Stereo Upgrade Opinions Appreciated

I'm going to be upgrading the stereo in my 2014 access cab. Like so many others I'm not pleased with the factory stereo, ie speakers in the headliner and no rear door speakers. I'm trying to get the best sound possible with some solid base. Right now only a few things are definite:

1. Swap factory head unit with a Kenwood Excelon DDX5901HD along with a PAC SWI-RC to retain steering wheel functions.

2. Use a single mono block amp mounted under the driver's seat to power the subwoofer.

3. Big 3 electrical upgrade.

At this point things become more open and where I would appreciate opinions, especially from those who have tried some of these. I want to replace the factory door speakers and tweeters, headliner speakers will not be used at all. The plan is NOT to use an amp on these. Here are the 2 options I'm thinking:

1. JL Audio C2-650 system http://www.jlaudio.com/c2-650-car-audio-c2-speaker-systems-99617

2. Leave the factory tweeters and just go with replacing the 6x9's with JL Audio C2-690tx http://www.jlaudio.com/c2-690tx-car-audio-c2-speaker-systems-99619

Subwoofer options have been narrowed down to just a few, here are some I've considered:

1. JL Audio Stealth box in the center arm rest. Problem here is the AC inverter under there that has to be relocated. I have heard the W3v3 that it uses and it sounds very good but this option is expensive. $649.95 http://www.jlaudio.com/sb-t-tacaccab-10w3v3-dg-car-audio-stealthbox-94307#ReviewHeader

2. Remove the driver's side jump seat and set a JL Audio CS110TG-TW3: Single 10TW3 Truck PowerWedge on top of the storage locker. It would fit very well and no one sits in the back. Also not bad price wise. $349.95 http://www.jlaudio.com/cs110tg-tw3-car-audio-powerwedge-subwoofer-systems-93302

3. Go big bass in small package. Use a JL Audio HO110-W6v3: Single 10W6v3 H.O. Wedge and have it set in the access cab floor behind the drivers seat. Downside is the most intrusive to the interior and pricey. Upside, amazing sound and no removal of seat or inverter plus it can be taken out quickly if the access cab is needed to be filled. $599.95 http://www.jlaudio.com/ho110-w6v3-car-audio-h-o-wedge-subwoofer-systems-93310

I had JL components and a sub in my previous truck and loved them but I'm open to looking at different manufacturers. So fire away and let me know what you think and thanks for the input.

 

I have an 08 double cab that i've been upgrading as i find time. I went the JL route as well. I have the c2 650 components for the front and the c2 650 coax for the rears, but i haven't had time to put them in yet. I have the sub in though, i went with the JL TW3 10 inch in the jl box it came with. It doesn't fit behind my rear seats so i just put it on the floor behind the driver seat since i never have passengers anyway. I've found that it's way more than enough for anything i listen to (mostly punk, rock, metal but a fair mix of hip hop and electronic music as well). It's not brain rattling but i find it perfect for me.

 

Both of those speakers are nice, but powering them from a deck and not an amp won't give you their full potential. If mounting multiple amps is a problem, you might consider a four channel amp, bridging two channels for the sub and using the other two channels to run the door speakers.
Matt

 

Most speakers are made to be run on way more power than a HU provides. Most aftermarket speakers will not sound as good as stock without an amp.

 

Unfortunately man you will need an amp. If you want the best sound possible then an amp will give you the power. If not then get ready for crap sound to hang around.

 

Jeez, must be a bunch of amp salesmen in here or something.

While it's true any aftermarket speaker will sound better with an amp powering them, you CAN run speakers off the power an aftermarket headunit puts out and have them sound good. Great in fact if you get a really efficient speaker. I've done it in numerous other vehicles I've had and never had complaints about the sound.

If you can find a speaker in the 92 to 93 dB sensitivity range I think you'll be very happy with the sound you get from them without an amp.

Now, to address some of the specific options you mentioned.

1. JL makes insane subs and amps, but I've never been a huge fan of their speakers. Like I said, look for something with really high efficiency and go listen to them in person! Best advice I can give.

2. Whatever you choose, DO NOT leave the factory tweeters running. They're garbage, and they're not even really tweeters. They're more like upper midranges. And they suck balls. Get rid of them.

3. Since you said nobody sits in the back, I wouldn't get the center console sub. It's a cool concept, but really only makes sense if you need ALL the space in the back of your truck. Since you don't, I'd get the 10w6 you mentioned and call it done. Thing will pound like nobody's business.

That's my $.02. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

A lot of guys on here say you will need an amp, which is a matter of opinion. I have a Pioneer 3500 series head unit paired up to Hybrid Audio Mirius series speakers and they sound great with no amp. Night and day difference with the Hybrids compared to stock. I have a much clearer, cleaner, brighter sound.

