Jeep Audio Help!
04-29-2013, 11:49 AM
#1
JK Newbie
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Jeep Audio Help!
I have a 2013 Rubicon unlimited with the premium alpine audio and nav screen. I want better sound and i was on craigslist and i saw JL ZR speaker/component system selling for $200 so i decided to pull the trigger on it because it was so much lower than retail price. I want to change out my speakers, add a sub, and two amps possibly, but want to keep the factory HU. I have around $1000 to spend on this setup(JL ZR already subtracted from that total), what do yall think i should do? Install the speakers, add an amp for those speakers, get a sub and an amp for that sub also?I was looking into the JL stealthbox but it is so expensive! Any Suggestions? please Help!
04-29-2013, 12:16 PM
#2
JK Junkie
I'm no audio expert, have some Jensen speakers and amp, got nowhere then got the pioneer 10" sub and headunit. From what the audio experts on here have told me, you won't get very far with the stock head unit and aftermarket components.
04-29-2013, 09:54 PM
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let me preface this by saying - stereo advice from an online forum is going to get you a bunch of different answers that are 100% personal-preference specific.
The JL ZR are a good start, the mid on them isnt worth the normal 800.00 pricetag, but for 200 they are a great buy all day long.
As for what to do next... thats where things get complicated. Everything depends on what you listen to, what mods you have and plan doing to the JK and what your real ultimate goals are. Do you listen to CD's or just digital media? Do you need BT for phone? How about BT for streaming audio?
Why mods? because MT tires are loud, soft tops dont reflect sound well, aftermarket exhausts are loud... you get the idea. All of which really impacts your choices as each pose a new obstacle to overcome... do you need small, efficient and clean? do you need big power and less efficient? you get the idea.
If it were me and I had your starting point with the lack of mods that I have: (prices from Sonic Electronics - no affiliation, just where I buy a lot of gear)
Head: $170 - Clarion CZ702 - 5v outputs to the amp, Front/Rear and Sub outputs, digital time alignment, BT phone and streaming and a surprisingly good built-in mic (I have tested it and used it personally) so no need for extra mics or more wires ... but its a single-din, I hate NAV head units
If your keeping your stock head... everything below changes.
Amp: I have a JL HD900/5 and a JL XD600/6... I highly recommend both, but they are expensive. So, for small and powerful/budget oriented the PPI 900.5 is a decent buy @ 260.00 - 70x4 and 270x1. For about 70.00 more the Alpine MRX V70 is a nice amp as well @ 330.00 - 60x4 and 250x1
Front components: JL ZR - done
Speaker bar: personally, I think you want to avoid a tweeter up there so close to your head, so I would run a straight midbass... but if you want the choice, the JL C3 convertible set is nice at 120.00, but I cant remember if you can fit a 2.5" deep mid or not.
Sub - again assuming you want to keep the install simple and the sub enclosure unobtrusive you have a few choices... you can reuse the stock enclosure and replace the sub with a slightly better 8" driver, but your not going to get all that much more low-low end... or you can ditch the enclosure and replace it completely, either with a custom one or a stealthbox. if you figure your going to have around 150.00 of installation expenses (OFC wire, etc...) that leaves about 300.00. for the sub/enclosure. personally I dislike the square box pre-fab stuff that most people seem to use and prefer a more subtle, more stealthy install. the storage cubby in the back looks like it would be a great spot for a fiberglass enclosure with a wood top. So, a shallow-mount sub with lots of xmax is in order - but one that doesnt require a bunch of enclosure space - I have used the Fosgate slims and liked them in a little over .5 cu/ft with about 1/2 bag of polyfil... but have heard that the 10" Earthquake SWS subs pack quite a punch in very small enclosures @ 150.00...
which will leave you about 150.00 for enclosure building supplies... I recommend using fiberglass to get the most space from the cubby you can.
just my .02 working with a 1k budget, figuring in install costs and trying to part everything from a single source - in this case, Sonic. I have also purchased a bunch of gear from WoofersEtc.com as well as Crutchfield and Onlinecarstereo with good results. I am by no means an audio expert or a car audio expert, just a guy sitting behind a keyboard that has wasted more years and money on car audio than a coke addict.
Mostly - my best advice... buy the gear that makes you feel like you didnt get ripped off. If you can manage that, your doing better than most and have fun building a system. you cant really go wrong unless you go "cheap" (and I dont mean inexpensive...).
The JL ZR are a good start, the mid on them isnt worth the normal 800.00 pricetag, but for 200 they are a great buy all day long.
As for what to do next... thats where things get complicated. Everything depends on what you listen to, what mods you have and plan doing to the JK and what your real ultimate goals are. Do you listen to CD's or just digital media? Do you need BT for phone? How about BT for streaming audio?
Why mods? because MT tires are loud, soft tops dont reflect sound well, aftermarket exhausts are loud... you get the idea. All of which really impacts your choices as each pose a new obstacle to overcome... do you need small, efficient and clean? do you need big power and less efficient? you get the idea.
If it were me and I had your starting point with the lack of mods that I have: (prices from Sonic Electronics - no affiliation, just where I buy a lot of gear)
Head: $170 - Clarion CZ702 - 5v outputs to the amp, Front/Rear and Sub outputs, digital time alignment, BT phone and streaming and a surprisingly good built-in mic (I have tested it and used it personally) so no need for extra mics or more wires ... but its a single-din, I hate NAV head units
If your keeping your stock head... everything below changes.
Amp: I have a JL HD900/5 and a JL XD600/6... I highly recommend both, but they are expensive. So, for small and powerful/budget oriented the PPI 900.5 is a decent buy @ 260.00 - 70x4 and 270x1. For about 70.00 more the Alpine MRX V70 is a nice amp as well @ 330.00 - 60x4 and 250x1
Front components: JL ZR - done
Speaker bar: personally, I think you want to avoid a tweeter up there so close to your head, so I would run a straight midbass... but if you want the choice, the JL C3 convertible set is nice at 120.00, but I cant remember if you can fit a 2.5" deep mid or not.
Sub - again assuming you want to keep the install simple and the sub enclosure unobtrusive you have a few choices... you can reuse the stock enclosure and replace the sub with a slightly better 8" driver, but your not going to get all that much more low-low end... or you can ditch the enclosure and replace it completely, either with a custom one or a stealthbox. if you figure your going to have around 150.00 of installation expenses (OFC wire, etc...) that leaves about 300.00. for the sub/enclosure. personally I dislike the square box pre-fab stuff that most people seem to use and prefer a more subtle, more stealthy install. the storage cubby in the back looks like it would be a great spot for a fiberglass enclosure with a wood top. So, a shallow-mount sub with lots of xmax is in order - but one that doesnt require a bunch of enclosure space - I have used the Fosgate slims and liked them in a little over .5 cu/ft with about 1/2 bag of polyfil... but have heard that the 10" Earthquake SWS subs pack quite a punch in very small enclosures @ 150.00...
which will leave you about 150.00 for enclosure building supplies... I recommend using fiberglass to get the most space from the cubby you can.
just my .02 working with a 1k budget, figuring in install costs and trying to part everything from a single source - in this case, Sonic. I have also purchased a bunch of gear from WoofersEtc.com as well as Crutchfield and Onlinecarstereo with good results. I am by no means an audio expert or a car audio expert, just a guy sitting behind a keyboard that has wasted more years and money on car audio than a coke addict.
Mostly - my best advice... buy the gear that makes you feel like you didnt get ripped off. If you can manage that, your doing better than most and have fun building a system. you cant really go wrong unless you go "cheap" (and I dont mean inexpensive...).
