Stock JK audio system upgrade? Keeping your stock receiever look...add an amp
 

I had a 2011 JKU Sport with the upgraded Infinity sound system including the built in sub. Well, about a week ago I swapped out my 2011 for an 2012 with all the same features except the 12 lacks the infinity sound system.

Needless to say, my sound is now s***, especially with doors/top off.

I have been looking into replacing the system, but having my satellite radio and bluetooth all prewired to my stock receiver, it would get pretty costly swapping out the entire system. While looking through my options and reading countless forum posts on the topic (:yawn:), a friend suggested that I keep the stock receiver and just hook up an amp to it so that I can get new speakers/a small sub.

Im no a/v genius - can anyone shed any light on that setup? Pros/cons and suggest some cost effective gear (speakers/amp/sub)? Im not looking to spend all of my money that would have otherwise gone towards trail gear, so any ideas/feedback? Does anybody know what hooking up an amp to the bone-stock JK receiver would entail? Thanks for all your thoughts...

I am a total newbie when it comes to that as well. A great buddy of mine that I wheel with is a professional car and marine audio installer, he has been doing it 10+ years. What we decided to do to my 2dr jk was a JL audio 4chan amp and a JL audio marine grade fully waterproof fully enclosed sub. Then we replaced my stock speakers with Rockford fosgate marine grade fully water proof speakers. It is really loud and it really bumps! If you have a 4th jku...I'd suggest you look into the "stealthbox" it goes into the location where the stock infinity sub would be. My setup was drilled into the body and fully secured so I am 100% theft proof as well :) good luck with your decision. Btw..with the sub he added a separate bass control instead of using the one in the stock head unit.

Sean

Hey - thanks for the tips.. I was thinking about marine speakers...

Im planning on getting a 4 channel amp with a powered sub. Do you know if any 4 channel amp would be compatible with the head unit? And how it would hook up? is it pretty complex? I plan on figuring it out and doing it myself... so I'm curious about compatibility ... Thanks again

as far as i know...any will. i have no clue how to hook anything up. my buddy did it all for me. but i can say the setup i have is amazing. with the top off it is louder and crisper and clearer than my stock setup was with the top on!

All you need is a RCA jack converter. Best Buy has them for about $5. You wire jumpers from the front speaker wires into the input and it converts it to a RCA jack plug in for your Amp. Then you just wire it in like you would with any aftermarket head unit. I happen to have a sub/amp for sale on the Billboard! Check it out! Haha. Good luck! Lots of good fellas on here with lots of info and experience.

Attachment 220921


Here's the converter from best buy.

How do you guys feel about reusing the factory speaker wiring? Or should I re-wire with new speaker wires? Will it really make a difference???

I can ask my buddy for you and see what he thinks?

All you need is a line converter and RCA jacks like the previous poster listed. Then you can hook up any amp and subwoofer combination. Plus better speakers like Polk Audio or Kicker would make a difference in mids-highs. Make sure that it's hooked to the front speaker wires, the rear speakers are tuned down in power because they are close to the ears.

How would I tune down the rear speakers? I just purchased the following:

1. Amp: Pioneer GM-D9500F - 4 channel Amp
2. Dash speakers: Pioneer TS-A1604C - Component speakers (can I install the tweeters in place of the stock ones?)
3. Bar speakers: Polk Audio db651
4. Wiring: Raptor ISPKBL4-BG by Metra (wiring system for amp)
5. SUB: Sound Ordnance B-8PT Single 8" Amplified Flatsub

Do you guys see anything Im missing? Instead of converting to speaker lines to RCA, I'm just going to splice into them and route them directly to amp.