[evrafter]

Question for y'all....

Was unable to procure a Trailhawk with the 9 speaker upgrade. Thus, I COULD just do an aftermarket upgrade. What do y'all suggest is a fair price I should be paying for for a good system?

Dealership audio guy said they had 2 options for me: 1) system with subwoofer $2200 but subwoofer would take up a lot of room and he personally (and I agreed) didn't like me having to give up that much space (plus that's a lot of money) or 2) for like $1600 he could do a similar 9 speaker upgrade but he said it wouldn't be much better than the 6 system already in there, and in HIS opinion he wouldn't waste his money, since it wouldn't add much more than the 6 system.

I'm assuming y'all will say go somewhere OTHER than the dealership? And if so, what should be the price range I look at? I'm a 43 year old female...not a teenage boy..I don't need to buzz the neighborhood, but would like a great sound. My 2007 Rav4 has the upgrade JBL system which I'm sad to see go bye-bye.

 

[JRousey]

Neither one of those dealer options is any good. $2200 is just ridiculous. $1600 is also way too much, especially for it ONLY being as good as the 6 speaker configuration.
I suggest going to an aftermarket audio installer. Let them know what you are after and they will tune your vehicle to your specifications. You already know you liked the JBL system in your Rav4(let them know that). Matching that should be easy and doesn't require super high end equipment.
Keep us posted on what you do end up doing. I'm sure many of us will want to upgrade the audio system in the Renegades.


Where are you located by the way?

 

[Rebel]

I suggest going to an aftermarket audio installer.

Good suggestion, your local car audio retailer would be a much better bet.

What I would suggest is buying online, and bringing everything to them to install for you. This will save you at least a few hundred dollars.

What kind of music do you listen to, and where would you say the stock system is lacking the most?

...but subwoofer would take up a lot of room and he personally (and I agreed) didn't like me having to give up that much space

A decent sub doesnt need to take up very much room at all, especially for your needs. An 8" sub can go in a box smaller than a briefcase, and can easily be removed if needed.

Here's a shopping list for you. Since you loved the JBL system in your old car, (you have good taste, I've been running a pair of bookshelf JBL's for over ten years, they still sound amazing), I've picked some JBL speakers that should sound amazing, and be a big upgrade over stock! All the JBL stuff is a drop-in replacement, and will be a cinch for anyone to install.



Here's some 3.5" speakers to replace the ones in your dash. Sold in pairs, so buy quantity of 1.
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/JBL-GTO328-3-5-Inch-2-Way-Loudspeaker/dp/B003KN2TD0/ref=sr_1_5?s=car&ie=UTF8&qid=1432266555&sr=1-5&keywords=3.5+inch[/ame]


Some 6x9's to replace the door speakers, sold in pairs, so you'll need quantity of 2 if you want to do the front doors and rears.
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/JBL-GTO938-9-Inch-3-Way-Loudspeaker/dp/B003KN2TGM/ref=sr_1_1?s=car&ie=UTF8&qid=1432266631&sr=1-1[/ame]


I'd recommend this sub, very highly regarded in the car audio world when it comes to sound quality. This is NOT a sub that concerns itself with "shakin the 'hood", but rather reproducing every note musically and faithfully.
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/ID8V-3-D4-Image-Dynamics-Subwoofer/dp/B004Y1KG1O/ref=sr_1_1?s=car&ie=UTF8&qid=1432270091&sr=1-1[/ame]


You'll need an amp for your sub. RF makes some serious quality amps; can't go wrong with these guys.
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Rockford-Fosgate-R250X1-1-Channel-Amplifier/dp/B00BF6HX8U/ref=sr_1_4?s=car&ie=UTF8&qid=1432267945&sr=1-4][/ame]


Lastly, you'll need a box. If they seem like they know what they're doing, you may want to have the shop build one custom for you, but it will cost much more than this.
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Single-Subwoofer-Sealed-Automotive-Enclosure/dp/B0036UOZ5M/ref=sr_1_2?s=car&ie=UTF8&qid=1432267746&sr=1-2[/ame]



So for $400, you could have all the pieces need to put a killer system in your Jeep, and I can guarantee it will be even better than your last. I'd expect to not spend much more than $200 to install everything. Don't forget to ask them to put some bass blockers in, this will keep the low bass out of your speakers, allowing you to get more volume without distortion.

If you're looking for a lot more volume over stock (besides the volume of the bass), you may want to get a four channel amp to run your front speakers, but that will drive up the install cost a good bit.



Any questions, please ask!

 

[evrafter]

Y'all are amazing! Thank you! Both have just eased my sadness not being able to get the 9 speaker upgrade!! I like all kinds of music. I just really like a good solid sound that doesn't sound tingy or cheap. I tend to bring my bass up on my JBL's. But if I had to describe my preferred audio experience in a car it would probably best be described as that encompassing orchestral sound you get when listening to a good soundtrack like Jurassic Park or Star Wars. Nothing sweeter than a French horn holding a high note, or an oboe mixed with some strings. Nerdy sounding, I know. But, I DO also like a good bass that you can feel resonating in your gutt on a Ariana Grande or Glitch Mob - Seven Nation Army Remix. lol That's pretty much what I've been getting from my JBL's since 2007.

 

[JRousey]

Good info, Rebel. You even did the homework for her.


To add to the list Rebel made, you could also try buying the factory subwoofer box(you'll have to match the subwoofer size to the size this box accepts). This would place it inside the passenger side rear paneling. It is hidden and doesn't take up any space.

 

[Rebel]

That could be a fun option as well. I wasn't aware one could purchase the factory box; interesting. Just be aware that would leave you with only a 6.5 inch sub, which has even less cone area than your door speakers. However, depending on the available mounting depth, there are some options out there that will make up for that, with a judicious amount of excursion via high wattage.

 

[bwbike]

The factory sub box is relatively large but you will likely have to remove the inner plastic panel to install it. It's molded to fit around the wheel well and other structural bits.

 

[evrafter]

The factory sub box is relatively large but you will likely have to remove the inner plastic panel to install it. It's molded to fit around the wheel well and other structural bits.

Ah ha ha ha ha "structural BITS." Just feels like we are invading the Renegade's personal "areas." "I feel so...violated." ~Trailhawk

 

[bwbike]

:laugh: :laugh:

 

[JPerez]

To anyone who wants to upgrade the radio, I spoke to the parts department and they said the PMC is somehow connected to the radio and they advised not to do anything with the radio for an aftermarket radio.

 

[Rebel]

What is PMC?


I'm assuming you're mainly referring to replacing the head unit, and not the actual speakers, correct? Surely there would be no problem with this??