
Blog
Rockford Fosgate X317-STG3 vs X317-STG4

The X317-STG3 is the most affordable and basic amplified stereo system that Rockford Fosgate offers for the Can-Am X3. This is the entry level system that comes with both an amplifier and a subwoofer. The X317-STG3 now includes the M1 series speakers and subwoofer with Rockford Fosgate's Color Optix RGB LEDs. The speakers and subwoofer are virtually the same as the previous generation, but they now include lights. For the amplifier, the X317-STG3 comes with an 800 watt, 4 channel amplifier that is IPX6 rated. The amplifier will deliver plenty of power to both the speakers and the subwoofer and it can get sprayed down with a hose and you have nothing to worry about. The X317-STG3 is ideal for 2 seat X3's that don't need the rear, cage mounted speakers or for those looking that are on a budget, but looking for a stereo system that will still sound great.
- PMX-2 Head Unit
- Dash Kit
- Front Speaker Pods
- M1-65B 6.5" Speakers
- (1) M1 10" Subwoofer
- X3 10" Subwoofer Enclosure
- M5-800X4 800 Watt 4 Channel Amplifier
- Color Optix RGB LED Controller
- Plug & Play Wiring Harness to Connect Everything Together
- No Tower Speakers Included

The Stage 4 is the most popular X3 stereo kit that Rockford Fosgate offers and probably our "go-to" if you want a high quality stereo system, but Stage 5 and up is just too much. In 2021, Rockford Fosgate updated the X317-STG4 stereo package to include their M1-65B speakers, the M1 10 inch subwoofer, and their new M5-800X4 amplifier. In addition, they also upgraded the head unit to the PMX-3, they added their Color Optix RGB LED controller, and they updated the harness to allow you to plug-and-play the RGB LEDs. The most noticeable difference is the speakers with the RGB LEDs. With Rockford Fosgate's Color Optix RGB LEDs, you can control the lights via an app on your phone. Like all of the Rockford X3 stereo kits, everything is designed to be installed without any cutting, splicing, crimping or drilling. The enclosures mount to factory attachment points and the harness is play and play to the head unit, amplifier, speakers, and subwoofer.
- PMX-2 Head Unit
- Dash Kit
- Front Speaker Pods
- M1-65B 6.5" Speakers
- M1 6.5" Mini Tower Speakers with Clamps
- (1) M1 10" Subwoofer
- X3 10" Subwoofer Enclosure
- M5-800X4 800 Watt 4 Channel Amplifier
- Color Optix RGB LED Controller
- Plug & Play Wiring Harness to Connect Everything Together

The X317-STG3 does not include tower speakers.
The X317-STG4 comes with M1 6.5" speakers in the mini tower cans to match the front speakers. The mini tower cans are ideal for UTVs because they aren't as deep as traditional, boat tower cans. This provides a better appearance than these super-deep cans hanging off the back of your X3. Like the front speakers, the M1WL-65MB tower speakers are virtually the same as the speakers that were in the previous generations, but there are cosmetic differences. The tower speakers now have the Color Optix RGB LEDs and an open-style 6 spoke grille to match the front speakers. In addition, the rear of the can now illuminates with RGB LEDs to match the color on the front of the speaker and there is a "Diamond R" Rockford Fosgate logo on the back that also lights up. The "Diamond R" logo can spin 360-degrees to make sure that it is the right direction, regardless of the angle that the speaker cans are mounted. The connections for both the speaker wire and the Color Optix RGB LEDs are plug and play and connect on the back of the can while still ensuring that they withstand the elements. The mounting clamps are included and will mount to both factory and aftermarket cages.

The M1-65B spekaers that come in the X317-STG3 and X317-STG4 are the same and virtually the same speakers than came in the previous generations. The M1-65B speakers have the Color Optix RGB LEDs and an open-style, dual 6-spoke grille. The M1-65B speakers are not offered with the stainless steel, mesh grilles. The power handling, tweeter material, and tweeter size are still the same. The M1-65B handle 75 watts RMS and have a 1" LCP dome tweeter to deliver a crisp, clear, and bright sound profile that will cut through the ambient noise you get while out riding.

The and X317-STG3 and X317-STG4 amplifier is an 800 watt, 4 channel amplifier from Rockford's M5 line. This amp is IPX6 rated which means that you can spray it with a hose and some pressure, but you can't submerge it. The M5-800X4 is very compact yet delivers tons of power. It is rated at 100 watts per channel at 4 ohms, 200 watts per channel at 2 ohms, and 400 watts when bridged. With the X317-STG4, the speakers are wired in parallel to a 2 ohm load off of the front channels, and the rear channel is bridged to power the subwoofer. Each speaker gets 100W RMS and the subwoofer gets 400W RMS. One of the new features of the M5-800X4 is the "Preset" switch which is specifically designed for these UTV stereo kits. The Rockford product development and engineering teams determined the optimal settings for these kits to make tuning as simple as possible When you set the M5-800X4 preset switch to on, and select the correct filters, the gains and crossovers are automatically set to ensure you get maximum performance without clipping or distortion.

The X317-STG3 and X317-STG4 comes with a 10 inch loaded subwoofer enclosure that installs under either the passenger or driver's seat. The enclosure comes pre-loaded with a M1D2-10B subwoofer and uses factory attachment points to bolt into place. The down-firing design leaves enough space between the subwoofer and the floor to maximize output and also allow for the full top to bottom travel of the factory seat adjustment. You don't need to worry about installing the subwoofer and ensuring a proper seal or that you have wired the voice coil to the correct impedance. Instead, simply bolt it down and plug it in.
The 10" M1 subwoofer offers more power handling than the previous generation for improved output but because it does not use the grille in this application, it does not use the Color Optix RGB LEDs. There isn't enough room between the enclosure and the floor for the grille. There isn't much of a loss though because you would not be able to see the LEDs due to the location under the seat and the down-firing design.
Please keep in mind that bass in an open air vehicle like a X3 is not the same as bass, in a closed environment like a car or truck.

The wiring harness that is included with the X317-STG3 and X317-STG4 now has the connections for the Color Optix RGB LEDs and the overmolded connections for the M5-800X4 amplifier. Everything with these Rockford Fosgate X3 stereo kits is plug and play. You don't need to cut, splice, crimp, solder, or anything like that. The harness works on both 2 and 4 seat vehicles as it is zip tied with a loop. Cut the zip tie for a 4 seater, leave it there for a 2 seater.
The rear harness for the tower speakers on the X317-STG4 plugs into the main harness. There is an unused plug and you don't need to worry about the connections on the cans themselves. There are plug integrated into the cans with the appropriate sealing and covers to ensure that they will withstand the elements.


The price difference is in the rear, cage mounted speakers.
When comparing the X317-STG3 and the X317-STG4, it comes down to the rear cage mounted speakers. If you have a 4 seat vehicle, we recommend the X317-STG4 to ensure that the riders in the back seat have music. If you have a 2 seat X3, how loud do you want it? Having four speakers is going to be louder than having two speakers. If you want it louder, go with the X317-STG4. If you are fine with only two speakers, go with the X317-STG3. It is worth nothing that the X317-STG4 is significantly more popular than the Stage 3.