BJSTLS

Hey, I hope I'm not beating a dead horse here.....I just bought a 2003 TL-S with Navi about a week ago and I already want (need) to upgrade the sound of the stereo.

In all of my previous cars, I replaced the HU and speakers, and added 1 or 2 amps and a sub in the trunk. In my TLS, I would rather keep the factory look....keep the existing HU and not make any visually noticeable modifications to the doors to upgrade the speakers.

Basically, to start, I want to replace the stock speakers, and either replace the Bose subwoofer or just bypass it and put something better in the trunk. I like detailed sound as well as solid bass (not so much that I can hear it down the street!!)

I am too much of a chicken sh!t to try this myself, so I was hoping anyone could recommend a good installer in the Central NJ area. I currently work in Edison, NJ and live near the Jersey shore.

I am very new to this board, so I apologize if I am asking something that has been covered a million times before!!!!

drcookie

Hey BJsTLS,
Welcome aboard. Almost 99.9% of the members here like the vehicle but hate the guts of the stock stereo system. It depends on how much your want to spend to upgrade your system and different people will give your different opinion and it also depends on the music your listen to.

Personally, I just swapped out the stock sub with an after market sub with a new amp to drive the new sub and I pretty much happy with the sound system now.

Browse through the posts in this section and your will find lots of information about the stereo system --- some with minor upgrade and some with the whole system upgrade.

Hope this helps.

Cheers !!!

BLUBYU

I basically have the same concerns -needs as BjSTLS. What can we do to the factory system w/o spending thousands to make it sound better. I want to keep the HU and possibly replace the door speakers. I also think the system is a lil too boomy (atleast with the type of music I listen to). Not that it couldnt use more bass it just needs some more HIGHS or volume in general. Can tweeters be added easily to the stock system?

BJSTLS

I actually had a 12" Rockford Fosgate puch sub in a ported box, polk db speakers, kenwood 4 channel amp, and a sony es HU in my last car. Bass was great, and the detail was OK. I'm looking for something similar, maybe with a little more detail and good defined bass, not necessarily a lot of bass.

Anybody know of a good audio shop in Central NJ? I'm hoping to use someone that has worked on TL's before.

Thanks.

Brewboy

Our resident installer here is StreetEffectz and in NJ I believe. PM him or visit his site under same name.

StreetEffectz

Hey, we are right here in Rahway, where are you? My number is 732-388-7000 and email is ron@streeteffectz.com

oblio98

StreetEffectz is the man for you! You are lucky that you live near him.

You cannot go wrong with Ron.

:-jon (a satisfied StreetEffectz customer )

BJSTLS

Rahway! That's great. I used to live in Cranford and my parents still do. I live in Tinton Falls now but am up that way often. I will email you tomorrow. Thanks a ton!

Southbound

For those of you in the same situation who want to get a noticable improvement from the stock system without a lot of expense and hassle. Read my LONG "Speaker replacement options" post in the *Speakers* thread (dated 4-02-02) currently in this forum.

You can get a decent improvement especially with respect to adding some quality highs to the system by simply replacing the door speakers with the RIGHT set of speakers. However, The RIGHT set of speakers for the STOCK electronics, aren't as easy to find as you might think...

I would say that I upgraded my stock system from a grade of "D" to a "C+" system by following the steps outlined in my speaker replacement options post. Bypassing the EQ unit and adding a decent speaker amp to the door speakers would upgrade it to a "B" system, and gutting the entire system and starting over with new everything would get it up to an "A" system. Adding serious power and a new sub could get the system up to an "A+" system.

Again, please read the *Speakers" thread on this page, it took me four weeks to compile the data and four hours to write it. I know I tend to ramble, but I'm only trying to help...:

BJSTLS

Thanks Southbound - I going to read it right now!

BLUBYU

Im going to read it now also. Thats awesome, Im far from an audiophile, but I enjoy a quality, loud system that doesnt have to rattle store windows but is powerful and clean sounding.

Aust|n519

Southbound:
Heh heh heh you sound a lot like me it seems Nice post.

Austin519