Ok pressurized has been great helping me with speaker replacements on my 2015 Jku (non alpine) , but I figured I'd start a new thread for this question in case others were looking for a same answer.
At this time I do not have a sub or an amp as they did not come with it. I did replace my hu with a raxiom system and have already replaced my back speakers with infinitys and am changing my front ones next week.
I am not that knowledgeable in sound systems and I can't seem to find the answers in the forums as the ones I found apply to replacing existing amps and subs.
Sooooo,
Will getting an amp alone , without a sub, help the system sound a lot ? If so, what do you recommend and where is best place to put it?
If I do have to get a sub, what are my placement options? I prefer not to use up space with a sub enclosure.
Amping your speakers makes a huge difference. When you forgo a sub you're going to be missing low end bass, definitely, but you will still have crisp mods and highs.
Which speakers did you install? How do you like that HU ? There is almost no reviews of it around and I found it to be about doubt the price of a Kenwood but it def might be worth it.
I can't wait to rip my speakers out and I've only had my wrangled for 2 days
I installed the Infinity 6032si in the speaker bar and I am putting the Infinity 6030cs in the front based on recommendations from Pressurized. The rear speakers sound very clear but still not a lot of base since no sub. I just ordered the front ones and will give additional feedback next week once i install them. As for the Raxiom, i find it very good. Even with the original speakers, there was much improvement with the sound. I was considering a Pioneer unit which i really like but then you also need to buy all the wiring adapters as well as a face plate. With the raxiom, it is fully plug and play and looks original.
Edit: I just re-read your post and realized that you apparently DO NOT have an amp in your Jeep. Sorry. So yes, amping the speakers will make a huge difference if you do not already have the factory amp...and IF the Raxiom does not put out sufficient power already.
Original response: In my opinion, a good head unit with a multi-band EQ negates the need for an aftermarket amp for the front and soundbar speakers, after those speakers are replaced of course. The Pioneer NEX units have a 13-band EQ...and to be honest, my 4000NEX was not difficult to install. Crutchfield makes sure you get the correct harness. There was no faceplate necessary, just a couple of brackets that screw into each side of the head unit.
For bass frequencies, however, a separate amp and sub or a powered sub will make an astounding difference...provided your Raxiom head unit has separate pre-amp sub outputs. It would also be much simpler to install a sub amp than to try and amplify the smaller speakers.
Edit: I just re-read your post and realized that you apparently DO NOT have an amp in your Jeep. Sorry. So yes, amping the speakers will make a huge difference if you do not already have the factory amp...and IF the Raxiom does not put out sufficient power already. Original response: In my opinion, a good head unit with a multi-band EQ negates the need for an aftermarket amp for the front and soundbar speakers, after those speakers are replaced of course. The Pioneer NEX units have a 13-band EQ...and to be honest, my 4000NEX was not difficult to install. Crutchfield makes sure you get the correct harness. There was no faceplate necessary, just a couple of brackets that screw into each side of the head unit. For bass frequencies, however, a separate amp and sub or a powered sub will make an astounding difference...provided your Raxiom head unit has separate pre-amp sub outputs. It would also be much simpler to install a sub amp than to try and amplify the smaller speakers.
Yes that is correct, no amp or sub. Which amp would you recommend? I've seen some posts about Rockfords. Also I was at best buy and the tech was recommending a thin profile sub since I told him I didn't want anything big and bulky. Has any one had experience with those?
Btw the raxiom system I have only lets you adjust bass, midrange and tweeters, so there is no equalizer which I am disappointed about so o would hope the amp would help that.
It's too bad the Raxiom doesn't have a decent EQ. One of the main reasons I bought the NEX unit is because it has the 13-band EQ. The Kenwoods that I considered only had 7-band EQs. Only being able to generally adjust bass, mids and highs isn't really any different than the stock head unit. An amp won't help that much...though with a bass amp you might at least be able to adjust the crossover point and boost.
Do you know the power output of your Raxiom? It appears that the only place to buy that unit is from Extreme Terrain and they say nothing about power output or any other sound quality specifications. I can only assume that the Raxiom was designed for convenience rather than sound quality. If it puts out at least 40-50 watts/channel, you might not need a multi-channel amp.