 

Thanks for the input guys. Here's an update on my thoughts and things I have found out. I was going to go with the HO110-W6v3 box in the rear floor board but after remeasuring I am coming up 2 inches short in floor space thanks to that stupid bottle holder in the back door sticking out like 6 inches from the door. So now I'm back to the other 2 options or trying to come up with something else. I really wish someone who has put in the stealth box would chime in and let me know where they relocated the power inverter to or if they removed it entirely.
Now to talk about amps, people seem to get excited about those . I have actually considered using a 5 or 6 channel amp to handle all of the speakers. That said not all coaxial or component speakers need extra amplification, example: JL's TR line is designed specifically to be driven by the head unit only. I had those in a Dakota with an Alpine head unit and they sounded great. And yes, I know they are the low end JL replacements but their low end is better than most companies mid level speakers . The reason I'm thinking about amping the components is to compensate for no rear speakers, it's a real sore spot for me and others I have noticed. The thought is get the most out of what I will have in there. Speaking of the rear doors, I know the mounting location for the rear speakers is still there just covered and no opening in the door panel, so maybe down the road that could be an option if the amped front door speakers just aren't cutting it. Anyone know how much if any clearance is between the panel and where the speaker would mount in the back door? The reason I ask is I have seen the panels from a 2012 I believe that had just vent slots in the panel and a couple of 2014's where a hole was cut where the mounting position is. I think the vent slots looked better.

 

Buying aftermarket speakers and running them off the deck is like lifting your truck 6" but keeping stock wheels and tires. Why TF would you do that?

Dont waste your money. Theres no way they would sound better than stock.

 

Ha ha ha! Ok dude

 

Have you done it? I have ran stock speakers off a Pioneer head unit and it was an improvement. I am now running Hybrid Audio off the Pioneer and it is a huge difference compared to stock. I am well pleased with my results. It is head and shoulders above stock.

Jeez that's like saying a supercharger doesn't give you anymore horsepower.

 

I have done it twice. Once it was a set of Polk db's, once it was a set of Infiniti Kappa's. Both did sound a little brighter, but I couldn't turn them up as loud as even the stock ones and their was little midrange and absolutely no bass. There are some aftermarket speakers designed to run on little power, but if OP is adding a sub and an amp, why not make it a four channel amp and the door speakers won't be drowned out by the bass from the sub.

 

Ya ive done it, and because the speaker is expecting more power is makes them fart and distort when you turn it up loud. And to your example, it would be like adding a supercharger but not putting a new belt on the pulley/engine so the supercharger doesnt work. ya you spent the time and money on it, but you dont get to reap the benefits! Not trying to start a fight, just saying if you want to hear what your new aftermarket speakers can do, you gotta have an amp. Thats a main reason for getting new speakers, so they can handle more power and therefore go louder with more clarity. I thought everyone knew that....

it's like buying the best tv on the market and then not paying for HDTV.

 

That is a better analogy.

 

Ha thanks. To each their own i guess....

 

Left the factory head unit alone. Replaced all 3 pair of speakers and installed an amp.

 

Understood. Then again not everyone has the same idea on what loud is. I for one don't need an amp because I don't believe everyone needs to hear my music. Loud is a relative term. What is loud to one, is not loud to another. However, I am simply stating my experience because for any newbs to audio it can be overwelming when folks start recommending an amp, crossovers, etc, when that is not necessarily needed for their application. For my application, no amp has suited me just fine. I am well pleased with the results, still have to fine tune my EQ. Even in the past I have run Pioneer speakers with a Pioneer headunit and have had good sound (another relative term). Its all perspective.

 

whatever you do - replace the factory tweeters - they're more like a tiny full range,and they are the harshest sounding things I've heard in a car in a while.

My current plan is JL 700/5 - one channel to each door,and the mono out to a old school Fosgate punch HX2 8" I've been looking for a good reason to use. Ported behind the 40% side back seat. Old School Alpine Type X 6.5 in the front doors, with fosgate FNQ tweets. Undecided on what i'm doing in the rear doors yet - probably coax. But honestly I hate rear fill in a vehicle. Down the road I'll probably add a JL XD 200/2 to drive the rear doors, and retask the 4 channels of the 700 to running the front doors actively.

 

You need an amp, and for an amp you either need a new head unit or a JL clean sweep to keep all your stock accessories. Otherwise, the stock response curve will still be eq'd for the stock speakers rather than being flat and full range. Then there is the issue with the stock radio reducing the bass frequencies at higher volume, which I'm not sure the clean sweep addresses.

I finally installed my 14 year old pair of infinity kappa cs components in the front door, and the stock radio barely runs them + frequencies are missing. These things sounded wonderfully loud and clear back in the day with the infinity kappa 54a I had running them. I'm going to switch back to stock because I'm not falling down the slippery slope of car audio again.