SeattleSports55

Hi Guys,

Just picked up a 2014 this past weekend and I love everything except for the stereo. I'm a huge audiophile and am spoiled from having a full diamond audio system in my last car. The stereo in this isn't bad on some songs, but it sounds extremely "muddy" and underwater on some frequencies, especially vocals. The inner audiophile in me is completely dying and I want clearer sound up front.

I've done some research and see the stock unit pushes out 11W RMS per channel but I'm a bit confused. From what I've read, here is what I understand:

Front Speakers:
6X9 Woofers (on their own wiring)
3.3 Inch Mids and a Tweeter (run on the same wiring) (No mention of any sort of cross over?)

Rear Speakers
6.3"

Here is what I'm looking at doing:

Diamond Audio 6x9's Co-axial's down low to replace the current speakers.
http://goo.gl/1jtISW

Not sure what route to go on the tweeter because I lose the mid-range speaker (but that may be worth it for clarity in the tweeter) i would love to replace them though.

Then quite possibly switch out the head unit to this Kenwood while it's on sale for $379.99 this week. This would bump it up to 22w RMS per channel and give me better sound processing too.
http://goo.gl/YMZyK5

The car is a lease, so I need to make returning it to stock simple, and this allows me to do this and keep those pieces for my next car. I have an amp I could install, but I don't want to go through the expense when I may only have the car for a couple years total. Want to make sure this will all work and see what you guys think?

Thanks!

Rob

CornerHugger

Self-admitted audiophile here as well... I've gone through the system in my tC and here's what I found: the 6x9s in the front are being fed 50 watts by a 50x2 amp located under the drivers seat. They are on a low pass filter at 5000hz. The other speakers up front are a 3 1/2" and a 1" being fed 50 watts by the head unit. And the rear speakers are 6.5"s being fed 50 watts. All speakers are 4 ohm.

From what I can tell, everything you mentioned will work fine but theres really no point in replacing the factory 6x9s with 2 way 6x9s since the tweeter won't be playing anything anyway (because of the built-in low pass filter on the factory amp).

zerosky

idk if you are on a budget for audio or if you just dont wat to spend a lot but im saving up for the jl three way( low, mid, tweet) combo they sell, costs around 700 i think. but i heard people say with an upgraded hu alone they are getting better sound. im still looking at hu though to find one id like haha

FreedomPenguin

Question, sorry off topic. How does a lease work? I mean your renting a vehicle, so why put money into it, to revert it back and give the rental back. Or is there an incentive to lease over own?

zerosky

well i know you can lease to buy but i did just read that on the bottom haha.

SeattleSports55

This raises a few more questions now, because based on the wiring guide, the stock head unit puts out 11Wx4 RMS (which is WEAK.) That's good to know on the amp under the seat, I took a look today. Do you happen to know how it's connected to the head unit based on the configuration you mentioned above? If you switched the head unit, would they have to bypass that amp? I have no problems with the lows and highs, it's just the mids that are killing me.

SeattleSports55

It's less about the budget, but more of the short term benefit vs. long term expense. At least with the Kenwood head unit, I can take it out and move it into my next car (which will much more likely be a purchase.) Pulling out component speakers and mounting crossovers, re-wiring, etc. and then having to re-wire back to stock doesn't appeal as much to me.

SeattleSports55

You basically have a set value at the end of the lease (residual) amount which is the total remaining due on the car. At the end of the lease you have two options:

A - If the car is worth EXACTLY the same as the residual value or worse (eg. underwater,) you just turn the keys in and walk away.

B - If the car's value is worth more than the residual amount, then you can trade/sell the car for its higher value, and they cut you a check for the equity. You can also roll the value as a down payment into a new lease/purchase.

The odds of option B are higher if you start with equity from either trading in or putting a down payment, because it is basically a head start on the total amount due.

zerosky

id get a kenwood or pioneer headunit then, i really like alpine but not sure if they have double dins as sad as that sounds, im used to single dins for stereos haha

SeattleSports55

I'm leaning towards that Kenwood per a few enthusiasts I know who love it. Just trying to iron out the following concerns:

- If using a wiring harness, what are the odds something doesn't connect back right when I return back to stock (Stock bluetooth microphone, usb/aux jack, and the amp that is apparently running the 6x9's.)

- Will swapping the deck force me to bypass the factory amp mentioned right above?

- How much difference will it make with the factory speakers (all stereo's are as good as their weakest link) after all. Is it worth spending $550 with install?

I came from having a full Diamond Audio set up in my last car to this, and it just pales in comparison. That stuff was worth every penny because it worked flawlessly for almost 10 years (and still did when I traded my car in a week or so ago.)

zerosky

if you use a wireharness it all should work, the only thing that might not would be the aux plug, i hear that sometimes that stops working?

is shouldnt bypass it since the amp is located under the driver seat i thought.

well most after market hu allow for more eq'ing which will increase the quality of the speakers, havent heard of a case where that wasnt true

SeattleSports55

I realized that the Double din I put above only has a 3 band equalizer, so even though the processing might be a little better than the stock unit, it doesn't get me much further. It does put out 22W RMS vs. the stock 11W RMS however.

I've started shopping around but it seems that the units with 8 (or 13) band equalizers only put out 14W RMS and cost even more. Now I'm just torn...haha!!

zerosky

I'd get one with more equalizers and get a multi channel amp to fed the speakers more power
Or
The hu with 3 band and get an equalizer to run that has way more the either headunit haha. They are pricey but are much better than a uh for tuning


Sent from JARVIS

SeattleSports55

Haha! After reading, I guess the Pioneer's are 14W CEA Compliant but the Kenwood is not, so it's not apples to apples on the power comparison. I'm leaning toward the Pioneer with the 4v pre-outs for later expansion in a diff car.

I actually have a 4 channel amp I tore out of my old car sitting in my apartment, but don't want to drop the money on new speakers/install/parts in addition to the deck too (would be around $1500 I estimate.) Then I have to tear it all back out again in a year or two. Would rather save that cash and invest in all Diamond Audio speakers in a more permanent car in the near future, you know? The head unit is an easy swap in/out and can move to the next car.

zerosky

I hear you. I left all my audio set up in my old car when I sold it and starting fresh now. Miss the stuff but didn't want to deal with taking it out and putting it in.


Sent from JARVIS

zerosky

Also is go with pioneer too. Seems to be the better choice unless you want navi but why when our phones do that


Sent from JARVIS

SeattleSports55

Just pulled the trigger on this one:

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PU...s/AVH-X8500BHS

zerosky

That's one I was checking out haha. Tell me what you think of it when you get


Sent from JARVIS

SeattleSports55

Just got it put in today, it's definitely an improvement over the stock unit. I think I'm still going to struggle with the songs I heard before on Diamond Audio vs the current stock speakers. Pretty sure I've been ruined, it's like going from watching football in HD to a 19" standard def TV. Haha!

wolfman_matt

Can anybody comment on the Bluetooth in this system? Is it easy to use? Sound quality any good? Thanks Matt