I was curious what people have done in regards to upgrading their system.

Has anyone done big systems or custom designs or just replaced speakers and kept things simple?

I finally put my pioneer 5700 dvd unit in and in a couple of months I'm going to 2 amps, new front and rear door speakers and subs.

I was thinking when I swap my carpets to make a new center console taller so it's even with my arm rest and extending it to the dash and putting a sub or two at the bottom firing down.

Or go with the traditional route and put a box in the back with my subs but the problem with that is the box will be sticking up and be in the way when i load the back with tools/materials.

I think I have a design that might work to where I can swivel the box lower when needed and put it up right when done.

Has anyone attempted to redo the center console?

 

Jl audio makes/made a stealth box for the center console.

I have zr components in the doors and xr components in the 3rd row. Finally bought a jvc arsenal dvd head unit and a couple jl audio amps to drive them. Gonna put a 12 in a rear door as well. I did a write up on the door speakers years ago. I'll do one on the rest if I ever have time to install it all.

 

I have a sub in the rear door. Amps under the second row seats.

 

How important is an extra amplifier if I have a good new head unit (Pioneer DVD double DIN) and the rest of the truck is stock?
I do plan on putting in a few new speakers, the old ones are pretty worn sounding.

(02 Ex)

 

I have canton's for the front doors and just going with replacement 4 x 6 in the rear doors and not hooking up the third row of speakers

I'm curious about putting a sub in the rear doors, but I don't know how much of the bass I'm going to feel up front.

That's why I'm contemplating doing a custom center console with subs at the bottom

I did find some sound deadening materiel I'm going to use when I swap out my carpets, so that'll help with the sound quality

I'm going to run a pioneer 5700 h/u, us amps 4300x for the mids and highs and a us amps 2000x for the subs and canton front speakers and pioneer shallow mount 12's

 

I'm a neophyte when it comes to car stereo, if I just want to be able to listen to music at reasonable volume with decent clarity, how important is all that?

 

To ma it's something that is important because I don't want to put cheap, crappy speakers in my truck when I've had higher-end systems at home and higher-end components in my car and truck previously.

I want to be able to enjoy my music as loud as I can and as clear as I can without any distortion or crackling.

What I'm mainly trying to figure out is the best way for the placement of my subs so it doesn't take up a boatload of space the back of my truck since I do use my truck for work, but I also want to enjoy a nice sounding stereo system in my truck without compromising too much of the interior.

 

I was thinking to put any sub I bought under the 2nd row seat, as I never take it out and it's rare that anything gets put under there.

What I need is a good place to run new speaker wire for me, I think part of my problem with sound quality is the old wiring as well as the beat up stock speakers.

Plus I want to install a fold down 20" tv for the DVD to run on.

 

I have a pair of 10's in the back, ratchet strapped to the tie downs for easy removal. Amp is under the center seat. I have a 7" Pioneer in the dash, powering the stock speakers for now. Eventually I'll change out the speakers and add a small amp.

 

I actually missed reading this post when I posted earlier

If you have a newer head unit and just some basic upgraded speakers, then the power from the unit should be enough

I personally always use an amplifier because it will provide more power at a lower level than the small amps in a h/u and it will sound better. Amps in head units can't compare to the output of a dedicated amp

Depending on the brand and type of speaker you go with, a 50 x 4 amp is all you would need

If You're going to go with a coax speaker, I would recommend pioneer, alpine, Rockford fosgate, audison so when you turn it up it don't get distorted and will still sound very clear

If you're going to go with components you can go with the same brands as above or jl audio or focal.

you want to stay away from boss, power acoustic or pyramid or Anything that is $50 a pair is gonna be junk

For subs that don't take up a lot of space, I'd go with the pioneer shallow mount subs. That's what I'm putting in my truck. I've used them the past 10+ years

Amp wise, I'd go with either Rockford, mtx, pioneer, audison, jl audio or alpine.

I would recommend putting some dynamat or something similar on the doors to knock the noise down

Plus you can hook up a rear view camera to the pioneer, which is a nice feature

Go on sonicelectronix.com or onlinecarstereo.com for what you're looking for.

If you have any more questions, dm me and I'll be more than happy to answer them

 

What no Kraco???...

 

right up there with funky pup subs

 

The rear view camera was one of the selling points for me, I want to have it mounted in the upper rear door though so I can see over anything I'm towing.
I also have a satellite receiver that will be going in the glove box.
I am considering replacing all the stock door speakers and the rear door (which is gone for some reason).
I may take the truck to Best Buy to have new wire run, especially since I want to install a flip down 19 or 20" tv for the DVD to run.
If the head unit will run all the door speakers (including the larger rear) then I'll be ok without an extra amp.
Now to find someone to install all this stuff, because I have zero clue what I'm doing

 

I believe the factory radio runs all six set of speakers, so if you do a direct connection to the factory wiring harness, the new radio should run all 6 speakers.

If you do a new run of speaker wire, you can't use the factory harness to run the speakers, the pioneer can't run six speakers, which is what is in the truck.

you would have to go with an amplifier if you want to run all new speaker wire to the doors if you plan on powering all 6 speakers.

I would recommend going with an amp just because it will sound better and won't be over powered by the subs you install.

I'd check out yelp or post in the region section of here to see if anyone can recommend a local stereo shop.

I go local shop since they're better trained for the product they sell

 

Yeah, the local shops want me to buy their product vs using the stuff I have, that's the problem.

I guess I really only need wire run for the drop down TV, then... rather than the whole truck.