Premium Audio Upgrade for less than $250

Shocking right ? I did the speakers that the op originally posted up plus alpine power pack plus the hideaway, sounds like I spent way more than we did I got my hideaway 149.00 factory refurbished

 

Both. Not quite as much on the inner.

 

That was my 1st thought. Why would we not use the component set 6x9 set and just wire it correctly putting the tweeter in the dash location. I was hoping to stay stock as possible as I basically drive the crap out of my truck and it won't be around in another 3 to 4 years. Still I am not convinced the stock amp can handle the new speakers. I really hate to go all out and spend 3,000.00 plus on a new system. That's what my 2012 VW GTI is for. Like Fender does to VW, JBL should also be ashamed of even putting their logo on such crap yet I am sure the contract with Toyota states cheap and light of which they accomplished. They should take down the website claiming the systems clarity.

System upgrade possibility:
Dash: Subaru tweets
Front Doors: Kicker 6x9 3 ways
Rear Doors: Kicker 2 way 6 3/4
Subwoofer: Rockford Fosgate Shallow 8 inch sub in the same box as the JBL.

Not sure if cheap JBL amp can handle the upgraded speakers.
May go component in front doors in dash.

 

I know i posted this in another thread, but for those who added the kicker sub, i'm interested to hear what your settings are for the hideaway. thinking mostly rock like chili peppers, sublime, the killers, floyd, etc

input level
phase
bass boost
cross over frequency
gain levels

 

Found this on another site. Info on the factory system.
Dash-Board 2.5" Speakers:
Speaker Specs:
--Resistance: 2 ohms
--Average Power from amp over a 1100hz range: 11.87 Watts
--Max Power from amp achieved at any hertz: 12.5 Watts at 600hz and 533hz
--Amp is outputting roughly 12 watts RMS at 2 ohms to these speakers.
Crossover Characteristics
--These speakers play down to about 250hz before cutting out and go up to 15khz+
--The crossover with the 6x9's start at 550hz. (6x9's start playing at 500hz, while the 2.5" pick up around 250hz. Both play between 250-550hz)

Front Door 6x9's Speakers
Speaker Specs:
--Resistance: 2 ohms
--Average Power from amp over a 500hz range: 26.75 Watts
--Max Power from amp achieved at any hertz: 30.81 Watts at 158.7hz
--Amp is outputting roughly 25 watts RMS at 2 ohm to these speakers
Crossover Characteristics
--6x9's play from 20hz-550'ish hz while the 2.5 play 250hz - 15khz+.
--Both play between 250hz-550hz

Rear Door 6.5" Speakers
Speaker Specs
--Resistance: 4 ohms
--Average Power from amp over a 500hz range: 21.27 Watts
--Max Power from amp achieved at any hertz: 24.32 Watts at 267hz
--Amp is outputting roughly 21 watts RMS at 4 ohms to these speakers
Crossover Characteristics
--None, these are full range speakers, they get 20hz-20khz.

8" DVC Sub
Speaker Specs
--According to Toyota documents this sub is powered by 2 channels. Each one operates at 2 ohms
--Amp supplies a total of 110 watts (according to JBL's website) to both channels so 55 watts RMS at 2 ohms per channel

 

These look like specs for the JBL system. The non-JBL system (that most of us have) does not have a sub or amp. The door speakers are powered by the Headunit directly.

 

Which begs the question: Is this thread about the JBL system upgrade or other system upgrade?

Also, Anyone try a component 6x9 system in the front doors and dash with the factory amp?

 

This thread is for any upgrade for our Taco's as long as it's close to the $250 mark (or less). I was just pointing it out that those specs were not the specs that many of the folks in this thread have. Just didn't want it to confuse others later on...

There have been a few suggestions on 6x9 components in here...so definitely do a search of this thread to see what has been done. There are also been some 6.5" component setups as well.

 

I’ve been through a lot of options on this thread.

First I did the Subaru tweeters. Great improvement. Installed a Kicker Hideaway next. Much better. Then I added the Kicker CS 6x9 3 ways in the OP. Sounded good.

Next came the Alpine Powerpack bridged at 90x2 pushing only the fronts. Holy cow, what a massive improvement. If you amp these speakers, there’s a whole new level of awesome everyone else is missing out on. Blended perfectly with the Hideaway. But even with the gains all the way down, it was insanely loud at volume 34. So I uninstalled it when I heard about the Kicker Key from Destin.

Installed the Kicker Key and ran only the fronts at 45x2, rear doors still on head unit power. The difference in sound quality with Key over the Powerpack is drastic.

I liked it. I liked it so much, I had to have more, so I installed the component Kicker CS 6x9 up front.

Easily ran new wire to the tweeters. Cut the front door wire off the tweeter harness and tapped in there.

Made a Metra harness and installed the Kicker Key amp in bi-amp mode. 45 watts to each of the tweeters. 45 watts to each of the woofers. You don’t need passive crossovers when using the Key amp, it auto adjusts the frequency cutoffs.

This setup sounds a ton better than the setup in the OP, which is good and I appreciated, but can’t compete with the Key’s ability to time align speakers and the built in EQ.

So my upgrade path would be this:

-CS Component 6x9. $145 shipped on eBay.

-Kicker Key amp. $200 shipped on eBay. You’ll also need mounting brackets and some wire. May be worth buying the components from Crutchfield.

Most people would be satisfied here. If not, add the Hideaway.

