Prius w/ JBL

It all depends on what you would like to improve. Do you want more volume, better sound quality, more bass, better high frequency response? I think you're on the right track with using the stock head unit and upgrading speakers with a high end set of components like Focal or JL Audio, adding an amp and sub box.

 

I have installed many varieties of LOC's over the years and the clean sweep has its place in certain applications. I don't think it is necessary to go with on the head unit that comes in our prius. If you are looking to just add an amp and sub I would highly recommend the Audio Control LC2i. For amp and sub I would recommend going to a few shops that carry Alpine, JL Audio, Kicker, etc and get an idea of what you might like. Once you have an idea of what kind of enclosure you like (sealed vs. ported) and size of woofer and how many then we could offer suggestions.

 

I have a gen 2 with jbl. I purchased a Bluetooth aux from best buy for $15 bucks and stream from my iPhone and sounds much better than radio stations. Maybe better than a cd. But who has CDs nowadays.


iPhone ?

 

Can you explain what a Bluetooth aux is and possibly name of manufacturer so I can search for one to buy ? THanks !

 

Install this into your AUX in your center console, Pair to your phone and your JBL system will ROCK!! No need to upgrade it sounds good as is. This is easily found at @best Buy or Amazon. It charges via USB, so i usually charge before leaving or my Phone Charger has a USB input so it will stay charged. It has an auto off function so you leave your car and turn it on when you need it.

 

Amazon.com: bluetooth aux

 

Go with 6.5in components in the front instead of a 6X9. Stick with a coaxial in the rear door as you won't depend on them too much anyway. Go with a 5ch amp and you're all set. JL and Alpine make some great 5 channel amps.

 

Tell me which speakers and sub you are looking to go with. You have to pick you amp based on speaker/sub choice.

 

Just keep in mind you are looking to put a $500 dollar pair of components in the rear doors of your car and a low end pair of 6x9's in your front door and possibly add a second set of speakers to the dash. You are a salespersons dream and a sound enthusiast's nightmare (take that with a grain of salt- no offense meant). I would highly recommend looking into a component system for the door and dash and a basic coaxial for the rear door or go with 2 pairs of matching components for the front and back. You can easily accomplish this utilizing the stock locations with the stock grills. Based on your speaker choice I would recommend one of the following 3 amplifiers- JL Audio HD900/5, XD1000/5V2 or the Alpine PDXV-9. All 3 of these amps will give you between 75 and 100 watts a channel for your 4 speakers and 500 to 600 watts for your sub. Remember that it is always better to be at or slightly above maximum recommended power, it will give you some headroom and will allow maximum flexibility when tuning your system to suit your ear. Hope that helps.

 

You want your best speakers up front due to speaker placement vs. driver seating position. In a properly installed and tuned audio system your rear speakers are merely used for fill. I think you should check out the Focal PS165F's, They make some of the best sounding speakers period. JL Audio and the Kicker QS series are also worth checking out.

 

The Focal's are certainly quality speakers. I am not sure JL's are in the same class.
I really question the need for super high power amplifiers. Right now, I have 6 channels of 20 w rms hooked up with my JBL ms-8 amp. I can play music at quite reasonable volumes. I can even play my pipe organ music at reasonable volumes. Now if you want to make your eardrums bleed, it isn't enough power. However I question the meed for 500-600w for a subwoofer. I am in the process of building my subwoofer, and it will either use 2 channels of my JBL amp, or 2 channels of a blaumpnkt 75w per channel amp.

I think you should spend your money on quality speakers and sound dampening, rather than high power amplifiers. While driving today, I could hear a bit of road noise, despite having a bunch of sound deadening material in my doors. Perhaps I should start with mass loaded vinyl in the door, and floor. And perhaps some material in the roof. I even question the utility of high quality and high cost speakers like the focal's. With my JBL DSP, it equalized my $50 a pair kenwood coxails better than any non-DSP solution.

 

I have a 2013 Prius one with non-JBL system, 6 speaker system, and just recently finished upgrading the speakers using the stock HU. I replaced all 6 speakers, dash are 3.5 inch Polk dxi350, front door 6x9 inifinity reference 9632cf 2-way, rear door 6.5 inch Polk dxi651s, and sub alpine SBR-S8-4, with Alpine 5 channel amp MRX-V70. On the dash speakers, I used the supplied HPF that came with speakers, either 300 or 400 hz.

Like others may have mentioned, you get very little from the rear door speakers (at least I dont), even wired to the amp. I can set the fader all the way to the back and still the rear speakers do not get loud , even with amp. The dash and fronts really supply all the sound. It must just be the bad location with them so low on rear door.

I can't imagine going with a bigger amp, as mine is more than enough for the little Prius. My sub is only a max 350w and it is more than enough to make the car vibrate and rumble with the amp I have. What would 500w do...wow?

My amp is in the cargo area in trunk. I replaced all the speakers myself but had a business install the amp. Even though the amp has high level inputs, they used 2 LOC, which I am not convinced is the right thing, but that is a whole other discussion.

I would spend your money on sound deadening material and for the dash and front door speakers. To me the rear speakers are not that important.

 

Based on the OP's request for help with his system design I am recommending exactly what he should be going with. If you do not feel that a car needs a "super high power amplifier" kudos to you as I am recommending an amp delivering 75 to 100 watts a channel to match the speakers he is looking to install. And Really? Is that Super High Power? I must've missed something while I worked in the Mobile Electronics Industry for over a decade. I was professionally educated, trained and had the pleasure of having some of the most talented installers work for me between 1995 and 2007 to provide perspective on my opinions. And yes if you would like to have the most flexibility and control over your audio system when retaining the stock head unit you should be utilizing 2 LOC's for front/rear channels or 1 multichannel LOC to your amplifier just as you would use multi channel RCA output when using an aftermarket head unit. The OP is looking at above average to enthusiast level audio equipment and I am recommending an amplifier that will support his speakers of choice. If he was looking at lower grade speakers and subs I would recommend something less powerful. I hope that clears up why I am making these recommendations.