Premium Audio Upgrade for less than $250

so far i like the set up and was wondering if
you have any recommendation for a subwoofer set up?
im not looking for earth shaking power. but something
that blends with what you suggested.

 

check earlier in the thread - an 8" Kicker Hideaway seems to have worked well to pair with this if you're looking for more "movement"

 

not sure how i missed that thanks.

 

No worries - I'm not one to be mean about it like some folks... a thread will get long w/ bs and repeated questions no matter who tries to moderate it. I'm just pointing you to the fact that the info exists Good luck, and if you do the sub let us know how it turns out! Keep it evolving. As stated before I'm pretty damn happy with my setup as it exists today... but always looking for projects and this could be a fun, cheap one on a cold saturday in the garage in the winter months.

 

8" Kicker Hideaway subwoofer for less than $100 ??? Is this the one that was referred to earlier in this thread ? If so this seems lime an incredible deal

https://homexotxstore.com/products/...pc&utm_source=googlepla&variant=1087399198748

 

@remgu2000 ?

Looks like (if it's the same one) - this is 3x more on Crutchfield?

 

I wasn’t that familiar with Kicker as a brand until this thread. Now I’m a fan and they have a lot more fans/customers as a result of this thread. They should chime in and give us even better deals. Group buy? LOL. Either way I’m pleased with my upgrade and appreciate all the feedback and assistance from everyone.

 

Nor was I, but as I was listening to crystal clear audio earlier today... with guitar and vocal notes so crisp they light up all your senses, I continue to be very impressed with their quality. Like many others I really didn't realize how much I had avoided listening to music a lot of the time b/c it was just "ok" audio... now I won't pull out of the driveway without it!

I also had started listening to a lot more audiobooks and podcasts since music sounded so crappy, so my intelligence may degrade a bit w/o that - but I'll have a hell of a lot more fun for it!

 

What I didn’t realize was just how bad my speakers were in my Taco. Our other vehicles have Bose, Bose, Rockford Fosgate?, DynaAudio, and then the Taco. My Bang and Olufsen in my last Audi was easily the best factory stereo and whatever is in my son’s Cherokee Trailhawk is the best of what we have now. But, my Taco was by far last and even much worse than my second gen Taco. I think our HU is probably decent.

 

Holy smokes! Yeah that's the Hideaway. It cost me $206 on Amazon. Get it if that price is for real.

I'm still playing around with the Gain and Bass Boost nobs but so far it is a keeper.

 

For those interested in the Kicker Hideaway let me share part of a pm I sent another member. It is not too detailed and a lot of it is a repeat of what is found on this thread and the OEM Audio video posted early on. However you may find a new detail or two. I wish I would have taken more pics but I got really into the install and before I knew it I had only taken a few.

------------+++----------+++--------

I'm 38 and 18 years ago I wouldn't have liked it but it is sufficient for my liking now. I like feeling the bass in typical mainstream music so it's enough for me.

I recommended you install it and if for some reason you want something bigger just keep the harness and all the connections already made and just order a new harness so you can return it. If you get a bigger amp you just need to get a bigger gauge power and ground cable.

Again, I like it a lot. Good bass for the size and money. I should have taken more pics though.

Assuming you also want to place it in the storage area behind the rear passenger seat on the driver side then do the following:

It was a pretty straight forward install. It just takes time to take off the trim, unbolt the seatbelts, take more trip off, route the wires, etc.

Start by tapping into the speaker wires on the B pillars. The left side is the white+ and black-. The right side is the blue+ amd light green -. I had to extend the right speaker wires to the pair from the harness. The left speaker wires were long enough.

Then unbolt the driver's seat and bolt the black ground cable to the ground under the carpet. The connections from under the seat are already connected to the same ground so its easy to tell where it is. You'll need toextend the ground cable from the harness as it comes too short.

For the auto on cable tap the USB outlet behind the center console. Hopefully youhave one, if not I would disassemble the console some more and tap the USB outlet that's inside of it. You'll also need to extend this cable from the harness as it is not long enough.

The red power wire is long enough. Just route it along side the vehicle molding and through the firewall on the driver side. Connect it with the fuse onto the battery.

Next grab harness and test your connections. Test the speaker wire pairs using any left over speakers to make sure you get sound. Test the auto turn wire with a voltimeter to make sure you crimped everything just fine and get 12v when you turn the ignition and its off when you turn off the vehicle.

Once you are happy with your connections grab the hideaway and plug it up to test.

Assuming it works, now it's just a matter of hiding all the cables under the trim and carpet. There is plenty of carpet under that you can pull in between the storage cubbies where the jack is stored and the back rest of the seats. Place all the plastic trim in place. Make sure you place any tabs back on that could have yanked off.

Unscrew the 3 bolts on the plastic storageplace behind the rear seat on the drivers side. Yank on it until it seperates. Apply some sound deadening material to the back and sides. grab the straps that came with the hideaway and screw them onto the plastic. Get ready to place the plastic storage back on but first route the harness through the child seat latch and then place the plastic storage back on. Snap it into place and bolt it down.

Place the hideaway in portrait orientation and strap into place.


Let me know if you have any questions.

 

Has anyone installed the Hideaway in an access cab yet?

 

got the speakers but no time to install for another month tweaters were quick and easy so i did them already

did some deadening on the back last weekend, major improvement on the road noise

 

I wonder...can you install the material on the individual flaps of those rear cab vents to cut down on the noise that bleeds through them?

 

Greetings everyone. First post!

2017 TRD OR DCSB. I have done this upgrade (Kicker tweeters from ebay, Kicker 6x9 and kicker 6.5s from Crutchfield during their sale) and it sounds fantastic. Night and day vs the stock system. I've had it in my truck for about a week now, but now has developed a rattle somewhere in the driver door when the bass hits. I'm going to add the Noico 50 mil sound deadening material to see if that helps.

However, I will say this: MAKE SURE YOU FULLY CLIP IN THE DOOR HANDLE CABLE AND DOOR LOCK CABLE TO THE DOOR PANEL!!!!! They should audibly and obviously click in. I'm not sure if it has been mentioned earlier in this post, but it does bear repeating. I had a problem where I finished putting in the very last speaker, put the door panel back on, closed the door, and the door wouldn't open. It was like the door was permanently locked. After manually fussing with the locking and unlocking switch for probably 20 times while pushing and holding the switch toward the rear or to the front I finally got the door to open. Took off the door panel and clicked in the cables and it solved the problem. I ended up having to take off ALL of the other panels to fully click the cables in. Weirdly, none of the other doors had this problem even though they weren't fully clicked in. I suspect that in some vehicles, a little slack in the lock mechanism cable might cause a malfunction. Otherwise, this is a simple and easy upgrade. Highly recommended!

 

@smoses thanks for the tip

Also, could your rattle be the wiring harness for speaker dangling against the door frame?

 

If you seal up the rear vents you'll notice a big pressure change every time you turn on the heat or a/c

 

I just replaced my tweeters and I completely agree with you. I'll be getting the Kicker speakers soon as well to finish it off.

 

I know, I'm meaning cut out the material in the size/shape of the vent flaps so they still move individually...just have a sound barrier added to reduce the bleed through.

 

Welcome to TW....