To start - I am just another random t4r enthusiast, not someone trying to push a specific product. I searched the forum but didn't find a dedicated post on this topic.
RE: 2010 & 2011 SR5 w/ convinience package and base head unit. For anyone questioning, the 10 & 11 dash speaker set up is identical.
...To say I'm blown away by the difference in speaker/sound quality is a huge understatement.
I just got done installing a set of Infinity Kappa 32.9cf 3-1/2" 2-way Car Speakers (reference, harper7 mod) in my dash. I purchased them online for 99 bucks and got them quick. The install went very well and was for the most part pretty simple once a few tweaks had to be made, which I will refer to in a sec.
After not doing anything "car-audio" for several years I was hesitant to break into plastic and start cutting factory wiring, but I just couldn't handle the oem speakers any longer. Call me a sound snob if you will, as the front speakers are just fine and do sound good for a factory off the lot system, but I just like to crank it a little louder than normal sometimes. PARTY MODE "ON!" I would love to redo the entire system, but the cost isn't something I can justify when I have a few more things left to do on my runner and afterall I like the clean look of the oem unit and wheel controls. I like the party mode as well so keeping the head unit and upgrading the speakers only in my mind was going to be hit or miss. I figured I'd not hear all that much difference, but I was wrong.
For anyone considering doing the install themselves - just know you will have to fab, out of some type of sturdy material, a couple of tabs to facilitate in mounting the speakers in place. I used a piece of plastic and formed it w/ a dremel. You will figure out pretty quick what you're looking at having to do the moment you get the speakers out and test fit the new ones. To get to the speakers by the way I used a small flat head and firmly popped up the plastic grill over each speaker. The clips are strong, but finesse is always a good touch. The grill itself has 3 tabs on the windshield edge designed to fit into slots in the actual dash. This helps hold the windshield edge in place as there is no practical way to pop clips up at that angle. The grill pulls out in one motion, no need to bend things as the plastic can break. (this guy learned the hardway) The tab I made for the driver side is 2 x .75" The tab for the passenger side is essentially the same but a little more narrow and shorter. I used this tab on the right side speaker mounting bracket when doing both speakers. At the speaker hole/bracket I drilled, using a standard sheet metal screw, through the speaker bracket hole into the tab. This is mainly to keep the speaker in place, and supported. The other end of the tab has a drilled out hole that you will screw through the Kappa mounting plate/hole into the factory screw hole. This might not be the best description, but it's pretty self explanatory when you see it all.
Oh yea, the wiring! This part threw me off a bit, as there are 4 wires that are connected to the factory speaker.
* The light green and pink wire are negative on both sides.
* The other two colors:
left side = violet + blue = positive
right side = yellow + blue = positive.
After snipping the factory wires you will expose wire and tie each the positive and the negatives together; left side = light green + pink tied together for one negative wire - violet + blue tied together for one positive wire (you get the idea for the right side) - both wires plugged into speaker. This connection at the Kapa is essentially a pass through, as I believe the deck powers through the dash then to the door speaker. I believe this is a component system, just not one setup like any I've seen. When fitting the speaker you will need to tuck the main wire connecting block up under the dash plastic lining (just under the mounting hole lip) and will also want to use a good bit of the foam provided to dampen metal to metal contact. I used a lot at the screw points. The right side was a little more difficult as the right factory speaker is so much smaller than the Kappa that when fitting the Kappa you have to cut a good bit of the dash plastic lining out. The dash on the right side, mainly due to less space due to the glove box, was molded around the speaker. Good news though, the dash plastic lininh is very thin and able to be trimmed. I used a utility/exacto knife to do this and it wasn't all that bad. It's a very awkward angle and it's your left hand doing the cutting so it's best to get all exposed wires out of the way and/or protected should the blade slip. I trimmed out a 1.5x2" area, which is on the south east corner of the speaker when fitting it. You will have the speaker seated so the main speaker wire feed into the speaker is on the right side of the speaker and taunt. When done the speaker will fit and mount very snuggly, especially if you used a good bit of foam around the speaker chassis, which I suggest doing.
Remember, when putting the grills back on that there are 3 tabs that fit up under the windshield side of the grill. Align those w/ the inserts and gentle press down to seat the tabs and then press firmly around the grill counterclockwise @ 11 until the clips are in tight and the grill sits flush on the dash.
I need to emphasize that this is a simple upgrade that I did mainly to upgrade the front sound and get some good highs and mids out of the dash. The angle of the windshield is upright enough that the sound hits the driver right at ear level and needs to be clean other wise the clarity just isn't what it should be imo.
This upgrade is by no means a pro audio sound setup, but I think it's phenominal w/ the stock deck, and I highly recommend this to any one looking to spend a couple of hrs in the garage tinkering.
I've been around audio for a long time and can honestly say I've never heard, with such little work being done, such an amazing difference and quality sound from one speaker to another.
The Infinity Kappa in my SR5 = good stuff. :bravo:
I'm going to read up on the total power this deck puts out so I can pick out a good door speaker. I know others on the board have shared detail about that, which I will be skimming through. I will update this thread if I do install something in the doors. For now, I'm VERY HAPPY w/ the sound especially given that it's the stock deck.
I Hope this write up helps anyone looking to do a speaker mod. I know there are probably speakers that you can drop in w/out modding to the dash, so only reference this write-up as an option.
I do have a few pictures, but quality isn't the best and the area of focus throug the windshield is so small that it's difficult to see.
-b
RE: 2010 & 2011 SR5 w/ convinience package and base head unit. For anyone questioning, the 10 & 11 dash speaker set up is identical.
...To say I'm blown away by the difference in speaker/sound quality is a huge understatement.
