oh god it's been forever...

[seLect]

but i'm back and i'm ready to upgrade my car audio system. sadly i have zero friends with 4runners so i'm back here asking for help once again! the fourms helped me out a lot a long time ago when i was getting into the 'mod craze' haha.

alright basically my current setup is....
infinity speakers (10"-12") in all four doors
alpine deck unit with an ipod input.

ha, that's it. sad, i know. basically i'm really into pink floyd mostly but i listen to other stuff such as led zep, eminem, kid cudi, some good classical songs. maybe i need more bass? more sound?

*to the best of my knowledge*

if possible, link me to the parts where i can purchase online rather than getting it from a store? it's more cheaper that way i think, and there are much more brands online than in stores. appreciate the love everyone and i know i won't be let down.

ant

 

[98_4runnerSR5]

Crutchfield: LCD TV, Car Stereo, Home Theater, Speakers, Digital Cameras

Car Audio Stereo - Car Subwoofers - Car Amplifiers and Speakers

2 great sites that I've always bought stuff off of. They've always had best prices, good selections and great sales. Sonic Electronix is usually a little better of a deal but check 'em both out! Great places to purchase online. I myself am a car audio guy. Although I haven't upgraded my speakers and don't really plan too cause I'd spend the money on other mods, I do have a Pioneer Avic- 710bt headunit (touchscreen, double din, nav, bluetooth, ipod) w/ a JL 10'' W7 that's my favorite sub I've purchased so far- powered by 650watt Alpine amp. Subs are the way too go. Had a set in all 5 vehicles I've owned and wouldn't change anything about it. Definitely ads to the sound whether you want to Bump and be obnoxious or just add a little bad to the background.

 

[seLect]

Thanks for the speedy response! I checked out the site (sonic's, actually) and I came across the subwoofer you mentioned...

JL Audio 10W7 - 10" Subwoofer - Sonic Electronix

The thing is, I'm confused abotu the amp you have...a 650watt amp. I read the specs. on the page for the subwoofer and it said this


Power Handling:
Peak: 1500 watts
RMS: 750 watts

how can a 650 watts amp handle a subwoofer thats at least 750 watts? unless i have everything completely mixed up (not so savvy with car audio)

Also, would it be easy for me to install everything myself if I have zero past experience with installing car audio? If not, I suppose I can find outside help....for a fee :|

What about "tweeters" and a "capitcator" ?


List of things required to upgrade audio system so please correct me if im wrong

1. Sub
2. Amp

...and that's it? no additional cords? minor parts? let me know! thanks for the help again
ant

 

[98_4runnerSR5]

Nice! Glad you found it. Yes, I have a 650watt amp. (My sub is completely underpowered but I’ve had this amp for a while and it has served me very well). The sub can get really loud, and I mean really loud, when I have it up so I found no need to upgrade amps as it gets the job done for myself. The peak wattage is the highest amount the subwoofer can handle, that being said I could power it up with a 1500watt amp max output.

I don’t really understand the whole RMS, watt thing, all I know is my amp handles it just fine and powers it great. The only time I have encountered a problem is when I’ve turned the subwoofer up on my headunit to ¾ output, and the amp has shut off. Mine automatically will shut off if it gets overpowered so I think that’s where it comes into play. It’s happened once and I did it too see how loud I could get it and it was damn loud! Check out w7 reviews… You’ll see what I mean.

Tweeters are speakers designed to produce higher frequencies. They’re usually pretty small. A capacitor is like a mini electrical storage or battery. It stores up power so that when the sub demands higher amounts it can put it out quicker. It’s not needed unless you’re doing some serious audio.

Things required for audio (Subwoofer) upgrade:
- Headunit: aftermarket makes it much easier as it’s plug and play. If you use stock unit it gets complicated with wiring. You’re better off buying a headunit
- Subwoofer
- Amplifier
- Amplifier Wiring Kit

 

[KokaneeRanger]

but i'm back and i'm ready to upgrade my car audio system. sadly i have zero friends with 4runners so i'm back here asking for help once again! the fourms helped me out a lot a long time ago when i was getting into the 'mod craze' haha.

alright basically my current setup is....
infinity speakers (10"-12") in all four doors
alpine deck unit with an ipod input.

ha, that's it. sad, i know. basically i'm really into pink floyd mostly but i listen to other stuff such as led zep, eminem, kid cudi, some good classical songs. maybe i need more bass? more sound?

