2006 Best Bang for Bucks

[claydoctor]

As mentioned before, I'm trying to upgrade my 2006 which came with 6CD standard (non-JBL) radio and want to keep my HU. Have been to two shops. I think radio has no power, both after listening to my radio said it "has no mid-range". First suggested replace all 6 speakers with Infinities and install Alpine 4 channel 345 amp-$1350. The second said JL amp and "Clean Sweep" gadget with Boston Accoustic Pro 60 speakers all around-$1800. Neither quote was with subwoofer. At these prices, the radio sounds better every day. I can't see spending that amount of money trying to emulate optional $865 JBL system. Their argument is if you spend less than $130-$1800, you really won't notice much improvement. Any suggestions. Again, I do not want the Scion HU. What would happen if you hooked amp and possibly 'clean sweep" into stock speakers. What about no amp and upgrade speakers. Speakers and amps in Crutchfield seem a bit cheaper than quotes I'm getting but Crutchfield won't tell you who their installers are until after you've bought the installation. What's with that?

 

[otterball21]

clay... where are you located?


Ok... did the guy about the clean sweep tell you how it's installed?! There is a second volume knob that needs to be installed. How big of a pain is that? to turn up the volume, you have to turn up the clean sweep.


Ok.... you said your missing mid range.

This is what I recommend. Get a new set of speakers first. Do not get an amp first. Instead of pouring a ton of money into the truck. Do it step by step.

The new speakers would get you clarity.

Later on you can add a amp if you want. The only problem with adding an amp to a factory headunit, the clarity is slightly lost through the connection via the high input.

Infinity components... you want kappa perfects.....

Alpine components... I recommend Type R's..or type X...

Focals are good.... boston Acoustic's are good too........

( Those prices are slightly high) get the product offline.. and then bring it into the Install shop and have them just charge for labor... that's always the best deal...


(to be honest the JBL system with the center speaker gives you great Midrange because of the voices playing them in the center)


I'm a mobile installer.... I work out in state college, PA... if your interested.. I would be willing to help you out!

 

[claydoctor]

Sounds like good advice, Otterball and much appreciated. The knob on the clean sweep was mentioned but I understood you could just set it and forget it. Sounds like the purpose of it though is to address what you mentioned about the problems hooking up an amp to a factory head unit. Sorta confirms what I've said all along, get the best factory system you can and stay away from aftermarket unless you are a real audio freak. Problem was mine was one of the first '06 Sports in and unlike the '05's it didn't have the JBL. Maybe later one through will have them.

 

[otterball21]

nope... the knob on the clean sweep has to be turned up and turned down also.

Yep... clarity is just lost in the transition from the high end input of the amp to the speakers. like I said... the first thing would be to replace the speakers... to coax more of the clarity out. Then down the road... headunit... amp
... It stinks that you don't have the middle speaker... when my whole JBL system comes out... I'm going to sell it...

 

[warthog]

speakers

Just a thought...
You recommended some very good, high end speakers. However, they all have low sensitivities. Without installing an amp, I would be concerned about the decreased perceived power and clarity. If you do get an amp, than those are great speakers. Otherwise, you may want to opt for more of a "mid range" price speakers to work with the factory HU.

Also, speakers are usually damaged by distortion more than just too much power. You may run into problems if you have to turn up the volume a bunch with the underpowerd HU.

 

[otterball21]

warthog is right. I forgot to mention that. SPL(sound power level) deminishes if you upgrade the speakers. However midrange speakers like pioneer 4 ways, kenwood, and sony... they all require about 35-50 watts RMS, so it would still be nicer to have an amp to maintain the SPL that the truck originally had.

The speakers that are in the truck handle about 15 watts a piece. On my speakers they are stamped on the back. Therefore it requires about that much to make it sound good. If you under power speakers.. you don't get that much sound. When the headunit is turned all the way up and the speakers are distorting, A) the Max power on a headunit never sounds good, unless you amplify and limit the power. The signal becomes distorted when the internal Amp of the headunit strains.

The headunit puts out about 10-15 watts RMS. The nonsense about headunits and 55 watts x4 is crap. It's misleading. The CEA now made a set pair of guidelines that all mobile electronics has to follow. Therefore companies are no longer allowed to throw like 24 Volts and see what the max rating can be. When shopping for amplifiers. Take a look at the RMS that it can handle. The better the RMS, the circuitry that the amp contains is capable of running that much power Constantly through. The lower it is... the more chances of when you turn it up the circuitry would fry.

Keep in mind that when you shop for an Amp, you want an Class A/B amp. A true Class A is rediculously expensive. Class A/B Amp with as little THD as possible and a good decent amount of RMS.