Premium Audio Upgrade for less than $250

how is bluetooth on entune 7inch? I assumed it’d be fairly good if you ran spotify “extreme” quality from a newer device

i definitely notice a huge difference going from standard FM to HD radio

 

Bluetooth quality is average for non-aptX heads (aptX is an HD codec for Bluetooth). It's better than cassette or regular FM. You could add aptX support if you're not afraid of a soldering iron, are willing to give up CDs, and have a phone with aptX support.

I use a 64G thumb drive with 256kbps mp3's. Lossy, but remember: it's a truck. That's enough tunes to roundtrip NYC<->LA w/o a repeat.

Sooner or later, a USB aptX Bluetooth dongle will appear, and that will solve it for good.

 

Bluetooth has a bandwidth limitation. I don't believe you would ever get the same audio quality as a direct digital connection and don't get me started on the crap audio quality that XM satellite provides.

 

If your phone's Bluetooth driver can use an AAC codec (Bluetooth 4.0 up, IIRC), then AAC files will stream at CD quality on the Entune head. Not aptX, but as good as a CD. I doubt that one person in 1000 can actually hear a difference, but it's there.

I transcode CDs to AAC for my phone, FLAC for Plex. Takes a while, but CD quality isn't horrible, and it's overkill in a truck.

 

For $35 of the 24sqft MAT 66 sound deadening I covered all 4 doors and it's already insanely noticeable in the change! Excited to do the floor and roof now!

 

Did you do the interior of the doors too? Also doesn’t look like you used a roller much

 

I did roll every inch of it, I also did the interior of the doors too! The roller effect didn’t really transfer much in the picture

 

Not sure if you're still following, but i have 4 kicker CS 6.5" speakers that i want to put in my 2015 double cab. How'd you get the 6.5" speakers in the front? Can you just use the standard 6.5" bracket, or you have to "lightly modify" the front door to make it work?

 

You’ll want the bracket to use the 6.5 instead of the 6x9. Works like a charm with no other mods necessary

 

I cant get over how bad the audio quality is from Sirius-XM. When i switch from Sirius back to sports talk (FM) its so much louder on FM. Really disappointing.

 

If you're strictly talking about volume, the radio uses different volume settings between satellite and AM/FM. For example: on an XM channel, set the volume to 10 then change to an FM station and set the volume to 20. Switch back to XM and you'll see the volume reverts back to 10. Maybe that's why your FM is louder?

Regarding audio quality, Siruis-XM does compress the audio to save on bandwidth, which will definitely affect sound quality. But i have noticed some XM channels sound better than others. Maybe each channel uses different compression, talk radio = more compression, music channels = less compression - I don't know.

I'm pretty happy overall with my Entune Premium unit and this 6 speaker Kicker upgrade.

 

I havent noticed the number change but have to check that out. But quality is worse for sure.
Appreciate all the info, just got the puddles and want to do some sound dampening and speaker upgrades while im in there.

 

Sirius audio is crap. They tried to get me to buy a subscription but when I asked what the broadcast bit rate was they refused to answer. Not spending money on crap audio quality when I have so much invested in the speakers, amps, etc.

 

I bought mounting brackets at Best Buy, no modification of the door.

 

Do you know the product #? Thanks

 

$20 metra 82-8147 toyota multi 02-up 6-6.75" plate - pair

metra 82-8147

 

Just curious, why would anyone want to give up the extra surface area (==output and low frequency response) of a 6x9 to replace it with a 6.5?

 

I added a sub

 

I pulled the 4x 6.5" Kicker CS speakers i already had in my last truck before I sold it last week. I was hoping to put them all in my Taco until i found out that the fronts are 6x9.

So for my case, I was personally wondering if I should just buy a 6x9 => 6.5" adapter (cheaper solution ~$15) OR buy a NEW matching 6x9 kicker ($84 + $12 adapter - hassle of selling the old 6.5 speakers).

Essentially I'm trying to debunk if the speaker that looks bigger will actually sound better and be worth the extra money.

 

What's the black mat on the door? Does that come on our doors already or something you added?