OEM Audio + 5th Gen 4Runner audio system

[Whippersnapper02]

Yes, it is designed to allow this per Daniel at O+. That said, if at all you can find a way to afford it from the get go, I would do it as it is sort of a PITA to mount and dismount that amp bracket under the passenger seat and would prefer to do it all at once the first time. Also as someone who owns the solution with both I can guarantee you the second amp is worth it.
JC

OEM Audio + also advised me that the future 2nd sub option will be plug and play to the existing system but would be better off starting with the dedicated amp. I'm assuming the 2nd sub will use it for power.

 

[jpaws]

This is exactly what I did. I started with the basic reference system. Upgraded to the dedicated amp and switch and added the second sub about a month ago. Adding that second sub took about 15 min. It runs wire over to the other sub and has a split connection there. Quick and simple.

 

[Steve S]

For those of you that have purchased and lived with the OEM+ system for awhile would you purchase it again or go another route? I really like what I am reading about this system but $2k is a lot of money to spend without being able to hear in advance.

 

[jmeds]

For those of you that have purchased and lived with the OEM+ system for awhile would you purchase it again or go another route? I really like what I am reading about this system but $2k is a lot of money to spend without being able to hear in advance.

I have the reference 500q with 3rd row sub in my 2018 and love it, I wanted a purely stock look, the customer service for me was second to none from before purchase questions answered to after purchase install questions answered and yes on the weekend, plus I have never ever attempted anything remotely like this install, was a bit scared of removing panels and head unit but they walked me through it, piece of cake! I just watched the install videos several times and TOOK MY TIME, installed speakers one day, then the wiring another day, I would highly recommend

 

[mmike87]

Yes, it is designed to allow this per Daniel at O+. That said, if at all you can find a way to afford it from the get go, I would do it as it is sort of a PITA to mount and dismount that amp bracket under the passenger seat and would prefer to do it all at once the first time. Also as someone who owns the solution with both I can guarantee you the second amp is worth it. I had a situation that I detailed earlier in the thread where troubleshooting was required (ended up being a manufacturing problem with the harness) but we had to try and run everything off the single DSP amp as part of it. No comparison to the power and headroom you get with the dedicated sub amp.



Hope this helps.



JC

I already have the system ... I was an early adopter. I guess I can contact Daniel and see if I can buy the dedicated amp separately.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[mmike87]

For those of you that have purchased and lived with the OEM+ system for awhile would you purchase it again or go another route? I really like what I am reading about this system but $2k is a lot of money to spend without being able to hear in advance.

Hands down ... No question. I'd do it again.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[Steve S]

I have the reference 500q with 3rd row sub in my 2018 and love it, I wanted a purely stock look, the customer service for me was second to none from before purchase questions answered to after purchase install questions answered and yes on the weekend, plus I have never ever attempted anything remotely like this install, was a bit scared of removing panels and head unit but they walked me through it, piece of cake! I just watched the install videos several times and TOOK MY TIME, installed speakers one day, then the wiring another day, I would highly recommend

Thanks. I haven’t done anything like this either and am a little nervous.

 

[Steve S]

Hands down ... No question. I'd do it again.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Thanks. Feeling more comfortable about this.

 

[jcage89]

For those of you that have purchased and lived with the OEM+ system for awhile would you purchase it again or go another route? I really like what I am reading about this system but $2k is a lot of money to spend without being able to hear in advance.

If you want to keep the stock head unit and still upgrade everything about the sound quality then yes. I do think this is the best OEM integration specifically for a 4runner out there without messing with the head unit. On a scale of 1 - 10 the speaker replacement alone gets you about half the way there (I actually started my install by just replacing the speakers and listening that way for a few days before adding the amps), but I believe you can buy speaker replacement less expensive on Crutchfield/Amazon or such. The magic happens with their DSP primary amp which is tuned to the speaker distribution and acoustics of the 4runner cab. Also there is no nicer/more classy OE - looking bass cab for 5th Gen out there. The sub in this case is also well suited to a variety of music styles and is intended to create presence without being obnoxious and when you add the 2nd dedicated sub Amp it gets you almost all the way to 9 out of 10 in my opinion. Want to get all the way to 10 out of 10?... then buy (or use if you already have one) a portable FLAC audio player and plug it into the rig's aux jack to take advantage of the FLAC player's superior DA converters in conjunction with the O+ premium speakers and amps = nirvana.

