Getting a new stereo installed

[Carl_G]

I am getting a new stereo installed in a couple days. I have the standard 6 speaker system. Anyone know if its JBL? Also any suggestions that would give a lot of "bang for the buck" for example should i spend a couple hundred more and upgrade any of the speakers or just see what this new deck sounds like with the factory speakers. I definitely don't want to take the step of getting an amplifier or sub-woofers.

Thanks.

 

[leftyguns21]

i personally do not have the JBL system but my guess is it would say some where on the unit that it is JBL?
if youre not wanting to upgrade the speakers you wont need an amp.
What is your budget for a new HU? i just picked up a Pioneer unit for $1000 and pretty happy with all of the features it has.

 

[galactic_04]

Start with just the head unit. I went with a nice double-din Clarion with bluetooth and love having the hands-free ability... helps a lot around town.

If they had it, I would have gone this route though: Pioneer AVH-P3200BT DVD receiver at Crutchfield Signature


after you do the head unit, if you don't like the sound then think of doing more. Some new 6.5's may help a lot.

 

[Carl_G]

Sorry. I should gave clarified. I bought the head unit and it is being installed this week. Your feedback was helpful though; I will just get it installed and see how it works out. It's fully iPhone compatible with Bluetooth for handsfree. Got I for $128 Canadian. Couldn't believe the price.

Thanks again to you both.

 

[galactic_04]

One of my friends just got that unit in his Honda. You'll love it!

 

[peter78]

I got the same unit for Christmas. My old unit stop playing CD's. Here are some abservations.

1.) The JVC is a little narrower and you will have to get a kit to make it fit. Two little black plastic pieces on the side. You really don't notice it.

2.) It has different colors, I set the color to match the yellow glow of the dash. The chrome volume dial does not look out of place. I think it matches the interior rather well.

3.) It HD ready, but you have to buy extra equipment to use that, so being HD ready doesn't mean you will get HD.

4.) I bought a kit that can use the controls on the steering wheel. After it got hooked up, (which by the way was about $160), the controls do not work well. When you hit the volume contol button, nothing happens, so you hit it for a few seconds and the volume goes way up. After awhile you will learn, but it is rather tedious to use.

5.) The JVC sounds better than the original unit, I was surprised by the difference.

6.) It has a remote control that works well, much better than the steering wheel remote, but I really don't see why they make a remote that fits on your key ring. I leave it in the tray at the base of the center console, but I never use the remote.

7.) You can attach your I-Pod. I really like that it plays MP3's. I can put all of the Beatles on two CD's and have room to spare. One CD can hold about 14 ablums.

8.) This unit is $184 or so at Best Buy, but it cost $430 installed, so installation was the biggest exspense.

I like the JVC, I got a 3 year warranty, just it case it breaks down. The warranty covers the installation, which is the biggest exspense.

 

[oneohh]

I got the same unit for Christmas. My old unit stop playing CD's. Here are some abservations.

1.) The JVC is a little narrower and you will have to get a kit to make it fit. Two little black plastic pieces on the side. You really don't notice it.

2.) It has different colors, I set the color to match the yellow glow of the dash. The chrome volume dial does not look out of place. I think it matches the interior rather well.

3.) It HD ready, but you have to buy extra equipment to use that, so being HD ready doesn't mean you will get HD.

4.) I bought a kit that can use the controls on the steering wheel. After it got hooked up, (which by the way was about $160), the controls do not work well. When you hit the volume contol button, nothing happens, so you hit it for a few seconds and the volume goes way up. After awhile you will learn, but it is rather tedious to use.

5.) The JVC sounds better than the original unit, I was surprised by the difference.

6.) It has a remote control that works well, much better than the steering wheel remote, but I really don't see why they make a remote that fits on your key ring. I leave it in the tray at the base of the center console, but I never use the remote.

7.) You can attach your I-Pod. I really like that it plays MP3's. I can put all of the Beatles on two CD's and have room to spare. One CD can hold about 14 ablums.

8.) This unit is $184 or so at Best Buy, but it cost $430 installed, so installation was the biggest exspense.

I like the JVC, I got a 3 year warranty, just it case it breaks down. The warranty covers the installation, which is the biggest exspense.

Why was it so expensive to install?

 

[galactic_04]

You got jacked on install! I installed my own - same side spacers you mention for my clarion and it took about 30 minutes to install. The only thing I can think of is if the steering wheel controls were a pain to install...

Also, since it plays MP3's, put them on a USB drive and you can play MANY albums from there. A 4GB USB stick is cheap and will fit a ton of music.

 

[peter78]

Why was it so expensive to install?

I will have to get the paper work, but the ability to use the steering wheel controls was the biggest problem. The attachment to use the steering was around $110, plus the labor around $45 or so. The kit to cover the face plate was around $20 and around $55 to install the radio. So, using the remote contols on the wheel is the biggest cost. I thought of not using the steering wheel controls, but I thought since I had them, it would be cheap not to hook them up and maybe harder to sell, if I ever decided to sell the 4Runner.

 

[leftyguns21]

what steering wheel box did they use? i bought the metra axxess off of amazon for $40 and it works flawlessly in my car. they have awesome install instructions including wire colors on their website. takes like 30mins to install and it auto detects the car and HU

 

[overlyunderme]

To answer your first question - you do not have a JBL system. JBL systems have 10 speakers, not 6. Also, the factory head unit has the JBL logo and the door speakers have the JBL Syntesis logo.

It's actually better that you don't have the JBL system. The factory amp and tuning is a ***** to get to sound right when you add the necessary converter. I'm thinking about dropping my factory JBL head unit back in just so it will sound correct.

 

[oneohh]

To answer your first question - you do not have a JBL system. JBL systems have 10 speakers, not 6. Also, the factory head unit has the JBL logo and the door speakers have the JBL Syntesis logo.

It's actually better that you don't have the JBL system. The factory amp and tuning is a ***** to get to sound right when you add the necessary converter. I'm thinking about dropping my factory JBL head unit back in just so it will sound correct.

Are you saying that if you have the JBL factory system a new head unit will be difficult to get to sound good?

 

[rockwall]

The JBL 10 speaker system works well with a new QUALITY head unit, amp and sub. My system gets a lot of compliments. I did put about $850 into it.

 

[overlyunderme]

Are you saying that if you have the JBL factory system a new head unit will be difficult to get to sound good?

Yes, if you do not change out the amp and sub as the poster above me stated. I have an Alpine iPod head unit currently installed, but since it runs through the converter, the controls on the Alpine for frequencies, subwoofer volume, etc. are useless. Most of my sound comes out of the center speaker and hardly any comes out of the back door speakers.

 

[Carl_G]

Finally installed; this deck is great!
I highly recommend it.

They put the mic up here. That way the gf can yak away as well:

 

[galactic_04]

Nice! I have my mic on teh A pillar, but The location you used lets both front passengers use it... I like it!

 

[Carl_G]

Thanks. I have to say, this is one of my favourite purchases. JVC did great on this one.

 

[peter78]

Finally installed; this deck is great!
I highly recommend it.

It looks great. The little plastic sides are a lot less noticeable in real life, the picture makes it more noticeable. I also like that you made the color the same as the dash lighting. I guess you could do the wild red, green or blue, but really it seems to fit in the car and looks like it is meant for that vehicle.

I am really enjoying mine. Did you have to hook it up to any steering wheel controls?

 

[Carl_G]

Thanks. No I don't have steering wheel controls so I didn't have to install them.

 

[GRIMACE]

Thanks. No I don't have steering wheel controls so I didn't have to install them.

Hey Carl

Where did you take your truck to? I need to do a icbc claim.