TJGILROY

iTrader: (6)

I want to keep my stock H/U, i have a 4 channel amp (75wx4,Alpine) and will just upgrade my speakers...anyone in here done this or have any experience with this???

pros and cons?

-i didn't want boom boom, so that's why i didn't bother with subs, i just wanted better quality sound

Spork

iTrader: (6)

If you want better sound quality, get a new headunit.

Headunit preamp to amplifier is a lot better than: headunit amplifier to converter box to amplifier.


That speaker-in converter box is what you need. Converts a signal from speaker wires into RCA. This is assuming you don't have a speaker level input on your amp to begin with.

TJGILROY

iTrader: (6)

wanted to keep stock look, thanks for the input though

duro78

iTrader: (6)

^Why spend all that time and $ just to counteract it with a pos H\u. You have soooo many more options(adjustments,add-ons) when you go with an after market H\u, just seems stupid to throw all that out the window just because you like the stock look.

TJGILROY

iTrader: (6)

Well, I'm not a big audio buff so I don't see the need in messing with the stock set up. I was just curious if anyone has just tweaked the stock system up by doing this. I'm sure it could be done. How much time and money would be wasted??? I have rarely seen a head unit that flows with the interior anyway and if there was one, it was ridiculously priced. Let's see, I have an Alpine amp, and if i were to install better speakers replacing the factory ones, that is money lost??? And it would be a waste if the H/U was boosted a little??? I don't see were you are coming from. Everyone has different taste. So we know you like your avic, subs, and components; I'm sure you payed a pretty penny and they sound really nice, but i'm not looking for that, just a minor tweak in sound...but thanks for the input

glenns280

a double din would look nice

TJGILROY

iTrader: (6)

i've seen those, they are kind of high for the good looking ones, you have any recommendations on any???

zakmartin

I did what you're proposing and in the long run I ended up regretting it. I started by adding some Infinity reference speakers to the stock amp and added a "free air" subwoofer and a sub amp that was tied into the factory sub amp. The thrill factor with this set-up lasted for about 30 minutes.

Eventually, I tied into the factory stereo with a JL Cleansweep and JL signal summary device and replaced pretty much everything else with JL components. It sounds great, but I want more control over the sound than what the factory stereo allows.

Like you, I wanted to hang on to my stock H/U because I preferred the factory look and didn't want to deal with adding a new H/U with bluetooth and satellite, steering wheel controls and all that other stuff.

End result: I'm dumping the Cleansweep and am putting in a new H/U. I'm only glad that I can afford all this trial-and-error garbage.

Here are some photos of the Cleansweep install project from hell:

MODDEDZ

Damn, that's a fail and a half.

zakmartin

Hey, ya live ya learn. I actually enjoy wasting time in my garage. Sort of an ultimate "keep the stock look" solution, but I wouldn't recommend it.

MODDEDZ

I prolly would have helped... Navi, ftw.

TJGILROY

iTrader: (6)

i have the stock radio, no bose so no stock amp, this would be an aftermarket amped stock z radio with prob pioneer speakers...would more than likely run me 120 for the replaced speakers and for the amp instal labor and wire kit120 so i'm looking at around 240 to keep the stock stereo and better sound...no body has ran this setup??? I wouldn't do anything if i had the bose system, i've been in a friends touring with that system and that is what i'm looking for without the sub, i've heard those were crap anyway in the stock bose units

Rubidium

iTrader: (6)

I have a 4 channel amp, sub amp, and two subs added. I run the stock head unit; I do this with the Alpine PXE-H650 (imprint). Now I only went that route because I had that piece laying around and wanted just go ahead and use it.

TJGILROY

iTrader: (6)

alpine v12 75x4 right here, i don't need a sub just looking for some interior sound, what speakers did you use with your alpine amp rubi???

Spike100

I think I can offer some useful advice. I “staged” my CES build so I understand what you are asking. My car was originally equipped with the OEM Clarion setup.

The first thing I did was adding an external amp and keeping everything else “stock.” Of course that did not provide any significant improvement since the OEM Clarions speakers are designed to only handle the low power input from the stock Clarion H/U.



Notice the label on the Clarion speaker that reads 40W Max. Of course pushing more power to this speaker, using an external amp, only results in distortion.

So my next step was swapping out the front and rear OEM Clarion speakers with better products. Here is the configuration and products I installed:

• Eclipse 4 Channel Amp Model EA3422
• Focal 165 V Slim component speakers in the doors (tweeters mounted in the A-Pillars)
• Infinity coaxial speakers in the rear speaker space

That provided much better sound. However, using the OEM Clarion H/U to control the system wasn’t a good solution since the Clarion H/U lacked the features that allowed good control over these new components (the external amp and the new speakers).

To fix this problem, I replaced the OEM Clarion H/U with a Clarion DXZ745MP H/U. The sound improvement I got doing this was very significant (huge).

The glaring omission on my setup is no SubW. Modern recordings “expect” a SubW. If you have a good H/U and decent component speakers in the doors or kicks, but no SubW; you can expect distortion and vibration. A good setup allows off-loading the very low frequency sound to a SubW.

In summary:

• You won’t notice much improvement if you just add an external amp to the OEM Clarion system (keeping the OEM Clarion speakers and the OEM Clarion H/U)
  
• You will notice an improvement if you add an external amp and swap-out the Clarion OEM speakers, and keep the OEM Clarion H/U.
  
• You will gain a significant improvement if you add an external amp, swap-out the Clarion OEM speakers, and replace the OEM Clarion H/U with an aftermarket H/U.
  
• If you do not include a SubW in your installation, your compromise is either adjusting the bass to exclude very low frequency sounds or living with some vibration and distortion.

Hope this helps,

Spike

duro78

iTrader: (6)

Spike is a Good man, I cant believe the op thinks the the stock radio looks better than a D-din any model for that matter. The oem HU looks very dated.

TJGILROY

iTrader: (6)

thanks spike, duro, the H/U matches everything in the interior, if you can provide me with an avic, i would be more than willing to take it off your hands, anyone see a double din that comes close to our interior and no blue or purple led lights please !!!

ssgohan434

iTrader: (13)

you can adjust the illumination on most of the newer double dins to match the interior lighting of the car.

TJGILROY

iTrader: (6)

hey super saiyan, any recommendations on double dins that aren't overly expensive???

TomCat0197

Check Millionbuy.com They have Clarion and Pioneer Double Din DVD units starting around 330 bucks.