Audio upgrade for 2003 Double Cab?

Hi, I'm brand new to this forum and was hoping someone out there can help me with advice for upgrading my 2 DIN radio for a modern 2 DIN receiver with all the extras, i.e., large screen, sirius radio, backup camera, etc. I'm looking for a unit that will fit the existing hole without a lot of modification. I would like a solid and reliable brand, also. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks

 

Check out Crutchfield.com

They have a matrix that you enter your year, model, blah blah blah and they will help you get set up with gear that works for your truck and speaker arrangement.

 

You can't go wrong with Crutchfield for your audio/video needs

 

I've always used sonicelectroix.com, they usually have the best deals. As far as brands go I've always been a big fan of pioneer head units. They have a good range of units depending on the features you want. I'd take a look at them

 

Thanks everyone for the responses. I'll check them out!

 

I just made a Crutchfield order for my 2003, but I went with a single DIN unit, not a fan of double DIN.

 

Best bang for the buck audio upgrade is properly sound deadening your doors and rear wall.

 

Are you talking all 4 doors and the rear wall? I have noticed a few sound deadening threads and will have to check them out.

 

Didn't realize you were a DC.

But yes, our doors are insanely resonant. Same with the rear wall (on an extra cab at least. I'd imagine the same from a DC).

That resonance not only creates a lot of cab noise but it also lowers the sound quality tremendously.

A great resource and product is Raamaudio: http://www.raamaudio.com/

 

I went with a basic single din 100 dollar JVC setup with bluetooth calling and pandora controls on the head. unlimited ad free music baby!

 

Yeah ... I just read Crom's list of stuff then the link to Stevens Audio Visual DIY thread.

Oh boy

 

The reason I want a 2 DIN is to incorporate a backup camera and large screen (6-7").

 

Yeah, I saw some shots where people had done that. It is a really strong argument for going 2 DIN.

 

I assume you did some deadening.
I see 2 degrees of deadening:
I see Steven going whole hog, and deadening the insides of the doors and sealing up holes in the door to make speaker enclosures.
I see other people not doing as far and just putting deading on the door (under the trim).

Which did you do?

I also see that some of my speakers came with enclosures to mount first in the door holes, then you mount the speakers.

Sorry for heisting your thread Pianoman

 

Doing the "whole hog" is for competitors or serious audiophiles. And it involves a lot more than just sound deadening. There's also a lot of misinformation out there that a lot of people react to. For example, putting sound deadener on the floor pan does absolutely (or incredibly minimal) nothing for noise reduction and sound quality increase.

For most of us deadening the doors, rear quarter panels (for xtra cabs) and rear walls will provide significant results all around and be very cost effective.

I have an xtra cab so I deadened the doors, rear quarter panels and rear wall.

For the doors I got about 85% coverage on the inside of the outer door skin (raammat only, with a 6x6", maybe 8x8" can't remember, piece of ensolite placed directly behind the speaker to reduce the back wave), and about 97% coverage of the inner door skin, with both raammat and ensolite. I made it so that the clips and door handles can be reassembled easily.

For the rear wall I got damn near 100% coverage with both raammat and ensolite.

For the rear quarter panels I did as much "strategic" placement of raammat and ensolite with the leftovers.

The function of raammat (or dynomat) is the stiffen sheet metal that is otherwise very resonant. Our outer and inner door skins are incredibly resonant. Same with our rear walls. If you bang your fist in the middle of your unfinished door (on the outside by the door handle) it will sound like a drum of sorts. After properly finishing the doors with raammat, it will sound like a small dull thud. Because those pieces of sheet metal are no longer vibrating and resonating.

Same goes for the rear wall.

Back to the floor pan. That sheet metal is hardly resonant out of the factory. Because it has all sorts of braces, extra layers of sheet metal, seats bolted to it, center consoles bolted to it, etc. It doesn't vibrate. So when you see someone fully cover their interior of the floor pan with raammat (or dynomat) it makes very little sense.

In order to reduce road noise infiltrating through the floor pan, you need to use mass loaded vinyl or similar. That material is what cuts down on the frequencies passing through the floor.

Some pictures of what I did to my truck:









back of the kick panels:



Doors. Passenger side not fully complete. But the insides of the outer skins are 85% covered with raammat and has a 6x6" piece of additional ensolite behind the speaker



You can see the 6x6" piece of ensolite in this pic:




Put a thin seal of ensolite foam on the backside of the speaker brackets to prevent rattles:



And if you really care, you can see what I did to the whole interior here:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/madjik-mans-laugh-at-with-him-build.98326/page-13#post-6020821

 

Yeah, I have been picking Crom's brain too.
I think I will use the stuff he did.
And if I am doing the inside/outer skin of the door I will probably reinforce as much of it as I can.


https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...d-and-adventures.362772/page-91#post-12183730