Speaker and audio upgrades for 2023 DC

For anyone considering upgrading to the awesome Subaru KICKER tweeters (

$119 H631SFJ101 - Genuine OEM

H631SFJ101) there is a 20% coupon code (HDY22) available to use at subarupartswarehouse.com. They are great speakers and I have used them in 3 Tacomas. The total price is now $75 including tax. There may be a shipping or pickup handling charge added at checkout.

 

Well been digging into my 2023 tacoma's radio settings,
what I found is there is no HD radio or any option for HD radio.
What I got is the 2023 tacoma trd sport double cab with the 6 foot bed
I generally listen to audiobooks when I drive so sound is well not a big deal!
Today driving around and, what the heck listen to the radio, coming from a 06 mustang gt with twin amps and a sub, this tacoma
is a turd in the radio department! compared to the mustang!!
https://www.extremeterrain.com/2016-tacoma-audio-cb-equipment.html
https://trailgridpro.com/shop/tacoma-accessories/
https://stingerelectronics.com/products/sr-tac16h

As for kicker speaker that was the first set that went into the mustang recommended from Crutchfield they sounded crappy!
15 years maybe kicker has gotten better?
are the Subaru tweeters the best?
the only thing about buying online is you can't hear what you are buying.

So if you replace the head unit how do you keep your backup camera and keep your steering wheel controls and all the other functions?

Can you get a good HU and speakers and get better sound then stock with out buying amps and subs and amps for the speakers??

Bill

 

I do not claim to be an audiophile. I do have a 12" Klipsh sub and Omega high dollar floor speakers on my 600 watt 6 channel garage man cave surround unit. DVD concerts or movies rock the block when I am in a cranking mood. My daily driver has an awesome 9 speaker stock SONY unit with a stock sub. My 2016 Sport access cab had the non JBL entune premium sound with HD radio. The radio was sub par as were the stock speakers. Changing the front, rear and tweeters, to Kickers, greatly improved the sound and the bass but certainly not the bass a sub would generate. Using primarily usb music, on a thumb drive, made that stock hu come alive. I was extremely satisfied at the sound:cost ratio. The only radio source that provided decent sound was xm sat radio. Nothing local over the air sounded good. Taking lessons learned I duplicated the speaker setup in my 2012 SR5 access cab and then in my 2008 TRD Off Road access cab. The results on the original 2nd gen head units made them better but not as upgrading as on the 2016. I then bought an Atoto budget android head unit for the 2008 with a full range of sound settings. Now I have clear loud bass-rich sound, as well as rear camera and wifi, in my 2008. It has the option for steering wheel controls however my steering wheel does not have the controls. My rear camera is an aftermarket that is 12 volts. The rear camera in the 2012 is 6 volts in the rearview mirror. Not sure if the 3rd gens use 6 or 12 volt stock cameras, 6 volt cameras are not direct plug and play on 12 volt head units. I have around $400 in my 2008 Tacoma system and I do not need a sub. It is one of the best sounding systems I have had in my nearly 50 years of upgrading car stereo systems. Is Kicker the best ? Don't know. Don't care. I am completely satisfied.

 

You lose no functions if the HU is replaced with the supporting devices.
A list of what is needed can be added to your cart at crutchfield.com with a single click.
Total cost is in the 200$ area for the additional parts. I haven't been on crutchfield in a while so this may vary.
Not all speakers or amps are created equal, but that's way too much additional info for this response.

 

Just like this. Check the websight for more info...

 

Also, most speakers need power to sound as well as they can. Yes, you can underpowered a speaker. So, from just a HU you may not get the sound your looking for.
But decent, clean power can be found for relatively cheap.

 

Ok Thanks guys
I really do not want to go down the road of adding Amps and subs. But this Tacoma is my last new truck buy and, at 62 I am not in need of the everything rattling sound system the speakers yes as this is not the JLB system I think the stock speakers are well ok but junk.
I do like the stock HU but ?? it is lacking!
what about these speakers

$89 JBL GX963 300W 6" X 9" 3-Way GX Series Coaxial Car Loudspeakers (Pair of 2, 600W Total),black

https://www.amazon.com/JBL-GX963-3-...d_r=9f051701-3510-4709-aa8f-c1795123b9f4&th=1

