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I'd maybe add sonicelectronix.com as a place to buy stuff with the caveat that they're not an authorized dealer for most stuff so you'll be losing the warranty. And that old school tape adapters actually work extremely well compared to FM transmitters.Jeff Goldblum posted:I've decided to give my trusty old 2002 Mitsu Montero Sport a little love, since I've done my damnedest to destroy my sound system in the past. I'm pretty sure there's more than one speaker busted in the thing and the sound has because pretty poor. Not to mention I've been wanting to use a means of playing music off my phone that doesn't involve a god awful radio transmitter unit. Why don't you just get the JVC since that gets you bluetooth? I don't think there's THAT much difference between decks as far as power goes, and those speakers don't look like they need much going by their sensitivity. I just installed a double-din JVC unit in my Subaru and love it so far (it's only been in there a day so I may not be the most trustworthy source on that one.)
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Dec 4, 2012 21:41
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LloydDobler posted:That's one good reason to get a higher end head unit, is adjustable sub gain and crossover right in the dash, so you're not walking back and forth to the trunk to tweak your sub. This is so true, especially if your amp is mounted somewhere at all inconvenient. On a lot of the better headunits you can even choose what kind of slope you want on the crossover. Picklesworthe posted:My setup is 6.5" Boston Pro Components in the front doors, 8" Memphis coaxes in the rear quarters all powered by a Memphis Studio 100x4, and a JL 12 W7 powered by a JL 1000D in the trunk of a lovely Scion tc. It seemed like an awesome setup when I put it in but I can't turn it past about 50% of its available volume before it sounds like the trunk hatch is going to pop off its hinges and every piece of lovely plastic in the car is buzzing like an angry beehive. Is there any way to fix this? Sound deadener, carefully finding every place that rattles and putting some foam in between the rattling pieces. I think this dude's guide is pretty good, even if you don't actually buy his stuff: http://www.sounddeadenershowdown.com/
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Dec 5, 2012 16:23
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Karthe posted:What's the current state of interaction between head units and Android devices via USB? I'm switching from an iOS phone to an Android phone in a few months and am curious if I'll be able to control playback from it just fine, or if I should upgrade to a head unit that has Bluetooth. Ideally I'd be able to use the head unit's hardware back and forward buttons to skip songs not only on stuff I've loaded onto the phone, but in things like Google Music and Pandora as well. Pretty much every manufacturer will tell you on their site exactly what the headunit can and can't do over USB. I don't think third party app support is very consistent for anything but Pandora though. Some support more but you'll have to look. Bluetooth, on the other hand, seems to do pretty well across apps. With Bluetooth on my JVC deck and the current version of iOS, I can skip tracks in Rdio and iCatcher, and the deck shows artist info/song title/album for both. With Android you can even thumbs up and down Pandora over bluetooth.
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Dec 5, 2012 17:39
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It's a KD-RW900bt that seems to have gone up in price in the week since I bought it. It was $179 last week, now it's $220 again: http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_45823_JVC-KW-R900BT.html?gclid=CK7ekIuShbQCFcaiPAodNHIAuw Looks like most of the JVC decks display track info now. No idea when that became a thing. So, it seems that I've hosed something up in my amplifier/speaker install somewhere. I haven't had any time to troubleshoot at all, but there's a constant clicking from the tweeter when the car is running. It's loud enough to be noticeable, but doesn't seem to change volume with the receiver's setting, and doesn't happen if the car is on but the engine isn't running. I tried to keep the power wires away from the RCA cables but they unfortunately do get within a few inches of eachother in a couple places. The whole project is on the upper end of what I'm comfortable DIY'ing and troubleshooting this with any thoroughness is probably beyond me unless there's something easy I can try. The only thing I thought might work is turning the amp gain down since I'd pushed it up a little while testing something else.
