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2012 Double Cab Factory Speakers Upgrade

Discussion in 'Audio & Video' started by ciscotech2007, Feb 2, 2012.

  1. Feb 2, 2012 at 11:00 AM
    #1
    ciscotech2007

    ciscotech2007 [OP] Member

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    Thanks for your time.

    Searched and found some answers but not the ones I needed.

    Equipment: 2012 Tacoma Double Cab with Factory Non-Entune Radio (single cd, bluetooth phone and aux input).

    I want to improve the quality of the sound, but I dont want to rip out everything I just paid for, i.e. factory radio specifically, and I dont want wires running everywhere and amps and all kinds of stuff. Maybe when I was younger without kids, but thats different now. Kids spill stuff everywhere. I would just like to upgrade the factory speakers to mid-grade aftermarket ones to improve the sound, almost always factory speakers are paper POS speakers that dont sound good at all... and thats where the problem lies.

    Here's my observations I need your opinions on:

    1. Anyone just upgrade the front door speakers and/or the fronts and rear speakers with mid-grade aftermarket speakers and taco tunes mounting and wire adapters? How does it sound? How does the factory radio handle mid-grade speakers opposed to factory speakers (sometimes factory radios and factory speakers have special omhs and werid things that actually make adding aftermarket parts sound worse!)

    2. Appears the fronts door speakers are 6X9's but they have a special housing to mount them to the door attached to them so you cant replace with an aftermarket 6x9 speaker without ordering some taco tunes adapters or cutting the factory speakers mounting off and frankensteining them onto the back of the new speaker.

    3. Anyone upgrade the front speakers (and tweeter) with a component set of speakers (one 6" round speaker and tweeter) with taco adapters on the factory radio WITHOUT AN AMP?

    I am open to all suggestions but I am not adding another radio or amps or wires everywhere, thanks
     
  2. Feb 2, 2012 at 11:07 AM
    #2
    zeekevin

    zeekevin Well-Known Member

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    i am in the same boat. the sound quality on the non entune/jbl systems sucks. the older 05-11 had the option for the jbl package which sounded pretty darn good for a stock system dont know why they didnt offer that option for the 2012s without the entune
     
  3. Feb 2, 2012 at 11:18 AM
    #3
    ciscotech2007

    ciscotech2007 [OP] Member

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    JBL I had on previous tacoma.. not that good and sub... not that good. plus to upgrade that system you had to pull out everything, because all speakers ran through the JBL amp... so i didnt like the JBL either because it was highly restrictive
     
  4. Feb 2, 2012 at 11:45 AM
    #4
    mattg43

    mattg43 Well-Known Member

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    My suggestion, with your requirements...

    Without knowing your budget, the ID XS69 components.

    Budget and do some door deadening. Seal up the holes on the inner door skin.

    Rock out.
     
  5. Feb 2, 2012 at 11:50 AM
    #5
    ciscotech2007

    ciscotech2007 [OP] Member

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    thanks matt but please provide details on why you suggest what you did.

    Did you install aftermarket speakers on your factory radio without an amp?

    why do you suggest the XS69s?

    unlike many people who do things people tell them and dont know the reasonsing why, im an engineer, we dont just do things because people say so, we find out why :)
     
  6. Feb 2, 2012 at 12:28 PM
    #6
    mattg43

    mattg43 Well-Known Member

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    Fantastic!

    I dont run ID gear. I have in the past. No, I did not (and doubt that I would, at least at this point) install aftermarket on factory head unit.

    My reasons:

    1. bass is about moving air. Excursion and cone area = air movement.
    2. Lower power needs higher efficiency to obtain volume. Listed sensitivity is 93db (I would suspect this is 2.83v@1m, or 2w@1m, so the actual number is probably around 90db, but that is just speculation)
    3. Components, with a decent crossover, will almost always sound better than 6x9 coaxial speakers.
    4. With deadening and sealing up the doors, you are effectively creating a sealed box for the mid - will help with response and low end. A full dampening/noise block layer will go a long ways to quieting down the truck, helping with the low power.
     
  7. Feb 2, 2012 at 12:53 PM
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    ciscotech2007

    ciscotech2007 [OP] Member

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    thank you for the information.

    one of my main concerns about going with aftermarket, and especially components, was the fact that high end aftermarket speakers ($100-$300 a pair) and components (mid+tweet, $150-$350 a pair) require more power and thus it is already recommended to run them off an amp.

    Thats why I am considering MID-level aftermarket speakers, probably 6x9s ($50-$150 a pair), because they should be a better speaker than factory but require LESS power than a high-end or component model... but I am concerned that even a MID-level speaker will still require more power than the factory radio can put out - or worse, the factory radio will not match the ohms of an aftermarket speaker reguardless and the phasing and ohms will result in the sound actually getting WORSE than stock was.