$70 JBL GX328 3-1/2" Coaxial Car Audio Loudspeakers

https://www.amazon.com/JBL-GX328-Co...&pd_rd_r=1b494e0e-93a0-4b74-80f3-be7ab13d0df8

not to sure about the tweeters the Subaru one's ??

as for the head unit I have always been fond of Pioneer or Kenwood

 

There a basically two options. You can do the research to find which one is more your speed financially and doability.
1) Add a line out converter (LOC) and retain your factory HU. You will want to also add a 4 channel amp as the o.e. HU power is around 7 watts per channel.
2) Replace the o.e. HU with one of your choice.
Probably Stull gonna want at least a 50 watter per channel amp for any sound quality.
The non JBL Tacoma is one of the worst o.e. radio set ups I've ever heard. They definitely put their money in other places, understandably

 

If you don't plan on adding more power either with a separate amp or replacing the head unit I wouldn't bother with the door speakers. Just do the tweeters and be done.

Aftermarket speakers don't really make an improvement (to my ears and music genre) without more power.

 

I kept the stock head unit, it used to max at volume 43 as in it just didn't get louder after that and was a little distorted even at 40

I went with rockford fosgate power series all around and while they need an amp for full potential I haven't done one. now I'm at 53 max volume and could get louder but the sound distorts at 53. with an amp they'd sound better and louder. The stock speakers have some good bump but these just get louder and sound clearer. That was my intent but it is pretty cool seeing the side and rear mirrors vibrate a little on bass kicks XD

I have some subwoofer ideas but nothing to come to light anytime soon, I've only seen boxes premade for behind the drivers seat but also requires some removal of trim...a box could be made for the other side but as no one does it'll be all custom and might not be able to shut the seats and probably require more trim removal than the other side

In my camry I used kicker CS series with over sized mounts and they were a dramatic improvement. These also should be amped but aren't. I also went with a boss audio double din head unit as it has the highest output of pretty much any aftermarket head unit. They bump REAL good but have the clarity I actually want...the bump is nice too.

I primarily go for audio clarity as I listen to anything from classical, to chant, to electronic, to heavy metal...they all sound good now and clear which is kinda hard to get with chant and classical. I think I like the RF better but both are good, just don't get the lower variants. I looked at frequency response when looking at speakers and those two seemed to be the best, even better than the higher cost ones, those just had higher wattage but the actual response wasn't as good...weird...but I'm not audio expert.

 

So who here has opened up or removed the stock radio on the 2023 tacoma ?
At Crutchfield I found this
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_700650450/Alpine-iLX-W650-and-4-channel-Amp-Package.html?tp=72334
would this fit with the amp on the back as in the pics

So if I understand this right if I replace the HU and want to keep the backup camera and steering wheel controls i would need
a idatalink interface module or a Maestro radio replacement / steering wheel interface Correct??

or if at crutchfield I enter my tacoma's info and it list the touch screen radios that will fit do I still need an interface unit to??
plug & play?

Bill

 

I have the JBL system in my 21021 Offroad TCLB. Are the Subaru Kicker Tweeters drop in like I read about for the non-JBL? And do the ohms of these match the stock tweeters?

 

I need to see a picture of your 21021 Offroad TCLB that far in the future do you still have tire on that ?

Merry Christmas

Bill

 

LOL, mistype

 

The music on USB provided it was captured at a good bit rate HAD TO BE head and shoulders above XM quality.

 

Get the Rockford 8 inch box with amp combo, add new RF door speakers front and rear, dash speakers 2/1 tweeter/speaker and not just drop in tweeter, then add a 4 channel amp to the factory unit, add a little dynomat to the doors and enjoy your super clean sound. Just adding door speakers to the factory unit will actually sound worse unless you do an amp.

 

No. I believe the ohms are different. Look up the specs on Amazon first.

 

No, they are 4ohm, you need 2ohm.

 

For those with the non-JBL systems complaining about rear-speaker volume, even after replacing speakers in the doors, couldn't one get a small 2-channel amp that takes either line-out of current speaker-out from the head-unit, then outputs the sound onto the speaker wires for the rear channels? Seems a harness would be in order so one could "hook the amp inline". I believe there is enough space behind the HU to place a small amp. They don't seem to be very expensive on Crutchfield.

 

Dont amp just the rear speakers. They are quiet for a reason. Car audio systems rely on "sound stage", so the sound is coming from infront of you, if you amp the rear speakers to get the volume up to match the front your going to end up with weird reflections, delays, and it will just not sound good.