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Dec 6, 2012 07:36
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some texas redneck posted:Even with all cables on the same side of the car, with pawn shop amps, I've never run into that. Well, it's good to know that it probably isn't power cable interferance. The car is only 1000 miles old at this point and, while it's certainly possible that something came hosed from the factory, I'm hoping that it's somewhat unlikely. This morning I tried turning the amplifier gain all the way down and it seemed to eliminate the noise, but I have to turn up the head unit almost all the way to get to my normal listening volume (this is with only one front speaker installed.) I think I can bump the amplifier gain up just a teeny bit and get enough volume without bringing the clicking back, or it might actually be fine as is once I get the second speaker in. Will having my headunit turned up to 90% volume for regular listening cause issues? Cause it'd be great if this was all I had to do to fix the clicks.
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Dec 6, 2012 17:01
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LloydDobler posted:The head unit will be running line level voltage so not a lot of current. If the sound is clean, it's fine. The only risk of running the head unit at high volume is reaching its limits and clipping or distorting. In fact, you want the highest level of output from the head unit so that you can have more amp headroom. Thanks, I'll refrain from loving around with it till I get the second set of speakers installed.
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Dec 6, 2012 18:50
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Finally finished my install. Properly setting the amplifier gain completely negated whatever that clicking was. I'm relatively happy with the sound—definitely way better than stock—but even with EQ adjustments the tweeters sound like their levels are too high(or the mids aren't high enough.) A little annoying since my main goal was a relatively balanced response. Probably haven't spent quite enough time tweaking the EQ yet so I'm going to keep working at it for the time being. The general car audio world seems to love a really, really unbalanced sound with crazy hot tweeters, no midrange, and a ton of bass. Every set I listened to in the two car audio places near me sounded terrible, including sets the sales dudes claimed were the most top of the line. I don't have golden ears or anything, but I've spent enough time with good non-car audio, both home and in studios, to know how I like a relatively flat response with a maybe a little hump in the midbass and bass. Fining even a minor consensus from reviewers to point me in the right direction was pretty much impossible thanks to wildly varying perceptions and zero measurements. I went with something that at least had published IB measurements so I'd know the designer had put some thought into flat-ish response.
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Dec 7, 2012 18:27
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The design provides a few different resistor values for the tweeter to do exactly that, but I already thoroughly secured the crossovers under my dash  . I'm not sure which level is on there right now since my multimeter has mysteriously stopped measuring anything and Madisound glued the resistors on letters down. I suppose I should probably pull the crossover boards and try some higher value resistors before making too many judgements, but I already EQ'd down most of the frequencies covered by the tweeter by about 9db in the headunit's settings. Changing things at the crossover probably would be better though.On the bright (haha) side, the tweeters are very nice and, because they're crossed really low, it doesn't make the system un-listenable or anything.
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Dec 9, 2012 00:00
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Danley DTS-10 strapped to the top of the roll cage.
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Dec 14, 2012 22:26
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Honestly, it might be easier to get a non-touchscreen headunit with bluetooth and then put in an arm mount or something for the tablet. Treat the HU like the receiver in a home theater, and the tablet like an HTPC. It'd get you pretty much everything on the list except the dvd playback.
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Dec 15, 2012 03:38
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DreamOn13 posted:Looking for a double DIN headunit for my Saabaru. Probably want something with BT that I can run Pandora from my phone, Aux in and a USB (don't care if those are on the back, might be cleaner to run wires that way). Also would be nice if it matched the green interior lighting. Any suggestions for a clean deck like this? Was looking at some Pioneer units but $300 sounds kind of steep. I'm no audiophile, so it doesn't have to be the best thing on the market. I just put a JVC kw-r900bt in my crosstrek and really like it. You can customize the lighting on most decks anymore. The JVC is a little chromed out, but I haven't found much better. I got it for $170 and they have several cheaper versions.
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Dec 16, 2012 17:18
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Allright, I've come to the conclusion that the component set I put in isn't likely to have the response I want no matter what I do to the crossover. Even with -9db on the frequencies covered by the tweeter and the midrange cranked up they're exceptionally fatiguing. The high range actually does sound fantastic, but the mids just can't keep up without cranking it. It's a really fatiguing sound and I'd actually rather just not listen to it at all. Anyone have recommendations for a 5-6" component set? One thing I do like about this set is that the crossover is really low, so you get a lot more out of the on-axis positioning of the tweeters. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like many manufacturers publish info about their crossover points. I'd like to keep it under $200. If this hasn't come across already, I also don't want my ears to be bleeding from high notes.
