WHY is it not loud???

I love my 09 Taco dbl cab...

BUT... the factory set up on the radio is WEAK!!!! Why would it not be able to be heard at 30 with the windows down running down the road? Thats just crazy to me.

Where is the best place to start to remedy? Is the reason for the low volume output the head unit or is it speakers or is it both? I like my music loud with good depth but first i want to address the volume..

any input would be great....

 

New H/U, speakers and amp. That's how to get clean volume out of your setup. What's your budget for the upgrade?

 

i figure to go about $1200-$1500 but not all at once.

i will be doing this over time and by time i mean a few months...

 

You will want to replace everything if you want loud/quality sound. Don't forget to replace the wires too.

Keep in mind though, driving on the freeway with windows down, nothing is going to sound 'good'. Also, loud does not equate to 'good' either.

 

Truth.

You need to decide if you want single DIN or double DIN, and what features you want. You can install the HU with the factory speakers and wires, and notice a difference right away. The factory deck attenuates the signal at higher volumes to save the crappy factory speakers. Then go around to as many audio shops as you can, and listen to as many speakers as you can. This will help you choose what sounds best to you. Finally, an amp. At this stage, you run new wires to the doors, pick a quality amp, and tie it into the system.

That's how I would do it, but you need to decide what's important to you along each step, don't just post a question somewhere and buy the popular choice. Use your ears to decide what's right for you.

Do you have some ideas as to what's important to you regarding features in a HU that you'd like to have?

 

I do know what i want....

I want a head unit that has bluetooth, NAV and a radio with am/fm channels. I don't care about cd player because i use my phone or iPod to listen to music mostly. The radio with am/fm is to listen to my Rangers play. I think having Nav in the head unit would be good also. I assume with wanting the NAV system on there i will need to go touch screen. My question is will my steering wheel controls work with a new head unit?

As far as speakers go, i will get what sounds good to me. I have always used Infinity speakers as my after market speaker of choice. I have put some serious juice through them in the past and they have always sounded great. I was merely asking if to improve sound quickly would it be best to replace speakers or head unit first but in the long run it will all get replaced.

Factory speaker wire replacement? This is the first i have heard of doing this. How tedious is that job?

 

I agree with this also^^^^.

Here is my two cents if you are interested in it. I recently upgraded my equipment so this is all fresh in my head.

It is extremely easy to replace the front door speakers if you have the right tools and buy from a place (like Crutchfield) that sends you all the parts with them. I would suggest getting a head unit first, then speakers, unless you can just do it all together. Aside from that I am not sure about any rear door speakers you may have. I added speakers in mine because reg cabs don't have anything in the back. Running aftermarket wires is easy. I used a coat hanger with the wire taped to the end to push them through the tight spots, after that you just find a place that you can tuck them under carpet or paneling. MAKE SURE that you are not running them near any moving parts, like clutch pedals or gas, etc. Pretty common knowledge but I have seen some people get their pedals hung/stuck on wires before. It's not pretty....

Also, you will have to most likely buy an adapter of some sort to keep the steering wheel controls. I have a cheap version of the Tacoma so I don't have that issue. My old Honda was that way and I used an adapter to keep the controls. They worked great with it.

Also, for what it's worth, I felt the same way about my recently purchased 2010 Tacoma reg cab. I immediately removed the door speakers and head unit. I replaced the radio with an AVH-X8500BHS H/U (got it on sale at Crutchfield for 499.00. I went back to their site to see the specs on the unit yesterday and they look to be discontinued now, guess I got lucky and picked up one of the last ones they had) and door speakers with Fosgate Prime 5 3/4s. I also added boxed Pioneer 6x9 3-ways in the back. Night and day difference compared to stock. I can roll down both windows at high speeds and still hear the music clearly. With the volume up to 25 (3/4 of the way) it will rip your head off. It also added a ton of clarity to it. Next for me is a JL 10 inch shallow sub, JL 700/5, and a Mr. Marv custom box.

Testing waters in local shops and listening to different H/Us, speakers, etc is the only way to go. Good luck man. You will be happy with it once you get everything replaced. I deafened myself with the systems I had as a youngster so it is always required to upgrade as an old fart so I can hear it. Funny how these things work....LOL.

