Upgrading the sound system on your Jeep Wrangler TJ

Zorba said:
For whatever its worth:

I don't consider myself an audiophile, although I *am* a musician. Which probably means my brain fills in missing sounds for me! However, the Jensen JHD1630B "Heavy duty" head unit, in combination with a pair of the forum recommended 5-1/4" Kickers in the dash, and an older set of 6" Jensen marine speakers in the overhead has literally woken me up to a new world! I find myself taking the Jeep just so I can listen to this wonderful stereo - and I usually don't listen to a car stereo all that much!

Although I have a pretty new JVC in the Mercedes, I'm now thinking that the 36 year old stock speakers could stand a change-out... ;) :D
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Check out the DIYMA for sale section, you can get some good deals there if you are patient and savvy to weed out the bad sellers...and I think you are primed to do this.

https://www.diymobileaudio.com/forums/car-audio-classifieds.4/
 
skrelnik said:
Ha, I totally get it, and you went in a great starting direction with all new speakers and boom mat. I would always recommend that foam boom mat to house the 5.25" dash speakers over the select increment pods when someone is on a budget build. Every Wrangler owner has a different purpose for their vehicle, as well as individual quirks, so there is no real one size fits all model for Wrangler audio.

You should be able to accomplish what you want. Do you have a center console subwoofer, are you utilizing that space for anything? This is the easiest place to add some bass without compromising any space, but you may have a Tuffy center censole, or a non-subwoofer center console.

Things to consider are an amplifier and subwoofer, and then upgrading the dash speakers to components, if that fits your personal taste.
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The biggest sound upgrade i actually did was adding sound deadener, heat shield and acc essex thick ass carpet to the tub. That brought a ton of sound to my ears.

I dont have a center console with subwoofer. But have considered getting one. That is the best position for a subwoofer i can think of. Plus my lid is fucked. So that would be a bonus.

Where would i fit an amp?
 
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Moab said:
The biggest sound upgrade i actually did was adding sound deadener, heat shield and acc essex thick ass carpet to the tub. That brought a ton of sound to my ears.

I dont have a center console with subwoofer. But have considered getting one. That is the best position for a subwoofer i can think of. Plus my lid is fucked. So that would be a bonus.

Where would i fit an amp?
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If you can find a used one even, look for a part out. Scroll through this thread for amp mounting location in the dash behind/under the steering column. Easy to install there and out of the way and hidden...not near water either.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/5-channel-amp-mounting-locations.14726/
 
TJosh02 said:
Yeah I am not sold on that real estate either. I wish there was a good coax 2"-2.5" upper mid without getting into horn drivers.
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Also, forgot about CDT. A few options that could work for you.

https://www.cdtaudio.com/sep_components/tweeters/tweeters.htm
Screenshot_20201113-195932.jpg
 
I really like the idea of those CDT mid-tweeters although I don't know much about them or how they measure (I believe in measurements). But as I said, I am not in a huge hurry to upgrade my sound, more just ranting and musing about what could have been done better. I ordered some of the less expensive tweeter pods for the dash so I can mount the Polk DB component tweeters up top instead of down below. I expect that should solve some of the issue.
 
TJosh02 said:
I really like the idea of those CDT mid-tweeters although I don't know much about them or how they measure (I believe in measurements). But as I said, I am not in a huge hurry to upgrade my sound, more just ranting and musing about what could have been done better. I ordered some of the less expensive tweeter pods for the dash so I can mount the Polk DB component tweeters up top instead of down below. I expect that should solve some of the issue.
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Good call to relocate the Polks just to give you an idea of what it looks like and sounds like. While not ideal from an audiophile perspective, from a TJ perspective it's damn good.

