Brianj5600
TJ Expert
Is it worth spending extra on speakers when most of us are playing music from sources that have less than ideal definition?
What's a great speaker setup to make the sound quality better and louder?
- Thread starter Tzerambo
- Start date
Is it worth spending extra on speakers when most of us are playing music from sources that have less than ideal definition?
Probably not though one thing for sure, the speakers are more important to good sound quality than the head unit is.
Yeah I have the center console sub but I don’t even think mine works I can never feel it. But then again it might not be wired up to the new stereo
Not many understand the TJ's factory subwoofer is connected to the radio's speaker output connections.
Airjunky
TJ Enthusiast
Read Chris's link on upgrading the stereo. There is info in there about installing another sub in there. It's unreal how much bass I got out of that little thing.
I read through the write up and put the recommended Kicker 6.75 in the stock sub location. Put the Kicker 200.1 mono amp under the steering column and wired it back into the factory amp turn-on — which was in turn wired into the amp turn-on of the new head unit. Went Kicker 5.25" into Select Increments speaker pods for the dash and the same speakers for the sound bar. Pioneer double-DIN AVH head unit.
Sound is amazing, and yes... you definitely need the bass to even out the sound. Once you get the crossovers dialed in, it's like wearing a pair of headphones.
Sound is amazing, and yes... you definitely need the bass to even out the sound. Once you get the crossovers dialed in, it's like wearing a pair of headphones.
Yeah the kicker sub I already looked over chris thread on that and I’ve decided that’s the sub I want I just can’t decide if I want to get the speakers he has on his thread or the kicker deluxe ones I have on mine.
89grand
TJ Addict
My front setup is unconventional, I have Dayton 5.25 woofers in the stock dash locations, with the mounting surface sealed, and A-pillar Tangband mini full range speakers, and mine is at least as loud if not louder as any coaxial setup regardless of "rated" sensitivity, and sounds great (for being in a TJ with bad speaker locations) to boot. My dash woofers sensitivity rating is about 84db, and my A-pillar speakers of around 80db. I only run a 45w x 4 Kicker Key amp, bi-amped to those front speakers.
If say a Polk coaxial's sensitivity was truly 10-12db higher, I'd need about 500 watts per speaker to be as loud, which of course the speakers couldn't handle, in addition to having power compression way before even 100 watts of power.
I know that the Polks and sensitivity ratings get thrown around as absolute fact and necessary, but my actual experience and proof says otherwise.
This is loud enough to over load the phones mic at times, and I had to keep the volume low enough to record it. You'd need to yell over it if two people were up front while running at maximum undistorted output. This again is 45w x 4, and speakers with very low rated sensitivity. There is a powered sub mounted to the tailgate going too.
The video is with the top and windows down. Don't use a phone or shitty speakers to judge it.
If say a Polk coaxial's sensitivity was truly 10-12db higher, I'd need about 500 watts per speaker to be as loud, which of course the speakers couldn't handle, in addition to having power compression way before even 100 watts of power.
I know that the Polks and sensitivity ratings get thrown around as absolute fact and necessary, but my actual experience and proof says otherwise.
This is loud enough to over load the phones mic at times, and I had to keep the volume low enough to record it. You'd need to yell over it if two people were up front while running at maximum undistorted output. This again is 45w x 4, and speakers with very low rated sensitivity. There is a powered sub mounted to the tailgate going too.
The video is with the top and windows down. Don't use a phone or shitty speakers to judge it.
afitzray97
TJ Enthusiast
I run a pretty standard Kenwood head unit that claims 22W RMS and 50 peak with Polk DB speakers. 5.25 in dash and 6.75 in sound bar. That plus a kicker hideaway powered sub has been pretty ideal and better than other cars I’ve had that I tried to do a mild upgrade to. The speakers sound really clear in my opinion and don’t distort when turned up too loud to even enjoy in the jeep and the sub has a little rotating switch to turn it up or down separate from everything else if you feel like dialing it in for Highway vs regular driving. Best part is that it’s easy to just unplug the sub in the trunk area and remove it when I want the space. I didn’t find any options at the time that I liked and were small enough to stow permanently under a seat. I didn’t have the stock sub console to work with though so I’m not sure about how that compares.
Airjunky
TJ Enthusiast
I had not found the Kicker dash & soundbar kits that you mentioned. I have a buddy in Portland who works for Kicker & have a ton of their gear in a 21' wake boat. And half that gear is pushing 10 yrs old. Still sounds awesome & it's stupid loud. So I was already sold on their equipment. I have the 6.5s sitting in my garage from a previous project. And picked up a pair of 5.25s, the sub & amp from my buddy. But I still had to get all the funny little adapters, wiring & whatever to make it all work. I imagine the kits your talking about take all that extra work out of the picture.
Go for it.