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Dec 17, 2012 00:58
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Black88GTA posted:I remember there being a way to knock down response by putting in resistors. I could try adding an L-pad after the crossover too and see what happens, but I think that affects the crossover in other ways beyond my knowledge. Maybe someone with crossover design chops could chime in. In any case, it just seems like it might more be a problem of the woofers not having enough output / being a poor choice for car audio at all.
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Dec 17, 2012 02:59
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draccio posted:As you may have followed, I own a 2012 WRX Premium with the stock stereo. That link isn't working for me. I just did a replacement on my 2013 Crosstrek, which should have fairly identical install, so I can offer more detailed advice on stuff like the SWC setup if you need it.
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Dec 18, 2012 19:42
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I'm not particularly experienced with car audio speakers so I can't steer you much there, but I highly recommend getting the harness and ASWC from http://ae64.com/ His harness has wires for the SWC that Crutchfield's harness won't, and he'll flash the firmware to newest before shipping out. I'd also suggest getting some spacers from http://www.paranoidfabrications.com/ as it'll let you mount the speakers without drilling holes in your doors. Both of them were really great about shipping stuff out quick. This tool: http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_4316_House-Brand-DUR15.html and a set of plastic panel tools from Harbor Freight were really helpful as well. Double din decks look a lot more stock to me—Crutchfield's selector thing claimed that they wouldn't fit into my vehicle but they definitely do. I'm not sure why it says that when Metra and Scosche both make adapters. The Scosche one is better since it has little wings for the stock screws. Here's what I put in mine, more as an example than something I'm necessarily recommending since I haven't been able to compare it to much: - JVC KW-R900BT headunit - JBL MS-62c speakers (haven't installed these yet, they're replacing a set I've had some issues with. Should have them installed by the end of the week or so unless it snows.) - Rockford Fosgate Prime R1L-1X12 sub - Rockford Fosgate R300-4 amp in 3 channel configuration JBL's 608c components seem like a really good deal at $98 or so from Amazon.
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Dec 18, 2012 20:42
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The AE64 guy sells the Axxess and a wiring harness. The Axxess is your best option, it's just that the AE64 guy has a better harness and he'll flash the Axxess to the latest firmware before shipping out (and update later for the cost of shipping if you need it for some reason.) His prices are totally in line with amazon and whatnot too. Harnesses from Crutchfield don't come with the SWC wires, so you have to cut into your factory harness and it's a pain. Unfortunately, both of the center console ports use separate proprietary connectors. For the USB one, you can get a compatible jack that you then solder half a USB cord to it to make an adapter (you can get these from AE64 guy.) That's what I did and it works great. You definitely need to be comfortable soldering, but it's not super hard. Unfortunately, there's no off the shelf way to maintain the minijack output. You could use a multimeter to figure out what wire is what on the proprietary connector and make your own adapter, or you can run a new wire to that jack. I really like the JVC headunit so far. It has a lot of features for the price and works well with bluetooth. The only hiccup I've had is that, unlike the stock HU, Rdio doesn't pause when I turn off the car and it loses connection. It's also a little slow to connect on starting. It was on sale at sonicelectronix for $170 when I got it, so you might look around a bit for a good deal. Just a warning on the RF amp—it's huuuuge. I managed to slip it under my passenger seat without removing anything, but it's a tight fit and I scratched it up a bit in the process. If you put a little tape on the seat rails it'd probably save you from that. Obviously this isn't going to be as much of an issue if you're mounting elsewhere. I'm actually glad for the size now as it's such a tight fit I don't even need to screw it down. Short of the car being ripped in half it's not going anywhere. Should help keep it cool as well. I don't see any reason why your selections wouldn't work well together. The only other thing I'd think about was if you were running new wires to the speakers, or wanted to just use the factor wiring. I ran new wires so I'm not totally sure, but I think you can get adapters for the factory plugs if you don't want to cut into them.