I can't recommend a multi-channel amp because I don't have any experience with any recent releases. The last multi-channel amp I installed was in my '03 Rubicon over 10 years ago. It was an Alpine. I'm very happy with the stock Alpine amp in the Jeep (for the front and soundbar speakers) after adding EQ capabilities and replacing the speakers. I had Rockford-Fosgate amps in a few vehicles many years ago and thought they were great.
There might be some relatively small powered subs out there...and I know there are some fairly inconspicuous shallow-mount subs designed specifically for Jeeps. It seems that I remember seeing others on WF who installed shallow subs under one of the seats. The bass amp I installed in the '13 JKUR is the JBL GTO-501EZ. I tried dynamatting the stock enclosure and installing a low-profile Polk subwoofer...but was never able to get decent deep and clean bass out of that enclosure. My fix was to install a rather bulky free-standing JL Audio CS110G-TW3 sealed 10" sub. It helped but the bass was still muddy when I was pulling the line-level signal from the sub-wires near the passenger-side rear door. Using the pre-amp sub outputs on the new NEX totally solved that. Prior to installing the 4000NEX, I listened to mainly news stations because the sound just wasn't that great. The NEX made a phenomenal difference. I haven't listened to a news station since installing it...only Sirius music or music from the USB input. I've been amazed at the improvement in frequency response, overall cleanliness and sharpness, and how much it opened the soundstage.
Very happy with it. I have a 4 dr so I can fit it behind the passenger seat and fold down the rear seat and completely hide it. Normally I keep it in the back tho. It also has a quick release so I can easily take it out if I need to.
I also saw an under seat powered sub, but I can't remember what it was. Low profile, square enclosure, 10". I think it was a kicker.
I am assuming that your head unit is a 4 channel unit with pre-outs for front, rear and sub. I am also assuming that the amp in the head unit is probably 40-50 watts a channel at best. You could run a sub off the 4 channel but you really don't have the power required to do it. So at least you will need a amp for the sub. If not going with a multi channel amp, 300 single channel watts would be ideal.
With a JKU you have more options than I do when it comes to subs. If you are going to install a sub you will lose some space though. You could mount them under the seat but that also seems to be the location for mounting amps.
For a near stock look I would go with the JL Audio Stealth Box. It is on the pricey side though. It also may be overkill unless you are willing to go to a multi channel amp. If you are handy you could make an enclosure yourself and save a few buck. An 8 or 10 in shallow mount sub would work. There are also what I call the portable options that allow you to remove or move around the sub as required, they are not tied down.
Your best option if you have a good car audio shop in the area is go talk to them. First they want your business but second if they are any good they will go over the options and give you more information to make an informed choice.
I am assuming that your head unit is a 4 channel unit with pre-outs for front, rear and sub. I am also assuming that the amp in the head unit is probably 40-50 watts a channel at best. You could run a sub off the 4 channel but you really don't have the power required to do it. So at least you will need a amp for the sub. If not going with a multi channel amp, 300 single channel watts would be ideal. With a JKU you have more options than I do when it comes to subs. If you are going to install a sub you will lose some space though. You could mount them under the seat but that also seems to be the location for mounting amps. For a near stock look I would go with the JL Audio Stealth Box. It is on the pricey side though. It also may be overkill unless you are willing to go to a multi channel amp. If you are handy you could make an enclosure yourself and save a few buck. An 8 or 10 in shallow mount sub would work. There are also what I call the portable options that allow you to remove or move around the sub as required, they are not tied down. Your best option if you have a good car audio shop in the area is go talk to them. First they want your business but second if they are any good they will go over the options and give you more information to make an informed choice.
Yes you are correct about the details of the head unit . I would prob go with a multi channel amp and would definitely want items I could place under the seat.
MTX has a rear mount JK specific subwoofer. It's a 10 and is amplified for about $500. I don't have any experience with it, but I do like where it mounts and is out of the way.
There are also a number of people that have mounted a low profile flat enclosure to their rear tailgate.
A little underpowered in my book, I always shoot for 5-6 times the power of my other channels. But at that price it might be worth giving it a try. If you like it you will save hundreds of dollars.
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