Guest

I've read through the forum over the past few days, and have found varying opinions and ideas about making subtle updates/mods to the stereo system while still maintaining stock look.

I've got a 2001 TL w/Nav, and I've seen a bunch of great ideas and opinions; almost too many to count. Some of the mods here are most excellent, however, with a wife and two kids I need to keep things subtle (oh, the days...). What I'm looking to do is the following (in order):

1. Replace existing sub with aftermarket in SAME location. I realize that some small mods will be required to accomodate depth, etc. Best recommendations for this? I also realize the free-air sub isn't nearly as good as other options, but anything is an improvement over stock.

2. Replace existing sub AMP with aftermarket. This is a piece of cake, and I'll base my decision upon what I do in #1.

3. Replace existing stock speakers in doors with aftermarket. I'm looking for best experiences with speakers that perform well with miminimal (if any) mods required for retrofit.

I know that the speaker impedence of the stocks are something like 2 ohms, so I would entertain introducing an amp if I really needed to.

Any experiences or quick thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Austin519

atl74:
"1. Replace existing sub with aftermarket in SAME location. I realize that some small mods will be required to accomodate depth, etc. Best recommendations for this? I also realize the free-air sub isn't nearly as good as other options, but anything is an improvement over stock. "

Mmmm have fun with that one. To keep the same location, and not have to rebuild the whole rear deck etc...and I'm assuming you don't want booming bass with a wife and two kids, just more solid bass...go get a 10" IB (Infinite Baffle) subwoofer...my preference as always is JL Audio. You will have to cut the whole in the rear deck wider obviously, but you won't have to rebuild it, and it won't be very difficult. Then you just run the wires to an aftermarket amp, hook up the inputs and you're done. No more than maybe a 1 hour install...and you don't have to go through the hassle of a sub box and all that. I do assume you don't want a sub box in the rear. Another sub of the same size in that hole won't do you much good, it's not like upgrading our headers with Comptech ones, or a new exhaust. A better sub will just about invariably take up more room than what you've got there now.

"2. Replace existing sub AMP with aftermarket. This is a piece of cake, and I'll base my decision upon what I do in #1."

Yep, just like I said in #1. Since this won't be a large system, go with a Class A/B or hybrid amp...again, my preference is Rockford Fosgate, or in a smaller system like this maybe a Kenwood. You don't want to go with a Class D (digital) because although they consume less power, they have less sound quality...which won't matter for a large system when worreid about power consumption...but won't matter for you.

"3. Replace existing stock speakers in doors with aftermarket. I'm looking for best experiences with speakers that perform well with miminimal (if any) mods required for retrofit."

Again, being a JL speaker fan myself...go with JL Audio. You can get two sets ($150 apiece MAX) of JL XR525CX 2 way coaxials, which will be definitely be drop ins (no mods required). Or you could take a step up and get two sets of JL XR650CX 2 way coaxials (what I have for my rear speakers), which may require a spacer to bring the sub out of the door a little and away from where the window slides down, still a pretty painless install, and they fit in the factory door locations.

"I know that the speaker impedence of the stocks are something like 2 ohms, so I would entertain introducing an amp if I really needed to."

You would. I suggest most likely a nice 5 channel amplifier...at least 600W or so. That way you can run each door off of one channel, as well as the sub. That and you only have one amp to worry about. You can get two amps, one for the sub and one for the speakers, or three amps, one for the front speakers, one for the rear, and one for the sub, but an easy painless install is a nice 5 channel amp. You could most likely fit it in the indentation in the left side of the trunk looking into the trunk, where it would be hardly noticeable (covered maybe by a panel) and unintrusive...the sub would be in the rear deck, the speakers would be in the factory locations. That's my best suggestion. And the total cost wouldn't be more than maybe $650 or $700 for the sub, amps, install, and speakers.

Austin519