 

Am I understanding you correctly - you basically took the dash tweeter (subaru) and wired it in series with the 6x9 tweeter that way the KEY could control all 4 tweeters and both (2) door woofers?

 

Kinda, but the tweeters and door woofers are wired in parallel. I used the factory wiring initially and didn’t cut anything when using the Key. The Key really toned down the harshness of too many tweeters.

 

You're saying the original CS 6x9 3-ways (entire unit) is wired in parallel (woofer and tweeter)? Hence the tweeters had too much juice (or just too many tweeters - 4 due to the 2 subaru/kicker dash and the 3-ways in the door). As a result when you amped everything it was too harsh so you moved to component 6x9s - where you replaced the Subaru dash tweeter you already had with the Kicker component tweeter so the KEY was able to regulate all 4 speakers - (2 dash tweeters that were now Kicker components, and Kicker component door woofers?

Sorry still just a bit fuzzy - so it sounds like you swapped 6x9s from A to B?

A. Sounds like you moved from these:
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_206CSC6934/Kicker-43CSC6934.html?tp=91&avf=Y

B. to these?
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_206CSS694/Kicker-43CSS694.html?tp=91&avf=Y

 

I've got an SR so I'm not sure the factory HU is good enough to power the full Kicker CS upgrade that I want to do. I was looking at the Key Amp, but I've never installed an amp before. Any guidance or direction on that? I'm at a complete loss when it comes to amps. Will it connect to the factory harness? Guide me oh wise audiophiles!

 

That's the speakers I had and the ones I switched too, you are correct.

Yes, the original speakers are wired in parallel, or I guess you could say in-line with each other. If you remove the tweeter, the door speaker for that side will not work. There's 4 speaker wires in the tweeter connector, one set in to the tweeter, the other out to the door speaker.

There were too many tweeters for my liking with the Subaru dash tweeter and the 3 ways in the door. Adding an the Alpine Powerpack bridged made it worse. so I removed it. It was also very loud at volume 34 and above. So 90 x 2 with the Powerpack to the front tweeters and doors is too much if you're sticking with the Subaru/3 way combo. I'd say that 45 x 4 with the Powerpack running the fronts and rears probably sounds nice.

Then I added the Kicker Key. It balanced out the "too many tweeters" issue just fine. The Subaru tweeters and CS 3 way speakers in the doors sound great with the Kicker Key. I only was using the front amp outputs at the time, 45 x 2 pushing the front dash and doors. It sounded good, but I wasn't using the Kicker Key to its full potential, as I had the Subaru tweeters and door 3 ways sharing 45 watts.

If you already have the speakers installed from the OP, add the Kicker key, you'll be really happy. You don't have to change anything else out like I did.

So I'd have a matched set, I removed the Subaru tweeters and CS 3 ways from the front doors and installed the components you linked in your post above. I bi-amped them with the Kicker Key. 45 watts to each speaker. The tweeters run off the front amp outputs, the door woofers off the rear. It sounds absolutely fantastic. So each speaker now has its own dedicated channel from the amp. You don't have to use the passive crossovers included with component speakers with the Key, when you bi-amp components with it, it sets the crossover point.

The Key amp applies it's built in EQ, which you can turn off, but it raises the front sound stage and sounds really good.

So, It's not $250 or less like in the OP, but for way way better sound, the Components and Kicker Key smart amp are a worthy investment. From Crutchfield you'd be at around $380 for everything you need. If you want to create your own amp harness, you need the Metra adapters discussed in this thread and several other. No cutting.

 

https://www.carid.com/2017-toyota-tacoma-subwoofers/qpower-subwoofer-enclosures-1067951793.html

nice enclosure only $77.53 shipped. at least to my zip anyway. Just an idea.

 

So I just have the Access Cab SR, no rear speakers. I already did the Subaru tweeters and I plan on adding a Alpine power pack for the front speakers, still deciding on the speakers. Not too experienced in car audio but can I have have 45 watts go to each of the tweeters and then 45 each going to the the front speakers? Not sure if it works like that.

If that doesn't work, do you recommend front speakers that could handle 90 watts?

Thanks!

 

I have Kicker KS 6 X 9s in front. They handle more power. And KS 6.5 in the rear with a power pack. Your not running the rears in an AC of course. Mine sounds Fantastic. And I have the Subaru Tweeters of course.

 

You can do the Alpine Powerpack and run 45 watts to all 4 speakers in the front, you’d lose fader ability, but that may not matter with the access cab. But I’d bridge it and put 90x2 and use the factory speaker wiring. Also, the Powerpack seems to have a very faint chirp when turning on.

You’d be happier probably with the Kicker Key. It’s $50 more, but has bi-amp ability, auto EQ, and auto time alignment for your speakers. It sounds better than the Powerpack. I’ve owned both.

You’d have to do some wiring to bi-amp, but it’s very easy. Running new tweeter wires is simple in the Tacoma dash, and you can tap the front door speaker wire at the tweeter harness.

 

LtPeteMitchell, Since you stated "Yes, the original speakers are wired in parallel, or I guess you could say in-line with each other. If you remove the tweeter, the door speaker for that side will not work. There's 4 speaker wires in the tweeter connector, one set in to the tweeter, the other out to the door speaker." Does this mean if you buy a component set and connect it to the door speaker connection that the system will not work? In other words the factory JBL amp sends the signal directly to the dash speakers which are wired in parallel to the door speakers. If this is the case you would have to connect your crossover to the dash speaker wires as the input and then wire the door speaker.

 

I don’t know how the JBL system is wired, sorry.