Upgrading the sound system on your Jeep Wrangler TJ
- Thread starter Chris
- Start date
Under the hood to the battery with a New 10 Gauge Car Amp wiring kit with inline fuse.
Since you mentioned the light is green, and not red which would lead me to believe it was an amplifier problem, it has to be with the wiring.
Just a few thoughts:
1) RCAs from head unit to subwoofer. Are they still fully connected. I have see RCA terminals disconnect or have a bad connection.
2) If not RCAs, check the speaker wires to make sure they are fully connected, and possibly one connection did not break apart.
3) Is the bass remote turned all the way down?
4) Did the auto-turn on button accidentally get hit?
Yesterday I installed one of the CSC5 Kickers (40CS54 to be exact) on the passenger side. Metal brackets from amazon and boom mat. I got the Kickers in 5.25" mostly because the sensitivity is almost the same as the Polks I currently have and the wattage is increased, plus these are round speakers vs oval. I wanted to compare the sound since there are a lot of views and opinions on the DB461 4x6" speakers distorting more.
All things equal flat equalizer on the head unit and just shifting from left to right on the front with different music selections, the Kickers do seem to have a fuller bass and mid range, but the Polks have a better high. This could be solved by using different tweeters and move the tweeters up closer to my head aimed at me I guess.
While the brackets for the Polks are plastic, they are secured tightly and I also added dynamat to prevent them from transferring too much vibration.
Both sets of speakers work perfectly fine without an amplifier (my current setup), at least to my ears and those of my 6 yo. Though the Kicker units do seem to have a better and fuller bass and mid at higher volume(just over the mid-line and above for my head unit) Both sets seem just as clear and responsive. Same cable connections.
For my musical taste and playing preferences the kickers will work better, but that's just slightly better.
Just thought I'd share that.
All things equal flat equalizer on the head unit and just shifting from left to right on the front with different music selections, the Kickers do seem to have a fuller bass and mid range, but the Polks have a better high. This could be solved by using different tweeters and move the tweeters up closer to my head aimed at me I guess.
While the brackets for the Polks are plastic, they are secured tightly and I also added dynamat to prevent them from transferring too much vibration.
Both sets of speakers work perfectly fine without an amplifier (my current setup), at least to my ears and those of my 6 yo. Though the Kicker units do seem to have a better and fuller bass and mid at higher volume(just over the mid-line and above for my head unit) Both sets seem just as clear and responsive. Same cable connections.
For my musical taste and playing preferences the kickers will work better, but that's just slightly better.
Just thought I'd share that.
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I will pull the head unit tonight to make sure the RCAs are still plugged in but my worry was why it got so hot?
It was hot enough to potentially start a fire!
Great review and identical with the general consensus that Kicker's play better at lows and the Polk are an all-around speaker.
Is your gain turned all the way up? Is the head unit's bass turned to the maximum boost? You could be overpowering it?
Check out the settings on the amplifier and head unit. There is that gain on the amplifier as well as bass boost, and your head unit may have similar functions.
Also remember, there is no air flow in the center console so it is a hot box.
I had it under the rear seat and it got very very HOT.
My guess is that its toast but will check all my connections and level setting tonight.
Thanks
It had a green light though, right? That is so odd that it would be toast since there is a "protect mode". Let me know as I am curious if a wire was loose, wrong setting or if it is really fried.
Checked my connections from the head unit, tried a different set of RCA cables, Checked voltage on power cables, tried a completely different power supply and ground, done a factory reset on the head unit. Green light on the powered sub comes on with the radio and you here some static and a light buzz from the sub and just a little sound before the side of the sub housing starts to heat up. After 5 or 10 minutes you get no sound at all and the sub gets very hot to the touch...
I purchased it through Amazon and have notified the seller with details, hopefully they will take care of it.
Yeah, that sounds like an issue with the internal circuitry, possibly the speaker itself is blown, or something on the inside is busted.
Was the Amazon seller a legit seller or shady seller. I hope you can easily get your money back and a new subwoofer.
The Amazon seller was Audio Savings and they have agreed to refund my money and have sent me a return shipping label. In the mean time I didn't want to be without over the holiday weekend so I stopped in at the local W-mart and picked up a cheap dual brand powered sub for $87.00 bucks and paid an extra $7.00 for a two year protection plan. I must say i'm very satisfied with the sound!! Not going to win any BOOM BOOM contests but its got some thump and I can hear it well going down the road with the top off!
JVC head unit > $79.00
Four Kicker CS-Series 5.25> $127.00
Dual Powered Sub> $94.00
Select Increments dash pods> $79.95
Air lite Poly Fill for the sound bar> $16.26
10 Gauge Car Amp Wiring Kit> $16.50
Total 412.71
That is great - glad you are getting refunded by Audio Savings.
What kind of sub did Wal-Mart have? Just curious, and it fit with no issues? Regardless, any 6.75" or 8" sub is noot going to give you boom boom bass, you need at minimum a 10", and preferably two. Our Jeep is not set-up for that, we do the best we can, and I think you are right on point and did a great job spending your money on this system.
It is (or is supposedly) a 300 watt 10" sub in a nicely constructed box that I have in the rear cargo are facing the rear seat. I hated to give up the cargo space but didn't have a choice at the moment, and I was afraid the sudden death of the Rockville sub was from being jammed under the rear seat and got to hot???
Wally Mart also had but out of stock a Kicker 300 watt 10" powered sub in a box but it was 100 bucks more. The sales clerk told me I could return the dual brand and pay the difference for the Kicker if I wasn't satisfied ...
I would be interested in hearing the difference between the two but doubt I return the dual unless it craps out.
I just realized you meant Dual as a brand, and not dual speakers, lol... That is a great price for a 10" box, and while I agree with you that it sucks taking up the space, as long as you do not need the space you can enjoy your tunes. If you need the space just relocate it. Where specifically did you place yours?
I have this dual 10" box in my cargo area, and if I need the space I take it out. It kicks ass but I hate using the space, so it is what it is.
