I know this topic has been beaten to death, but a thought occurred to me today. The whole point of this thread is to suggest an option based off of the limited room a TJ has. I’ve installed amps and aftermarket setups in cars and trucks where there was room for equipment that would remain unseen. That’s a little more difficult to achieve in a TJ where any extra space for other things is precious. If you’re like me and like a clean factory appearance, with say, the stock radio, this is why this thread is here. It seems asinine, I know. But I don’t think it would hurt to explore.
To start, I’m an audiophile, but not in a stereo or electronics enthusiast kind of way. As a musician and producer, being and audiophile goes hand in hand. I like the music in my car to be as crisp and clear as it would be if I were sitting in the studio mixing it.
That said, I took a cruise in my mom’s Chrysler town and country and was pleasantly surprised at how clear, yet bassy, the stock stereo system was. Take a little bit of the bass out of the main system and send some of it to a subwoofer, and you would have an extremely clear sounding system on a simple stock setup.
Now in the audio world, it’s common knowledge that the power the OEM head unit delivers is paired very specifically with the speakers the factory installs. Aftermarket speakers will not sound that good with a factory radio, and typically, an aftermarket head unit/amp does not deliver the proper power or impedance that the factory speakers need to function optimally. They are finely tuned to each other with little-to-no room for adjustment. An example of this is my old 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix with the Bose premium audio.
At the time, there were few factory systems that delivered such clarity. Before I sent the car to the wreckers, I pulled the speakers hoping to use them in the future. I called Bose and got the specs for every speaker, and bought and amp that would fall within those specs in terms of deliverable power. Long story short, I was very disappointed in the results. I could not replicate the fine tuning that the original Bose amp was set to to deliver.
So back to the factory Chrysler setup. There are a lot of variables at play regarding sound quality. For instance, my mom’s van has 5 1/4s in the dash, and 6x9s in the doors and the rear. 6x9s are an excellent all-range speaker that can deliver clarity in all three spectrums; treble, mid, and bass. Her van is also much better insulated than any TJ would be. However I just took a ride in a TJ today with full floor insulation added, the ACC cutpile carpet, and a twill Bestop NX frameless soft top. I was amazed at how quiet and “padded” the cab sounded, which would make a great starting point for stereo.
So I got to thinking, we all have our own versions of speaker and stereo setups, so why not try to upgrade in terms of OEM? I did some digging into different years and models of any Chrysler vehicle made, including Dodge and Jeep. Many had the same square radios that came in 97-02 wranglers, and the oval-face radios that came in 03-06 wranglers. One of the first upgrades a TJ enthusiast would do in terms of audio is upgrade the sound bar speakers from 5 1/4” to 6.5” speakers, and upgrade the dash speakers from 4x6” (a highly avoided size in the aftermarket audio world) to a round 5 1/4” speaker.
In terms of subwoofers, an upgrade is definitely needed to carry the lower end bass and punch. The Kicker 6 3/4” shallow-sub I now have installed in the middle console is more than enough for punch, but a subwoofer is not meant to carry ALL of the bass frequencies. I listen to classic rock and hard rock, and am often disappointed in the sound, because my speakers have not been bassy enough, and I’ve had to send all of the bass to my sub. Even if you’re running two 12”s, sending ALL of your bass to a subwoofer will muddle the tone, as it is trying to carry the entire bass line and punch all at once. This kind of setup is better for hip hop/rap/electronic because the music is produced in a way where the bass lines are integrated WITH the punch. What I would like from a system is four speakers that can carry a moderate bass line, and a subwoofer that only has to carry the very low end frequencies of said bass line as well as the punch from the kick. The low end bass and punch are very similar in frequency, and blend through a sub much better than if you sent ALL bass through it.