I just got done installing a set of Infinity Kappa 32.9cf 3-1/2" 2-way Car Speakers (reference, harper7 mod) in my dash. I purchased them online for 99 bucks and got them quick. The install went very well and was for the most part pretty simple once a few tweaks had to be made, which I will refer to in a sec.
After not doing anything "car-audio" for several years I was hesitant to break into plastic and start cutting factory wiring, but I just couldn't handle the oem speakers any longer. Call me a sound snob if you will, as the front speakers are just fine and do sound good for a factory off the lot system, but I just like to crank it a little louder than normal sometimes. PARTY MODE "ON!" I would love to redo the entire system, but the cost isn't something I can justify when I have a few more things left to do on my runner and afterall I like the clean look of the oem unit and wheel controls. I like the party mode as well so keeping the head unit and upgrading the speakers only in my mind was going to be hit or miss. I figured I'd not hear all that much difference, but I was wrong.
For anyone considering doing the install themselves - just know you will have to fab, out of some type of sturdy material, a couple of tabs to facilitate in mounting the speakers in place. I used a piece of plastic and formed it w/ a dremel. You will figure out pretty quick what you're looking at having to do the moment you get the speakers out and test fit the new ones. To get to the speakers by the way I used a small flat head and firmly popped up the plastic grill over each speaker. The clips are strong, but finesse is always a good touch. The grill itself has 3 tabs on the windshield edge designed to fit into slots in the actual dash. This helps hold the windshield edge in place as there is no practical way to pop clips up at that angle. The grill pulls out in one motion, no need to bend things as the plastic can break. (this guy learned the hardway) The tab I made for the driver side is 2 x .75" The tab for the passenger side is essentially the same but a little more narrow and shorter. I used this tab on the right side speaker mounting bracket when doing both speakers. At the speaker hole/bracket I drilled, using a standard sheet metal screw, through the speaker bracket hole into the tab. This is mainly to keep the speaker in place, and supported. The other end of the tab has a drilled out hole that you will screw through the Kappa mounting plate/hole into the factory screw hole. This might not be the best description, but it's pretty self explanatory when you see it all.
Oh yea, the wiring! This part threw me off a bit, as there are 4 wires that are connected to the factory speaker.
* The light green and pink wire are negative on both sides.
* The other two colors:
left side = violet + blue = positive
right side = yellow + blue = positive.
After snipping the factory wires you will expose wire and tie each the positive and the negatives together; left side = light green + pink tied together for one negative wire - violet + blue tied together for one positive wire (you get the idea for the right side) - both wires plugged into speaker. This connection at the Kapa is essentially a pass through, as I believe the deck powers through the dash then to the door speaker. I believe this is a component system, just not one setup like any I've seen. When fitting the speaker you will need to tuck the main wire connecting block up under the dash plastic lining (just under the mounting hole lip) and will also want to use a good bit of the foam provided to dampen metal to metal contact. I used a lot at the screw points. The right side was a little more difficult as the right factory speaker is so much smaller than the Kappa that when fitting the Kappa you have to cut a good bit of the dash plastic lining out. The dash on the right side, mainly due to less space due to the glove box, was molded around the speaker. Good news though, the dash plastic lininh is very thin and able to be trimmed. I used a utility/exacto knife to do this and it wasn't all that bad. It's a very awkward angle and it's your left hand doing the cutting so it's best to get all exposed wires out of the way and/or protected should the blade slip. I trimmed out a 1.5x2" area, which is on the south east corner of the speaker when fitting it. You will have the speaker seated so the main speaker wire feed into the speaker is on the right side of the speaker and taunt. When done the speaker will fit and mount very snuggly, especially if you used a good bit of foam around the speaker chassis, which I suggest doing.
Remember, when putting the grills back on that there are 3 tabs that fit up under the windshield side of the grill. Align those w/ the inserts and gentle press down to seat the tabs and then press firmly around the grill counterclockwise @ 11 until the clips are in tight and the grill sits flush on the dash.
I need to emphasize that this is a simple upgrade that I did mainly to upgrade the front sound and get some good highs and mids out of the dash. The angle of the windshield is upright enough that the sound hits the driver right at ear level and needs to be clean other wise the clarity just isn't what it should be imo.
This upgrade is by no means a pro audio sound setup, but I think it's phenominal w/ the stock deck, and I highly recommend this to any one looking to spend a couple of hrs in the garage tinkering.
I've been around audio for a long time and can honestly say I've never heard, with such little work being done, such an amazing difference and quality sound from one speaker to another.
The Infinity Kappa in my SR5 = good stuff. :bravo:
I'm going to read up on the total power this deck puts out so I can pick out a good door speaker. I know others on the board have shared detail about that, which I will be skimming through. I will update this thread if I do install something in the doors. For now, I'm VERY HAPPY w/ the sound especially given that it's the stock deck.
I Hope this write up helps anyone looking to do a speaker mod. I know there are probably speakers that you can drop in w/out modding to the dash, so only reference this write-up as an option.
I do have a few pictures, but quality isn't the best and the area of focus throug the windshield is so small that it's difficult to see.
-b
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I chose to do mine not only to save money but to know what work was being done as I'm very meticulous about clean installs and the job being done well. I've been installing this stuff for years, but by no means consider myself an "installer" and had to read up a lot on some of the stuff out there. If you're not comfortable popping off door panels and removing the head unit, it's best to have it done for you. As far as the install of the speakers, they require time, some tools, and creativitly - with a little luck. I personally would rate this a 6 or 7, but w/ the disclaimer that the job will for sure take many hrs. Make sure to read up on how to best remove/replace factory speakers! I did a half a$$ job and cut up my stuff which I regret. There are ways around having to cut any speaker terminal/plug the factory has in place that ultimately looks much better. Google Posi-Tap as an example of how to tap into factory wire w/out having to splice or cut. 
