Stereo upgrade help
JK Forum Regional Rep
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,921
Likes: 0
From: Stockton.Ca
are you planning to be in the water a lot
JK Freak
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 522
Likes: 1
From: Tuscaloosa, AL
I have the Kicker ZXM350.4 marine amp in the cubby in the back with the drain plug pulled. The size of the amp is absolutely perfect for that spit because it sits in the sloped edges of the cubby. If the jeep gets rained in or even if I take a hose to the interior, the water runs right under the amp and out the drain. And because It's a marine grade amp, it can resist moisture.
As far as speakers go, I have the kicker DS line. Components up front, coax in the sound bar. They are almost a perfect match for that specific amp and sound incredible together. Much louder, much cleaner, way more bass (I don't have the factory sub)
I chose not to go for marine speakers because the DS line is polypropylene cones an titanium tweeters. I have silicone sealing behind them as well, so water doesn't really matter. They can get wet and be perfectly fine. The biggest thing about marine grade speakers is thy are made to resist salt water better (rust is a bitch) and some of them are shielded to prevent magnetic interference with your compass or gps. With how little water gets on the front speakers vein tucked up in the dash, and how quickly the sound bar can dry off, the much higher price of marine speakers for lower quality just wasn't justifiable to me.
I also chose to keep the stock head unit because it seems to be much more weather resistant than any aftermarket radio (until you go marine grade of course.)
All in all, I love running this setup, and after being rained on countless times, it is still running perfectly.
As far as speakers go, I have the kicker DS line. Components up front, coax in the sound bar. They are almost a perfect match for that specific amp and sound incredible together. Much louder, much cleaner, way more bass (I don't have the factory sub)
I chose not to go for marine speakers because the DS line is polypropylene cones an titanium tweeters. I have silicone sealing behind them as well, so water doesn't really matter. They can get wet and be perfectly fine. The biggest thing about marine grade speakers is thy are made to resist salt water better (rust is a bitch) and some of them are shielded to prevent magnetic interference with your compass or gps. With how little water gets on the front speakers vein tucked up in the dash, and how quickly the sound bar can dry off, the much higher price of marine speakers for lower quality just wasn't justifiable to me.
I also chose to keep the stock head unit because it seems to be much more weather resistant than any aftermarket radio (until you go marine grade of course.)
All in all, I love running this setup, and after being rained on countless times, it is still running perfectly.
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: United States
Thanks
Thanks countrydude. I will be looking into your setup for my JK.
I have the Kicker ZXM350.4 marine amp in the cubby in the back with the drain plug pulled. The size of the amp is absolutely perfect for that spit because it sits in the sloped edges of the cubby. If the jeep gets rained in or even if I take a hose to the interior, the water runs right under the amp and out the drain. And because It's a marine grade amp, it can resist moisture.
As far as speakers go, I have the kicker DS line. Components up front, coax in the sound bar. They are almost a perfect match for that specific amp and sound incredible together. Much louder, much cleaner, way more bass (I don't have the factory sub)
I chose not to go for marine speakers because the DS line is polypropylene cones an titanium tweeters. I have silicone sealing behind them as well, so water doesn't really matter. They can get wet and be perfectly fine. The biggest thing about marine grade speakers is thy are made to resist salt water better (rust is a bitch) and some of them are shielded to prevent magnetic interference with your compass or gps. With how little water gets on the front speakers vein tucked up in the dash, and how quickly the sound bar can dry off, the much higher price of marine speakers for lower quality just wasn't justifiable to me.
I also chose to keep the stock head unit because it seems to be much more weather resistant than any aftermarket radio (until you go marine grade of course.)
All in all, I love running this setup, and after being rained on countless times, it is still running perfectly.
As far as speakers go, I have the kicker DS line. Components up front, coax in the sound bar. They are almost a perfect match for that specific amp and sound incredible together. Much louder, much cleaner, way more bass (I don't have the factory sub)
I chose not to go for marine speakers because the DS line is polypropylene cones an titanium tweeters. I have silicone sealing behind them as well, so water doesn't really matter. They can get wet and be perfectly fine. The biggest thing about marine grade speakers is thy are made to resist salt water better (rust is a bitch) and some of them are shielded to prevent magnetic interference with your compass or gps. With how little water gets on the front speakers vein tucked up in the dash, and how quickly the sound bar can dry off, the much higher price of marine speakers for lower quality just wasn't justifiable to me.
I also chose to keep the stock head unit because it seems to be much more weather resistant than any aftermarket radio (until you go marine grade of course.)
All in all, I love running this setup, and after being rained on countless times, it is still running perfectly.
JK Freak
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 522
Likes: 1
From: Tuscaloosa, AL
It's definitely not the top of the line setup, but I wasn't looking for a bose home theater system in my jeep. As you know, it's not the most acoustically optimized vehicle.
I also got the PAC AOEM-CHR3 (available on sonicelectronix, crutchfeild, and amazon) adapter so I could use the aftermarket amp with the stock head unit. It goes between the head unit and the stock speaker outputs, giving you RCA outputs to run to the amp. Keep in mind, if you buy a new head unit, you will not need this adapter. I left all of the stock wiring and connectors so if I ever want to take out my setup and up the stock speakers back in, it's simple. I did, however, run new wiring for the new speakers since the amp is in the back now. Some people rip all the stock wiring out, and had I not been lazy I may have done the same, but I like being able to return my jeep to stock at any moment, especially when it comes to the electronics.
As many of other people have mentioned, stuff the front enclosed and sound bar with polyfill. It will add tons of bass.
I also got the PAC AOEM-CHR3 (available on sonicelectronix, crutchfeild, and amazon) adapter so I could use the aftermarket amp with the stock head unit. It goes between the head unit and the stock speaker outputs, giving you RCA outputs to run to the amp. Keep in mind, if you buy a new head unit, you will not need this adapter. I left all of the stock wiring and connectors so if I ever want to take out my setup and up the stock speakers back in, it's simple. I did, however, run new wiring for the new speakers since the amp is in the back now. Some people rip all the stock wiring out, and had I not been lazy I may have done the same, but I like being able to return my jeep to stock at any moment, especially when it comes to the electronics.
As many of other people have mentioned, stuff the front enclosed and sound bar with polyfill. It will add tons of bass.