*to the best of my knowledge*

if possible, link me to the parts where i can purchase online rather than getting it from a store? it's more cheaper that way i think, and there are much more brands online than in stores. appreciate the love everyone and i know i won't be let down.

ant

you said 10" to 12" in the doors.. thats not possible unless they are super thin speakers with tiny magnets....???

usually mids and tweets go in the door
closer to 3" 5" 6"

10" and 12" are subwoofers.... im sure if you had one 10" and one 12" that would be pretty good, unless you are a bass freak.
If you are, then i HIGHLY reccomend alpine type x. go for a closed enclosure if you enjoy more rock music with high frequency bass, or a ported/vented box if you listen to more rap which hits low frequencies alot more...
an ideal system for me would include a 10 inch sealed and a ported 12 since i listen to all genres of music

 

[KokaneeRanger]

Thanks for the speedy response! I checked out the site (sonic's, actually) and I came across the subwoofer you mentioned...

JL Audio 10W7 - 10" Subwoofer - Sonic Electronix

The thing is, I'm confused abotu the amp you have...a 650watt amp. I read the specs. on the page for the subwoofer and it said this


Power Handling:
Peak: 1500 watts
RMS: 750 watts

how can a 650 watts amp handle a subwoofer thats at least 750 watts? unless i have everything completely mixed up (not so savvy with car audio)

Also, would it be easy for me to install everything myself if I have zero past experience with installing car audio? If not, I suppose I can find outside help....for a fee :|

What about "tweeters" and a "capitcator" ?


List of things required to upgrade audio system so please correct me if im wrong

1. Sub
2. Amp

...and that's it? no additional cords? minor parts? let me know! thanks for the help again
ant

very easy to do. all u gotta do is run a power line from your battery to your amp, which will be located in your trunk. then run a RCA wire from the head unit (which carries the information from your head unit) to the amp. then run a ground wire from your amp to the frame of the car, (unpainted metal coneccted to the frame, even a bolt in the trunk can work)
screw the amp to the box, bolt the box to the trunk floor. oh and a remote wire from your head unit to the amp, you run it with the RCA wire.. it tells the amp to shut off when the car is off... your infinity speakers are probably mids and tweets and a capacitor is exactly what 98'4runnerSR5 said...

Nice! Glad you found it. Yes, I have a 650watt amp. (My sub is completely underpowered but I’ve had this amp for a while and it has served me very well). The sub can get really loud, and I mean really loud, when I have it up so I found no need to upgrade amps as it gets the job done for myself. The peak wattage is the highest amount the subwoofer can handle, that being said I could power it up with a 1500watt amp max output.

I don’t really understand the whole RMS, watt thing, all I know is my amp handles it just fine and powers it great. The only time I have encountered a problem is when I’ve turned the subwoofer up on my headunit to ¾ output, and the amp has shut off. Mine automatically will shut off if it gets overpowered so I think that’s where it comes into play. It’s happened once and I did it too see how loud I could get it and it was damn loud! Check out w7 reviews… You’ll see what I mean.

Tweeters are speakers designed to produce higher frequencies. They’re usually pretty small. A capacitor is like a mini electrical storage or battery. It stores up power so that when the sub demands higher amounts it can put it out quicker. It’s not needed unless you’re doing some serious audio.

Things required for audio (Subwoofer) upgrade:
- Headunit: aftermarket makes it much easier as it’s plug and play. If you use stock unit it gets complicated with wiring. You’re better off buying a headunit
- Subwoofer
- Amplifier
- Amplifier Wiring Kit

w7 is a very good sub, it requires more power though... amps and subs can both die if they are over powered and under powered, its a good idea to have the ideal amp with the ideal sub.
RMS doesnt really mean much at all, its more so what the manufacturer chooses to put on it,

if i hook up a 10,000 watt amp to a sub that can handle 8000 watts and hook up a reader to it telling me how much power is going to the sub. and i fire it all up, and right away the sub blows but on my readout i get 10,000 watts for a split second and the sub survived,
i can advertise the sub as 10 thousand watts...
i have seen companies do this but i dont know if it is illegal or not...
even alpine have put out their subs with a very lower rating then what the sub can actually do. ppl have hooked up 2 alpine pdx 1000 watt amps to a single dual voice coil sub that is said to only handle peak power of 1000 watts or 1500. and these guys are pumping 1000 watts per coil, thats 2000 watts
and it easily takes it and does not distort...

