What are your EQ settings on your factory head unit?

[Vtx531]

I recently swapped in a factory CD player. Previously had a stock tape player that stopped working. That tape player radio only had bass and treble adjustments. I always just left both of them as high as they would go. The CD player has a mid setting as well, and the system sounds best to me with it turned all the way down and the other two turned all the way up.

It just seems weird. I have factory soundbar speakers, and factory infinity pod speakers in the dash (I swapped them in). No subwoofer.

Probably not many folks running the factory radio but wondering if you have a similar experience to mine? The whole thing sounds really tin can-ish if I turn the mid EQ up.

I want to keep the factory radio and from everything I have read, aftermarket speakers are pretty worthless unless they are amped, and might actually sound worse or not be as loud or lose what little bass I do have. Also, I want to avoid modifying any factory wiring and dont like running power wires to the battery or through the firewall so that rules out an external amp.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

It sounds empty/bad because you have the midrange turned all the way down. I'd bring it up to mid-level.

 

[Vtx531]

It sounds empty/bad because you have the midrange turned all the way down. I'd bring it up to mid-level.

At mid-level, the tin-can effect is worse but sounds louder overall.

Would I be better off installing a low powered subwoofer or something like the alpine power pack?

Would a mini amp make the stock speakers sound better?

Given the choice between the two: would I get more gains from a mini amp with stock speakers or factory amp with aftermarket speakers?

 

[Jerry Bransford]

I dunno without hearing what you're describing as a tin-can sound. Speakers are more important than amplifiers, I'd start with good quality speakers like Polk's DB series which also have a high sensitivity rating which means they don't require a lot of power to sound good. I'd look only at speakers with a 90 dB or higher Sensitivity rating.

 

[jeepguy03]

I dunno without hearing what you're describing as a tin-can sound. Speakers are more important than amplifiers, I'd start with good quality speakers like Polk's DB series which also have a high sensitivity rating which means they don't require a lot of power to sound good. I'd look only at speakers with a 90 dB or higher Sensitivity rating.

+1

I have Polk DB Marine speakers and they sound great. The stock speakers are made out of paper, and mine basically crumbled into nothing when I took them out. Aftermarket speakers will improve the sound quality. Bass is a different story, and don't expect much bass in a vehicle like the TJ with a convertible roof. A large powered sub will help, but the inside acoustics of a TJ don't really allow for good bass. I'm just happy I can hear my music at all with all things considered.

 

[Chris]

I mean it is the shitty stock head unit

 

[Jerry Bransford]

I mean it is the shitty stock head unit

People would be surprised how much better the OE head unit sounds by just replacing the speakers with something better. The right replacement speakers will make a much more dramatic improvement in sound quality than a new head unit or more powerful amplifier can.

 

[Chris]

People would be surprised how much better the OE head unit sounds by just replacing the speakers with something better. The right replacement speakers will make a much more dramatic improvement in sound quality than a new head unit or more powerful amplifier can.

True, but if you’re going that route I think it makes sense to use a better head unit as well, especially given how cheap they are.

 

[Vtx531]

People would be surprised how much better the OE head unit sounds by just replacing the speakers with something better. The right replacement speakers will make a much more dramatic improvement in sound quality than a new head unit or more powerful amplifier can.

Glad to hear the speakers would make a bigger improvement. That is a lot easier than amp.

I had bad experience previously with aftermarket speakers. I tried Boss, Pioneer and Sony. I lost what little bass there was. (I think Boss actually sounded the best) same experience with my dad’s Chevy Silverado. Replaced blown speakers with Kenwood and they sounded worse!

So I ripped it all out of my Jeep and went back to stock. Guess I need to give in and try the Polks that everyone raves about.

Big question that is a deal breaker: Will they fit behind the factory grill speakers in the soundbar? The included grills look ridiculous.

What adapter plates should I go with for the dash? Here are the options I see:
1. Flat plastic or metal $10
2. Metal with bends to angle the speaker up a little bit $15
3. Select increments dash pods $80
4. 3D printed dashpods on ebay $50

I had a $50 all-in-one cheapo sub in the Jeep at one point and I seem to remember that making the system sound better than any other mods I have tried over the years.

 

[jeepguy03]

If you replace the speakers don't go cheap, the sound quality will be terrible. Polk and Alpine have been okay from what I've used, but lower end Kenwood, Pioneer, etc all seem to suck, especially the $20 ones from WalMart.

