Opinion on ********* package deal...????

Gents, I want more volume from my stock system, but I dont want to change my head unit.

I dont want to spend countless hours on Crutchfield looking at 1 million speakers and amps and wiring doo-dads and comparing a bazillion products...

I want a soup to nuts package so I dont have to mess with all the little assorted mounts and nuts and bolts and speaker fittings and connectors......

I DONT have a million bucks to spend.

I stumbled across this last night...

http://*********.com/car-audio-vide...-tacoma-double-cab-turnkey-packaged-system-2/

Can anybody give me feedback on these guys or their product?

 

Right there with you. I've spent lots of time doing the same. The thought of an all inclusive package deal is understandably appealing.

However.

You can do better. Those off brand PowerBass component front speakers cost a whopping $38 for the set and don't look to be carried by any reputable audio stores. I didn't even bother to look at what the rears run. Ok. I did, $23. You are buying cheap garbage. Sure it will be noisier. But that does't mean it will sound great.

All you need to do this yourself is a 4 channel amp with line level inputs.
Use the crutchfield tools to choose some speakers. Personally I've had good builds with Rockford Fosgate.
Where it gets slightly complicated is to get the sub input, you'd likely have to splice a line level input and run a sub or 2 under the seats with integrated amplifiers, something like: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_108BASSLSM/Infinity-BassLink-SM.html?tp=114

Note that eliminating the line level input requirement simplifies things greatly, provides better sound quality and opens up more options, like:
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_777B8PTD/Sound-Ordnance-B-8PTD.html?tp=114

After much research, I decided abandoning the OEM head unit was the best course of action. You can get more power, more features like front camera, larger screen, more configuration tuning abilities, at a cheaper price than trying to make the OEM unit work. My underseat subs are now plug and play and tunable via the deck without losing storage space. My integrated front facing camera, plug and play. Upgraded 22w RMS 50w peak is good enough for me to not require an external amp. I can plug and play to my XM antenna. Custom dash surround makes it all look stock. Only drawback is having to use a different blue tooth microphone, vs the OEM integrated unit. Really seems like the way to go IMO. Selling the OEM deck can also help offset the costs.

 

I just installed two amps, sub and new speakers to my factory hu. It was super easy and crutchfield includes all the plug connectors and brackets for a speaker upgrade. I have an access cab so the jl stealthbox was the most expensive part.

 

Perhaps provide links for the OP?

 

I went this route at first.
You can save a ton of money by just replacing the front 6x9's and rear 6.5's with a better brand of speaker and adding a clarion xc1410 amp like I did originally.

It sounded fantastic but I can't leave things alone so I added an aftermarket headunit and 2 10's a few months later.

 

Dangit guys, I was sold on the ********* stuff until I read all this. I guess Im going to have to do it piecemeal.

I have questions about this product: clarion xc1410 amp 1) will it fit under the seat 2) what are the sound inputs? Does the factory head unit have provisions for adding an amp?

Im not afraid of adding the door speakers, but Im hesitant to start adding subs and amplifiers that require me to splice into power sources and pull off existing audio wires. Its not that I don't know how to do it...but I really don't want to go cutting everything in my new(ish) truck.

Bottom line upfront, Im looking for about a 25% increase in overall volume. Enough that I can 'feel' my music with the windows rolled down while doing 75 on the highway. Im not looking to win any competitions here...

Please continue with the advice and component suggestions.

 

If you truly want plug and play OEM Audio Plus is another option
As for ********* I wouldn't buy any products from them.
But if I was you I would get in touch with @Mr Marv and he will get you on the right track

 

Don't go to taco tunes, you may never get the order.. If you do it will take months

 

What they said both on no TT and yes on Marv.

 

What I did was upgraded to 1" tweeters, 6x9 in the bottom of the door. Then 2 12" subs in a Marv box behind the seat.

 

If you just upgrade the speakers(no amp) you'll get a ton more sound. Our stock speakers are very low quality. It takes 15 minutes and you can get all the plug adapters from crutchfield. If you still need more then add an amp. Missy mid range speakers have a wide output range(5-95w RMS) so you can push them with your factory head unit, upgrade it or add an amp without having to change your speakers again.

 

Here's the stock 6x9 or of my door. Upgrade from this pos before spending$ on anything else. That might be all the sound you need after you hear the difference.

 

If you upgrade speakers alone you won't get any louder and in some cases may sound worse because of the really low wattage that the Head unit puts out and the much higher wattage needed for the speakers to really perform at best

 

I've done just speakers alone without amp and honestly the difference was so little it was a waste of money

 

If you are getting into audio read this
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/general-car-audio-faqs.6856/

 

If you get speakers and decide on an amp as well it's not a waste of money as you would be purchasing speakers either way. I agree the sound may still be lacking but if it's sufficient you save the cost and trouble of an amp. As for the higher wattage retirement of aftermarket speakers, that's why many manufacturers make their speakers run a very wide range of RMS wattage such as 5-95. That's so that you CAN replace just the speakers and that will perform well. Not as well as the higher output of an aftermarket HU or an amp but much better than a factory speaker with a dime-sized magnet.

 

The factory unit does not have provisions for adding an amp. You need an amp that accepts line level inputs (speaker level). Your run all 4 speaker wires from the head unit to the line level inputs on the amp, it multiplies the signal and then you run all 4 amplified channels back to the speakers. That amp does support speaker level inputs.

 

You can use a line converter to change your high input (speaker output from the HU) to a low output (RCA) signal. The converters are cheap and work vey well. In mine, I cut the speaker wire behind the HU and spliced into the converter, then out as an RCA, to my amp. Then I ran the speaker wire from the amp output back to under the dash and connected to my factory speaker wire where I had added the converter.

 

No longer the situation with them.

@tacotunesJosh

 

Here's a line out converter. It's small enough to fit behind the factory head unit.
https://www.amazon.com/Scosche-2-Channel-Adjustable-Lineout-Converter/dp/B00009UHRE