Audio upgrade advice for 2023 TRD OR

Old thread now, but I thought I would update it, as the information I got from you all here played a major role in my decisions. I happened to see on Amazon one day the

$930 Pioneer DMH-WC6600nex Digital Multimedia Receiver with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 9" Floating Capacitive Touchscreen, Modular Double-DIN, Built-in Bluetooth, WiFi and Amazon Alexa

Pioneer DMH-WC6600nex head unit for $800, plus another $100 with a coupon code. Considering it is usually $1200 and does not seem to go on sale, I hesitantly pulled the trigger. I also bought the iDatalink Maestro and all the suggested harnesses from Crutchfield. I also wound up purchasing two additional harnesses Crutchfield did not recommend - the USB adapter and the GPS/SAT adapters. I did not buy the head unit adapters, as people here said it was better to modify the Entune brackets (and they were correct). It took two days in all (though I did also upgrade some speaker wiring). The process though was basically: 1. Install the Maestro firmware from a PC 2. Connect the massive nest of wiring per the Maestro instructions (though I did not plug in the factory speaker wires as I was using F/R/SUB pre-amp outputs) from/to the truck, stereo, amp, and Maestro 3. Immediately update the firmware in the Pioneer (somewhat tricky; you have to install the Pioneer app on your iPhone/Android, connect it to your stereo as a HOTSPOT not just Bluetooth, register the stereo, and update the firmware). After all that, it worked perfectly, much to my surprise. It looks amazing, like it was made for the Tacoma. I also gained quite a few features I did not expect, like CarPlay display and control in the dash, substantial vehicle info on the stereo, zero issues with backup camera or steering controls, even the remote start still works. And the sound is vastly improved. That Entune really is hopeless. So at that point, it was the DMH-WC6600nex to the Audio Control LC6.1200 to Infinity Reference 6x9/.75 components (front - 125Wx2), Infinity Reference 6.5 coaxials (rear - 125Wx2), and the Rockford Fosgate P2 10" in the Skar (sub - 400 W x1). Since I made it that far, and I still had days left on the sub, I decided to go big and got a JL 10W3-8. I considered the Stealthbox, but they only sell the 2 ohm sub for that (the amp will only bridge at 4 ohms). Still waiting on that, but it went from a budget audio upgrade to fairly pricey mid/high-end system. But every morning and afternoon I enjoy the traffic now. Money well spent. Thank you again for all the input.

 

I think I know the answer to this, but a 10" JL sub (even a shallow) with 400 W to it will gain more from a better enclosure/placement/installation than simply more power, a second sub, etc, correct?

 

versus what? your current skar/rf setup?

 

I think I phrased it poorly. Would it make more sense to ditch the plastic bins and install a proper enclosure? Or would adding a second sub in another small enclosure be a better idea? Ideally, I know both - get two subs in a proper enclosure. I just remember having way more bass with a similar sub at similar wattage in a real box.

 

without taking up the entire back wall, i don't think there's space for 2 subs. you could probably gain a little with a better sized box on one side, but i don't know enough about rf vs jl to be able to say that it will definitively increase the output.

 

Old thread update: had a bit of a SNAFU which blew all my Reference door and dash speakers. So I purchased

Morel Tempo Ultra 692 MKII for the front, which has been a big improvement. I also bought Dayton Audio SIG180-4 6.5” Signature Series Woofer 80W Driver 4 Ohm for the rear on your suggestion but have not installed them. It was as close as I could get to the Nomex Peerless you mentioned (that seem to be forever backordered).

With speakers in the dash/front and rear doors, I've been running them all off channels 1 and 2 on the LC6.1200. This lets me bridge 3/4 and 5/6 so I have 400 W going to each sub. But the LC6.1200 would really shine if I could run all the speakers active. I've got an LC1.800 amp I could run the subs with. So, how much power is too much power with the 3rd Gens? Car audio place seemed to think I'd be fine with 2000 W with maybe a capacitor, but that seems like an awful lot of power on a stock alternator.

 

Really depends on how hard you're running it.