Decided to go Morel

Local audio shop offered reasonable pricing for Morel front speaker upgrades. They suggested that stock HU (2023 TRD Sport) should suffice now for better audio quality. (of course they said putting an amp will clarify the sounds much more). I'm not looking for louder sound or killer base but commuting time is when I listen to songs that I have to play at church on Sundays. I wanted a better musical quality sound for that purpose. I stumbled across a old thread that said running these speakers with stock HU will make it sound worse than the stock. Do you think this will suffice for now? or do I absolutely have to go amp or even adding a new HU. I know sound quality is subjective but wanted to ask. For reference, apple ipod makes me happy enough to listening music but I also have studio headphones for monitoring my sounds.

 

Well, it depends if you have the JBL system or not. If you have the JBL system, you will need to add an amp, and the footy amp will not support the new speakers. of you can change the factory radio and speakers. As for me, I would like to keep the factory head unit and replace the speakers and add additional amps.

 

just for kicks, i upgraded my trucks speakers first, then upgraded my radio. i had all the parts, i just did it that way to try something different this time around.

the biggest difference for me, especially on acoustic tracks, was changing the head unit out to get rid of the stock head units really funky eq curve. i tend to run my upgraded stereo's with a mostly flat eq-- if i'm not happy with the sound signature of the gear, i tend to change speakers before i change the eq--forcing a speaker to play what it doesn't like playing always ruins the audio experience for me.

i haven't installed my amp yet(bigger plans need to fall into place first), and i don't believe that an amp will really follow what you need, but do support changing the speakers, as well as the head unit if you can.

 

Yeah I don’t have the JBL so I will see how much of an upgrade it is with only speakers. Highly leaning towarss amps too though.

 

Better acoustic musical quality is very intriguing. Yeah, I think amp generally boost volume and makes sounds much clearer. Do you think speaker characteristic has effects on which music it plays best as well?

 

not so much the speaker effects the music, as much as the pleasure i derive from listening to the sound system--a good speaker setup will do most songs good, with a few really really good.

for a few years, i tried using the newer air motion transformer tweeters. on paper the specs were excellent. smooth frequency response, great off-axis performance, even the manufacturing characteristics were great-- a light, delicate etched folded film reactive surface-- which should inherently offer great high frequency response.

but as i learned in later years, reviews of AMT's are always that they're somewhat 'hollow', and no one can put their finger on it exactly. reading the output on a computer shows a full signal, but there's something about the construction that obscures part of the audio signal they're reproducing that just makes the end result feel 'flat', 'empty', or 'carved out'.. somehow there's just a lack of energy in them that doesn't exist with other tweeter variations.

 

Dropping $$ on Morel with a stock HU is insanity, IMO. You really want to be running quality speakers active anyway.

 

Hey, thanks for your input. Will putting in amp make it active?

 

no, an amp is really only part of the equation to what he's suggesting. an active setup means taking the audio signal from the head unit, sending it into an audio processor, which will process the audio to improve the quality, it also divide the audio up into specific frequencies, and then send that via different outputs to different parts of the amp to boost the signal before it goes out to the speakers.

it means a lot more wiring, and a lot more setup.

 

Just out of curiosity how much did you pay for the morels and what model are they?

 

They are Morel Tempo Ultra MKII $400 for the speakers (front two) and 2 hours of labor + mount (or other necessary parts for install) paying $700

 

Keeping the stock tweeters?

 

Oh forgot to mention, it includes twitters.

 

ahh copy that's better. They will all be powered by your factor head unit I'm assuming?

I would say Your on a great path. Eventually you're gonna want and 4 channel amp with a DSP I recommender the Dayton 408 as it's very affordable.


If you really weren't married to the morel's for 700 bucks you could create a killer system with an amp dsp, mid woofers and tweeters

 

Thanks!
What brand would you recommend? I can change the products until next week I believe

 

4 CH AMP https://nvx.com/collections/all-car...-class-d-4-channel-amplifier-marine-certified ($189)
DSP https://www.daytonaudio.com/product...gital-signal-processor-for-home-and-car-audio ($165 on Amazon)

Front Door 6x9 https://www.crutchfield.com/p_898GS...bB0SFQwMXRD5BFS9QMJsl-BjFMV_SDMhoCieIQAvD_BwE ($379) (Purchase from user Neiber on DIYMA.com he gives you dealer prices and it's shipped directly to your house from audio frog (they may only be 300)

Tweeters https://www.crutchfield.com/p_898GS25/Audiofrog-GS25.html?tp=68800 They fit perfectly in the stock tweeter location ($269) (Purchase from user Neiber on DIYMA.com he gives you dealer prices and it's shipped directly to your house from audio frog (they may only be 200)


total: $854

If you went with different drivers: Maybe look at some Dayton audios from parts express. You can get very amazing sound with a brand you may not be familiar with. The DSP with also help take the really crappy signal the Tacoma head units send out. They have a build in all pass filter so it really makes it hard to get good wound with our a DSP or Changing the headhunt

 

This is a cool setup. Thanks!! I will start researching now.

 

This was basically my first set up except I had the Hertz H8 DSP. But the Dayton is more bang for you buck and I own one for my wife's vehicle. I've spent years getting my audio right and I've tried and setups and many configurations!

Good Luck!

 

My audio plan, is the audio frog GB series three way active system powered by a JL Audio Vx800i amp, JL audio tacoma sub enclosure with respective amp (not sure yet maybe the XD300/1). I plan to keep the stock HU as I want to keep the SOS feature.

 

so happy that I was able to give you some guidance. You’re gonna love the audio frogs especially the GB series. I started with and GS and the eventually got the GBs and the in my doors I put the shallow mount 8” subwoofer they make and was using it as my midbass