Audio upgrade while retaining OEM head unit

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whyzee125

Member
Hey guys! I've decided to keep my whorerunner as my DD so the OEM audio has to go. I ran across an excellent thread on this board located here:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/203866-thinking-about-upgrading-your-sound-system-do.html

I would like to do something along the same lines as he has done with one caveat. I'd like to retain my factory head unit if possible. I would likely use the same amp, deadening and speakers. Rather than buying an aftermarket unit for $100-150 though, I'd like to get the iSimple aux adapter to use with my factory deck. I really don't like how most aftermarket ones look and even the nice ones have the annoying bright screen at night. Is this possible? Thanks!
 
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Without dumping that old stock head unit you will gain nothing in sound quality. I replaced mine with a kenwood for $100 and just that alone was a huge sound upgrade.... even with the 15 year old speakers.
 
Seriously, can that piece of junk. My factory HU barely made it home from the dealer. I had it in the trash before the truck was a full one-half day old way back in May 1999. I've had three Alpines in it since, as tech has continued to improve.
 
Go on Amazon. I purchased a Kenwood Excelon single din HU along with 4 Pioneer speakers, (2) 6.5” and (2) 6x9 coaxial speakers. The speakers were kind of on the cheap side, but the HU is one of the better ones with (6) 4 volt preamp outputs and a 13 band EQ

Forgot to mention that I paid around $180 for the unit and speakers. You can also purchase a single din dash kit to replace your stock runner’s double din radio


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I installed a T1819 Scion head unit in my 97 SR5 and the 97 Limited. Purchased a 58 dollar Bluetooth Mic and I have all the functionality of the newer bling bling head units with a not worth stealing factory look the T1819 sound quality blows the old factory radios in the 3rd gen away. A set of good aftermarket 6 1/2 speakers up front and 5 1/4 in the back. I can Bluetooth stream music from my iPhone. Plus make hands free calls just by pressing the call button on the radio face. There is also a USB cable that plugs into the unit to charge your phone or USB play music.


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Well it looks like you guys have convinced me. Of the units I'd looked at my one requirement besides being a double din touch screen was having a volume knob and not buttons. I guess now I'll add to that an option to dim or turn off the lcd display. I'll keep you all updated. Thanks for the advice :)
 
whyzee125 said:
I'd like to retain my factory head unit if possible. I would likely use the same amp, deadening and speakers. Rather than buying an aftermarket unit for $100-150 though, I'd like to get the iSimple aux adapter to use with my factory deck. I really don't like how most aftermarket ones look and even the nice ones have the annoying bright screen at night. Is this possible? Thanks!
Click to expand...

I do agree that aftermarket head units will provide better sound but if you want to retain the OEM look and have a direct plug in aux adapter you can do what I did...

First, you need to make sure your OEM radio is model #A56811. This radio came stock in some 3rd gens and some J80 & J100 Land Cruisers and is a direct fit into our 3rd gens. The aux adapter plugs directly into the cd changer port in the back. I found the A56811 cheap on eBay that a local guy was selling. If your radio is AD6803, which is common on many 3rd gens & the one that was originally in mine, then the aux adapter will plug into the port but it will not register the adapter and nothing will happen when you try to play music. At least that was the case with the several aux adapters I tried off amazon.

This is the aux adapter I'm currently using off amazon. Sound quality is similar to CD sound from the OEM stereo. This is another one I tried that has the bluetooth option, Yatour bluetooth/aux/usb, I didn't test out the bluetooth but the aux part worked and played music just fine. I do plan to update my speakers at some point to infinity reference or something along those lines because I've used those speakers in other vehicles without an amp and sounded fine but most mid to high end speakers will sound better with an amp.

I do prefer the much better sound quality many aftermarket HU, speakers, amps, subs, etc provide & have had that in previous cars I've owned but wanted to keep things simple on my 4runner. I didn't mind drilling holes into my floor boards & seat backs to mount audio stuff and cutting into firewall grommets to run speaker/amp wires through on my other cars but didn't want to go that route on my 4runner.
 
Aftermarket is the way to go. The upside of aftermarket is you can memorize the remote that most of them come with. I had a double din pioneer dvd in my first gen, it was great on longer trips.
 
Bluetooth connections will sound better than Aux. cable connections, every time. The Aux cable distorts the sound and adds background noise, a bluetooth connection is crisp and clear everytime. USB is second best, but still better than Aux.
 
gamefreakgc said:
Bluetooth connections will sound better than Aux. cable connections, every time. The Aux cable distorts the sound and adds background noise, a bluetooth connection is crisp and clear everytime. USB is second best, but still better than Aux.
Click to expand...

Aux is lossless. BT is lossy. Are you just referring to possible interference from the aux cable itself? I've always, and always will, use aux over BT if given the choice, but I have a great DAC and use quality cables.
 
theesotericone said:
Aux is lossless. BT is lossy. Are you just referring to possible interference from the aux cable itself? I've always, and always will, use aux over BT if given the choice, but I have a great DAC and use quality cables.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm talking about the cables. In all the vehicles I've ever owned, even with quality cables, the Aux always sounds worse.
 
gamefreakgc said:
Bluetooth connections will sound better than Aux. cable connections, every time. The Aux cable distorts the sound and adds background noise, a bluetooth connection is crisp and clear everytime. USB is second best, but still better than Aux.
Click to expand...

