Let me add my experience and a question:
I used to have S-pods but never liked the speakers so close to my head. I always had the fade near full to the front. I got rid of them a long time ago but am thinking about adding a little more volume again. I am considering the rear panel speakers. Assuming they are an improvement in sound, do you recommend using a tweeter or just a midrange? I see that most people use a tweeter, but has anybody tried without?

 

I have a 12" subwoofer in a drop in box for the tool well so I don't need the bass drivers for the rear.

 

Stick with 5.25 speakers for the rear. It's not so much the magnet size that you have to deal with it's more the support structure. I have 2 sets of POLK DB6501s (pair from 2008 and pair from 2009) and only the 2008 pair will fix with no spacer. I'll take some pictures later tonight and post them up if I have time.

 

I have spacers. I bought two sets when I went to purchase them for the front 6.5s.

 

Seems like everyone is just scraping the hoop speakers in 06 and better and using those wires to power speakers placed behind the seats? Is that what I am hearin?

 

Those are tweeters so I dont know if they will power speakers behind the seats. I am running a 4ch to the fronts and going to run them to the components I install in the panels and leave the roll hoop speakers to be powered by the headunit.

So essentially I have RCAs running from the headunit to the amp, then straight to speakers.

 

That is what I am planning also - my four channels will be left woofer, right woofer, left tweeter, right tweeter (no crossover needed - the HU and/or amp is configured to send the right frequency range). Then, the HU can power the rear speakers or they can be left disconnected. Do you know how the fader works in this situation? I would want to fade the rears out (if I don't like them or they need to be adjusted down because they are so close), but not impact either the front woofers or front tweeters with fade at the same time.

 

^^ Ditto

 

I went ahead and got the Polk D6501s and will be mounting them today or tomorrow along with getting the amp setup. Ill take pictures once its done.

 

Installed them. I took the cover off of the driver side one so I could push it back farther so that im comfertable when I sit. Not worried about the passanger lol.