Also, I am not a sales guy by any means, but here is a link to the measurements, and the tweeters are half price right now, at CDT, not anyone else that I saw has this sale.

https://www.diymobileaudio.com/thre...t-es-02-midtweeters-wideband-speakers.161571/
https://www.cdtaudio.com/sep_components/midwoofers/es02bl.php
Screenshot_20201116-204237.jpg
 
TJosh02 said:
I really like the idea of those CDT mid-tweeters although I don't know much about them or how they measure (I believe in measurements). But as I said, I am not in a huge hurry to upgrade my sound, more just ranting and musing about what could have been done better. I ordered some of the less expensive tweeter pods for the dash so I can mount the Polk DB component tweeters up top instead of down below. I expect that should solve some of the issue.
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For sale on DIYMA, brand new in box.

https://www.diymobileaudio.com/threads/cleaning-out-tons-of-brand-new-cdt-audio-gear.431934/
 
My factory radio appears to be on it's way out. I have a short commute and only listen to the radio for 15 min blocks, but thought I may as well get something a little better to power the newer speakers. I don't have a sub. I'm a metal head so I don't need the super bass.

I was thinking about getting this Sony marine stereo with a small built in amp just to get a little more out of it without running a lot of wires.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_158M100BT/Sony-MEX-M100BT.html

But I am not a fan of the look or the flashing garbage when it's playing songs.

The other option I was considering is this cleaner looking Kenwood with a small external amp I could mount under the dash.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_113D378BT/Kenwood-KMR-D378BT.html

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_530RSM4120/Soundstream-Reserve-RSM4-1200D.html

I'm thinking about a marine radio just because storm pop up here quickly in the spring. My neighbor lost his newer double din fancy radio after getting caught in a downpour between the time it started raining to the time he got under a bank overhang.

I'd do the install myself because I've seen what some shops do to wiring when I started trouble shooting my daughters aftermarket remote start and lock system. I'm not letting the monkey's that wired that up near my car.
 
Would i still need an amp? I'd have to transfer all my CDs over to run off a USB drive.
 
InOmaha said:
My factory radio appears to be on it's way out. I have a short commute and only listen to the radio for 15 min blocks, but thought I may as well get something a little better to power the newer speakers. I don't have a sub. I'm a metal head so I don't need the super bass.

I was thinking about getting this Sony marine stereo with a small built in amp just to get a little more out of it without running a lot of wires.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_158M100BT/Sony-MEX-M100BT.html

But I am not a fan of the look or the flashing garbage when it's playing songs.

The other option I was considering is this cleaner looking Kenwood with a small external amp I could mount under the dash.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_113D378BT/Kenwood-KMR-D378BT.html

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_530RSM4120/Soundstream-Reserve-RSM4-1200D.html

I'm thinking about a marine radio just because storm pop up here quickly in the spring. My neighbor lost his newer double din fancy radio after getting caught in a downpour between the time it started raining to the time he got under a bank overhang.

I'd do the install myself because I've seen what some shops do to wiring when I started trouble shooting my daughters aftermarket remote start and lock system. I'm not letting the monkey's that wired that up near my car.
Click to expand...
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_522JHD1630/Jensen-Heavy-Duty-JHD1630B.html
 
InOmaha said:
Would i still need an amp? I'd have to transfer all my CDs over to run off a USB drive.
Click to expand...
For the Jensen? Not if you're not into insane power levels. YMMV and all that. I put in new speakers and the Jensen, and I *LOVE* it! I'm no audophile, but to my ears, the Jensen with Kickers in the front and an older set of Jensen Marines in the sound bar, resulted in the best sounding stereo I've ever noticed in a vehicle.
 
InOmaha said:
Would i still need an amp? I'd have to transfer all my CDs over to run off a USB drive.
Click to expand...

What program will you use to transfer files from your CDs to a USB drive?

If you want a cheap, effective, quality and simple build, including tolerant to various/marine environments based on what happened to your neighbor, go with:

1) Head Unit - The more expensive Kenwood has a CD player and aptx Bluetooth streaming, much better than the second one. This streaming quality is better, but if you never heard hit you wouldn't know to miss it.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_113D772BT/Kenwood-KMR-D772BT.html
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-DkFMF...gkpz34vXPNCFDWdyYmdaWXQt9S9HpQyhoCko0QAvD_BwE
2) Speakers: Grab 2 pairs of Kicker C series

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_20646CC54/Kicker-46CSC54.html?tp=97

3) Amplifier: Solid marine amp

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017VCX0TW/?tag=wranglerorg-20

4) Amp wiring kit: depends on your needs, if you have anything in your possession already.

https://www.crutchfield.com/g_711/Amp-Wiring-Kits.html?tp=635#&clearAll
 
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