Audio Up-Grade

A

airborne4vr

Member
Location
Fort Bragg
I have been really researching trying to find the best route to go on a full audio upgrade. Here is my vision; 1 JL TW5 in custom box, delete spare tire and JL Door speakers all going to a JL 600/6 Amp.. How much you think this will run me and can anyone please give me some alternatives or suggestions. Also I want to maintain the factory NAV/Tech package without losing the functionality.
 
Last edited:
JustHJust buy a pioneer z1 nav system and u will see the diffrence between the stock radio and aftermarket radio with the factory speakers got one if intrested
 
honestly, replacing the speakers and adding subs sounds great, but is nothing compared to getting an aftermarket headunit or atleast an amp for the speakers
 
i got infinity door speakers , infinity 5 channel amp and 1 12inch infinity sub . i paid like $1000 for everything ,
 
I'm planning on getting an aftermarket Amp to power the Subs and speakers. I was looking at some threads about Cleansweep. I just can't do with aftermarket H/U. Paid enough money for the NAV and it works just fine. I just want a better sounding sytem that is louder and has more thump. Wouldn't they cleansweep work as a aftermarket H/U without actual replacing it?

---------- Post added at 10:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:27 PM ----------

@ Chris. Was that inluding install? And did you do a cleansweep? Also was your trunk room sacrificed?
 
Unless you are shooting for a competition level system, I would suggest the following progression. Just stop when you're happy with the sound and you won't have to buy anything unnecessary. For the time being [ST]I've stopped after step 1[/ST]. [EDIT: I stopped after step 2.]

Step 1: Install some kind of sound insulation (Dynamat, Brown Bread, etc... They all do pretty much the same thing) in your trunk, front doors, rear doors, and under rear seat.
Step 2: Use THIS and the quality mono amp of your choice to power your stock sub. You can fit all this stuff into your spare tire well along with the stock sub, like THIS. The amp powering your stock subs right now is downright pitiful, and is definitely the weak link in your low end. I used THIS instead of the epicenter as I'm not really going for audiophile grade sound in the FX. It works perfectly and is a tremendous improvement over stock. (Be sure to size the amp with possible sub upgrades in mind. It's better to overpower than underpower subs. The real enemy of subs is distortion, not wattage.)
Step 3: Use the Cleansweep or equivalent and a quality multi-channel amp of your choice to power your stock speakers. (Be sure to size the amp with possible speaker upgrades in mind. It's better to overpower than underpower speakers. The real enemy of speakers is distortion, not wattage.)
Step 4: If you need more bass, upgrade your sub. There are many options to fit VERY capable subs in the spare tire well. My personal fav is HERE.
Step 5: If you want better quality mids/highs, upgrade your speakers.

If you make it past Step 5 and still aren't happy, then you'll need to start replacing the weakest link systematically until you're satisfied.

Good luck! :tup:
 
Last edited:
@tChuck. Thanks for the info, very detailed and to the point. This thread should be saved for future users to get an idea what measures to take for Audio Up-Grade. Also this will help when taking to a proffesional installer so you can know before hand what is needed and not get scamed.
 
airborne4vr said:
I'm planning on getting an aftermarket Amp to power the Subs and speakers. I was looking at some threads about Cleansweep. I just can't do with aftermarket H/U. Paid enough money for the NAV and it works just fine. I just want a better sounding sytem that is louder and has more thump. Wouldn't they cleansweep work as a aftermarket H/U without actual replacing it?

---------- Post added at 10:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:27 PM ----------

@ Chris. Was that inluding install? And did you do a cleansweep? Also was your trunk room sacrificed?
Click to expand...

no i installed myself, i ordered everything from sonicelectronix.com. and no i didnt use the cleanssweep . and the soundsystem sounds beautiful . very loud and clear with that extra bump . and with only 1 12inch sub i still got alot of room in my trunk .

---------- Post added at 06:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:55 AM ----------

this is my mine
dgbsgfdbv-1.jpg
 

Attachments

  • dgbsgfdbv-1.jpg
    dgbsgfdbv-1.jpg
    33.2 KB · Views: 91
Has anyone used the low-profile subs that come as a system and can be mounted under the front seats? I'm kinda thinking of running 2 (I think they come in LP 10" and 12" configurations), and they're already powered so won't really need to play much with them. That would add the needed bass, and then you'd still need to swap out the stock speakers for better...
 
If (pretty you do) you have factory navigation in your FX, the navi map dvd player is under the passenger front seat. I doubt that it can fit anything else under there.
 
la_fx35 said:
If (pretty you do) you have factory navigation in your FX, the navi map dvd player is under the passenger front seat. I doubt that it can fit anything else under there.
Click to expand...
No... Luckily I don't have it :) There's lots of mounting points under the seats... I'd have to check that those points would match up with what the speakers have, or rig up mounting brackets...
 
Will this head end do what the original touch screen nav does.....traffic, maintenance reminders, miles to empty, mpg etc......?
 
tchuck said:
Unless you are shooting for a competition level system, I would suggest the following progression. Just stop when you're happy with the sound and you won't have to buy anything unnecessary. For the time being [ST]I've stopped after step 1[/ST]. [EDIT: I stopped after step 2.]

Step 1: Install some kind of sound insulation (Dynamat, Brown Bread, etc... They all do pretty much the same thing) in your trunk, front doors, rear doors, and under rear seat.
Step 2: Use THIS and the quality mono amp of your choice to power your stock sub. You can fit all this stuff into your spare tire well along with the stock sub, like THIS. The amp powering your stock subs right now is downright pitiful, and is definitely the weak link in your low end. I used THIS instead of the epicenter as I'm not really going for audiophile grade sound in the FX. It works perfectly and is a tremendous improvement over stock. (Be sure to size the amp with possible sub upgrades in mind. It's better to overpower than underpower subs. The real enemy of subs is distortion, not wattage.)
Step 3: Use the Cleansweep or equivalent and a quality multi-channel amp of your choice to power your stock speakers. (Be sure to size the amp with possible speaker upgrades in mind. It's better to overpower than underpower speakers. The real enemy of speakers is distortion, not wattage.)
Step 4: If you need more bass, upgrade your sub. There are many options to fit VERY capable subs in the spare tire well. My personal fav is HERE.
Step 5: If you want better quality mids/highs, upgrade your speakers.

If you make it past Step 5 and still aren't happy, then you'll need to start replacing the weakest link systematically until you're satisfied.

Good luck! :tup:
Click to expand...
Guess the sound deadening material is a + for the FX then? What did u or anyone w/experience notice? Did it help to clear up road noise, help hold the radio volume in the cab or both? Read a bit about this w/mixed results but all sorts of autos.
 
Everyone that's added Dynamat on this and the other site have mentioned huge improvements over stock... It just allows you to hear the stereo... Our FX's really don't have a lot of sound deadening material... I really want to do this but I'm gonna wait and do it while I have the FX open doing other mods :P
 
No shit? Didn't think there was a noise issue but I guess I wouldn't know unless I dived in to see the difference like others have. With the exhaust, I doubt I'd benefit much though. Looking to replace speakers & amp for the oem woofer enclosure, get new carpeting & was thinking I'd remove the factory sound deadening & replace w/dyno-something.
 
Apparently the Dynamat works really well... It is often suggested for those that have upgraded to the INVIDIA GEMINI and had drone... Doesn't get rid of the drone, but keeps it out of the interior... Or at least most of it from what I've read...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top