 

[HornedToad]

The factory Chrysler head units I have encountered from that era including 2 dodge trucks and my tj all had bad volume knobs—you would turn it and it wouldn’t turn up, keep turning it and all of the sudden it’s at max volume. Has anyone else seen this?

 

[Jerry Bransford]

If you have a factory soundbar it will accept 6.5" speakers without modification. The included sheet metal screws will go right onto the pressboard inside without needing to drill holes for them.

For the front speakers, get a pair of adapter plates and go with round 5.25" speakers (like Polk's DB). Round speakers sound better than oval speakers which is a compromise shape to fit odd-size areas.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

The factory Chrysler head units I have encountered from that era including 2 dodge trucks and my tj all had bad volume knobs—you would turn it and it wouldn’t turn up, keep turning it and all of the sudden it’s at max volume. Has anyone else seen this?

Likely just got dirty from getting worn inside. Sometimes working the volume control knob back & forth like crazy (without the radio being on) can clean it up inside enough to make it work better... for a while.

 

[Vtx531]

If you replace the speakers don't go cheap, the sound quality will be terrible. Polk and Alpine have been okay from what I've used, but lower end Kenwood, Pioneer, etc all seem to suck, especially the $20 ones from WalMart.

The Pioneer were $43 from Walmart! Sonys were also from walmart but cheaper and I expected them to be bad based on reviews. The PIONEER i thought would be better as I think they are A series which are supposed to be good but maybe only when amped. I was running aftermarket HU at the time (probably a cheap one because I am cheap).

 

[Vtx531]

The factory Chrysler head units I have encountered from that era including 2 dodge trucks and my tj all had bad volume knobs—you would turn it and it wouldn’t turn up, keep turning it and all of the sudden it’s at max volume. Has anyone else seen this?

I haven’t had this problem but not surprising. They can be taken apart and cleaned though.

If you have a factory soundbar it will accept 6.5" speakers without modification. The included sheet metal screws will go right onto the pressboard inside without needing to drill holes for them.

For the front speakers, get a pair of adapter plates and go with round 5.25" speakers (like Polk's DB). Round speakers sound better than oval speakers which is a compromise shape to fit odd-size areas.

No 6.5s in the soundbar for me. I really want to utilize the factory speaker grills.

You recommend speakers plates over the pods?

 

[Jerry Bransford]

The Pioneer were $43 from Walmart! Sonys were also from walmart but cheaper and I expected them to be bad based on reviews. The PIONEER i thought would be better as I think they are A series which are supposed to be good but maybe only when amped. I was running aftermarket HU at the time (probably a cheap one because I am cheap).

The problem that people encounter when buying speakers is they don't understand the what their specifications mean. They think a 250 watt speaker will be louder than a 75 watt speaker will on their head unit. It won't and with most the 250 watt speaker would actually play less loudly than the 75 watt speaker will.

A speaker's wattage rating is nothing more than its safest max power it can handle. If your amplifier puts out 75 watts RMS per channel, buying a 500 watt speaker isn't going to do anything for you.

For example, a speaker with a 500 watt rating with an 84 dB Sensitivity rating would produce a significantly less volume/sound level than a 100 watt speaker would with a 90 dB Sensitivity rating would with the factory head unit.

You can't depend on the speaker's price or its wattage rating to know if the sound it produces will make you happy or not. Buying the one that screams the biggest number of watts is the one most likely to sound the worst on the average head unit.

 

[Zorba]

I put the forum recommended Kickers in my dash, and some older Jensens I had on hand in the sound bar. They sound VERY nice - in fact, so nice that I put Kickers in my other car with a similar betterment of sound.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

No 6.5s in the soundbar for me. I really want to utilize the factory speaker grills.

You recommend speakers plates over the pods?

Paint the grills satin black if you like but you'll get more bass with the 6.5" than you will with the factory 5.25" size. I didn't even notice my grills after converting to 6.5". Especially with a quick coat of satin black paint to make the new grills blend in.

I'm not sure what you're considering for pods but 5.25" coaxial speakers on an adapter plate up front is a good way to go.

 

[TheBoogieman]

Chris nailed it with post #6. Nothing else needs to be said. Having installed stereos at Crutchfield, better speakers require a better head unit and WAY more rms power to sound good IMO.

 

[LJ Jesse]

Everything Jerry has said here is spot on, especially paying close attention to the sensitivity rating of the speakers. I have the Polk 6.5s in the soundbar of one of our Jeeps, and in the other Jeep, I found some Infinitiys that have a very high sensitivity rating, and I actually like them even slightly better once the EQ is adjusted. Both of these Jeeps have Apline head units with very adjustable EQs.