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5K views 20 replies 6 participants last post by  lindel 
#1 ·
Rally really really want to upgrade the audio and stereo of my jeep tj, right now all I have is the four speakers that come with it and an aftermarket cd receiver. I DONT EVEN HAVE AN AMP RIGHT NOW :( I was wondering what you run to get better, crisper sound with a much better bass. On somewhat of a budget but willing to spend a little so send some recommendations

Thanks guys
 
#2 ·
For bass: you need a subwoofer. Most people go with the compact powered subwoofers and try to hide them under the seat. I had one before and it really filled up my jeep with clean bass.
For crisp sound: a lot of people (including myself) go with polk audio 6.5 overhead and 5.25 in the dash running off an amp. I personally think they are a good bang for your buck but if you want audiophile quality you may want to go for Memphis or some other expensive brand. Either way, you're probably going to need some amps.
 
#4 ·
that stealth pod seems like a good buy but keep in mind that you will still need a sub and amp.And that's pretty pricey for a one-sub box. Also this may not be an issue for you, but my 2 12" kenwoods in my LJ make my tailgate vent fins rattle and it can be heard from the outside of the jeep. May not be an issue for you, just putting that out there. There are also some nice 10" downfiring sub boxes that fit in the trunk if you want lots of bass.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Depending on what you're looking for, a lot of people I know have the Kenwood KSC-SW1. It would fit inside the bottom of the back seats, and even though it's only an 8", it provided nice, tight bass. Sadly, the SW1 is no longer manufactured, but it's been replaced with the SW11 --

KSC-SW11 | Speakers | CAR ENTERTAINMENT | Kenwood USA

I can't speak to it personally, but it's got built-in amplification and tucks under seats nicely. Probably not the best you could buy, but it's less stealable than the stealth-pod.

Edit: It's much cheaper at Amazon. At $250, it was a tossup as to whether or not it was worth the money, but at $150, I'd say even if it's not great, it probably is.

http://www.amazon.com/Kenwood-KSC-SW11-Compact-Enclosed-Subwoofer/dp/B00BO8O9XQ
 
#8 ·
For visual reference, here's what the SW1 (the old one) looked like mounted under a seat. Note, not my pic.



If you're an audiophile, or want to impress people, the Memphis Audio "Special Application" subs are great for fitting into tight places. This guy:

15SA10S4 - Memphis Car Audio

requires only 4" mounting depth, .5 cubic feet, and sounds exceptional.
 
#11 ·
For $150, it sounds great. Worth noting, it's not the only one out there like that. Blaupunkt makes a shallow depth sub. Kicker makes a "hideaway" model. I haven't heard the Blau, but I've heard the Kicker, and I'd personally rate the Kenwood over it.

That said, there's no accounting for taste, so if it were my money, I'd call around and see if anybody has one that you can listen to. It's probably unlikely that you can, but at the same time, $150 on Amazon is pretty cheap, and Amazon's return policies are amazing, so worst case, it isn't as much of an upgrade as you wanted, and you only wasted $150.

It's *definitely* an upgrade from stock though.
 
#15 ·
I know that Polk Audios are a popular choice, on top of an aftermarket head unit. I'm lucky to know some folks with nicer audio systems than mine (which is stock), which is how I came to know about the shallow-depth subs. Thus far, everybody I've known that has gotten something along these lines for an amp:

Alpine KTP-445U Power Pack Upgrade any car radio to 45 watts RMS X 4 at Crutchfield.com

That's pretty small (8 inches long, 3" wide, 1.5" deep), mounts somewhere, vaguely, behind the dash, and provides a decent punch to the replacement speakers. That said, it depends a lot more on what your head unit and speakers are than anything else. If you're putting all this behind the stock head unit, yes, you'll need amplification. Otherwise, more information is required, and I'm probably not the guy to ask exactly what.

Edit: Just re-read and saw that you already have an aftermarket head unit, so it depends on what it is, really. Probably you'll want an amp if you plan to crank up the volume without distortion, but balancing the power between the speakers and head unit is complicated enough that I've always trusted anybody that isn't me to do it.
 
#13 ·
There is also a pretty easy option from pioneer, shallow mount sub in a small sealed enclosure, all you have to do is run an amp to power it and you're set. Only ~$130 on Amazon. Other than that I'd say build your own box, get one or two cheap 10s like kicker comp vr's and a 500/600 RMS amp-Alpine and Rockford both make one for around $130. I finally decided I needed more after I replaced the stock sub with an aftermarket 6.5 but it's not enough so I've been working on this:



Product Furniture Table Room Auto part
 
#17 ·
I've been meaning to in the JKU I just picked up, but it's still so perfect that it seems a shame to crack anything open... yet. I'm currently in the process of renovating a TJ, and frankly, my wife is thrilled that I'm not mucking about with "the nice one".
 
#18 ·
My setup is this:

Nakamichi NA350iBTR head unit
Clarion XC1410 class D 4 channel amp
Polk Audio db521 5.25" speakers in dash
Polk Audio db651 6.5" speakers in the sound bar
Kenwood KSC-SW11 subwoofer under the rear seat

Excellent sound, plenty of volume, lots of media options (CD, SC card, USB drive, BT audio, Aux input), Hands free calling (built in mic that seems to work pretty good).
 
#19 ·
My setup is this: Nakamichi NA350iBTR head unit Clarion XC1410 class D 4 channel amp Polk Audio db521 5.25" speakers in dash Polk Audio db651 6.5" speakers in the sound bar Kenwood KSC-SW11 subwoofer under the rear seat Excellent sound, plenty of volume, lots of media options (CD, SC card, USB drive, BT audio, Aux input), Hands free calling (built in mic that seems to work pretty good).
nice :)

I've been meaning to in the JKU I just picked up, but it's still so perfect that it seems a shame to crack anything open... yet. I'm currently in the process of renovating a TJ, and frankly, my wife is thrilled that I'm not mucking about with "the nice one".
And awesome! Let me know how you like it
 
#21 ·
When I bought the Nakamichi in Novemeber, Crutchfield was the only available at a few places (Sonic Electronix wasn't one of them, at the time), all were asking $199. Crutchfield threw in the wiring harness adapters, the mounting plate adapter and an extension for the antenna lead with the radio, no charge.

The speakers and amp, I bought from Amazon, the sub I bought off of Ebay. The speakers were $65 (give or take), the amp was $89 and the sub was $146. Basically took me 2 days to do the install (it was about 25* outside), but the results are spectacular. I can give you details if you need/want them, just PM me.
 
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