Alpine PSU-300TCM

Has anyone installed one of these? If I'm reading this correctly, it adds power to the existing system via a 4 channel amp using existing wiring and adds a powered subwoofer. What am I missing here?

Alpine Electronics PSU-300TCM Powered Sound System Upgrade for 2016-2020 Toyota Tacoma 4-Door without The Optional Factory Amplified Sound System

https://www.amazon.com/Alpine-Elect...ywords=PSU-300TCM&qid=1578065170&s=car&sr=1-1

 

it doesn't use existing wiring but includes a tacoma-specific wiring harness.

for the price it's not that great.

 

I understand that you still have to run the amp's power cable, RCA, etc., but I wanted to ensure that you don't have to run new speaker wire to the door/dash speakers due to the wire harness adapter. $745 is steep, but you essentially get an amp for the door/dash speakers and get a powered subwoofer, with half of it being plug and play.

 

I have the same amp and a kicker hideaway sub. The amp doesn't require new door speaker wires or a dedicate power line to be run. It runs off of the power from the stock radio and pretty much just goes inline between the stock headunit and the speakers. The sub will require power and line inputs run to it though.

I'd check these thread out and see if you want to spend the extra coin to make it a little easier or if you don't mind making the harness yourself. If you make it yourself there is no cutting of the factory wire harness at all. Most people seem to favor the kicker key over the alpine power pack. I can't comment on how much it helped because I did speakers, the amp and sound deadening at the same time. So not sure how much each did on their own.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/kickercs-upgrade-with-kicker-key-amp-install-assistance.568985/

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/premium-audio-upgrade-for-less-than-250.510424/

 

Thanks for the info. Did you just use one of the Alpine Power Pack amps? If so, which one? I've already done the subaru tweeters and Kicker CS door speakers, and I ordered the Kenwood KSC-SW11 for a little extra bass. Then I stumbled upon this and wanted to know more. I'm really intrigued by the Alpine in-line amplifier for the Kicker door speakers. They rock with the factory head unit; I can only imagine how much better they'd perform with more juice.

 

Yeah, I just have the power pack amp (

$320 KTP-445U Universal Power Pack Amplifier

KTP-445U). It's a pretty easy install. Harness took me about an hour to make and maybe another hour to pull apart the dash and install the amp. I added my amp behind the dash. Plenty of room in there as outlined in the other threads.

I got a great deal on the amp (99 bucks) but if paying full price would get the kicker key. Same price as power pack but it has a microphone and auto-adjusts. Not sure how well it works in a car but my home stereo does this and it makes a noticeable difference.

Here's a pic of my completed harness. There's only 4 plugs to hook it up the stock stereo (the clear plastic ones at the top). Pull two plugs off stock stereo, plug into harness and plug the other two back into the stock harness and done. This can be 100% made on a workbench and no cutting at all of factory wires. I also added some spade connectors that you can see and those go to my sub (4 for line inputs and remote turn on).

 

Awesome man, thanks. I'll definitely be exploring this or the Kicker after I install the sub.

 

No worries and if you haven't installed the sub yet wait until you have the amp. The sub needs the same wiring harness and you need to pull the same stuff apart on the dash. No reason to make the harness twice or pull apart the dash twice.

 

Kinda what I was thinking. I may prewire a second set of RCAs and remote wire while I'm back there. Maybe some other future planned installs...

 

I am just installing this kit now.

The amplifier for the speakers, and the sub woofer/amplifier box are mounted behind the rear seat back on the driver side.

The door sill trim on the driver's side of the Tacoma will be removed to run the harness from the radio to the rear behind the rear seat back on the driver side where the amps are.
The harness is one cable that also brings the amplifiers power back to the radio.
That now plugs into the factory speaker plugs.
The other wire is the power cable from the battery thru the fire wall then to the amplifier/subwoofer box behind the rear seat back on the driver side.

All plugs line up with the factory radio, included in the harness is rca type connector if you have an aftermarket radio.

UPDATE

Everything is going well until i discovered the head unit plugs are different.
The 2019 smaller 7" screen radio has different plugs than the 2020 larger 8" head unit.
I have returned it to Crutchfield for a refund.

 

So, it’s plug and play then? No cutting or splicing factory wires? How is the fit of the Sub?
Is the sound worth the cost? It’s certainly much cheaper than the OEM audio plus!
Trying to decide on which to buy.
Thanks

 

Everything is going well until i discovered the head unit plugs are different.
The 2019 smaller 7" screen radio has different plugs than the 2020 larger 8" head unit.
I have returned it to Crutchfield for a refund.

 

Big Welcome to TW.

 

When i ordered the kit, it showed fitting for 2016 to 2020 double cab.
This has since been changed on the Crutchfield website, as we both found out the 2020 Radio is different.
If you go to the web site, you can enter the make, model, year, for the correct fit.

 

I have this sub along with the Kicker CS speakers and Subaru tweeters. To be completely honest I’ve contemplated going to a 10” in something like the Stealthbox. It doesn’t hit very hard and if you go too high in subwoofer volume it doesn’t sound particularly healthy. There is still something missing in my setup and I cannot place it. My wife’s base stereo in her 2016 Grand Cherokee has a fuller bass sound.

It fits great, installed very easily but I don’t love it the way I should. I don’t need to set off car alarms, but I want to feel it more than I do.

Edit: The sub retails for $299, the amp for $189. I didn’t pay nearly $150 for the harness to get this powered.

 

Thanks for the honest review! That’s the same setup I have in my truck and was hoping this would give me the bass I’m looking for.
I’ll look at the stealthbox then and see what it’s about. I like the OEM Audio, but crazy expensive for what you get.

 

What I struggle with is the $750 Stealthbox price tag. By the time I add in a 5 channel amp and wiring I’m over a grand. I think at my core I expected my 6x9s to give a fair amount of mid-bass and they simply don’t. The EQ doesn’t really work where I want it to be. Maybe it’s on me with my settings...maybe I need sound deafening, but I’ve got a Boston Acoustic setup in my Vette that simply sounds way better.

 

I understand. The Kicker speakers/tweeters sounds better, but still wanting a little more. I had the OEM Audio in my 16 Off road and that system sounded amazing! It was all plug and play and fit like a glove. I just can’t see spending 1300 on a sub, amp and wiring harness after already replacing my speakers. Wish it would go on sale

 

Alpine KTP-445U Power Pack: $190
Subaru H631SFJ101 Tweeter: $100
Kicker 46CSC674 Speakers: $80
Kicker Hideaway Subwoofer: $300
Total: $670

Best bang for buck IMO