Jeep did not come with “premium sound” like other Chrysler vehicles did. Essentially, it’s a rolling barn with a tarp stretched over it, why waste the money in a vehicle that isn’t considered luxury? Jeep eventually added THEIR version of premium sound. This was a 7-speaker system and factory console sub; added to make up for lack of clarity in prior years. Spoiler alert, it still sucked as it was no where near on par with other Chrysler vehicles. I’ve been in Rams, Sebrings, Durangos, 300s. They all had way better OEM sound than my Jeep did when I bought it stock.
My conclusion to this that maybe before spending money on an aftermarket head unit and speakers, source some 5 1/4” and 6.5” premium Chrysler speakers (found in anything but a Wrangler and Cherokee) from a junkyard, specific to either the square or oval radios that came in our TJs, and seeing how they sound. Personally, I’ve always been disappointed with the simple aftermarket head unit and 4-speaker upgrades. Typically the speakers are fine, but a small head unit is capable of delivering MAYBE 50w per channel. They don’t deliver enough power for my taste or needs and therefore I’m always using amps to deliver said power. OEM radios are big, and deliver a surprisingly high amount of power, but again, they’re very specific to the speakers they are driving.
I’m always thinking outside of the box on how to do things efficiently, and effectively. So before someone goes on about how this is a waste of time, and that a TJ can only sound so good, keep your close-minded comments to yourself. My current setup with the Kicker 6.75” Comp RT Subwoofer, Kicker PX2001 200w Mono Amplifier, and OEM radio kicks ass, and I plan on salvaging some junkyard speakers to see if I can make that setup even better. If I could move a little high-end bass from my sub and run it through my speakers for a clearer, more obvious bass line, it would make a world of difference in the quality.
Worried about Bluetooth not being available with the OEM head unit? I have this little gizmo here. The audio and call quality is crystal clear and automatically connects to my phone when powered on. It also has a USB port that you can specifically charge your phone on. Need and RCA adapter to connect your subwoofer amp to your factory radio? Look no further. Worried about cutting and splicing your factory harness? These little guys make splicing in an RCA adapter clean, and reversible, in seconds.
Thanks for reading! I will update when I get a chance to throw some Sebring or Ram speakers into my TJ
Let the discussion commence.
Here’s a picture of my subwoofer setup. Hidden neatly under the seat.
To start, I’m an audiophile, but not in a stereo or electronics enthusiast kind of way. As a musician and producer, being and audiophile goes hand in hand. I like the music in my car to be as crisp and clear as it would be if I were sitting in the studio mixing it.
That said, I took a cruise in my mom’s Chrysler town and country and was pleasantly surprised at how clear, yet bassy, the stock stereo system was. Take a little bit of the bass out of the main system and send some of it to a subwoofer, and you would have an extremely clear sounding system on a simple stock setup.
Now in the audio world, it’s common knowledge that the power the OEM head unit delivers is paired very specifically with the speakers the factory installs. Aftermarket speakers will not sound that good with a factory radio, and typically, an aftermarket head unit/amp does not deliver the proper power or impedance that the factory speakers need to function optimally. They are finely tuned to each other with little-to-no room for adjustment. An example of this is my old 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix with the Bose premium audio.
At the time, there were few factory systems that delivered such clarity. Before I sent the car to the wreckers, I pulled the speakers hoping to use them in the future. I called Bose and got the specs for every speaker, and bought and amp that would fall within those specs in terms of deliverable power. Long story short, I was very disappointed in the results. I could not replicate the fine tuning that the original Bose amp was set to to deliver.
So back to the factory Chrysler setup. There are a lot of variables at play regarding sound quality. For instance, my mom’s van has 5 1/4s in the dash, and 6x9s in the doors and the rear. 6x9s are an excellent all-range speaker that can deliver clarity in all three spectrums; treble, mid, and bass. Her van is also much better insulated than any TJ would be. However I just took a ride in a TJ today with full floor insulation added, the ACC cutpile carpet, and a twill Bestop NX frameless soft top. I was amazed at how quiet and “padded” the cab sounded, which would make a great starting point for stereo.
