Premium Audio Upgrade for less than $250

also try turning down the input gain into the amp with your LOC and then make up the diff with the amp output

while your head is out unplug the rcas there, might as well rule those out as well if possible

i had same issue with my kicker amp and engaging the radio button, which is like a hi/low input pad dropped the level down a bit but eliminated the noise 100%. It was coming from the amp because my noise did NOT go away when unplugging RCAs.

 

id grab a set of monster RCA's and run them from the deck directly to the amp, you could lay them on top of your current wiring route to see if that makes a difference before tearing everything out. Pain in the but is going back behind the deck to find your RCA input. The gains could be the issue as well as mentioned. Drop them a quarter turn or less to see first.

 

I will give this a shot thanks

 

I have a set of monsters I use for my home audio setup thinking of running them just to test real quik directly from the head unit over the seats to the rear cubby where my amp is and see if it makes a difference

 

give it shot, may make the difference and save you some money if you can move the others to your home stereo

 

if you have dollar general over there pick up an rca to 1/8" adapter cord and try running your phone into the amp. start volume way down and ramp up.

 

That box ended up looking great. Any pics of it installed and how does it sound? Which amp did you run to it?

 

diy 4awg fuse box cost 25 bucks to make 100% waterproof, might put a ghetto LED in it.
sprayed it with bedliner too so has cool textured feel and is bolted on lid of oem box, which is still accessible.

The locking grommets are nice, they hold the cable secure. There’s room for a second heavy duty fuse for another future amp.

 

For anyone interested in taking this system to the next level, I installed an amp under the passenger seat and the sound is unbelievably crisp, clear, and loud. A crimping tool and potentially a soldering iron are the only specific tools you will need. I am not sure if someone has posted this somewhere, but I figured I'd share my method.

What you need:

Amp ($150): https://www.amazon.com/JBL-GX-A604-435W-4-Channel-Amplifier/dp/B00I5WEB8C/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3PQUS2PWJ4IIK&dchild=1&keywords=jbl+gxa604&qid=1615218895&sprefix=jbl+gxa%2Caps%2C184&sr=8-1

Speaker Wire ($18):

$19 InstallGear 14 Gauge Speaker Wire 100 ft Cable, 14 AWG Speaker Wire Cable, True Spec Soft Touch Cables | Great use for Car Audio, Stereos, Home Theater Speakers, Surround Sound

https://www.amazon.com/InstallGear-...ords=speaker+wire&qid=1615218702&sr=8-2-spons

Line output converters ($35) : https://www.amazon.com/Rockford-RFHLC-Speaker-Signal-Adapter/dp/B009VTDVMU/ref=sr_1_14?crid=2CL23TDYJUSIH&dchild=1&keywords=line+output+converter&qid=1615218749&sprefix=line+outp%2Caps%2C181&sr=8-14

RCA cables ($8) :

$10 InstallGear 12ft Shielded RCA Splitter 2 Female to 2 Male Y Adapter | RCA Y Splitter for Audio, Auto | RCA Y Adapter, RCA Splitter 2 Female 2 Male

https://www.amazon.com/InstallGear-...rds=rca+cable+two+pack&qid=1615218819&sr=8-20

Amp Wiring Kit ($24):

$28 BOSS Audio Systems KIT2 8 Gauge Complete Car Amplifier Installation Wiring Kit with Power Cables, Ground Cables, Turn-On Wire, Speaker Wire, Terminals

https://www.amazon.com/BOSS-Audio-A...keywords=amp+wiring+kit&qid=1615218979&sr=8-4

Butt Connectors ($20):

$19 TICONN 200PCS Heat Shrink Butt Wire Connector Kit, Insulated Waterproof Electrical Wire Crimp Terminals Butt Splice for Marine Automotive (200PCS)

https://www.amazon.com/TICONN-Conne...=crimp+connectors&qid=1615219030&sr=8-2-spons


Front Speakers:


Rear Speakers (in blue connector) (double check this before wiring, I am going off memory):
Black: Rear Left Positive
White: Rear Left Negative
Blue: Rear Right Positive
Green: Rear Right Negative


1: Remove negative battery lead
2: Run power cord from battery to amp with inline fuse
3: Remove head unit and connect line output converters to speaker wire coming out of head unit (butt connectors)
4: Run RCA cords to amp (don't run these next to the power cord, you'll get noise in your sound system)
5: Connect 12+ feet of speaker wire to every speaker wire going from behind the head unit to speakers (label end of wire FL, FR, RL, RR)
6: Run Speaker wire to amp and connect it
7: Splice a remote turn on wire into small solid gray switched ign cord and run it to the amp 'Remote' input (use a wire nut or butt connector)
8: Run ground wire from amp to a bolt on the car frame (scratch off any paint to get a good connection)
9: Reconnect negative battery lead and test system (set gain so at max volume the system is as loud as you would ever want it and it sounds good)
10: Make everything look nice

Final Result:

Let me know if you have questions!

 

Thanks for this! Definitely will come in handy! The only thing stopping me is if I do this I’m going to end up getting a sub or two, and I’ll be broker then I already am. Hahaha

 

Tell me about it, I opened up a can of worms doing the $250 upgrade.

You could always wire in a 5 channel amp using 4 gauge wire for the power, and then easily add a sub whenever the time came.

 

I like it!

 

I am looking to go this route. I am planning on using a 4 channel amp as well, and I have a question that may be silly (new to this). When using line output converter to the amp, do you need two? one for the front speakers and one for the back? Or does it only require one? I want to keep my stock HU.

 

In my setup I am only using 1x line out converter from the front speakers splitting into a 4 channel amp. It seems on the stereos in the Taco the output to rear speakers is about 30% compared to the front speakers. This way I get even output to all 4 speakers.

 

what did you do with the tweeters?

 

first of all
2021 TRD off-road non JBL
Here’s all the crap I bought! benched tested everything! and place an oversized sub on my kids car seat to test.
alpine 5’channel
kenwood 5’channel
kicker comp Vr 10 sub
lc6i
50 square feet of sound deadening material. way too much.

still waiting for my harness and 10” box for TicoTunes

still
neeed to order 6x9 front Kickers/crutchfield of course
need to order that new stupid different rear speakers harness? has anyone simply just spliced on here? I’m never going to change the rear speakers again
need to order a roller to install sound deadening

problem is I cant fit any
of the amps under drivers seat due to power seats!

 

I guess you could use one Line Output Converter and use an RCA splitter to go into the AMP? I am guessing that is what oostroma did. I think you would lose the ability to mess with front/back settings on the sound adjustment screen. Not a huge deal but I tried to do everything in a way that if I sold the car to a dealership, they wouldn't know anything was different until it was too late

You don't have to worry about the tweeters, they are hooked up to the front speakers with an inline crossover. If you were to run all new speaker wire to each speaker, you would need to buy a high-pass crossover for the tweeters. The Kicker Subaru tweeters are wired in a way where if you cut the black and red wires in order to splice in your own speaker wiring, you would bypass the crossover. But TLDR, the door speaker and its respective tweeter is 1 channel.

 

Just re-upgraded my stereo. Front & Rear Kicker speakers. Sounds Tits! I also added Nioco aluminum sound deadening sheets to the entire inner door skins on all 4 doors. I notice a difference- really cuts out road noise and speakers sound great- improved bass

 

Now i have this full set of Rockford Fosgate for sale that sound great too. A def upgrade over factory. $40 for the set of four.
No issues at all. Come mounted on brackets ready for plug ‘n play swap.
Located in Lafayette, Ca. Sf east bay area. Local pick up only

 

I just swapped my factory tweeters for the oem Subaru/ kicker replacements. i didnt think it would be an overwhelming improvement. but i figured anything would probably be better than the factory tweeters.

its incredible the difference the new tweeters make. now i want to swap out the other 4 speakers!!!!!