EDIT: Almost forgot, I have an extra (silver color) dash kit for a double din radio that should fit in your truck if you are interested. It is brand new in the box. Never been opened. I would be willing to send it to you for free (+shipping) if you end up getting something that doesn't have it included in the price.

 

Haha... ED ZACHARY how i am. I still like it loud though...

So it sounds like the HU is the way to go first.

DIN?? WTH is that? Im just a small town kid, er a older guy, that still likes his music loud but wants it to sound better than good. I have no clue what DIN is or what is stands for.

 

Well, you want nav, so that makes it easy to explain. You want one with a screen, that's Double DIN. Single DIN is a deck that's half that size. But, since you want nav, Double is the way to go. So, next you need to find a nav unit that you like. They all have different "feel" to them given how they operate, so you may want to try them out, including a power down, if possible, to full on, to see how long it takes one to boot up. Yes, nav units take longer to turn on, because they work more like a computer than just an audio deck that runs in your car. So if you can get the audio shop to turn it completely off, no power to it, then turn it on, so you get a feel for how long it takes it to turn on, that may be important to you.

Here's a few nav units that I found that you can look at and see if you like what you see, then you can go out and see if you can find them to try out.
http://www.alpine-usa.com/product/view/ine-w927hd/
http://www.alpine-usa.com/product/view/ine-w940/
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Car/GPS-Navigation/AVIC-5000NEX
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Car/GPS-Navigation/AVIC-7000NEX
http://www.kenwoodusa.com/Car_Entertainment/Mobile_Video_n_Navigation/Navigation/DNN770HD
http://www.kenwoodusa.com/Car_Entertainment/Mobile_Video_n_Navigation/Navigation/DNX570HD
Now, the Kenwoods need this extra add on, but it's Garmin based, may be better than the others for nav.
http://www.kenwoodusa.com/Car_Entertainment/Mobile_Video_n_Navigation/Navigation/KNA-G610

Okay, I've kind of run the gambit here, and went from $600 units, to one that costs $1400, yes, decks with nav cost more, no getting around that. Sorry. But you can see the different features, and maybe match one to your personal taste.

You like Infinity speakers, perfect. Crutchfield sells Infinity speakers, and you can choose between 6x9, or 6.5" component sets. Either way, you'll get adapters for the door, and adapters for the factory wiring when buying the speakers there.

As for how tedious running speaker wire through the truck is, I just did it yesterday, took me 2 hours. I used a zip-tie, with the wire taped to it, pulled one end of the rubber boot that goes from the body to the door, and pushed the zip-tie through, pulling speaker wire from inside the cab, to the door. Hard part, getting the body panels off, so you have access to the hole you're pushing the zip-tie, or as mentioned coat hanger, through, so you can get the wire run. Took me about 30 ft, to go around the truck, to under the drivers' seat. That's where my amp is going for my door speakers. Not hard, just takes time. We'll get into amps later.

 

Sorry, just made it back to this thread. Basically, if you want a DVD or Nav unit in your dash it'll require a double din kit.

 

Basically everyone feels this way about the stock headunit. Last week I finally upgraded mine with a pioneer appradio 3. It's still on sale for $329 at crutchfield and comes with everything you need for the install..
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_130SPDA110/Pioneer-SPH-DA110-AppRadio-3.html

Depending on the type of smartphone you have and how savvy you are with modding them, this radio can be amazing. I have mine set up where I plug in my phone, it mirrors my display on the headunit, and I am able to use the headunit as if it were my phone. So, there's NAV, pandora, spotify, etc etc right there. Anything your phone can do, the headunit can do.


I also installed a sound ordnance 8" powered subwoofer. It's compact and I was able to get it to fit completely under my driver seat of my '09 DC. It's got a $30 price break right now and comes with the wiring kit you'll need.
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_777B8PTD/Sound-Ordnance-B-8PTD.html

Just by upgrading these two things my truck sounds so much better. Gets louder than I'll ever care for it to get and it sounds pretty awesome to me. For ~$500, it was more than worth it to me.

 

My stereo sounds great with the windows down on the freeway. Everything is a clear as day, sub hits great still.