 

[jpaws]

If you want to keep the stock head unit and still upgrade everything about the sound quality then yes. I do think this is the best OEM integration specifically for a 4runner out there without messing with the head unit. On a scale of 1 - 10 the speaker replacement alone gets you about half the way there (I actually started my install by just replacing the speakers and listening that way for a few days before adding the amps), but I believe you can buy speaker replacement less expensive on Crutchfield/Amazon or such. The magic happens with their DSP primary amp which is tuned to the speaker distribution and acoustics of the 4runner cab. Also there is no nicer/more classy OE - looking bass cab for 5th Gen out there. The sub in this case is also well suited to a variety of music styles and is intended to create presence without being obnoxious and when you add the 2nd dedicated sub Amp it gets you almost all the way to 9 out of 10 in my opinion. Want to get all the way to 10 out of 10?... then buy (or use if you already have one) a portable FLAC audio player and plug it into the rig's aux jack to take advantage of the FLAC player's superior DA converters in conjunction with the O+ premium speakers and amps = nirvana.

I think this is 100% spot on. Can someone recommend a decent flac player? Dont need a 1500 dollar unit, but if something really good could be had for 600 -800 let me know.

 

[niadh0]

I think this is 100% spot on. Can someone recommend a decent flac player? Dont need a 1500 dollar unit, but if something really good could be had for 600 -800 let me know.

Ditto.

I am using this exact setup with my Hi-Res player. 500Q with all OEM+ speakers and just one sub that comes with the package. I do crave for a second sub sometimes but to all the times. 10/10 with a HiRes player is a MUST MUST have if you really want the best out of 500Q setup.

I bought Fiio X5 3rd Gen for $250 Canadian dollars (50% off on a decent sale).... extremely happy with the purchase .... and love it even more when it plays in my car via Aux input and on-board Fiio DAC. I never ever take the Fiio out and stopped using Spotify all together. Music over Bluetooth is more horrible IMO.

 

[jcage89]

I think this is 100% spot on. Can someone recommend a decent flac player? Dont need a 1500 dollar unit, but if something really good could be had for 600 -800 let me know.

Bought Astell&Kern AK70 MKII on Amazon $399 black Friday deal. I think you can get less expensive but this player is great... no frills or extras just good at what it does.... playing FLAC. audio and it was originally a $750 player. You can see picture of it I posted on page 32 of this thread playing my favorite album.

Cheers! JC

 

[alcomedic]

This is exactly what I did. I started with the basic reference system. Upgraded to the dedicated amp and switch and added the second sub about a month ago. Adding that second sub took about 15 min. It runs wire over to the other sub and has a split connection there. Quick and simple.

Do you notice a big difference with the addition of the second sub? I love my 450Q setup but would like some more bass at times. Hoping to add the newer dedicated amp and a second sub in the future but only if there is a significant in low end thump and overall headroom of the system.

 

[FloridaFeMan]

For those of you that have purchased and lived with the OEM+ system for awhile would you purchase it again or go another route? I really like what I am reading about this system but $2k is a lot of money to spend without being able to hear in advance.

I did not purchase the OEM+ system as it just wasn't in my budget. With that being said, the stock stereo in my TRD Off Road is less than subpar. I drive one hour to and from work and vary from listening to sports talk radio to whatever music I'm in the mood for. I opted for an Alpine - Power Pack 180W Class D Bridgeable Multichannel Amplifier with High-Pass Filter and a Kicker Hideaway under the seat sub. The power pack allows me to use the factory stereo and adds that bit of oomph that I was missing and the Hideaway sub which I have mounted under the passenger seat gives me the bass I was lacking. I did both of these mods for $380. I just couldn't justify the expense of something like the OEM+ system. I thought about changing out my head unit to an Apple Car play touchscreen but again, I wanted to keep the cost down. I seldom use Navigation but when I do, the factory navi works just fine. Between XM-Sirius, Pandora, and Slacker radio I have more than enough options for entertainment. The other nice thing about the underseat sub is that it has a separate control for bass. I can dial it up or down as I desire and that controller is mounted in the small open space below the head unit and climate controls. IMO, this was a low cost upgrade that really enhanced the crappy stock stereo that Toyota blessed us with.

