Music/Radio Options/Upgrades?

Should be getting a 2019 soon (fingers crossed). I understand it doesn't have Android Auto. I'd really like to have it or something similar. Music is pretty important to me.

What is everyone using to listen to music? Just plugging in USB? Phone? Replacing the whole radio?

Really would like a solution with Android Auto (wireless) and Sirius XM.

 

4400nex

 

Don't know much about radio installs. Do I need to buy anything else with that?

 

Best thing to do is go on crutchfield.com and check it all out it’ll tell you everything you need

 

Talking to Crutchfield and they said Android Auto only works wirelessly with Google phones (Pixel and Nexus). That stinks!

 

Time to upgrade the phone?! Lol

 

What does the 2020 come with for radio features?

 

I have a Samsung S10. Hard to believe they have't figured a way to make that work yet.

 

The 2020 will have Android Auto and Apple's Carplay.

 

That’s what I thought, can you wait and get a 2020 instead of a 19?

 

Not sure if it makes sense to get the 2020 just for the radio.... especially with 2019 incentives.

EDIT: "Not sure if it makes sense.." means my wife would kick me.

 

I will tell you the engine system in my 17 makes me want the 2020, but I don’t want the nanny stuff and the wife gets next new vehicle.

 

To each their own, but I side with your wife on this. You’d be into about $1000 to “upgrade” your head unit on a 2019, and you can bet you’ll get more than that in savings right now on a 2019. From what I hear, you lose some of the OEM functionality in the center gauge cluster menus when the OEM head unit is changed for aftermarket. Can’t confirm that though.

I was hoping for Apple Play when I bought my ‘18, but I really haven’t missed it in any way. I’ve used Apple Play a ton in rental cars for work, and like it’s functionality. However, the OEM wireless bluetooth works well for me. I’ve heard people P&M about Entune, but I don’t really use it either. For a couple a hundred bucks, I added the Taco Garage DMM, with the Hondo Garage Perfect Squeeze and a couple of Ram Balls, and the phone mounts perfectly right above a dash vent, so hitting buttons on the phone is no different than hitting buttons on the dash.

Just yesterday, I changed out all 4 door speakers to Kickers (I’d done the Subaru/Kicker OEM tweeters previously). All six speakers were about $250 delivered with all the hardware needed for the doors. The difference to my novice ears was significant and well worth the money. To me, the OEM Toyota speakers are crap.

At the end of the day, I’m about $450 into a setup that works exactly as I need it to, and all of my OEM functionality is still there. YMMV.

 

That's exactly what I'm thinking. After seeing the price increase for the packages..I think I'll end up getting a 19 for a good discount and adding things later on that a 2020 will have. What speakers did you get?

 

Already had the Subaru/Kicker tweeters, so I went with

$77 Kicker 46CSC674 6.75" 6-3/4" 600w 4-Ohm Car Audio Coaxial Speakers CSC674

Kicker 46CSC674 6.75’s in the rear doors and

$111 Kicker 46CSC6934 Kicker CS Series 150 Watt 6 x 9" Car Audio Coaxial Speaker Pair, Black

Kicker 46CSC6934 6x9’s in the front doors. Got the tweeters off of Amazon for about $100, and the 4 door speakers from Crutchfield with the mounting brackets and harness adaptors for $150.

 

Nice appreciate that! Sound is super important to me,always good to hear legit reviews

 

Fair warning, I do not claim to be an audiophile in any way, shape, or form. Too many years in a machine shop made sure of that.

Here’s a pic showing the difference between the OEM & Kicker 6.75 rear door speakers. It ain’t even close in comparison imo.

 

While yes, one is bigger than the other, you are comparing a ferrite magnet to a neodymium magnet. ferrite magnets are huge vs neos, ferrite is cheaper and gives a speaker a much beefier look, but neo will give you a more powerful field.

You are also comparing a stamped steal basket to a composite plastic one. A composite basket is a better isolator than stamped one, many high end speaker systems use composite plastic baskets or cast aluminum.

All things considered, the factory speaker has alot of the things that could make a great speaker... they just didnt build them for sound quality, more built for durability.

If they put a better neodymium magnet in, used a larger voice coil and used a cone with a little more mass to it, then the OEM speakers would be great. But, the cone is too thin and tends to distort at higher volumes.

 

Sorry man, I hear you. I have no doubt you’re right on all counts...but if the queen had a d*ck, she’d be the king! If Toyota would’ve done the things you listed, I wouldn’t have had to spend money to get something that actually sounds good, and will hopefully last as long as the truck. I happen to know a few things about glass reinforced polycarbonate, and I’d venture a guess that Toyota didn’t used it because it was superior (which I’ll agree, it suits the purpose well). They used it because it was cheap. Toyota has never been known for good quality audio, and I’m fine with that. They are known for good, quality, trucks which is I why I bought my second Taco. I can fix the speakers

 

Yes, if they did it would be better. My dads car has a OEM bang and olufsen system that sounds amazing, but im sure the sticker price reflected that. Toyota more or less throws in speakers as a courtesy to you.