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Upgrading speakers -- advice please!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by bob dylan, Dec 4, 2005.

  1. bob dylan

    bob dylan New Member

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    Hello y'all,

    I live in Orange County, California.
    I just got a 2006 Prius with package 8 (JBL system with 9 speakers in 7 locations).
    It sounds okay...at best.

    I would like to upgrade the audio quality, without replacing the main unit in the dashboard, and without having to cut new holes in the doors or anything like that.

    I am trying to get the sound system to "sound" as good as possible--I'm not trying to get it to be super "loud" or set off the car alarms.


    * I want to add Sirius satellite radio directly into the unit (I don't want a plug-and-play thing).

    * Someone posted a note on here about a guy in Orange County who does installation for Toyota. I called him and he said he could do whatever I wanted. He is an installer, so he didn't have many suggestions on speakers, subs, or amps. He suggested just changing the main four door speakers. He suggested not adding any additional amps as it may affect the entire car.

    So, my questions so far are...

    1) Should I replace all 9 speakers? I sort of think I should, so they all "match" in sound.

    2) Any suggestions on speakers (exact model numbers would be great!)?

    3) What's up with that center dashboard speaker? Should I just disconnect that?

    4) Should I get a subwoofer? If so, any suggestions on which one and where do I put it?

    5) Would I need a new or additional amp to give the new speakers enough power? I sort of think so, but I don't want to screw up the rest of the car.

    6) If I just keep the main JBL amp that is in the car, do I need to "reconfigure" it so it sends the proper audio to the proper speakers? Will this install guy know enough about this (I assume he will).

    7) Sound deadning (B-Quiet, or whatever it's called) the doors. Should I do that now, or perhaps wait until the install is done, and if needed, CAN I do the doors on my own (without paying the install guy)? :blink:


    Again, I'm trying to get the car audio to sound great--clear, crisp, full, volume...whatever.
    I am not looking for the loudest car on the block.

    If anyone here has actually upgraded their speakers, I'd love to hear from you--the good, the bad, the ugly, and what you would have done differently.

    This site is fantastic, and so is everyone's thoughts and advice!
    There is alot of advice on this topic already in previous posts here, but I need advice on this entire upgrade as a whole, and not just adding one thing or another.

    Sorry about this long post, but any pointers would be greatly appreciated!


    Thanks in advance.

    P.S. When I get it all done, I'll try and post pictures and write a "review" of the entire process.
     
  2. 8AA

    8AA Active Member

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    Before you spend time and money upgrading the speakers, try disconnecting the center dashboard speaker. You might be surprised just how much of an inprovement there will be when you can just hear the other eight speakers. Lift the speaker up from the side facing the interior of the car first. After you lift up the speaker you can disengage the tabs on the windshield side and remove the whole assembly. There is a connector on the speaker wire; I just disconnected it and then put the speaker back where it was. I found that adjusting the fade to two or three clicks to the rear of centered gave the best balance of sound.
     
  3. IndyDoug

    IndyDoug New Member

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    See my sig for recommendations. Yes, you should replace the stock speakers immediately.
     
  4. datavortex

    datavortex New Member

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    These questions are all frequently addressed in this forum, and you can find more complete and helpful information simply by search the archives, but succiently:

    1) yes
    2) 2 pairs of Infinity Kappa 60.7cs
    3) yes
    4) yes, Kenwood KSC-SW1 in the spare tire area
    5) No, with varying definitions of 'enough'
    6) No. Use the included crossovers from Infinity in the rear (only).
    7) Do it whenever. Do it yourself if you're compulsive about getting it right (you're on this forum, so give it up, you are) :)

    The B-Quiet is taking me many weeks to finish, putting in a hour or two here and there in the rare instances when I have time to work on it.
     
  5. DanMan32

    DanMan32 Senior Member

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    There's a good chance you may be satisfied with a good sub, such as the Kenwood that Datavortex suggested, or a bazooka.

    Replacing the JBL amp without replacing the head unit is not an option. The amp is also the preamp. It can't be 'reconfigured' other than what controls you get through the MFD: volume, balance, fade, bass, mid, treble. The rear speakers get full range audio with a passive crossover between the full-range door speaker and the tweeter (really a high pass capacitor). The front speakers are fed with an active crossover using filtering integrated in the amp.
     
  6. Arroyo

    Arroyo Member

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    A good sub and crossover network will do wonders for the sound. Not only will you get bass extension, but the bass on the satellite speakers will be relieved, thereby making the midrange sound much cleaner, more open and transparent.

    http://sasbazooka.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2578
     
  7. priusenvy

    priusenvy Senior Member

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    Car audio subwoofers with built-in amps are by definition not "good". The whole point of them is to trade off sound quality and output level for ease of installation and small size.

    If you want "good", you need a separate amp and subwoofer, installed in a properly sized enclosure.
     
  8. bob dylan

    bob dylan New Member

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    Hello again everyone,
    Thanks for the advice and I'm ALMOST ready to dive in, but I have a few more questions...

    I'm set on getting the subwoofer in the back.
    Folks here have said to get the Kenwood, so I'm going with that (unless someone has another idea--should I get the Infinity?).

    I'm set on getting the Infinity Speakers.
    Folks here have said to get the Infinity 2-way speakers (I forget the model number, but it's listed above in another message). Should I get the Infinity Kappa 3-way speakers instead?

    And lastly (but this is the question I really need help with), what do I do with the four door tweaters? Do I replace those or just disconnect them? If I replace those, what do I replace them with? Is there an Infinity model? -- I do like the way it sounds now with a "full" sound and I think that is because the tweeters are up high.

    Anyway, please walk me through these next few lingering thoughts, and I'll have it all installed soon!

    Thanks again in advance!



     
  9. aaf709

    aaf709 Ravenpaw of ThunderClan

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    The Bazooka BTA6100 is also supposed to work.
     
  10. DanMan32

    DanMan32 Senior Member

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    In your last post, and your PM to me, you indicate that you like how the soundsystem sounds, so I probably woundn't mess with the stock speakers, as installation and configuration can be a pain. Just add the sub, using the rear speakers as a source.

    If you do decide to replace the stock speakers, keep a note of the following:
    The front speakers are actively crossed over within the amp. So, in other words, the lower front speakers don't get any highs, and the tweeters don't get any lows. The rear speakers have a passive crossover by connecting the tweeters to the rear output through a capacitor.
    So, if you got a 2 way co-axial speaker set in the front as opposed to component speakers, the tweeter in the set would be wasted as it would get no highs.
    The 2 way co-axial would work in the rear, but since highs are very directional, those in the front probably wouldn't hear the highs from them, and probably the rear passengers wouldn't hear the highs from them either unless they had ears on their legs.

    Just go with the sub, and if you're still not happy, then try new speakers.
     
  11. olcorral

    olcorral New Member

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    Speaking of speakers:
    What size speakers are in the front door panels? I've got a couple 5 1/4" I'm not using.
    Thanks,
    olcorral.
     
  12. DocVijay

    DocVijay Active Member

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    The front doors use 6 1/2" or 6 3/4" speakers. You could probably make some adapters out of MDF in order to use the 5 1/4" speakers.