Guidance Request for Prius Audio System

Welcome to Prius chat !

Top of the page you will see a search link, I would try 'JBL and premium' and you will get more info than you would expect.

There are two systems and a lot of very good opinions to help make your decisions.

 

I've been very happy with the JBL system. I love the 6 disc changer in dash. I also like all the other stuff I got in my package (#6). The NAV, voice activation, SKS...etc

well worth it if you ask me

 

FAQ: some of the best guides to the Prius audio system

 

I have the "premium" JBL system in my 2005 (Pkg #6). I would assume that this is the same thing as the 2006 will have (adding MP3 support as well).

The general consensus seems to be that that sound quality is not very good. I tend to agree. However, after adding a powered subwoofer to my setup, the sound is very good. I am totally satisfied with the system and have no desire to upgrade the speakers or anything else.

You probably know that it's not easy to swap out the stereo in the Prius. People have done it, but not without sacrifices (NAV integration, steering wheel controls, etc.)


DGStan

 

To elaborate on this a bit, there is functionality built in to the JBL amplifier that interacts with the GPS navigation system. If you replace it, you sacrifice that functionality. If you plan to use bluetooth functionality, voice-guided navigation, or the voice recognition system, you may want to consider this limitation.

I went with package 6 and I am glad I did. Even though I replaced 8 of the JBL speakers and just unplugged the other (center) one, it was good to have the factory mounting points there to begin with. I would die now if I lost my GPS, though I am looking forward to the next software upgrade. Adding a amplified subwoofer makes a big difference.

I could have gone with the bare package and ripped out the whole stereo, then added an aftermarket GPS that I prefer (Magellan), but it would have cost about the same and I prefer the factory feel.

 

Which speakers did you use for replacements on the JBL system? Did you change the amplifiers or did you simply replace the speakers? I would like to upgrade the speakers only but was wondering if it made any improvement.

Thanks in advance!

 

Like many in the PC community, I followed the advice of audio guru ~sparky~ and went with the Infinity Kappa 60.7cs component system. I bought two pairs, one each for front and rear. I used the included Infinity crossovers in the rear, but you still must use the digital crossover in the JBL amp for the front. I also went with the subwoofer popular on the board, Kenwood's KSC-SW1 with built-in amplifier, which fits nicely in the spare tire area, and is nicely matched.

With these two upgrades, I have seen a marked improvement in audio reproduction quality. I did not replace the amp. If feature loss were not a concern, I would though.

 

If you know what a decent factory stero can sound like (Ford Mach 460 for example), you will be sorely disappointed in the JBL audio system. You'll need to replace two pairs of speakers, add two amps, and add a subwoofer at a minimum to get it up to a decent level.

At that point, since you've replaced everything but the head unit, you might as well not get the JBL audio system, and just add an aftermarket head unit, if you don't want anything else in the option package.

If you go the cheapest route possible (Ebay, buying last year's models or demos), you can get everything (including head unit) for just under $1k. If you have to pay someone else to do the installation, that could run a few hundred more.

I'm still using the JBL head unit and tapping off the speaker outputs from the JBL amp, but I've added the following:

2 pairs Infinity 6010.cs component speakers
MTX 564 4x100 watt amp
MTX 342 2x125 watt amp (bridged)
JL Audio 8W3v2 subwoofer

 

No, the JBL amp doesn't interact with the NAV other than the mute function. The problem is that the JBL amp is also the pre-amp that is computer controlled over a specialized network for the audio/visual system. If you take out the amp, you also take out the pre-amp, thus you lose volume, balance, fade, and EQ control.