Inexpensive sound upgrade?

^^ everything this guy said.

 

Cool that's kind of what I figured. I have a stereo upgrade sitting in the basement waiting until spring to be installed. I know it's going to be a time consuming affair though as I'll be sound deadening, swapping speakers, hooking up an amp & running bigger wires to the speakers. I didn't go with a sub as I don't really need any crazy amounts of base but wanted a better overall system. With all of that I'm expecting the sound deadening to be the most tedious part but it should be a big improvement.

 

Good luck. Running wire can be a bitch.

 

Well yeah there is that to look forward to as well haha. Running wires through the rubber door boots x 4... better have a good amount of beer and patience on that day.

 

A coat hanger with a hook in the end and some graphite lube go a long way in completing this.

My system is considerably more than $200 (that's not a boast, just a statement of fact), but I've managed to find good deals over the years on other systems, like a set of Pioneer component speakers on clearance for $40 that sounded awesome.

I've also heard the JBL systems in Toyotas before and they are no hell. Muddy and lacking in definition. Fine for my ex-gf, because she doesn't care, but I can't stand it sounding like the speaker is in the bottom of a five gallon pail.

The stock Toyota speakers are plastic baskets with a magnet that's about the same size as a Coke bottle cap. The plastic ones, not them old fashioned metal ones.

You'll need speaker adapter rings because of the oddball sizes that Toyota uses. If you have a jigsaw and some HDPE cutting board (cheap at Wal Mart), you can make your own by tracing the pattern of your old ones. A router with a circle cutting bit makes the holes much nicer, but they can be done with the jigsaw.



(The white board cut nicer than the black one, which seemed far more brittle).





I sound deadened the doors and the areas around the speaker adapter rings. You don't need to cover the entire inner skin of your door. In fact, 25% coverage is probably enough. That saves a few bucks. All products like Dynamat do are cut down on panel resonances. They're not a sound absorber at all.

What you also need to use is a vinyl backed, closed cell foam and glue it over your sound deadener. This absorbs the higher frequency noises. Use the 3M Super Trim Adhesive to adhere it to your door skins. The 3M 77 won't hold up to the mass of the vinyl.

My sub enclosure was about $20 in materials to build. Problem is the hundreds of dollars in tools required



My two JL amps cost me a total of $350. The Slash 300/4 was a demo model from a local store that they let me have for $200 and the Slash 250/1 was an eBay find for $150.



Anyhow, if you have any questions, I'd be happy to help.

 

We are still talking about stereos right?

 

i like this!!

 

www.*********.com as well

 

inexpensive sound upgrade

 

^^

 

I said:

A coat hanger with a hook in the end and some graphite lube go a long way in completing this.

You said:

This kind of wholly inappropriate comment is normally my domain.

Well played, sir. Well played.

 

Why thank you sir.

 

I'm getting ready to replace the head unit in my 2010. I can't stand the stock one. I'd like to retain the stock sub until I'm ready to change the speakers. I'm unsure if the setup I have is the JBL one or not. Do I need anything special to retain the stock sub? I was just going to get the head unit, steering wheel control adapter, and wiring adapter for the sound and power.

 

dude. thank you! Been meaning to upgrade the speakers in my truck.

 

dude. thank you! Been meaning to upgrade the speakers in my truck.

do those 6.5 in adaptors work for the rear door of a double cab?

 

Yup it fit my dc perfectly and its an easy swap. Just screw in the speaker to the 6.5 adaptor and you're good to go.

 

Do those adaptors come with some type of gasket so they dont rattle against the door?

 

Yeah it comes with this foam tape that You put on the door and screw in the speaker over them. It looks and feels cheap but they work pretty well.

 

awesome!

Looks like ill be doing a speaker upgrade soon!

 

FYI those adapors did NOT come with any foam insulation. BUT the hardware store had 1/4in wide 1/8th in thick closed cell foam tape for 3 bucks that worked like a charm. Those adaptors for the rear door worked out GREAT, i got the rear speakers in last night and once the fronts come ill do the fronts. I can already tell the difference.

Also the wire harness adaptors worked like a charm.

Thanks again man!