 

[seLect]

wow thanks for the speedy responses once again! appreciate the love!


Okie, i'm just gonna buy the parts now haha. however, i'm looking at amps and there are different kind of amps that I don't know much about other than them being different from each other ha.



JL Audio 10W7 - 10" Subwoofer - Sonic Electronix

if anyone can go to the accessories tab for me and tell me which ones are needed for the sub, that would be great! because i know how companies market a product thats cheap but its retail price is expensive so i don't want to end up paying for an item that's $250 and a $100 product can do the exact same job!

also, what amp would be ideal for the subwoofer as well? i think i'm going to buy one subwoofer for now and buy another one next month when my birthday rolls around. so i guess id like an amp thats ideal for 2 subs. howeverrrrrr i don't listen to a lot of rap that often but i do play rap music sometimes so pretty much ill have volume turned up whenever genre is playing.

i already have a deck unit though, it's an Alpine deck unit so would the wiring still be an issue? everything else is stock inside the truck other than led overhead light + head unit.

as for installing the amp...how would i get the wires to its destination? under the carpet? or is it like having cable wires bolted against the wall if its far away from the tv? if so, i'd need to dig the wires in deep so they would remain undisturbed and protected. also, should i place the amp under the right seat where you can access the tire repair kit or is there another location better than the one under the seat?

thanks guys, for bearing with me. it's about 4:15 here on the east coast, and i'm pretty much exhausted now haha. hopefully everything i just said made sense to you all, i can't wait to order 'em!!

edit; btw im pretty sure you're right about me having tweeters haha. i just remembered the size of the stock audio system inside the doors and they were pretty small so 3"-"6 makes more sense.

http://audiojunkies.com/forum/blog/3946-infinity-updates-its-reference-series.html

im pretty sure thats what i have, the one on far top right

 

[Nelsonmd]

Hmmm, I think you should slow down a little bit and do your proper research before buying this stuff.

First, there are several other threads about stereos here, search a bit more and you will find some additional opinions.

I have a Pioneer Premier HU, Alpine R-series sub, and JLAudio Amp. Pioneer component speakers in front, stock speakers in back.

I think getting a sub and amp is a good idea, I love mine. The power ratings are important and are meaningful. What Kokanee said about power ratings is not true (no offense Kokanee). RMS power rating means the power level that you can sustain continuously. Max is what you can pump into the sub for a short burst. Read this article for more details: Polk Audio - Education, FAQ & Advice, Technology Overviews and Technical White Papers

These ratings (from reputable companies) came from their engineering group, not their marketing group. It does mean something, regardless if it was tested the best way or not.

You absolutely should match your amp rating to sub rating. And use RMS, just ignore the max rating. Also, check out the other specs like the Polk article describes. If you listen to more than just rap and rock, then you will probably want better sensitivity. You wouldn't want Rockford fosgate for that kind of music. And a sealed sub enclosure will reproduce more accurately than a ported box, but won't hit quite as hard. You will probably want a sealed box.

As far as install, yeah, It's pretty easy. Pick up an install kit from Sonic. You can run the wires wherever you can find. I ran mine under the carpet under the center console. Be sure not to run the signal cable and the power cable together. They need to be as separate as possible or you could get interference. The best place for the Amp in my opinion is under the drivers seat. It is out of the way, easy, and doesn't impede anything. You can also put it in the rear storage compartment, but then you lose the use of that compartment. Don't put it under the rear seat. It needs to breath to keep cool (even if it is class D, it needs to breath).

Just a note, if your amp was shutting off because of overpowering, then you need to change your setup. Automatic shutoff's on these devices is a failsafe protection, not a feature. What I mean by that is that they are not meant to be used as part of normal operation. They are a safeguard against damage. You should never willingly overpower your amp.

