Premium Audio Upgrade for less than $250

Bottom left for pwr and volume; Bottom right is tune/scroll

 

You should have the 7” screen

 

Thank you!

 

So the negative terminal snapped off my speaker as I was putting on the harness Crutchfield provided.

Lucky me.

Has this happened to anyone else?
I guess I have to contact Crutchfield and see what can be done. This is incredibly frustrating.

 

Wow! I’ve installed literally hundreds of the Kicker CS series and never seen that happen! If you have a soldering iron, that’s the easiest fix. If not, you’re waiting on a return/exchange from Crutchfield.

 

Yeah I was disappointed at how quickly and easily the terminal snapped off. I don't own a soldering iron, so luckily Crutchfield was more than willing to exchange the speaker and will rush the shipping at no extra cost.

I did however continue to work on my tacoma and installed the rear speakers. Pretty straight forward install however the speaker mounting bracket that Crutchield provided was not a perfect fit, so after a few minutes and determination I was able to get all three screws on fine.

Also struggled with putting the driver rear door panel back on, I was worried that I might've screwed up with lock latches but everything worked out in the end.

Hard to tell how the speakers sound right now since the front two speakers are still factory, but for now I'm just glad I have 4 of the 6 speakers installed.

Also is there any harm in just replacing the rear speakers for now? That is until I get my replacement 6x9 from Crutchfield and install the two front speakers?

 

No harm in replacing just the rears.
And it will be hard to notice a difference in the rears only. The radio severely under-powers the rear speakers (as they do in most vehicles) so it’s hard to see a difference when they’re only getting a few watts of power.

 

I've noticed that you really seem to know your stuff with car audio and appreciate all your feedback on this giant thread.

I used to work doing stereo installations years ago but have lost the patience and skillset behind it. I know down the line that I'll probably want more power behind these speakers. What do you know about the kicker key amp (or the hideaway?) and would you recommend it for these speakers?

I'm not sure I'd consider a small sub anytime soon, since I don't want to sacrifice the storage behind the backseats, but if I stay on this thread long enough that could easily change.

 

I love the Key. I got my hands on one for a client as soon as they released it and have done at least 20 since then. Good power, the auto-EQ makes a world of difference for those who want to keep the factory radio. The install is easy. I’ve been very happy with them for the $200 price tag and the ease of install.

The Hideaway is a self-contained powered subwoofer, that is very popular here on the forums. I personally wouldn’t use one, but that’s because I like more bass than it can provide. There are lots of threads from folks who love theirs so if you just need a little extra kick, it does it well.

 

In your opinion do you think the bass is adequate with the Key?

 

Ehh, not really. Upgrading your fronts to a good 6x9 component set and your rears to good 6.5”s and doing some sound deadening can get you more bass than stock for sure. But it’s nowhere near enough for me

But keep in mind, I do car stereos for a living. I’m somewhat picky, and occasionally I want a kick in the pants.

Upgrade the speakers, add the key, and see how you like it. If you want more, add more. If you’re happy, stay where you’re at.

 

Agreed. I replaced Tweets, front and rear, and installed dynamat in process while panels off. Really disappointed with the results overall, but I can honestly tell you the speakers are night and day difference in the truck. I will def be getting a new head unit. Now to decide, which has built in amp or, if I get a nice one and add an amp, not sure if will need Sub after but we'll see... MO Money, Mo Money, Mo Money!!!

 

haha yea after i installed the tweeters i didnt continue to the door speakers cause i didnt see a that "major" difference in the sound everyone claimed about he tweeters. Maybe its a mental thing. You do see the quality of the tweeters are better than stock but the sound isnt anything really different

 

Yeah, unfortunately most differences in sound come from power. Same power = same sound. Aftermarket speakers handle the same power better, but they cant create power on their own. But for those happy with just swapping the speakers, I'm glad they get their money worth! Everyone's ears (and expectations) are different so I'm happy folks are satisfied with the speaker-only results!

 

Hello,

New member here with a 2017 Tacoma.

Question about the Subaru tweeters. Does anyone know what the power rating is? I would like to use them with a 50W per channel amp. Is this doable?

Thanks in advance

 

75w rms, 150w max

 

Completed the Kicker install over the weekend.

Overall I'm satisfied with the sound quality so far, however as others have said, the deep bass is really missing. I know a few people have said that the speakers do need time to break in but I'm pretty stoked with the improvement already.

I will probably look into the kicker key amp down the line, but need to do more research on that. Plus this forum in general is not healthy for my bank account, so I need to save for that later.

 

Aww come on! It's only $200! One of the cheapest mods you can do on a taco!

 

LOL True. Might've been all the convincing I needed.

I don't trust myself to install the amp though. Is the amp usually installed behind the factory head unit or glove compartment? Which option is recommended?

 

Under a seat. I installed under the driver seat for air circulation. IIRC instructions call for 4 inches sides and top for cooling.