6000 set rides on the CDT CL-61a frame and magnet, so it needs only a 3/4 inch MDF baffle and no door cutting.
- 💡 Do the driver's side first if you are worried about cosmetics; the passenger dash can carry inspection or registration stickers you may not want to disturb while grinding.
- 💡 The 6500 crossovers are the same design sold by CDT as the Satnet-480 (eD 480), and the 6500 mid is close to a CDT HD frame and magnet but uses a different cone and spider for more midbass.
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