Recently added a MTX terminator subwoofer with a 400 watt amp. Bass sound nice but it over rides the sound, now I wanna upgrade to have a nice loud clear sound aka ratchet lol don't judge me... Anyways how would I go about this? Was gonna just replace my door speakers with some Polk Audio, do I need to change the head unit as well and get an amp to power the new speakers? Or could I just replacing the door speakers to get the sound I'm looking for?

 

You are in the same boat as me...I upgraded my front component speakers with Focal PS 165s because I blew the OEM speakers...at the end of the day you are limited to the best sound the head unit and stock amplifier can produce...which is not enough IMO.


I am looking at keeping the head unit with all controls (Bluetooth, etc.) at the deck and upgrading to a new amplifier and perhaps new rear speakers...I have been searching for a while now and cannot come to a consensus on the best approach...


Some say keep the OEM amp and use a JL Cleansweep to flatten the factory EQ and run into a new amp then new speakers, another suggestion was dump the Cleansweep and run LOCs after the OEM amplifier to the new amplifier then to new speakers, another suggestion was to get a decent JL or Alpine amp that accepts the low input from the head unit and powers the speakers (don't use the factory amp)...


Needless to say, the Cleansweep option is expensive at my local shop (oh, they also recommended the JL Signal Summing Interface because the Cleansweep requires a full range speaker signal)...I am not looking for a show-sound system in my car...and I do not want to buy any hardware I do not require, I just want a clean sound with more volume.


My gut is to start with getting a decent JL amp or Alpine to match my sub amp...replace the rear deck speakers to fatten things up. The aforementioned I will do no matter the direction I go in. If I am having signal issues or unwanted noise delivered to the new amp, I would install a line driver to feed the amp a better signal. If the above fails, perhaps sell the car : )


I am interested to hear what direction you will take and how things work out...


BTW, replacing the head unit is nothing short of a miracle unless you are into super-custom work from what I understand...it can be done, but it is not an easy DIY project and definitely not a cheap project to have a shop do.

 

Don't change out the rear it just fills and won't make a big difference. Just change front components (mids and tweeters) and add an amp that takes low signal. May need a line driver but better to take the front signal pre stock amp it's clean, full range, and flat. You will still have control over the fronts

Don't change the head unit. Add sound deadening and ensolite foam or similar to improve sound from doors. Doing that to stock components will even make a good change in quality

 

I did some digging and came across this thread...the low signal from the factory head unit appears that way because the signal is differential-balanced:


https://acurazine.com/forums/audio-b...ential-816968/


My plan is to get a JL amplifier, either the XD400/4v2 (4 channel) or the XD700/5v2 (5 channel) depending on cost, and having the installer run it right from the factory head unit. If I go 4 channel, I will leave my centre speaker on the original amplifier, 5 channel all speakers will run from the amp...I may reconsider upgrading the back speakers, the consensus is that it does not make much of a difference (to sockr1's point).


Sound deadening in the door sounds like a good idea as well.


Wish me luck...