 

[98_4runnerSR5]

Agree with NelsonMD. Think about it for a bit, do some research and decided what's best for you. It's a big purchase and you don't want to be disappointed. Now that being said I'd highly recommend getting a JL W7. I had a Alpine Type X like someone stated above and it doesn't compare to my W7, that's why I sold it and upgraded. Good sub though either way!

 

[seLect]

Hey guys, sorry for the late response! So I've read all responses and I did a little bit of research myself even though I was confused about this part

You absolutely should match your amp rating to sub rating. And use RMS, just ignore the max rating. Also, check out the other specs like the Polk article describes. If you listen to more than just rap and rock, then you will probably want better sensitivity. You wouldn't want Rockford fosgate for that kind of music. And a sealed sub enclosure will reproduce more accurately than a ported box, but won't hit quite as hard. You will probably want a sealed box.

So you're saying I should use RMS and try to match it as close as I can with the amp rating?

RMS rating for the JL W7 10" = 750 watts

So I should look for amps that is at least 750 watts or more? I'm ordering the new system using Sonic's website and I'm looking at all of these amps' subcategories, Class D, 2Channel AMp, 3channel, etc. I'm assuming class D is the right section for me to look in so with that being said, what does everyone think about this amp? Now keep in mind I already have speakers in my rear doors (infinity speakers, maybe 6" (ignore my signature ) or less, can't remember) with a non stock headunit (alpine) and I have a plug n play (ipod).

Pioneer GM-D9500F (gmd9500f) - 4 Channel Amplifier | Four Channel Amp - Sonic Electronix (Heard Pioneer's good)

What does everyone think about that amp? Also, would I need to order additional accesories for the subwoofer under the tab on the page posted above? Wires?

 

[SilverBullet01]

whoa whoa whoa.... you are going from an almost stock system and thinking of putting in a w7 right out of the gate? go big or go home i guess. yes the w7 is a great sub, but it is also a monster. do you really want that much bass and want to spend that much? when it comes to car stereos, it really does come to research like how everyone has been already posting, but if you can, go to local car stereo shops, and compare. see whats out there, and ask questions. you could pump 5,000 watts through a system just because it looks good on paper. it doesn't mean it will sound any good. car stereos always do better when you consider one main factor: efficiency....

i am running 3 JL audio w0 10 inch subs, dual coil at 4 ohms a piece. bridging each sub to make 8 ohms a piece, and one 500 watt amp. first of all the system cost under 500 for everything finding it all at the right places, and second it sounds clearer, more crisp, and hits harder, and deeper than all of my friends that have 12's or 15's with 2,000 watts running through it.

there is much to be learned, and as for your system, yes a w7 would be awesome, but in my honest opinion, a little over the top for what kind of music you say you listen too.

edit: JL audio amps are my absolute favorite as well. i have been through 3 amps in the past 3 years, as well as a few different sub configurations, and all of my JL audio gear has been by far the best.

 

[GX4SEVEND]

I'm not going to be the JL hater here......BUT, thats alot of sub if youre going form stock to that. plus, for the money you could get an extremely nice sub and be halfway or more to an amp. The w7 is very expensive. Its alot of dough to drop on just the driver.

 

[seLect]

Haha, I suppose it is a lot of dough to drop on for an upgraded sound system. But then I really don't have a budget but I'd still like to keep my spending to a minimum to save $ for other things. You should see how much dough I spend on glass. I have about $1500 worth of glass sitting in my closet right now that I've invested in for the past 4 years! On a serious note though, I totally understand why you guys are thinking it's a little bit too much, especially when I listen to few artists. I went to few local shops in my area and they weren't really helpful at all. They were too pricey and I even avoided Best buy because I knew they wouldn't have that much variety either. That is why I am here on this forum because I feel more confident when asking for advice from other 4Runner owners online knowing that I'd get advice that were based on other people's personal experiences with their systems.