 

[jpaws]

Do you notice a big difference with the addition of the second sub? I love my 450Q setup but would like some more bass at times. Hoping to add the newer dedicated amp and a second sub in the future but only if there is a significant in low end thump and overall headroom of the system.

I wouldn't say I notice a huge difference but the bass seems more balanced if that makes sense. I like having it but wouldn't say it's a dramatic change.

 

[DEP14]

For those of you that have purchased and lived with the OEM+ system for awhile would you purchase it again or go another route? I really like what I am reading about this system but $2k is a lot of money to spend without being able to hear in advance.

It's a good sounding system that looks stock outside of the sub. I've had it in 2 4 runners now.

Running the harness is the biggest pain in the butt, but it's doable.

I've had a couple issues. One, which I hope will be fixed soon. When using the phone on bluetooth at any reasonable volume I get horrid cracking and popping when the other person is talking. OEM has sent me a new amp to try (this will be the 2nd time). They have been good about it, but it's a good 30 minute procedure to swap the amp.

I get a slight bit of reverb from one side of the soundstage also, hoping that is cleaned up with the new amp.

As far as sound with music - it's not super loud, or a competition system, but does sound as good as many good OEM systems I've heard in the past, and better than many. It's priced about right.

 

[jcage89]

.. When using the phone on bluetooth at any reasonable volume I get horrid cracking and popping when the other person is talking.....

Has the crackling always been present or did it develop over time? Do you hear it mainly on one side (i.e. driver) or a specific speaker? How are they sure it isn't a speaker damaged vs amp?

 

[arehman11]

I did not purchase the OEM+ system as it just wasn't in my budget. With that being said, the stock stereo in my TRD Off Road is less than subpar. I drive one hour to and from work and vary from listening to sports talk radio to whatever music I'm in the mood for. I opted for an Alpine - Power Pack 180W Class D Bridgeable Multichannel Amplifier with High-Pass Filter and a Kicker Hideaway under the seat sub. The power pack allows me to use the factory stereo and adds that bit of oomph that I was missing and the Hideaway sub which I have mounted under the passenger seat gives me the bass I was lacking. I did both of these mods for $380. I just couldn't justify the expense of something like the OEM+ system. I thought about changing out my head unit to an Apple Car play touchscreen but again, I wanted to keep the cost down. I seldom use Navigation but when I do, the factory navi works just fine. Between XM-Sirius, Pandora, and Slacker radio I have more than enough options for entertainment. The other nice thing about the underseat sub is that it has a separate control for bass. I can dial it up or down as I desire and that controller is mounted in the small open space below the head unit and climate controls. IMO, this was a low cost upgrade that really enhanced the crappy stock stereo that Toyota blessed us with.

How did you wire up the power pack? I have been looking into adding this, but don't want to hackup the wiring and I think I can hide it behind the dash.

 

[X29 INC]

Is there anyone in San Diego that has this installed and is able to demo?

 

[mblume7]

I did not purchase the OEM+ system as it just wasn't in my budget. With that being said, the stock stereo in my TRD Off Road is less than subpar. I drive one hour to and from work and vary from listening to sports talk radio to whatever music I'm in the mood for. I opted for an Alpine - Power Pack 180W Class D Bridgeable Multichannel Amplifier with High-Pass Filter and a Kicker Hideaway under the seat sub. The power pack allows me to use the factory stereo and adds that bit of oomph that I was missing and the Hideaway sub which I have mounted under the passenger seat gives me the bass I was lacking. I did both of these mods for $380. I just couldn't justify the expense of something like the OEM+ system. I thought about changing out my head unit to an Apple Car play touchscreen but again, I wanted to keep the cost down. I seldom use Navigation but when I do, the factory navi works just fine. Between XM-Sirius, Pandora, and Slacker radio I have more than enough options for entertainment. The other nice thing about the underseat sub is that it has a separate control for bass. I can dial it up or down as I desire and that controller is mounted in the small open space below the head unit and climate controls. IMO, this was a low cost upgrade that really enhanced the crappy stock stereo that Toyota blessed us with.

How was the install for the amp and sub? I would be interested in going this route since I already upgraded all the speakers and tweeters with Kicker. Any install tips, pics, or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!