it still isnt good thought. the levinson system sounds worse to me than the 4runner JBL

The thing is that none of the cars have really good quality stock audio. Some, like GX460, might have decent systems but properly done aftermarket will always be better. Now because of that I'm pretty much set on putting aftermarket audio in the vehicle that I purchase, whatever the vehicle would be.
With that in mind, what's the point of paying more for car with slightly better audio and then throwing whole audio away just to put even better in?

I think your comment is very exaggerated. Let's think again, stock GX460 does really have better audio than 4Runner with $10k upgrades?

As a non-5th Gen owner my input is a little less valuable, but I did just finish up a system in my 100 that would fall in that budget if you did some/most work yourself. Hopefully this is somewhat helpful info.

I think the 100 is a little quieter than the 5th gen, but probably not too far off.

I removed all OEM equipment. Pioneer double din deck, dual 10" Focal 27V2, Audio Control DSP/amp, Morel Virtus 602 components up front, no rear speakers. I also removed ALL the interior and sound deadened the entire floor/sides/ceiling of the vehicle. I did not do doors as I ran out of garage time, but that should further improve sound isolation once I get to that.

I tested it a little with just the Morel speakers and an old JL AB class amp. I was blown away. Clarity like I've never heard short of a few demo's in "Listen Up" and similar audio stores. I agree with others that you'll lose the ability to hear definition once on the highway, but I still think good speakers are best bang for buck, even in a non-Rolls-Royce interior. You're not going to get home hi-fi quality, but you can make some huge strides of improvement with $2500.

If you're going into a purchase with audio in mind, start with the quietest interior you can. That probably means don't buy a 4runner. Go Lexus. You can address components relatively easily, but lowering the noise floor as well as Lexus is going to be tough to replicate.

I don't think there's any question that Lexus engineers can design a better audio system than you. And they have. And it is better than anything you could come close to for $10k.

They can choose the location of every speaker, they choose the wiring loom, they choose the speaker size, type, and enclosure. They also choose the sound dampening. And they likely spent hundreds or thousands of hours tuning the system. (I don't know on the GX - but Lexus spent multiple thousands of hours of tuning on the LS, presumably less on the GX). For $10k you could replace the components that they installed with a hodgpodge of stuff you hope works out to be something better once. No tuning. Not testing a dozen tweeter configurations, etc.

Can you upgrade a base model 4Runner? Sure. Will it be comparable to the GX Levenson system? No. Is a low mile used GX with the Levinson system available for about the same price as a used 4Runner? Yep. If you want the obvious solution to a better audio system with little effort and about the same cost - the answer is pretty clear. If you want the 4Runner for other reasons instead of a GX - then by all means upgrade the audio system. If I really cared much about the audio, I'd short cut to the finished product.

I kept the factory head unit and added an audisson bit ten DSP, a JL audio 5 channel amp and swapped speakers at all 8 locations for focal plug and play. I couldnt be happier. I did all the install, including sound deadening, myself. I think all in with all the offs and ends i came in around $2400. I still dont have a subwoofer, but most people who hear it think i do.

I wouldn’t buy a GX because the stock audio is better per-say, I would buy a GX because the factory sound deadening is better and the cabin overall is quieter and gives a better starting point for an audio system.

Plus… the GX is still a pretty sweet rig.

There is something wrong if you are basing the purchasing decision of a 4R on the audio system - or what you can do to make the 4R an audiophile's haven.

You can put lipstick on a pig....

The 4R is a great vehicle, but there are some things it'll never be - sports car, luxo-barge and it'll never be named as "best hi-fi ever"

Interesting… I haven’t kept up to date with all these aftermarket options but this seems like a nice options for someone who really “doesn’t want to think about it” or might not be interested in really getting into all the details about setup.

I would be curious to run some sweeps on their setup, to see what the tune looks like. I feel like it’s similar to buying a supercharger and getting a generic tune flashed, vs having a tuner provide a custom tune on a dyno. More often than not, it’s the latter that provides better results, but the former is more than enough to get you up and running without blowing up your engine.

That said, I am sure it’s great, and more than adequate for almost all people considering an upgrade in that price range. All that really matters at the end of the day is, does it sound good to you? Tune will certainly help meet that goal, but some personal preference might flavor the end result as well. Really depends on the person… I have a friend that cant tell the difference between a pair of $250 studio monitors and a $1000 pair, which to me is frustrating when he says that because its blatantly obvious to me.

For 2500 I can swap my front coils, get a steel bumper, and a winch.

Just swap the speakers out and throw in a better sub (maybe a new head unit too). Save your money.

Road noise will wash a lot of the quality out. IMO a $2500 sound system is a waste in our noisy tin cans. Save it for something more refined. I find the stock TRD OR speakers to be adequate (no more no less).

I have 1974 4x4 Chevrolet Blazer K5 heavily modded. It's loud in there, there's no way to even listen to the music. I'm getting 4Runner now as milder version for daily driving. I thought I would ask about audio as I am generally good audio enthusiast and I want to understand where on the spectrum 4Runner is. I'm not into luxury comfort stuff, I like simple, easy to fix, not complicated. That's exactly what 4Runner is.

I agree... Toyota could have sold my 4Runner without a stereo and I would have still bought it.

Between the mud terrains and roof rack… I have given up on trying to hear anything these days.

Roof rack + wind is very noisy in your setup? Is that what you are referring to?

Yes sir, but only at highway speeds... you get a bit of turbulence up there and it generates some wind noise which tends to make you want to talk a bit louder.

It was improved by a large degree once I got a fairing, but it is still noticeably nosier than stock.

I have had audio systems in a lot of my vehicles over the years. Did not touch my 17 Pro. I have a friend that owns audio store been dealing with him for years. My last install a few back was my C5 Z06 corvette. Yes the systems suck in a Vette. Bose Audio. Well that all came out and all the interior and sound and heat deadening in the car. I told him what audio stuff to put in. Him and his installer were blown away on how it sounded. They do car audio competition and I could have put my Z in a show. They never thought it would sound that good in Vette. Sound deadening everything in the 4runner would definitely help. I don’t think the road noise is bad in my 4runner. But if I was to upgrade my system I would be looking at what I could sound proof. But I think you can have a decent install done for 2500.00.