Beginner Questions

Hello everyone! This marks my first post to Tacoma World!

I recently purchased an awesome 2007 Tacoma TRD Sport Double Cab a few weeks ago. I've been wanting to install a new audio system in it, but I have no idea where to begin

I know I'll need a double-din head unit, two 10's (I saw some people put them behind their back seats), an amp, and probably some other items. I am going to take it to a local tweaking shop that my friend had his Taco done at and let the pros do it there.

I was told I should purchase all of what I can before going there to save money, so here is my question.

Which head units (stereos) are out there that are fairly priced and get the job done? I don't need anything with navigation, just would prefer it to have a screen though, like a Pioneer AVH-X2600BT.

I don't know what some good brands for 10"s are, but if someone would be kind to vouch for a brand that they currently use, that'd be awesome. I heard some Pioneers or Alpines are good, but not entirely sure.

I don't even know what to get for amps.

All help would be very very much appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read this! Remember, I am a newbie, but I would love to dive into this world and learn as much as I can.

 

Hey OP,

Welcome to Tacomaworld!

Since you are new into the world of stereo's there is A LOT of information you'll want to gather before moving forward. The best thing I can tell you to do for now is to find someone local that does installs and pick their brain for awhile. I'm not sure what region you are in but TW has regions you can post in and ask for help. If you are in Arizona then hit me up!

Also check out the general FAQ section here which will help answer a lot of your questions.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/audio-video/6856-general-car-audio-faqs.html


I'll answer you questions really basic for now. We can fill your brain with more info a little bit at a time.

1. HU's - Pioneer, Alpine, Kenwood are all good brands. JVC (higher end ones) are good as well. I personally don't run anything else.
2. Good brands for 10's will depend on what you want out of them, and how much you are willing to spend. Are you looking to a bit of thump, or do you want a ground pounder?
3. Amps depends on the subs/speakers you get. My tip, don't go cheap on the amps. Lots of people get nice subs and crappy amps because lets face it, amps can get expensive quickly. Most manufactures that are cheaper will say "1000watts of power" when its more like 450watts of clean, usable power. Gotta watch out for those!



If you run into issues finding someone local to help you go over all of this send me a PM and I'll give you my phone number and we can talk about it on the phone. There is so many factors when it comes to stereo installs that you won't no about until you've done them.

 

Thanks for replying, Aw9d.

I would totally hit you up in Arizona, but I currently live in Pensacola, Florida. Hahaha.

I'm leaning towards that Pioneer AVH-X2600BT that I posted up above for the main stereo head unit. Does it matter which one I choose? My friend has a similar model (not quite sure if that's the same one) but it looks really nice in his Tacoma.

To be quite honest, I would love a ground-pounder for subwoofers, but I think something in the middle would be nice as well. My budget for the subwoofers themselves would be up to around $125 or so each.

How would I know which amp to get when I choose my subwoofers? There's so many out there which leaves me clueless haha.

Thanks again for responding! I appreciate it tons!

 

I'm running a Kenwood DDX470 and really like it. It's just a matter of what you like and has the features you like.

 

That's a good HU, its really just about features on the HU's these days. What you really want to look for is how many volts the RCA's send out. More the merrier!

What I always do is find a sub/s that I will be using, then match an amp. Once you pick out what subs I can help you find an amp. Budget matters a lot as well. You'll also need to make sure you find a box or build one that will work for your setup.

I actually fly out to FL a lot for work. So if I'm near that area I'll send you a PM. Again if you ever want to just talk on the phone (lot less to type that way haha) just send me a message and we can setup a call.

 

We can definitely guide and help you in the right direction