Factory JBL Audio question?

So let me get this straight.. if you want to add an aftermarket subwoofer and have the JBL factory system, you have to get an aftermarket head unit?? Can somebody explain this to me in easy terms Lol? TIA!

 

It ALL depends on what you actually want

If you want more bass, buy an amp and a shallow loaded sub, rip out the drivers side cubby behind the seat and put it there, and you’re done.

 

any line output converter will work with the JBL factory system right?

 

most quality amps are going to have a speaker level input anyways-- save the cost of the line output converter and just use that input instead.

 

if you’re referring to the audio control high end amplifiers then yes.. other then that most subwoofers need an amp and proper LOC (example: LC2i).

 

no, i'm talking about any amp from any brand

here's a selection under $300 on crutchfield is which generally not very cheap, but $300 is generally going to be considered low-mid grade for most amps:

kicker:
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_20646CX81T/Kicker-46CXA800-1T.html?tp=35834

fosgate:
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_575R2500X1/Rockford-Fosgate-R2-500X1.html?tp=35834

jbl:
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_109STA301M/JBL-Stage-A3001.html?tp=35834

kenwood:
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_113X5021/Kenwood-Excelon-X502-1.html?tp=35834

infinity:
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_108P300AM/Infinity-Primus-3000A.html?tp=35834

sony:
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_158XMGS100/Sony-XM-GS100.html?tp=35834

pioneer:
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_130GMDX871/Pioneer-GM-DX871.html?tp=35834

that said, there is considerable merit to divorcing the line conversion from the amp, which both offers the capability of better quality models for converters and amps, as well as offers easier troubleshooting and redundancy. but it's always going to cost more than an amp with built-in speaker level inputs.

 

okay okay i suppose you can still get a signal from the amplifier unit alone.. though the sound quality is lesser as opposed to adding a LOC to the setup. Right?

 

sorry, just edited my post slightly as you were responding.

*worth clearing up*:
personally, i've never used LOC's. i've gone to great lengths with my vehicles to always make sure i can replace the head unit with a quality aftermarket unit with decent line level outputs. so my 'experience' with anything speaker level is more 'spec-sheet-racing' and less personal experience.*



there is definitely an implied quality difference with standalone LOC's. the same as a "tv-dvd player combo"-- i can have a quality tv, and i can get a quality dvd player, but combine them, and i suddenly get a crappy tv with a crappy dvd player.

for a subwoofer application, i don't actually think it matters at all. a crap design is going to be most audible in higher frequency range clarity before it will have issues at the lower frequency ranges(think of bluetooth audio).

i seriously doubt anyone could tell the difference in a blind a/b test between a $5 Amazon LOC and a $200 audiophile LOC, assuming all the settings are left alone, especially in a subwoofer use. the real benefit to the higher end LOC's is going to be in their additional level of adjustments.

in the case of the lc2i you referenced, the benefit to that over a $5 amazon LOC is in the accubass processing, auto turn-on output, dual variable outputs, and bass knob input. that's really more of a 'front half of an amp' at that point-- i'd have to re-check the previous links, but most are going to have similar options, just labeled differently as 'bass boost', 'gain', etc.

the idea with the lc2i would be that we as the end user want to trust audiocontrol for the features instead of another brand due to expected outcome-- maybe their gain control is better, or the accubass(bass boost) is better, or the 12v auto-turn-on is needed for something else. really, the lc2i is more an auto-turn-on, accubass processor, adjustable gain control, bass knob add-on, and oh, i guess it you could use it for an LOC as well--sorta backwards from what one would normally read for capabilities..

but we're specifically talking LOC and the quality of signal, we need to ignore all of the additional features of the lc2i, and in that respect, it's likely not going to sound any better or worse.

important also to remember the phrase "garbage in, garbage out". just because one can use an LOC of extreme quality doesn't mean the OEM audio signal isn't hot trash either-- of course a quality LOC isn't going to add any trash, but it won't take anything away either.

semi-quick story:
i had just graduated high school, got my first job making money for the first time-- i was RICH! walked into a car audio shop with a fat wad, and told them i had $500 to spend on a 4 speakers(hindsight, it wasn't the smartest idea). i walked out with $500 worth of speakers--'high end' pioneer 5-1/4" REV series components, and kenwood 5-1/4" coaxials for rear fill. they all installed really easily.

i added a 50x4 amp at the same time as the speakers. from the first day, i always had a terrible tweeter distortion in higher volumes. i blamed everything but the speakers. new radio. not fixed. new amp. not fixed. new ridiculously high end rca's. not fixed. must be a low signal level. added a 6v preamp. not fixed. blew up the radio and amp tweaking things in all the wrong ways. new radio, new amp. still not fixed...

finally went full active in a last-ditch effort after blaming every component except the speakers. that's when i realized that the factory pioneer passive crossovers i'd been using that entire time were crossing the tweeters over too low. the supplied tweeters needed to be ran at 3-4khz, the crossover units were somewhere closer to 1khz...

i ended up with a really nice sound system after all that, but definitely not the way anyone should have gone about it!

point is, one can do anything and everything to the signal path that they want to do for 'quality', but the 2 factors that are somewhat out of our control as installers/listeners as well as tend to cause the most amount of headaches are the beginning and end points of that signal. sometimes the recorded material or the head unit is crap. other times, something in the speaker is a design failure. and after a lot more experience under my belt now, i've learned it's very rare that anything in the middle is really ever a problem, high priced, or low priced. i'll leave the 30-gauge walmart rca cable story for another time

 

If anything, I would skip the LC2i and go straight for the PAC AmpPro. This way you already have it when you decide to replace the other speakers and amp

 

if one was to replace the factory JBL door speakers and amplifier, the PAC AmpPro is mandatory?

 

If you want to keep the factory radio, yes

 

What I learned is that everything is 2ohm factory running off the amp. So it goes stereo - > amp -> speakers. So to add a new amp you need that pac amp pro thing to process the signal. My plan if I keep this truck is to tear the doors apart and add insulation, put new speakers in (6x9 2ohm woofers, 3.5" jbl on dash, new sub etc) and just live with the factory amp.

 

Be prepared to be underwhelmed

 

I have a 2016 Tacoma I am already used to underwhelmed.

 

do i need to remove anything out the truck if i plan to install a subwoofer enclosure, amplifier and LC2i pro?

 

Depends on the subwoofer enclosure you go with