You're right, go big or go home. With that being said, if I did NOT end up buying a w7, what would be an ideal system for me to get? These are ALL the bands I listen to, (Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Afroman, Basshunter, Daft Punk, Weird Al, Kid Cudi, Wiz, Jim Jones, three six mafia, few songs produced by CollegeHumor, Gorillaz, Phish, Soja, and dj khaled)



I'd love to order the parts sometime soon before my trip to in the middle of nowhere, Iowa, USA. next week! Also, with the bands being said above, should I go with a sealed sub and a ported sub like someone said when talking about me listening to mostly rock music?


Thanks guys! :roadkill:

 

[Nelsonmd]

I'm not going to be the JL hater here......BUT, thats alot of sub if youre going form stock to that. plus, for the money you could get an extremely nice sub and be halfway or more to an amp. The w7 is very expensive. Its alot of dough to drop on just the driver.

That's not JL hating. They are a high end company. High quality stuff, but I couldn't afford it unless I bought long discontinued stock.

Select, FWIW, I think that you will happy with alot of different subs. I have an Alpine R-series, which isn't high end, and I am happy with it. Also, I used a couple of these subs for testing at work which consisted of putting them in a thermal chamber down to -40°, then making them drive low frequency signals into a stiff piece of foam. It performed great for several months until we designed a better setup not using a subwoofer. We had an extra that we kept as backup, but never ended up needing it, so I got to "dispose" of it once we built the new setup.

Anyway, my point is, don't worry too much about getting a high end sub. Just get a decent one, not bigger than 12", and only 1 (you won't need either bigger, or 2 of them. You might like 2 10"s if you are a picky listener). My sub and amp are rated for about 300 RMS and I can uncomfortably shake my car if I want, so don't worry about going bigger either. I think a JL W1 12" would be a great choice for you. If I had to buy one, it would probably be something like that.

You can get good stuff at bestbuy, just don't do your research there, and don't ask the salesman for their advice.

If you are just powering the sub with your amp, then you only need a single channel. And just try to get the RMS levels close. Mine are 320 Amp/300 sub, works great. The big reason for this is so that a mismatch can cause a blowout (either from sub drawing too much, or amp overpowering sub).

 

[Clemsonfan15]

You first need to figure out what you want, SQ or SPL. I'm guessing you want a little of both.

Then you need to set a budget. After you have your budget you can start pricing out different systems.

There are so many places to start.

How many subs do you want? One or two?

What amp do you need to power those properly?

Amp wiring kit. Hopefully 1/0 gauge. It's important to get a quality kit.

Box. Very important. Make sure you buy a good one, it makes a big difference. You also have to choose between closed and ported.

There is a lot to consider. Maybe you could answer a few of those and give a little more insight as to what you want.

Don't look at the "Max" ratings. They mean absolutely nothing. RMS will tell you everything you need to know. It's ok to underpowered a sub, although you don't want to do it by much. You don't want to overpower it by much either.

 

[quicksilvr]

You first need to figure out what you want, SQ or SPL. I'm guessing you want a little of both.

Then you need to set a budget. After you have your budget you can start pricing out different systems.

There are so many places to start.

How many subs do you want? One or two?

What amp do you need to power those properly?

Amp wiring kit. Hopefully 1/0 gauge. It's important to get a quality kit.

Box. Very important. Make sure you buy a good one, it makes a big difference. You also have to choose between closed and ported.

There is a lot to consider. Maybe you could answer a few of those and give a little more insight as to what you want.

Don't look at the "Max" ratings. They mean absolutely nothing. RMS will tell you everything you need to know. It's ok to underpowered a sub, although you don't want to do it by much. You don't want to overpower it by much either.

Nicely put. For the OP's info: SQ is Sound Quality, and SPL is Sound Pressure Level.

Both have merit, however I am much more of a SQ guy. If you really like music, or are a musician, you're probably going to be more of a SQ person too.

 

[SilverBullet01]

JL Audio - Car Audio Systems

thats a portion of JL's website that has information on most styles of boxes on the market, and different amp configurations, and how they are wired.

for the longest time, i was running one rockford fosgate 10 inch sub with a ported box, and a 500 watt mono block amp. i have since then kept the amp, but turned up the output for my 3 subs.

id say take a look at JL audio w3 series. may be right in that good range