Looking to Upgrade Sound Sytem

I just got my 3rd Gen. Tacoma TRD Sport and I’m wanting to upgrade the sound system from the stock system to after market. I have found the speakers that I am wanting which are the Kicker CS Series 6x9 and 6.5 speakers with 1 inch Subaru kicker tweeters for the dash and my dilemma is figuring out if I will be needing an amplifier for them and if so which kind beings how I’m all new to Car Audio and power outputs etc. Also looking into a Pioneer DMH-1500NEX stereo HU.
What would be the best route to take?

 

I ran the same setup with a kicker key amp and stock HU.

It's a lot of tweeter you're installing, the Key's auto-calibration mode will help compensate for it.

As others will surely chime in, it's not the best setup, but it's better than stock.

Also, if you haven't installed the doors yet, do yourself a favor and install sound mat while doing the speakers. That makes a significant difference.

 

I appreciate the input. I’m not really looking for the best but better than stock is more than enough for me. Thank you! What are the specifications for the key amp?

 

I'm running the subi tweeters and alpine type r 6x9's and 6.5's in the doors. I have the non JBL head unit and it seems to supply decent power to the speakers, they have way more bass and it sounds more crisp than the factory speakers/tweeters. Wiring up a amp would be nice to fully take advantage of the speakers but not necessary.

 

50W RMS/channel, x4 channels.

Small enough to tuck behind the HU.

 

What made you pick the Kickers?

As mentioned above you're installing 8 tweeters. Why?

 

I have a Pioneer HU I replaced the stock sounds with. That supposedly has 4x50 watts max rms
I use the HU to run the front. I replaced the front door stock 6x9s, with a 3 way pioneer 6x9. I tossed in those subaru tweeters.
The rear...I run an Alpine Amp 4 x 75 watt amp wired for 2x150. This is powering two Rockford Fosgate 6x9 Power series speakers.
The Fosgate 6x9s are mounted in small cabinets. My hearing is shot already...I figured "what the hell...why not"

It's loud enough to smother my tinnitus!

 

I know most folks start with the tweeters but I'm thinking about doing a small amp first, then upgrading the tweeters and front 6x9's. That should clean it up well enough for my tastes.

 

I saw a video called Garage gear where he set up the same system and it sounded pretty good when all the speakers were installed and running, so I figured it would be a safe and inexpensive option. But I’ve also contemplated just getting the 6x9s and and 6.5s and not bothering with the dash tweeters

 

How much functionality did you lose with the new HU? Backup cam? Steering wheel controls? The usual stuff you have to set with the HU that has nothing to do with sound?

Been thinking about upgrading my audio stack.

 

camera and steering wheel controls still work.

 

If non-jbl I would do the little kicker key amp and then 6x9 woofers in the doors, the tweeters and depending on how you wire the amp you might leave the rears alone.

 

Update: I have gone to Best Buy and sampled three different speakers(Kicker, Kenwood, and JBL) and so far, the JBL’s sound the best to my ears. The 6.5s are rated at 180w max (70 w RMS) and the 6x9s are rated at 300w (I would guess the Rms is closer to 100-150) would I be able to run these with my stock stereo?

 

Stock stereo puts out 15 rms per channel… so keep that in mind

 

op have you listened to any JL audio speakers? maybe give them a shot

 

Mine is stock except for the tweeters & under seat 8" Powered Sub. No Regrats......

 

Here is what I did...and why I did it.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/my-audio-adventure-non-jbl.781174/

 

That's because JBL is a much better speaker than Kenwood or Kicker.. I don't even recommend Kicker to people I don't like lol. A lot of people really seem to like them on here and I have no idea why. JBL GTO's should play nice with your stock deck (as will Infinity's) but the way the stage is configured, there still won't be much of a rear presence unless you amp them.

That said, for ease of install, the Kicker Subaru tweeters are a nice upgrade, but the doors are still very lacking stock.

 

I started with the kicker upgrade. If you're not going to amp, it's not a bad upgrade for a few hundred. It's a noticeable upgrade but no where near mind blowing. To me, the music just sounded more clean. As with any upgrade that's "average at best" you're going to want more. With an amp, the highs are WAY too bright as others have stated. So might as well just get some nice components for the doors and dash now, that way if you decide to add an amp you're already heading in the right direction. Changing the rears without adding power is a waste of time. I'm running my front stage bi amped off the Key and I can't even hear my access cab rears running off the stock head unit.

 

I love my Joying head unit. Plenty loud with no amp. Run my gaia app straight off of it.