Actually prefer connecting my phone via usb when listening to my music. I've noticed that the usb plays clearer and louder compared to playing over bluetooth. I've noticed that w/ both my Pioneer HUs in my Runner and wife's Sequoia.
 
whyzee125 said:
Well it looks like you guys have convinced me. Of the units I'd looked at my one requirement besides being a double din touch screen was having a volume knob and not buttons. I guess now I'll add to that an option to dim or turn off the lcd display. I'll keep you all updated. Thanks for the advice :)
Click to expand...

Do you want a touchscreen HU or are you ok w/ just a regular aftermarket double DIN? If you're looking for touchscreen w/ an actual volume knob, I think Kenwood is the only company that still makes a touchscreen w/ a volume knob that's worth a damn but yet still affordable. Don't go w/ the Jensens and Audiovoxs or Soundstream touchscreen HUs.

Just found out that JVC was purchased by Kenwood and I'm hearing a lot of good things w/ the new JVC units.

If you're ok w/ just a regular double DIN and not too worried about having a touchscreen, I would suggest the Pioneer double DIN HUs. They're affordable and cheaper than a similar Kenwood brand. A plus w/ the new non touchscreen Pioneer double DIN HUs is that one of their newer units comes w/ x6 4 volt preamp outputs for.
 
fourfive said:
I do agree that aftermarket head units will provide better sound but if you want to retain the OEM look and have a direct plug in aux adapter you can do what I did...

First, you need to make sure your OEM radio is model #A56811. This radio came stock in some 3rd gens and some J80 & J100 Land Cruisers and is a direct fit into our 3rd gens. The aux adapter plugs directly into the cd changer port in the back. I found the A56811 cheap on eBay that a local guy was selling. If your radio is AD6803, which is common on many 3rd gens & the one that was originally in mine, then the aux adapter will plug into the port but it will not register the adapter and nothing will happen when you try to play music. At least that was the case with the several aux adapters I tried off amazon.

This is the aux adapter I'm currently using off amazon. Sound quality is similar to CD sound from the OEM stereo. This is another one I tried that has the bluetooth option, Yatour bluetooth/aux/usb, I didn't test out the bluetooth but the aux part worked and played music just fine. I do plan to update my speakers at some point to infinity reference or something along those lines because I've used those speakers in other vehicles without an amp and sounded fine but most mid to high end speakers will sound better with an amp.

I do prefer the much better sound quality many aftermarket HU, speakers, amps, subs, etc provide & have had that in previous cars I've owned but wanted to keep things simple on my 4runner. I didn't mind drilling holes into my floor boards & seat backs to mount audio stuff and cutting into firewall grommets to run speaker/amp wires through on my other cars but didn't want to go that route on my 4runner.
Click to expand...

Now this intrigues me: for $18, I'd love to give it a shot. Why is our stock head unit so bad? I, too, want to keep it simple but would enjoy some added sound quality so I'm willing to upgrade if I need to. It appears I do have that head unit. Thanks for letting me know!

drei4runner29 said:
Do you want a touchscreen HU or are you ok w/ just a regular aftermarket double DIN? If you're looking for touchscreen w/ an actual volume knob, I think Kenwood is the only company that still makes a touchscreen w/ a volume knob that's worth a damn but yet still affordable. Don't go w/ the Jensens and Audiovoxs or Soundstream touchscreen HUs.

Just found out that JVC was purchased by Kenwood and I'm hearing a lot of good things w/ the new JVC units.

If you're ok w/ just a regular double DIN and not too worried about having a touchscreen, I would suggest the Pioneer double DIN HUs. They're affordable and cheaper than a similar Kenwood brand. A plus w/ the new non touchscreen Pioneer double DIN HUs is that one of their newer units comes w/ x6 4 volt preamp outputs for.
Click to expand...

I didn't know JVC was purchased by Kenwood, good to know! Most of the units I've found so far that I like are Kenwood. I'd love an alpine double din but those are pricy even used. They also tend to look a little more OEM than others IMO. Unfortunately I just can't stand the look of a single din. I could care less about the touch screen, nav, or other features of the double dins but I just think they look better. A must is an option to easily turn the lcd off for night driving though. I'd mostly just use it connected to my phone so all I need is a volume knob and bluetooth or aux connectivity and a fairly OEM look. Thanks for the great info!
 
I also cant stand the super bright light at night. When I come to replace mine, that will be a feature I look for as well.


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whyzee125 said:
Well it looks like you guys have convinced me. Of the units I'd looked at my one requirement besides being a double din touch screen was having a volume knob and not buttons. I guess now I'll add to that an option to dim or turn off the lcd display. I'll keep you all updated. Thanks for the advice :)
Click to expand...

I've bought this twice now as the first one was stolen along with my 4runner.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017YKQUW0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It has a knob and buttons, blue tooth, touch screen, sub woofer outlet, backup camera etc. For the money I've been super happy with it. And you can change the lighting to match factory or any other color you want.

37109332233_3d5d9435a2_b.jpg
 
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