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Dec 18, 2012 21:29
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Got my front components switched to the JBL MS-62C and it's SO MUCH better. Took me a lot longer to install than I'd expected, but I suppose that's the way it goes. Really happy with the speakers though—I'm glad I decided to just switch instead of trying to get my other set to sound nice. These are almost perfect with a flat EQ. A few tweaks and it should be golden.
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Dec 23, 2012 00:02
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Jvc head units actually seem to integrate better with android than iOS, so check them out. Ae64.com is where you should go for all harness related info, and he sells many of them for way reasonable prices.
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Dec 26, 2012 20:46
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Anyone have suggestions for how to set the high and low pass filters for the sub? Right now I have mine set at 24db per octave at either 70 or 80 hz.
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Dec 29, 2012 00:16
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MikeyTsi posted:What color are they? Is this a snarky way of saying I didn't provide enough information or something?
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Jan 3, 2013 16:45
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MikeyTsi posted:Yes. Optimal settings are going to depend on the types of subs you're using, the box they're in, the speakers you have them matched with, the type of music you listen to, etc. The speakers are JBL MS62C's in the stock door holes and the sub is a Rockford Fosgate 12" R1 prime in a sealed box. The JBL's claim to bottom out at 60 hz and the sub claims to go up to 250hz, but neither companies say whether that's within 3db or 10db or what, and I'm not sure how cabin loading, time alignment, etc affect everything. I assume that it's something that requires some trial and error, so maybe I should have said "how to determine the best crossover settings" or "what sorts of information do I need to find optimal settings."
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Jan 3, 2013 22:46
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I have a JVC KW-900BT that I run my iPhone through. Mostly bluetooth, but I've used USB and stereo mini as well. Streaming is always going to sound worse than the direct connection. Whether the difference is noticeable over road noise is another thing—it sounds plenty good to me. I definitely don't sense a volume or bass difference between any of those connections. Track skipping, handsfree, and whatnot work great over bluetooth and should with pretty much any modern bluetooth deck. The Metra Axxess works great on my Subaru. I got a harness that was specifically designed to hook up to the Metra ASWC as Crutchfield's didn't have the right connections and would have required cutting into the factory wiring.
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Feb 1, 2013 21:34
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edit: nevermind, looks like you figured it out.
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Mar 24, 2013 21:06
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You can get those Polks new for $150 from Sonicelectronix or $105 from random Amazon retailers. They seem to be a default recommendation for cheaper but still good components.
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Mar 27, 2013 18:53
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Anyone have thoughts/recommendations on security systems? I've been considering one due to a "break in" in which the thieves left no marks on the car other than leaving the doors unlocked and taking a few things from inside. They did it to two other cars right next to mine as well so I didn't leave the doors unlocked or something. Already asked in the Subaru thread but figured this one might have a broader reach on the topic.
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Nov 4, 2013 22:53
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If you drop the crossover you'll need to add some kind of active crossover, which can be very beneficial but is definitely not going to be the cheap way to go. I don't think you need to spend that much on an amp either. I have this guy hooked up to two front speakers and bridged for the sub and it's been great: http://www.amazon.com/Rockford-Fosgate-R300-4-Multi-Channel-Amplifier/dp/B001P85IV2 They make a two channel one that's probably fine as well. If it were me I'd get the four channel so I'd have the option of adding a sub later. It can make a big difference in car audio even if you aren't a bass freak. You could also choose different speakers. Most stuff is going to have higher impedance than that. Edit: Clarion and I think Alpine also make tiny four channel amps that you can hide in the dash: http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_71986_Clarion-XC1410.html
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Nov 19, 2013 18:02
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On my 2013 subaru I just had to install and program a little box that translates steering wheel controls to the head unit. Metra axxess swc unit I think. Works great. Might depend on the vehicle though so you'll have to do some googling.
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Nov 22, 2013 18:13
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My JVC does and I'd assume pretty much all of them do that. Also, it has a mute button.