    An aftermarket radio and aftermarket speakers generally play well together.... as for factory radios and aftermarket speakers... i dont think it's that easy. yes I could rip it all apart and start splicing away... but thats why i am asking here before i have to do that, thanks for your input though
     
  8. Feb 2, 2012 at 1:25 PM
    #8
    mattg43

    mattg43 Well-Known Member

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    A couple things you can do. I assume you have a DMM - take off the door panel, and pull one of the drivers to check its resistance. That will tell you pretty quickly about ohm-matching issue. I would venture that it uses 4 ohm drivers.

    Another option, is a very small amp, like an Arc Mini or the Elf audio version for 1/2 the price, installed behind the glove box. No wiring in the cab, no chance of a kiddo getting ahold or spilling on it, etc.

    Beyond that, look at the efficiency of the drivers, and dont worry about mid vs. high end. Often times power handling may be different, but that is not what you are looking at.
     
  9. Feb 2, 2012 at 1:35 PM
    #9
    Ronn

    Ronn Well-Known Member

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    One thing to look for is aftermarket speakers with a higher sensitivity for example 90dB. Meaning when 1 watt is sent to the speaker it measures 90 decibels at 1 meter. You will also need baffles to mount the speaker too. ********* does offer them. I recently installed speakers and got my baffles made by Mr. Marv here on the forum.

    You might want to consider deadening and sealing the doors as mentioned above. I wasn't sure at first but took other members advice on here and just did it last weekend. I couldn't be happier with the results. Check out http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/audio-video/173147-audio-visual-diy-thread.html
     
  10. Feb 2, 2012 at 1:38 PM
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    Aw9d

    Aw9d That one guy

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    The JBL package ins't much better. A crappy sub and some door speakers that have no high's at all. Almost reminds me of Bose systems.

    No Highs, no Lows, gotta be BOSE.
     
    Hawforne likes this.
  11. Feb 2, 2012 at 3:40 PM
    #11
    ciscotech2007

    ciscotech2007 [OP] Member

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    lol aw9, the JBL is a joke, it's decent for a stock system but they sell it like it's this premium sound package and after 40% volume the detortion starts and gets worse. yes its decent for stock but if you have heard any nice aftermarket system you quickly realize its not as nice as they sell and charge you for... and then you find out you have to rewire the entire speaker system if you have the JBL bc all the wires go to the back of the cabin to the JBL amp and then go back to the speakers in the doors.. what A PITA!

    as far as wiring behind the glove compartment... i still dont want to do that, because you have to still wire up the amp, then power it off a 12v circuit thats switched when the truck ACC system is on, then you have to use a converter from one or both of the speaker outputs to change to RCA volume limited outputs to input into an amp (although I bet there's small amps that can directly take regular speaker wire inputs and auto limit the signal and up the current to drive component systems... like mini amps specialize for that specific component situation)... but see why i dont want to do amps and wiring and converters and all that crap?... it just becomes this huge thing when all i want is a little better sound NOT from paper cones, but i dont want a full audio system with crap everywhere either.. doh, what a pain
     
  12. Feb 2, 2012 at 3:57 PM
    #12
    jackhart

    jackhart Well-Known Member

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    i think you will be sorely disappointed trying to get better sound from a stock HU by just trying to go with better speakers. most decent speakers require clean sound (defined below) in order to perform accurately. shitty sound going into good speakers = shitty sound. you will only get better sound by putting a cleaner signal into speakers that are capable of reproducing that cleaner sound.

    stop being afraid to add an amp to your system. it will make all the difference in the world. it's not hard and can be placed in numerous locations where it will be out of sight, and still easy to wire.

    also, 6x9's are perhaps the worst choice you can select for speakers. without going into a diatribe, circular speakers produce sound more accurately. separates (component) speakers will again reproduce sound more accurately than coaxials.

    do yourself a favor. go listen to speakers, head units and amps at a decent car stereo store. not a place like best buy, but a place which has a closed room with selectable combinations of speakers, amps and head units that will better simulate a closed environment like an auto interior. you will learn a lot. your ears won't lie.

    and by clean power i mean selecting an amp or head unit with a high s/n ratio. the higher the ratio, the cleaner the sound. don't go by watts although for comparison purposes you can compare "rms" wattage, NOT peak wattage. with better quality sound, you can listen to higher volumes with less distortion. as you note, the factory head units begins to distort at even low volumes.
     
  13. Jun 10, 2012 at 11:33 AM
    #13
    Voodoochild 2k9

    Voodoochild 2k9 Well-Known Member

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    Going to kind of piggy back off this one. My plan is to piece my system together bit by bit, mainly due to cost. First step is to install an amp just cuz the volume sucks on the factory '12 HU, especially the XM radio; CD and FM aren't too bad. I salvaged the amp out of my last vehicle before getting rid of it so cost will be low as well. So I'm going to use a cheap LOC to run the amp and drive the factory speakers for now. No use spending the bucks on an AudioControl unit, since I'm going to replace the HU later on...I would have kept my old Kenwood HU too, if it had bluetooth. It was an amazing source unit.

