JBL premium entune sound system: not very good.

Long story, but the new 2019 4door "limited" is a great truck. However the "premium" Jbl sound system is weak. Best buy sterio could NOT upgrade the amplifier. We replaced the "premium" speakers and that was an improvement. How can the amplification system from "premium" JBL be changed, added to, increased power, clearer louder system...???

I had a 2015 "entune" not premium, and best buy put a small inline amp for $75 into the back of the radio and the system was GREAT..!!!! (replaced speakers too..!!) but the added amp was great...!!!

So the brand new truck with the "pRemium" JBL audio system is weak, not loud even with new speakers...??

Any solutions for adding some amplification. I am not looking for Base, but actually more loudness which would be more in the higher ends of the audio range. thanks....

 

You need a PAC AmpPro.
This will create 6ch pre-amp outputs at the radio, and you can then run whatever amp you want.

 

This is the route that I went with my 2017.
AmpPro goes behind the existing head unit, and has harnesses that splice into the factory wiring.
Run RCA cables from the AmpPro to behind the back seat, where my new amp lives.
Cut the speaker out wires coming out of the factory amp. Ran speaker wires from the new amp and connected them to the existing speaker wires that used to be connected to the factory amp.

 

I have a '19 off road with JBLs and its the first car ive had that I didnt feel the need to go to the stereo shop on the way home from the dealer. Ive never had the volume anywhere near max but its loud enough for sure.

I could see someone wanting to upgrade for competition or so your neghbors can all listen to your gangster rap, but are you sure theres not something wrong with your system?? Maybe if youre "upgrading" at best buy you just want bass and not good speakers?

 

All I did was dynomat my interior and it sounds great. I really like my JBL setup.

 

As an installer at Best Buy that has ripped out several JBL systems, I can assure you that there are plenty of improvements that can be made. I’ve built far better systems for far less than the costs of the JBL package. They’re cheap paper cones, small magents, weak voice coils, and the amp powering them puts out the power of a normal aftermarket head unit.

 

I have a 2018 DCSB Off Road with the premium tech package, which comes with the 'upgraded' JBL speakers. I love my truck, but if there's one thing that I would gripe about it, is the JBL speakers. The bass sounds amazing, but the tweeter/trebble could be so much better. There's very little separation, and if I crank to max volume, the bass pretty much overpowers the highs/trebble.

If I had to redo it, I'd have not gotten the upgraded JBLs and save the money and do the after market upgrade myself.

 

What would you recommend as a course of action for people with the JBL speakers?

 

First, figure out what your budget is.
As mentioned before, it all starts with the AmpPro.
Then, figure out what your remaining budget is, and plan accordingly. Be prepared to spend over a grand. AmpPro is $240 alone.
Good 5-channel amp can run $500+ but you can get some budget models in the $200 range.
Component speaker set up front
Coaxial speaker set in the rear
Subwoofer and enclosure (or small sub in factory enclosure if you don’t want much bass.

If you’re happy with factory bass level, go 4ch amp and keep factory sub.

If you really want to step things up, add in a DSP.

Spend the money to get sound deadening material. Get good OFC power wire for the amp.

 

I’m glad I’m in my 50s. To me, My 2017 JBL sounds awesome. Jiggles the mirrors and the voices are great. I also like the high ends. Most of my peers are half deaf from not protecting their hearing in their 20s-30s.

My home theater with digitally tuned speakers and an over powered amp blows it away of course, but this is a truck, so I’ll just crank Van Halen and say fuck it. Helps to have it tuned in or at least good sampling rates.

 

To follow up on this - the single biggest gripe I have (and I'm stating it so someone can tell me if I've just missed it) - NO CROSSOVER. Even if you think the sub is just loud enough, or the doors sound okay, or whatever - the fact that I can't tell certain frequencies to go only to the sub and not to the doors kills any of the decent sound at higher volume levels. I like my bass to stay in the sub - not the doors.

 

Thanks for the variety of replies...!!! Im still in contact with my Best Buy dude, as he has done great in the past. I think i was "reluctant" to change the JBL premium system that i like the integreation with the mapping, phone, and all...!!! seems to work good. Not sure why the system is not loud enough, or more audio from REAR speakers. And i want to add a pair of speakers on the back headrests...!! Not looking for base booming, nor rap, but high end classical and German & European industrial & Goth musics which are the most amazing sounds to hear. It's next generation classical, that Europeans are all classically trained educations, then go from there for innovations. You all hear of Porsche..?? mercedes...?? bmw...?? some of the best engineered cars in the world...!! I'd like my JBL "premium" system to meet the high standards & quality of those German autos....!!! (maybe i should have bought one of them, but i like the tacomas...!!! hahaha) Thanks again for the variety of replies, as i will be looking to do something to improve the audio...!!! thanks, midnight

 

I still have the factory head unit, and lost none of the built in functionality including maps, bluetooth/phone, etc.

I DO plan on replacing the head unit and factory sub later, and will deal with the integration part then. There is a harness available that should allow an aftermarket headunit to integrate with the steering wheel controls. Nav and bluetooth would depend on the headunit that is being installed.

 

Didnt really bother reading your whole post and thread just interested in the H/U

Stock head unit have limitations that prevents you from blowing the speaker when you higher the volume, to have the best sound youll need to get a sound processor and amp out from there. Best buy tech are idiots. Cheapest solution is selling me your head unit and buying an aftermarket.

 

Just traded in my 2016 Tacoma Limited with JBL sound system, which sounded fantastic. However, the 2019 Tacoma with the Entune system makes me want to cry as there is such a big difference. Even with the premium JBL upgrade it is horrible. There is a disconnect or loose connect somewhere in the amplifier. It's as if hardly any sound comes out of any of my speakers except for the tweeters. Speakers sound horrible compared to what was supposed to be the same system I had previously. Radio was exchanged in good faith with another vehicle of the same system. Sounded fantastic and what I was expecting. However within three or four times of restarting the vehicle the sound went back to what it was. I have a disconnect somewhere with my amplifier but maintenance guy at the Toyota place does not hear the difference so basically I'm stuck. I've had the vehicle for about 3 weeks now and I'm ready to trade it back because of the radio.

 

Well said. Sums up this thread nicely