'04 t4r limited with JBL Synthesis...want to change out..

[greenwave81]

'04 t4r limited with JBL Synthesis...want to change out..(edit: Now DONE)

I've spent days researching the change out of h/u's with this system, and want to know if anybody has some advice..

For background, I'm not looking to 'upgrade' the amp or speakers etc...I just want to add an aftermarket h/u (alpine 9856) that can give me a direct IPod and XM capability while maintaining the factory amp/speakers etc.

I've seen that Metra has a digital amp integration harness (TYTO-01) that states it allows complete integration of an aftermarket h/u into the existing amp/speakers...

http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache...-01&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=6&client=firefox-a[/url]

Anyone with any experience with this harness or dealing with this issue?

I'd appreciate any input! Thanks!

 

[KDCane]

I keep hoping someone on here tries one of these myself...

 

[greenwave81]

well, I'm having my installer check it out with Metra....I'll let you know what comes of it....

But in the meantime, if anyone else wants to give any personal experiences, it would be appreciated.

 

[greenwave81]

I keep hoping someone on here tries one of these myself...

Well, 'hope' no more....

Got the Metra TYTO-01 from Circuit City for $99, and had it, and the Alpine 9856 installed today....and I am VERY pleased.

Factory amp sounds a bit better (more bass), although the volume maxes out at what I imagine some people would call 'not loud enough'...but it's plenty loud for me.

As I said, I just wanted the capability to hard line the IPod and XM....and both sound mighty fine.

Maybe I'll start a new thread with some pics...it looks 'factory' to me!!

 

[KDCane]

What does the volume end up maxing out at (as indicated on the radio)?

Also, did you use something to hook up the steering wheel controls?

 

[greenwave81]

What does the volume end up maxing out at (as indicated on the radio)?

Also, did you use something to hook up the steering wheel controls?

The volume maxes out at '35'.....I think the book says that 35 dB? I'm not an audiophile

I know there are steering wheel controls specific for alpine units...but I didn't elect to have it hooked up. I think the unit/kit is about a $100 and quite honestly, other than the volume controls, I hardly used them. I also had some concerns as to what exactly they would translate to with the new h/u. One thing I will say about the alpine unit, it has a lot more bells and whistles (and fancy buttons to push) than the factory h/u. I'm afraid I'm not going to be much help to you in that regard.

 

[KDCane]

Wow 35???

Is that the same 35 as it was with the stock HU or is it louder?

 

[gkatmar]

Any Pictures?

 

[greenwave81]

Any Pictures?

Not the best...it's hard to get enough 'space' in the vehicle to do them justice....but here's a few:

 

[greenwave81]

More:

 

[greenwave81]

Last picture.....

The antenna is on the roof at the corner over the drivers side, they ran the antenna wire down the side of the windshield. I had an IPod cable installed too (which allows IPod control from the alpine h/u and the cable and IPod are in the glove box:

 

[greenwave81]

Wow 35???

Is that the same 35 as it was with the stock HU or is it louder?

Well that's hard to say for certain, but I think 35 on the alpine is louder than 35 on the stock h/u. The most I ran the stock h/u to was about low 40's, and then the sound quality deteriorated quickly (IMO)...which is about what you get to at 35 on the Alpine.

Like I said, it's plenty loud enough for me...but I could see where other's might want more. To be honest though, if you want more 'loud' than that, you probably should replace the stock amp.

 

[KDCane]

Looks good... I was thinking 35 on the stock HU for some reason. I have a high-end Alpine in my Honda S2000 and its a nice unit. The one I have has more adjustments than the space shuttle though.

 

[rider]

I just installed an Eclipse AVN 5500 with the Metra TYTO-01 to interface with the JBL Synthesis system. It worked great.

Greenwave81, did you adjust the volume control on the Metra interface? I had to crank the adjustment all the way up to get a sound level matching the original HU. The initial setting was half way and was way to low so I turned the adjustment all the way up and it sounds great now.

 

[greenwave81]

I just installed an Eclipse AVN 5500 with the Metra TYTO-01 to interface with the JBL Synthesis system. It worked great.

Greenwave81, did you adjust the volume control on the Metra interface? I had to crank the adjustment all the way up to get a sound level matching the original HU. The initial setting was half way and was way to low so I turned the adjustment all the way up and it sounds great now.

Good question.....I don't know because I didn't install it.

I'll have to ask the installer!

 

[rider]

I had mine installed by someone else too. Even though I told him about the adjustment before the install he did not check it. After I listened to it I, made him tear everything apart and make the adjustment. Now it sounds great.

 

[KDCane]

Hey guys... Do all of your stock JBL speakers work, or do you lose some of them?

Also any chance either of you could scan in the instructions for the Metra box. I've been scouring the internet looking for them. I'm curious to see what the install would entail.

Thanks!

 

[rider]

All of the speakers work. I guess in the past some people lost the center and the subwoofer if the adapter was not used.

I don't have the instructions anymore but the install is very easy. The Metra adapter contains 2 cables and a box with a circuit board and 2 connector plugs.

One cable plugs into the factory harness and the Metra box. No work involved there.

The other cable plugs into the other end of the Metra box. You plug the preamp out rca cables into the rca's on the other end of this cable. There are a few wires on this cable that need to connect to wires from the new HU (amp on/off, power, etc...) pretty straight forward.

 

[DarksideSurf]

What did you do with the steering wheel controls for the Alpine 9856 ? Last I checked it didn't come with a wired remote input. Did you lose your ability to use the stock steering wheel controls ?

If that's the case I might as well spring a little bit more for the 9857, which has a wired remote input.

 

[greenwave81]

What did you do with the steering wheel controls for the Alpine 9856 ? Last I checked it didn't come with a wired remote input. Did you lose your ability to use the stock steering wheel controls ?

If that's the case I might as well spring a little bit more for the 9857, which has a wired remote input.

I believe that there is a kit to retain the steering wheel controls, but I chose not to...to be honest, I hardly used them anyway. I guess it's personal preference.

I'm not sure what the controls would 'relate' to on the alpine...i.e., could you change the input source or just the 'channel'? I'm also not sure that you could control the IPod from the steering wheel like you can from the Alpine itself.