JBL Premium Worth

The JBL system costs you $700. You can build a better system for that price from aftermarket components.

 

Not without screwing up the entire system which is connected together to the screen between the gauges. Besides that , the stock system sounds great. It's only a truck....Signal to noise is much higher than a Lexus or S8

Plus I don't believe for a second you can strip the truck of all the music components and for $700 buy and install a better system.....You may be able to make that argument regarding the Sub...But as far as I am concerned the sub needs nothing. It reproduces music accurately and can be adjusted more so easily though the truck's and even more so though the host device's EQ .
But it really does not need much at all.

Sound is subjective. More volume does not mean better sound. The true test of any Music Reproduction System is how accurate it is in all frequencies at low volumes. Professional Music is mixed at low volumes to avoid ear fatigue so it's important to have faithful reproduction at lower volumes.

But I get it. Accuracy is not important...Volume is. Dynamic Range is not important Slamming tracks at -2db using multi band compression is..Boosting bass far beyond the recorded volume is. U shaped EQ curves are the most popular.

The complaint I read from younger people re the JBL System (or any Stock System) is "it's not loud enough" which is telling.

 

I don't know why you think I give a shit about volume and "slamming tracks."

 

Not hard to figure out....

 

What's not? I couldn't care less about volume and slamming tracks (whatever that is).

Apparently whatever you think is easy to figure out isn't so easy, Tiger.

 

Why would adding an aftermarket sub & amp "screw up the entire system"?

 

I was quoted $650 for a decent quality system that is likely better than JBL. Plus a reinstall of my factory system if I decide to sell down the road.

I'm not that educated on sound, but I do have a great ear and place sound quality high on my lists of must haves. JBL is not that great. Friend of mine has it. It's one step above a factory radio/sound. At high volumes it does distort and there is absolutely no sound depth/dimension. So for someone who wants a very good factory system JBL is the convenient option. But for high quality, systems can be had for much cheaper considering the trim level you have to buy to get it.

Someone may laugh at this but I wish Toyota worked with Bose. Again some may chuckle but I think Bose beats JBL ten fold.

 

I had the JBL in my 2007. I passed this time around.
Honestly, the standard system I have now sounds better than the JBL. Much more fuller and 'real'; unprocessed.
Not to mention, the JBL would fart out a lot; especially at volumes below '30'. I had the TSB done to replace the amp with no luck. I don't know if they ever did fix it, but it definitely soured me.

 

Can someone please measure the tub behind the driver side in the rear? I know the JBL sub is on the opposite side but looking to fit a small JL shallow sub behind the driver compartment in the double cab.

 

I have the JBL system and it sounds ok. Is it the head unit or the speakers that are holding it back?

 

You probably just haven't listened to a quality system.

The difference between a high quality system like Bose or Pioneer compared to factory is night and day. Some people just don't appreciate nice sound or don't care so they don't find anything wrong with the factory sound in their cars. But there is an incredible difference. Just go to a local audio store and listen to the different sound systems. You'll be blown away with how crappy factory sound is.

Music should have dimension. Each instrument and singer should have it's own dedicated treble, base, etc. and should be distinct from one another. I'm not aware of any factory sound that provides that experience (which is what listening to music should be... an experience).

 

One thing that i haven't seen anyone mention about JBL....And I could be going on outdated information, as it was for a 2003 (?) camry with JBL that i was helping a friend with. But if I am correct another difference between the JBL and non-JBL setup is also the speakers. In a normal set-up speakers have a 4 ohm impedance, but the JBL speakers use a 2 ohm impedance. because of this, if you get a JBL and try to change the sub and amp, the new amp will have to be 2 ohm as well, or you will burn out your new amp and/or speakers. When I bought my 2016, I made sure that I wanted to keep the JBL, because it is not just the sub and amp that have to change, it is all 6 speakers as well. and that would be hard to do for $700.

 

this^^^^ I could not get the JBL add-on with my package. Not concerned at all now that I have the truck - picked
it up Friday and the system sounds great! Huge!!! Improvement over my 2011. I was told this system is Pioneer as
far as the speakers are concerned.

 

I was told the stock speakers are panasonic. Either way oh well

 

My info came from dealer so I'm sure it's acurit

 

I have a 2014 4 runner limited with the JBL system... best "stock" audio I have ever heard. Mega times better than the system in my 09 tacoma sport I had. Getting the JBL in my new one..... I am sure it is much better that the non JBL.

 

In conclusion : If your old it's ok , if your young it sucks.

 

Sweet. I'm old. Can't wait for it to arrive

 

Those who plan on replacing speakers, what are you replacing with?

 

I am not an audiophile so the JBL sounds great to me. One aspect I really like with the subwoofer is that you can turn it up loud and the side mirrors don't vibrate to the music. I traded in a truck that costs twice as much as the Tacoma and when I turned up the stereo I was in fear that the mirrors were going to break off. I guess this was because the truck did not have a subwoofer so the really low frequencies were coming out of the speakers in the doors.