I had an auxilary jack installed for my iPod yesterday. When it is time for some new tires I'll probably get 17" wheels for it (nothing too flashy). I absolutely hate hubcaps. I'm thinking about replacing the speakers in it as well. The factory radio & speakers are loud enough for my taste, but I'd like the sound to be a bit more crisp & clear.
i love my audio system in my highlander. it may not be up to salty's standards, but its clear and so much better than what i had. the jack for my ipod is great. you made a good choice in getting that.
How much design could there be without an amp & subwoofer...? I'm just planning on replacing the factory speakers - don't think I need anything else. I don't listen to my music real loud, so I just want it to be a bit better quality. What are your thoughts?
I kept looking at your car and wondering why my daughters looked slightly different and thats it! She has the EX which comes with 17" alloy wheels.
Aftermarket speakers are not meant to be ran off of the factory deck. Your stock speakers have, maybe, 15 watts a piece going to them. Most higher quality speakers are designed to operate at over 50 watts per speaker. Your system may sound worse with decent aftermarket speakers due to the lack of power. Distortion is not just caused by crappy speakers. Distortion is mostly caused by lack of power. Just dropping in better quality speakers won't make that big of a difference. You could run a nice four channel amplifier straight off your factory deck that would send the required amount of power to your aftermarket speakers. This could be bought and installed, speakers and amp, for about $800. You would need to replace the front door and rear speakers..about $400.00 for both with budget speakers. A half way decent amp would set you back about $200 and everything could be installed for about $200. Another $500 would get you a subwoofer, enclosure, and a subwoofer amp. Install would probably go up another $100. The subwoofer isn't for just "boom boom". It should complement the overall system...not drown it out. Just like you need a sub for your home theater, you need one for your car. We're up to $1400....Since you're keeping the factory deck, I would suggest a decent Line output converter. You could get one of these for about $200... http://www.audiocontrol.com/t34/176...--Dash-Car-Audio-Equalizer-and-Crossover.html The LOC would make a huge difference in your sound quality. Add about $50 for the install of the LOC and you're up to about $1650 for everything. You could save a little money by using a 5-channel amplifier for the front, rear, and subwoofer. They usually cost a little more than a standard 4-channel or two channel amp, but they do the job of two amps. They're actually two amps in one housing...a four channel and a single channel sub amp. I have a Memphis Belle that I would sell you for $300. It produces 75 watts x 4 for the front and rear and 400 watts for the sub. Having only one amplifier will save you a good deal on the install. It has been professionally installed in one vehicle and was taken out professionally. The Memphis Belle... Front speakers - $200.00 Rear speakers - $200.00 Subwoofer - $200.00 Enclosure - $100.00 5-channel amp - $300.00 (I'll ship it free and give you a 90 day warranty) LOC - $200.00 Install (Wires and such)/Labor - $400.00 Total - About $1600.00 $1600 and you would have a decent system that would be enjoyable to listen to...at any volume.