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Dec 17, 2013 04:49
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If it helps, those remote power leads tend to be super tiny—it's easy to do a half rear end a run through the car and still have it pretty much unnoticeable.
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Dec 21, 2013 20:51
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Wouldn't you have to solder the new head unit's plug thing to a new vehicle harness if you switched out anyway? Otherwise I wouldn't think the harness would matter as long as it has everything you need since they're fairly straightforward. Have you considered just using a bunch of bullet connectors and labels?
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Dec 30, 2013 18:45
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Why would component speakers be prohibitively expensive? The Polk DB stuff is supposed to be decent and isn't super expensive. It can be more difficult, but if you already have stock locations for the tweeters it makes the whole thing a lot simpler assuming you can find a good fit. To me the fronts are far the more important that the rears. I don't even run rear speakers in my vehicle and it sounds great (to me.)
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Jan 14, 2014 22:20
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Does anyone have experience with the little JL Microsubs? Right now I have a this cheap Rockford Fosgate: http://www.rockfordfosgate.com/products/details/r1l-1x12 running off a RF R300-4 with two channels bridged for the sub and the other two driving JBL MS-62C components in the front. The RF sub has plenty of volume for me, but seems a little one note. Pretty well turning off the high pass crossover on my front components helped the sub integrate much better to much ears. I have no idea if a nicer sub would make this any better. Someone I talked to thought that it might hit the higher bass frequencies a little better, which is where the R1L seems to be kindof weak. It'd be nice to have something smaller regardless. It's in a hatchback if that makes a difference.
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May 11, 2014 18:20
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Looking at replacing the system in my XC70 and want to bounce it off some more knowledgeable people before I go ahead. Here's what I'm looking at: JVC KD-X330BTS (Mostly going with this for 5v pre-outs) Crux SWRVL-50 harness + SWC NVX MVPA4 4 channel amp, two channels for front speakers, bridge second two channels for sub JBL P660c components in the factory locations JBL 8" microsub (already have this from a previous vehicle) Leave factory rear speakers in place and but not used Planning on putting the amp in the spare tire area. Battery is in the back so that part should be nice and easy. Run signal wires by center console on passenger side, speaker wires along bottom door trim on same side up to radio harness, and then use stock wiring from there to the doors. When I ran wires through door boots on my Subaru it was a huge pain and I'd really rather not do it again, but I could give it a shot if that's going to make a big difference.
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Jan 27, 2016 20:46
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My battery is in the trunk like, less than two feet away from my amplifier. Is there any reason I shouldn't just use the battery's ground instead of the chassis?
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Feb 15, 2016 22:20
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Noooo.... it took forever to get the stock HU out of my volvo, and, due to being worn out and frustrated, I messed up and plugged the unused 3.5mm jack from the steering wheek control unit into the microphone port of the deck. Guess I'm pulling the dash out again.
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Feb 16, 2016 16:14
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You could get a four channel amp and just power the front speakers and the bridge two rear channels for your sub. I've never bothered with rear speakers. That's not gonna save you a ton but it'd help.
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Feb 26, 2016 03:05
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How do you think the head unit is gonna get ground if your battery's negative terminal is disconnected? That's how you can ground things from the chassis.
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Mar 8, 2016 02:25
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Yep, that'd do it.
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Mar 8, 2016 16:48
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Yeah, listen to the other people. I just told you why your radio wasn't getting power—they put in the extra effort to think about the consequences of what you're trying and they'd deffo right. The ground on your radio could ground the whole chassis and, like others have mentioned, that defeats the purpose of your isolation switch at best and at worst you start a fire.
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Mar 9, 2016 18:43
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That's exactly what I did on my last two vehicles, but I didn't replace the rear speakers and, while they're connected to the HU, I normally keep it faded all the way to the front. You could easily stay under your budget doing that. Current setup: JBL P660c components in front Stock rear, unused JL Audio MicroSub 8" NVX 50w 4 channel micro amp, 2 channels to the front, 2 channels bridged to the sub
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Apr 5, 2016 05:23
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