Help me pick a stereo

My PO installed a JVC unit. Basic media player/radio and 25w RMS per channel.

It's only 2 or 3"s thick...so that let me bury a CB and GMRS radio behind the stereo...the ones with all the controls on the handset...so all you see on the dash is a couple of RJ45 plugs... nothing to steal.

Not sure of my radio...but if I bought one I'd want a 1/8" audio input aux on the back...then I could run the CB/GMRS through the stereo.

I think you're gonna want foam baffles with small holes cut in em for the speakers. Need to do that to mine...but it's so loud in the jeep now I just wear my Isotunes.

-Mac

PS something else to consider is a pull out screen or modify for double din for external cameras. Mainly backup...but I'm looking not serious for some integrated camera led lights that could be buried in the wheel wells or someplace appropriate for more visibility.
 
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Claybirdd said:
Already got the bezel, looks like now I've got the wife's permission. 😅
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Ok, lets run with that. Time is now against you. Get it done fast......

I like the pioneer DD decks. I have them in a few vehicles, one has GPS too. All have BU cams.

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John Cooper said:
I need to introduce you to my wife, how much would you charge to give her lessons???? 🤫 🤫
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That's the easy part! Lol The lesson is mostly for the men. Only ask her big money/jeep questions when she's happy or happy with you I should say lol and helps after you took her to get her favorite food/place. Clay usually asks me stuff after he takes me to get Mexican food. 🤣

Let her buy what she wants and she will do the same for you lol Clay as to put up with my plant/cactus addiction. Even bought me a nice greenhouse to boot, so I won't say much about him spending on a stereo system as long as we ain't in the red too bad 🤣🤣🤣🤣
 
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ScarletBegonias said:
That's the easy part! Lol The lesson is mostly for the men. Only ask her big money/jeep questions when she's happy or happy with you I should say lol and helps after you took her to get her favorite food/place. Clay usually asks me stuff after he takes me to get Mexican food. 🤣

Let her buy what she wants and she will do the same for you lol Clay as to put up with my plant/cactus addiction. Even bought me a nice greenhouse to boot, so I won't say much about him spending on a stereo system as long as we ain't in the red too bad 🤣🤣🤣🤣
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Haha. Glad you can play. My wife has “better” ($$) hobbies than I do so I rarely hit the radar.

Now, back to business. For what it is worth, alpine decks are hard to see in full sun, pioneer decks need to be dimmed when running at night.

The pioneer decks have plenty of add ones too. Since I have went with “just” pioneer, my objective opinion is skewed. So consider that too as I rave in about pioneer decks.
 
Looks like Pioneer it is. This is gonna be fun. Might as well do it right and get a sub and Amp to go with it. I'm so tired of not hearing the radio once I hit 50 mph with the top and doors off. If I'm listening to Sturgill Simpson everyone is. 😆
 
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Ended up going with this DS-18 that was on sale locally. Hopefully I won't be disappointed. My only real concern is the screen being bright enough to see with the top off.

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I just added a double din to mine. It has ports for both front and rear cameras. I did a video to show mounting and wiring of Double Din Stereo operated forward and rear cameras on a 2006 Jeep Wrangler
. Took it offroad this weekend and I love the cameras. The Apple Carplay is awesome too. Used maps to track the trip. It was nice to know distances to waypoints.
Note1: the hole I drilled by the hinge is 1/4" - too small for the RCA connector to fit through so I clipped the wire and reconnected it after I passed the wires through the hole. I probably could have drilled a big enough hole for the connectors to fit through and still be hidden by the trim, but I just used the smaller hole.
Note2: I bought two backup cameras. I really needed one backup and one front camera because a backup camera reverses the image to be the same as looking in a mirror. A front camera does not reverse the image. I replaced my front camera with one made for the front.
If you are interested in a review of the budget stereo I used see this link:
 
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I ended up returning the double din unit after reading numerous horrible reviews. Apparently it likes to change volume by itself when you hit a bump which is a no go for a jeep and it truly hates water.

I ended up going with a marine grade Kenwood and couldn't be happier. Install was a breeze and I'm putting the money I saved into new speakers and an amp. All marine grade.
 
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Claybirdd said:
I ended up returning the double din unit after reading numerous horrible reviews. Apparently it likes to change volume by itself when you hit a bump which is a no go for a jeep and it truly hates water.

I ended up going with a marine grade Kenwood and couldn't be happier. Install was a breeze and I'm putting the money I saved into new speakers and an amp. All marine grade.
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Kenwood is a great name brand for head units. Good choice, which one did you go with?

How come you are stuck on marine grade equipment, do you drive topless in the rain a lot? There are a lot more options of you do not need marine grade, like the Kicker C or D series. Even the BLAM relax are a great option as they are a 2ohm - 3ohm speaker with a great sound. They will play loud, clear and correctly with a decent amp.

I have ordered from this place before as well as a few members. This is the BLAM three pack, 4 channel amp with 5.25" and 6.5" speakers.

https://incartec.co.uk/basket/contents
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skrelnik said:
Kenwood is a great name brand for head units. Good choice, which one did you go with?

How come you are stuck on marine grade equipment, do you drive topless in the rain a lot? There are a lot more options of you do not need marine grade, like the Kicker C or D series. Even the BLAM relax are a great option as they are a 2ohm - 3ohm speaker with a great sound. They will play loud, clear and correctly with a decent amp.

I have ordered from this place before as well as a few members. This is the BLAM three pack, 4 channel amp with 5.25" and 6.5" speakers.

https://incartec.co.uk/basket/contents
View attachment 301557
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I'm certainly not stuck on marine grade for everything, just thought it would be a wise choice. I spend most of the warm part of the year with the top and doors off and have a bad habit of getting rained on. Where I live storms blow up out of nowhere. I was going to go with Polk speakers
https://redirect.viglink.com/?forma...angler TJ Forum&txt=Polk Audio DB522 Speakers
https://redirect.viglink.com/?forma...angler TJ Forum&txt=Polk Audio DB522 Speakers
And Kicker sub and amp

https://redirect.viglink.com/?forma...er TJ Forum&txt=Kicker CompRT 6.75" Subwoofer
https://redirect.viglink.com/?forma... Jeep Wrangler TJ Forum&txt=Kicker PXA200 Amp
I am completely open to suggestions though and not locked into anything. The head unit I picked up was Kenwood KMR-M328BT. It's nothing fancy but I don't require many extras. Right now my rig only has the 2 factory speakers in the soundbar. The PO took out the dash speakers and sub.
 
That head unit is perfect for what you are trying to run, as long as you like it. It has all the good stuff from Bluetooth to the equalizer settings to a small footprint.

You know your climate best so if you go marine grade those Polks are fine.

Instead of that mono amplifier, this 5 channel amplifier is the same price and will power the rest of your system.

Soundstream PN5.640D Picasso

Probably cheaper on Amazon/Walmart.

https://www.sonicelectronix.com/item-79531-Soundstream-PN5.640D.html
 
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