Evening All...

Long time forum reader, but finally wanted to do something and put it out there for your input, thoughts and advice. All of this started with the factory Entune system and its constant need to restart itself. That drove me to want to replace the head unit, and thinking "i will replace the head unit" then i might as well replace all the speakers as well. Great Choice... but if you are going to replace all the speakers you might as well just add two powered subs to round out the system and sound dampen/dynomat the entire cabin...

SO with that pragmatic logic, compounded by my inability to say no to a good Black Friday deal. I come before you this evening on the precipice of a full install and retrofit of:

Head Unit : Sony XAV-AX8000 (Sony's New 9 Inch Display)
Infinity Reference: 3.5 Inch (Front Dash)
Infinity Reference: 6x9 (Front Doors)
Infinity Reference: 6.5 Inch (Rear Doors)
Infinity Reference: 6.5 Inch (Rear Hatch)
(2) Kicker Hideaway 8" Powered Subwoofers (Driver Seat/Passenger Seat)

152 Square Feet of Damplifier Pro - Second Skin
90 Square Feet of Luxury Liner Pro (MLV) = Second Skin


The install will take place over the next 10 days. The retrofit starts tomorrow with the Head Unit and the 3.5 Dash speakers.

Any advice or suggestions along the way are much appreciated. And a special thanks goes out to ANTMAN and TIGGER for all their work that has empowered me to make a run at this undertaking...

Total Invested: $1,629.00
Hours: Zero
dB Reading Idol: 21 dB
dB Reading at Speed: 51 dB
dB Reading at 65 MPH/Highway: 78-86 dB

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I had time and managed to get the SONY XAV-AX8000 installed today in a little under 3.5 hours. I will post a full write up about it tomorrow and the install but so far i am pretty impressed.

Funny how an install that you thought would take 60 minutes ends up almost taking four hours....

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I was wondering how the Sony would work/look. You can lower it a bit to not block vents (but likely touch climate controls)? Backup camera is retained? Nice work.

Are you planning on running the speakers off the Sony headunit? I know the infinitys are very efficient speakers, but that head unit is 20x4 RMS. That's that's 10watts a speaker. You will probably be ok, but you might be turning it up past 50 if you want it loud and you have the windows down.

Another thing would be the coaxial speakers in the front. You will have 4 tweeters in the front stage at different locations. They will definitely be better than stock, but I think components would be better.

You will love the sound deadening, it gives the doors a solid feel and makes noticable difference in road noice.

Just some input before you get too deep into the project.

Front speakers should be components with tweeters in the dash.

3.5" in the dash isn't the right choice, return those

rear doors and hatch should be coaxial

On the Crutchfield site it indicates some setups retain the backup camera and lose the fader.

I've been goofing around with a cardboard mockup to see how I think it will fit. The pictures help. I'd move it down to the bottom of the vents and see if I can still see the controls underneath. It looks like it sticks out too much for my tastes. So, I'll probably just stick with the Alpine and the smaller screen....which works fine.

the one thing that i didnt like about the sony unit is that there is no option for maestro. Good luck on the deadening, long sleeves and watch out for the foil edges. What do you plan to do with the door holes?

I am interested as to why the 3.5 dash speakers are not a good fit... I am literally in the process of swapping them out and now am hesitating...

no wireless CarPlay on this unit?

They need to make a wide version of these halo style units that does not impede the vents or ac controls and takes up the negative space these leave on the sides. Seems out of place visually. Markets gotta be big enough tho so idk if any of the non chinesium brands will ever do this.

Prob so much better in most ways tho.

The Sony head unit is highly customizable as far as height, tilt and vertical placement. I ran it through a few options and it is in the "middle" as far as "being pulled out from the dash" and i can lower it by "two slots." This was my first run at positioning and I am going to lower it by those "two slots" and am confident it will not impede the vents nor touch the AIRCON controls.... Pictures to follow.

NO WIRELESS Apple CarPlay (but i knew this going into the purchase) I always have my phone plugged in when i am driving, so there is not much of a concern with not having this feature.

I retained full BackUp Camera, Driver Steering Wheel Controls and Factory use of Radio Antennas...

In just 12 hours I really enjoy the head unit...

Wow, this Sony is half the price of the Halo9. I will have to compare specs

Total Invested: $1,629.00
Hours: 3.5 Hrs
dB Reading Idol: 21 dB (Unchanged)
dB Reading at Speed: 51 dB (Unchanged)
dB Reading at 65 MPH/Highway: 78-86 dB (Unchanged)

Up Next: 3.5 Dash Speakers
Remaining: 6x9 Ft. Door, 6.5 Rr Door, 6.5 Hatch, Dual Subs, Sound Deadening

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you don't want bass notes coming from the dash. you're going to get muddled high notes if you do. tweeters produce a full range of sound, and woofers are there for all the remaining fill

plus the tweeters in coaxial speakers will never be as good as a 1.5" tweeter, and the 3.5" woofer will never be as good as a 6x9 or anything full-size.

coaxial tend to be full-range woofers with a crappy tweeter playing the high notes. which is find in the rear sections of the car as filler sound, but up front they should be dedicated.

the 3.5" speakers are what people recommend when they're not replacing anything else and that should be the only use-case for them

I'm not saying it'll sound like crap, it'll probably sound fine, but more that when you have the option to go tweeter/woofer instead of small coax / coax you should pick tweeter/woofer.


edit: google this "dash speaker tweeter vs 3.5" and common opinion seems to agree that 3.5's are generally a pretty poor option if you're building/replacing a full system

Thank you for articulating the 3.5 Dash situation.. Even though I pushing 36 sometimes things have to be explained to me at a level a Golden Retriever could understand before I pick something up.

I am putting the dash back together and pivoting to a component system right now...

Thanks for the heads up.