I'm looking for suggestions on upgrading the stock speakers and possibly adding an amp.

I have read through the some of the existing threads but I am still not sure where to start.

I have a 2015 ex. I want to keep the existing HU. I just want to be able to crank the stereo just a little without it sounding so pathetic. Honestly if it was as good as the stock system in my old 2005 Scion XB I would have been happy.

I stopped by my local stereo installer and they came up with a 1200 dollar proposal with installation and tax though thats a bit higher then I can probably spend.

That proposal did not include a sub but the demo they gave me sounded like what I was going for. Just a bit louder with a no distortion and just a little more bass then the stock system.

So my questions are can I get away with just upgrading the speakers and not adding an amp? Is that possible? Worth doing? Can I put in speakers to start with the possibility of adding an amp later?

And if I add an amp do I also need an equalizer of some sort? Can I get a compact amp with an integrated equalizer?

 

I decided to keep my '16 LX head unit and just upgraded all four speakers instead. Since the head unit does not have a ton of power, you'll want efficient speakers if at all possible - 92db sensitivity and above recommended.

See my experience here: https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/3rd-...-brackets.html

 

Thanks, I didn't even realize sensitivity was a spec to check for.

So would it be reasonable to buy two pairs of 100w speakers and install them to the underpowered head unit and then look into adding an a 400w amp later?

 

I had the 65 w rms speakers hooked up to stock head unit, and although the sound was improved a bit, it still lacked volume. Adding an amp (and other components) makes all the difference.

 

Thanks again guys.

This was a possible equipment combination I was thinking of:

amplifier

Kicker CX-Series CX300.4 600W Class AB Bridgeable Multichannel Amplifier with Built-In Crossovers Black 12CX3004 - Best Buy

speakers

Kicker CS65 6-1/2" Coaxial Speakers with Polypropylene Woofer Cones (Pair) Black 40CS654 - Best Buy

Am I on the right track? Do I need some sort of equalizer?

 

You'll need a line out converter.

 

Thanks. I stopped by a local stereo store and they gave me a proposal that was basically an amp, speakers and installation.

I do not believe they suggested a line out converter or any kind of equalizer.

Is the line out converter needed because of the cut off of bass at higher volume I have seen some people mention?

Is a line out converter the same thing as an equalizer? Is it possible to not have one and just install an amp? What would be the consequences of doing that?

Can I get an amp that has an integrated line out converter / equalizer?

 

The stock head unit has high level outputs (to the speakers). Add on amps can have line inputs (low level) and/or high level inputs. Many aftermarket head units have both types of outputs. Usual practice is to use line level connections until the final stage of amplification. But, since the stock head unit only has high level outputs, you need to select an amp with high level inputs or use a converter to take the high level output from the head unit and convert it to low level signals the amplifier will accept.

The line level converter doesn't have anything to do with the bass rolloff in the signal coming from the stock head unit. There are a couple ways to deal with that. One way is to convert the high level signal to line level with a converter. Then take that signal through an EQ or signal processor that lifts the bass. Then the "flat" line level signal can be amplified by a "flat" amplifier. The signal that reaches your ears then depends on the bass response of the speakers. Restoring the bass going to the door speakers may or may not be worth the effort, since the door speakers aren't great at projecting the low bass anyway.

The approach I took was to take the head unit signal into an amplifier to the door speakers without bass restoration. Just by replacing the stock speakers with good ones, this resulted in way better sound. In this case, the secondary amp only provides an increase in volume. To get back the low bass, I took the high level outputs from the head unit and ran them to a subwoofer amplifier with an integrated signal processor, which restores the bass.

In my audio install thread (linked in my sig) I give my thoughts about the best bang for the buck when doing an incremental approach.

One thing I'd definitely recommend is using a component set of speakers for the front, mounting the tweeters in the dashboard. The LX doesn't have dashboard tweeters, so this made a dramatic difference for me. The EX does have stock tweeters. Some have reported that leaving the stock tweeters alone, and just replacing the door speakers results in acceptable sound quality. If you leave the dashboard tweeters, and then mount coaxial speakers in the door, you are going to be overloaded on treble.

 

Thank you for your reply. Its helping me slowly get a better understanding of car stereo installs which I knew was complex but not this complex.

When you say component speakers, does that just mean it includes a set of separate tweeters? What size speakers will fit? I notice on "fit my vehicle" crutchfield shows 6 and 3/4 inch size speakers mostly? But will 6 1/2 inch fit?

I want to install speakers that will fit in the existing grill. And that said if I get speakers that include a set of tweeters will any fit under the existing grill for the stock ones?

And if I am adding after market tweeters to I need a 6 channel amp to take advantage of the aftermarket ones?

Thanks everyone for your help I just had no idea where to start on this. Hopefully my questions help clarify for fellow lurkers who are inexperienced with all this.

 

So yesterday I purchased equipment and installation from Best Buy.

I purchased an Alpine ktp 445u amp to fit behind the dash along with 610 component set for the front and regular 610's for the rear.

So I think I am hearing some improvement but honestly it sounds kind of harsh and I think too much treble and not enough bass (even accounting for the fact that I still have no sub).

Also the volume level raises really steep. By about 7 or 8 its pretty audible and by 15 and 16 its starting to get to ear bleeding.

Some music sounds really good. Some still sounds pretty muddy as its turned up. And that's after I cranked up the bass to the max in the HU.

But even doing that certain things such as the beep for button presses in the HU sounds really harsh.

So did the installer screw up setting up the amp? Did he not properly set the gain or whatever limited settings there are on the amp?

Or do I need to let them break in? Or is this really why a line converter/equalizer is recommended?

I'm not looking for perfection. I just want to be able to to turn up my rock music a little and not have it be a distorted mess.

Also I asked the installer about my plan to install a compact powered amp that can go under the seat. He was pretty dismissive and thought it wasn't worth doing if I didn't want to install larger subs in the cargo area.

 

Does Best Buy offer a money back guarantee? If so, I'd take your system back to them with your concerns.

Break-in issues? Probably not, it shouldn't sound that harsh right off the bat.

Is it possible that the gain was not properly adjusted? Sure. If you're getting harsh beeps from the head unit commands, something's not right, because music isn't going to sound any better.

Did you audition the speakers before install? While it won't exactly match what you hear in the car due to the change in acoustics, it should at least give you a rough idea. Did the speakers sound like this on the wall display?

Other possibility is that the speakers are defective, the amp is defective, or the speakers are just not a good match for the type of sound you prefer.

A speaker that has a balance you don't like (too tinny, too bass-heavy, muddy vocals, etc.) can't be corrected easily (if at all) via the electronics sitting upstream. So at least in my humble opinion, audition speakers first and then fill in the electronics that allow the speakers to shine.

 

Check out my thread. Nice detailed writeup with a Kenwood component system with subs and Audiocontrol EQ/LOC.