DIY 3.5" JL Audio dash speaker upgrade - Wow!! (detailed how-to)
- Thread starter 57HotrodVW
- Start date
Frasher4Runner
Member
Thanks for the work!
I spent the last couple weeks experimenting to get better sound from stock HU and wanted to share my experience in case anyone found it helpful.
Originally installed the Subaru/Kicker tweeters in the dash position and 6x9 triaxials in the front doors.
Too bright. No mids.
Disconnected the the tweeters on the triax speakers and it sounded much more reasonable, but still missing high mids. Basically a hole in the sound between the now crystal clear highs and the much improved lows.
Found this thread and decided to change out the dash position speakers to 3.5" coax speakers.
The sound is order of magnitude better in every way!!!!!
I have not EQd the system but my ear meters tell me there is pretty decent curve already so when I add the Kicker Key amp next week it might not sound that much different (aside from being cleaner at loud volumes and having a higher ceiling).
I too shaved the stock brackets to take the new speakers. Pretty straightforward. Used the Red Wolf adaptors so I didn't need to chop the stock wiring.
Next week. Amp install. Still waiting for some connectors to make a nice harness without hacking up the stock wiring behind the HU. It's a bit tight back there and there's not much extra length of wire to work with. Seems like it'd be a real PITA to solder a bunch of wires there.
Thanks for everyone's input and experience here. It helped me learn and end up with a nice sounding system.
Jason
Originally installed the Subaru/Kicker tweeters in the dash position and 6x9 triaxials in the front doors.
Too bright. No mids.
Disconnected the the tweeters on the triax speakers and it sounded much more reasonable, but still missing high mids. Basically a hole in the sound between the now crystal clear highs and the much improved lows.
Found this thread and decided to change out the dash position speakers to 3.5" coax speakers.
The sound is order of magnitude better in every way!!!!!
I have not EQd the system but my ear meters tell me there is pretty decent curve already so when I add the Kicker Key amp next week it might not sound that much different (aside from being cleaner at loud volumes and having a higher ceiling).
I too shaved the stock brackets to take the new speakers. Pretty straightforward. Used the Red Wolf adaptors so I didn't need to chop the stock wiring.
Next week. Amp install. Still waiting for some connectors to make a nice harness without hacking up the stock wiring behind the HU. It's a bit tight back there and there's not much extra length of wire to work with. Seems like it'd be a real PITA to solder a bunch of wires there.
Thanks for everyone's input and experience here. It helped me learn and end up with a nice sounding system.
Jason
AlexJet
New member
Nice thread.
My driver side start making loud hoarse sounds. I think its used in Bluetooth and Navigation, so it definitely sees more work.
Did I missed it in the tread, but would all this work with OEM JBL HeadUnit and factory sub without any replacements or modifications. Once the connector wired, is it becoming Plug-n-Play?
My driver side start making loud hoarse sounds. I think its used in Bluetooth and Navigation, so it definitely sees more work.
Did I missed it in the tread, but would all this work with OEM JBL HeadUnit and factory sub without any replacements or modifications. Once the connector wired, is it becoming Plug-n-Play?
Did you splice a bass limiter into the wolf adapter? I'm about to try it once it shows up and was wondering if you did/where you chose to splice it in.
I did not.
My thinking at the time was that the Kicker Key amp will set the EQ as needed.
Have installed that amp as of a couple months ago and something's still not right.
Rear still sounds like mud despite now being amplified and having drivers changed out with nice ones. What the hell does the head unit send out on rear channels? Crap, apparently.
Front can vary greatly with source material from sounding amazing and well balanced to quite boomy.
Going to switch to biamp mode, amplifying the front door position speakers separately from the dash position speakers. Not sure how/if the passive x-overs should be used so I'll likely investigate some on line forums before rewiring.
Jason
Last edited:
First time poster on these forms - I have a 2019 4runner limited with the JBL system (with no upgrades yet) and am thinking about trying out the JL Audio C2-350x speaker upgrade in the dash. Pretty new to DIY upgrades and noticed how this is a relatively old post so wanted to ask does anyone have any new information regarding this upgrade before I buy these speakers and attempt the install? Someone earlier in the forum mentioned doing this and keeping the factory head unit and amp would make these speakers quieter compared to the rest of the car's factory speakers. Any truth to that for people that have actually done this upgrade without any other upgrading?
missinglink
New member
JFC Inflation!!! Theyre $160 now
The capacitor is connected inline, on the positive side wire. Joints were soldered and finished with heat shrink tubing.
Hello,
The tweeter of the C2 350X already has a capacitor.
By adding one more capacitor, wouldn't that change the capacitance of the tweeter's capacitor and the tweeter will receive a different range of sound?
I might be wrong, but the sum of 2 capacitors in ligne is divided by 2.
Which means that 133uF + 3,3uF (it might be slightly different) = 136,3uF .
136,3uF : 2 = around 66,5uF of capacitance.
I might be totally wrong. Let someone explain if I am, please.
Hello,
The tweeter of the C2 350X already has a capacitor.
By adding one more capacitor, wouldn't that change the capacitance of the tweeter's capacitor and the tweeter will receive a different range of sound?
I might be wrong, but the sum of 2 capacitors in ligne is divided by 2.
Which means that 133uF + 3,3uF (it might be slightly different) = 136,3uF .
136,3uF : 2 = around 66,5uF of capacitance.
I might be totally wrong. Let someone explain if I am, please.
The capacitor is connected inline, on the positive side wire. Joints were soldered and finished with heat shrink tubing.
Hello,
The tweeter of the C2 350X already has a capacitor.
By adding one more capacitor, wouldn't that change the capacitance of the tweeter's capacitor and the tweeter will receive a different range of sound?
I might be wrong, but the sum of 2 capacitors in ligne is divided by 2.
Which means that 133uF + 3,3uF (it might be slightly different) = 136,3uF .
136,3uF : 2 = around 66,5uF of capacitance.
I might be totally wrong. Let someone explain if I am, please.
To calculate the value of capacitance when in serial, you can read and use this: https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/capacitor/cap_7.html
To determine the value of resulting crossover, High Pass Filter Calculator
Similar threads