So I got to thinking, we all have our own versions of speaker and stereo setups, so why not try to upgrade in terms of OEM? I did some digging into different years and models of any Chrysler vehicle made, including Dodge and Jeep. Many had the same square radios that came in 97-02 wranglers, and the oval-face radios that came in 03-06 wranglers. One of the first upgrades a TJ enthusiast would do in terms of audio is upgrade the sound bar speakers from 5 1/4” to 6.5” speakers, and upgrade the dash speakers from 4x6” (a highly avoided size in the aftermarket audio world) to a round 5 1/4” speaker.
In terms of subwoofers, an upgrade is definitely needed to carry the lower end bass and punch. The Kicker 6 3/4” shallow-sub I now have installed in the middle console is more than enough for punch, but a subwoofer is not meant to carry ALL of the bass frequencies. I listen to classic rock and hard rock, and am often disappointed in the sound, because my speakers have not been bassy enough, and I’ve had to send all of the bass to my sub. Even if you’re running two 12”s, sending ALL of your bass to a subwoofer will muddle the tone, as it is trying to carry the entire bass line and punch all at once. This kind of setup is better for hip hop/rap/electronic because the music is produced in a way where the bass lines are integrated WITH the punch. What I would like from a system is four speakers that can carry a moderate bass line, and a subwoofer that only has to carry the very low end frequencies of said bass line as well as the punch from the kick. The low end bass and punch are very similar in frequency, and blend through a sub much better than if you sent ALL bass through it.
Jeep did not come with “premium sound” like other Chrysler vehicles did. Essentially, it’s a rolling barn with a tarp stretched over it, why waste the money in a vehicle that isn’t considered luxury? Jeep eventually added THEIR version of premium sound. This was a 7-speaker system and factory console sub; added to make up for lack of clarity in prior years. Spoiler alert, it still sucked as it was no where near on par with other Chrysler vehicles. I’ve been in Rams, Sebrings, Durangos, 300s. They all had way better OEM sound than my Jeep did when I bought it stock.
My conclusion to this that maybe before spending money on an aftermarket head unit and speakers, source some 5 1/4” and 6.5” premium Chrysler speakers (found in anything but a Wrangler and Cherokee) from a junkyard, specific to either the square or oval radios that came in our TJs, and seeing how they sound. Personally, I’ve always been disappointed with the simple aftermarket head unit and 4-speaker upgrades. Typically the speakers are fine, but a small head unit is capable of delivering MAYBE 50w per channel. They don’t deliver enough power for my taste or needs and therefore I’m always using amps to deliver said power. OEM radios are big, and deliver a surprisingly high amount of power, but again, they’re very specific to the speakers they are driving.
I’m always thinking outside of the box on how to do things efficiently, and effectively. So before someone goes on about how this is a waste of time, and that a TJ can only sound so good, keep your close-minded comments to yourself. My current setup with the Kicker 6.75” Comp RT Subwoofer, Kicker PX2001 200w Mono Amplifier, and OEM radio kicks ass, and I plan on salvaging some junkyard speakers to see if I can make that setup even better. If I could move a little high-end bass from my sub and run it through my speakers for a clearer, more obvious bass line, it would make a world of difference in the quality.
Worried about Bluetooth not being available with the OEM head unit? I have this little gizmo here. The audio and call quality is crystal clear and automatically connects to my phone when powered on. It also has a USB port that you can specifically charge your phone on. Need and RCA adapter to connect your subwoofer amp to your factory radio? Look no further. Worried about cutting and splicing your factory harness? These little guys make splicing in an RCA adapter clean, and reversible, in seconds.
Thanks for reading! I will update when I get a chance to throw some Sebring or Ram speakers into my TJ
Let the discussion commence.Here’s a picture of my subwoofer setup. Hidden neatly under the seat.
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or to replace them with what others have been posting here for years? 