    Anyways, my question is this: where are the stock front components crossed over? Is there a separate unit in the doors or are there four speaker outputs from the head per side? And depending on how they are crossed over, are there any special considerations for setting up an amp to the stock speakers please let me know. I guess my main concern is if it is crossed over in the HU, I don't know how I'd get the amp set up. My next step will probably be the front doors, eliminating that issue. However, it may be awhile since I don't want to cheap out on them.

    I kinda want to wait until next year for the HU in hope that Pioneer puts in better support for Android phones or Kenwood adds voice commands to its bluetooth functionality. I like my little talky guy on my steering wheel control!
     
  14. Jun 24, 2012 at 11:22 PM
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    Taco818

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    http://youtu.be/8HovE7k0Bcc

    Got this from another thread, probably what I'm going to do too
     
  15. Jun 27, 2012 at 3:17 PM
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    Voodoochild 2k9

    Voodoochild 2k9 Well-Known Member

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    Unfortunately you lose the ability to control volume with the head unit or steering wheel controls.
     
  16. Jun 28, 2012 at 12:41 AM
    #16
    Wizzard005

    Wizzard005 Well-Known Member

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    have you seen my posts?

    http://wizzard005.smugmug.com/2012-...stall/20904823_pxS8xX#!i=1660214710&k=9SG5zNK

    also youtube:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnQuhGrOd6c&list=UU3D9DYajfgAQOZHPg8h1tYA&index=3&feature=plcp


    I hope this helps, its all very high end gear..
     
  17. Jun 29, 2012 at 6:49 AM
    #17
    Voodoochild 2k9

    Voodoochild 2k9 Well-Known Member

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    Check out the Helix PP50DSP on Crutchfield. Its a plug and play signal processor. No custom wiring, just a single harness that goes right into the factory harness plugs. It has software that tunes the system with your vehicle's acoustic properties.

    It looks like it's designed for factory speakers according to a video I watched, but it puts out 35W so it should be at least adequate to run some components.

    Its a little pricey, but I have to agree that you are going to need more power than the factory HU provides to get any sound from those components. Factory speakers have higher sensitivities to compensate for the low power of factory HUs. Aftermarket speakers are not designed that way.
     
  18. Oct 19, 2012 at 7:22 PM
    #18
    TacomaPete

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    I was looking into replacing just the stock speakers in my '12 DC, too.

    Looking for recommendations on speakers as well as whether I should get an amp too. I don't want to rip out the HU or run a ton of wires but I could be convinced. Not looking to get booming base from a sub either. Just want to upgrade the sound without taking up extra space with a sub.

    Not an audiophile but I like to turn it up without making my head hurt. Looking for loud and clear.
     
  19. Oct 19, 2012 at 8:29 PM
    #19
    Voodoochild 2k9

    Voodoochild 2k9 Well-Known Member

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    IMHO your thinking is backwards. The higher you turn the volume on the head the more likely you are going to introduce distortion in the signal.

    Think of it like this: the stock radio is capable of 8 RMS, and you require 7 watts to listen at a volume you enjoy. If you put a new stereo that is capable of putting out 18 watts RMS, that 7 watts you require is going to be a much cleaner signal because the radio isn't nearing its limits. Putting in speakers *could* exacerbate your problem. Because chances are, your aftermarket speakers are not going to have as high of sensitivity as the stock, which means they are going to require even more power to play at the same volume. Note - the numbers I used are fictional to make a point.

    On a practical note, I'd say putting a new radio in is a much simpler endeavor anyways. No wiring needed inside the vehicle. The soldering or crimping can be done wherever you are comfortable and then its just plug and play. OTOH, I can't speak to the difficulty of the steering wheel control adapter, as I never done one. When the 2012 install kits become more readily available, I'll take on that project.

    If you really like the head unit (I hate it), you can add an amp to stock radio, but to get the same level of control over sound shaping, you will pay a premium over an aftermarket radio.
     
  20. Oct 25, 2012 at 5:38 PM
    #20
    Beach Taco

    Beach Taco Well-Known Member

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    If you want to add an amp with no sub try alpines 50x4. It comes with a built in converter that you can hook to your factory channels for the signal. I have the 5 ch alpine (mrv-60) and it also comes with this harness. I say alpine because that is what I have used. I had a kicker 50x4 in my old civic,got stolen, went to best buy to get the alpine 50x4 and it outcranked the kicker by miles. By looking at the stats I noticed Alpine had a high Db sens #. You can usually run across the 4ch alpine at the big box store for 200 or online from 100-200$. No need for LOC. If you add speakers definitly add an amp, you will not be happy with just speakers, not enough power from head unit.
     

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