Premium Audio Upgrade for less than $250

I don’t really know what the upgraded tweeters impendance is, so it’s hard to say. I would have to take a multimeter to the main harness to see the total impendance of the line. If they’re both rated at 4ohms, that means the amp might actually be seeing a 2ohm load, which would make it output a bit more power. While it is not “rated” for 2ohms, most good brands (kicker included) underrate their products. I have run many 2ohm loads on amps that claimed to only be 4ohm stable.

If this is actually the case, the amp is probably outputting more like 60ish Watts (granted, that’s at full volume on a test tone, and definitely not real world) and that power is distributed over the full 20-20k spectrum. Since the Subaru tweets have capacitors built in to act as crossovers, they are limited to the upper bands (2k+ maybe?) so a TON of power isn’t being used, and is continuing on to the door speakers.

 

The tweeter link above is an OEM Subaru. Is there a good aftermarket that you can plug in without modifying?

 

The OEM Subaru is made by Kicker and even has their logo. I don't think there is any other drop in. They sound great.

 

Agreed. You're not gonna find a better sounding, brand name (Kicker), plug and play speaker.

 

FTFY

 

I'm ordering all the parts now to upgrade the speakers (kickers in doors/Subaru tweet) and also want to order the Alpine KTP-445U power pack amp. Is there a harness I can buy that I can use to bypass cutting into the original wiring? I see in the products discussed in this thread at the bottom of this page (add an Amp Amplifier adapter interface

$41 Add An Amp Amplifier Adapter Interface to Factory OEM Car Stereo Radio System for select Toyota Scion Subaru Vehicles- Add Subwoofer Bass Amp etc.- No Factory Premium Amp- Vehicles listed below

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CQUL240). I realize this part will not work for my situation but something similar for spicing the speaker wires. Without reading all 146 pages of this thread can someone point me in the right direction. BTW I have the non JBL Entune radio in a 2018 DCLB TRD Off Road if that means anything.
Edit: If someone has a link to just the male and female plugs for the radio harness that would work too. Then i could just whip up my own harness adapter.

 

$8 Metra 70-1761 Radio Wiring Harness For Toyota 87-Up Power 4 Speaker

Metra 70-1761 and

$12 Metra 71-1761 87 - 94 Toyota Vehicle Harness

Metra 71-1761

 

Thanks

 

^ - also would highly recommend the Kicker Key over the Alpine unless you are wed to that amp.

 

Ok so I know this is a mod, but the part #

$12 Metra 71-1761 87 - 94 Toyota Vehicle Harness

Metra 71-1761 is saying it doesn't fit my truck. Just making sure thats the right one before I place the order.

 

@krshome i agree with @Nettleberger

 

The

$12 71-1761 87 - 94 Toyota Vehicle Harness

71-1761 is the male version of the harness. Most people are replacing the radio and need the female version, but as long as you don’t have the JBL system, it’s the right one

 

Awesome thanks for the help! I also decided to go with the Kicker Key as well.

 

Pretty happy with this mod. Didn’t notice much in the rear (that’s what she said), but th tweeters and front speakers are definitely drastically improved. Considering adding the hidden sub thing you people keep mentioning, as I enjoy getting “crunk in my whip” from time-to-time. Thanks OP and the other members for your help.

 

Yeah, the factory radio sends virtually zero power to the rear speakers (tested with a meter)

Check here for a thread on the Hideaway
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...de-to-the-250-3rd-gen-premium-upgrade.541375/

 

Did the tweeter upgrade yesterday. Sounds much better. I am dropping in new 6x9 and 6.5 next week to round it all out. Thanks again for the info

 

Build the jumper harness with the Metra parts, wire in the Kicker Key and be amazingly impressed - really feel like i dont even need the sub i have waiting to be installed at the moment the 6x9s, 6.75s hit so hard.

 

I just wanted to post a follow up on my speaker install.

Last week I did the Kicker 6x9, 6.5, and Subaru/Kicker tweeter swap. I also installed Kilmat sound mat in all four doors.

This weekend I logged just under 900 miles in 3 days and I rocked out to Ozzy's Boneyard and Hair Nation (XM 38/39) the whole dang way.

If you're looking to improve the factory sound on your Tacoma without spending a lot of dough, this is absolutely a worthwhile mod. I know there are folks in this thread who do this stuff for a living and who say you need an amp and a sub. I'm not saying they're wrong, they know more about it than I do. I'm sure that this system would sound amazing with those add-ons.

But for a guy like me with very little car stereo know how, but who still wants to DIY, and who's looking for the best bang for the buck - I spent just over $200 bucks and a few hours of sweat equity in my driveway and I could not be happier.

The sound is night and day better than the factory speakers. Whether or not you just swap the speakers or go the full monty with amp and sub, just do SOMETHING. You'll be glad you did.

 

Now reading the owners manual for the Kicker Key and kinda worried its not the right fir for this system. My concern is the Ohm rating after the Subaru tweeters and the Kicker 6x9' s are added. Are we still at 4 ohms for this? How did Toyota connect the door speakers and tweeters, in series or parallel?

 

Amp ratings are always “best case” and speaker ratings are always “average” so don’t let this freak you out.

I have metered many speakers that say 4ohm but might read 3.7, 4.3. I’ve seen some as low as 3 and as high as 5.

With amps, nothing is definite. If an amp says rated for 4ohms, most good brands (like kicker) can drop down to at least 3, some even lower. They can also go up to 5 or 6 if necessary.

You will have no problems running the Key amp with this setup!