2023 alpine 9 speaker upgrade question

[platoon2063]

I was also looking at the CDT Unity 8 wide bands which are on sale for the dash corners. Wouldn't they provide higher frequency than the Kenwoods?

Most likely. I've read good things about them. Not sure how easy to install, though. Haven't really delved into that.

 

[skates15]

Most likely. I've read good things about them. Not sure how easy to install, though. Haven't really delved into that.

I just shot them a note asking for install instructions. I will.post any details here for anyone interested in the CDT Unity 8 install on 5th gen dash.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[jpHemi3]

The sound in this truck is so bad it's all muffled 9 speaker Alpine ? Yea right they should be ashamed on how this is integrated in this truck we spend 65 k on a this truck and you can't even get a wireless charging area that actually works!! Does these designers go to other cars and look and get ideas to put in their cars? Jesus damn it's 2023 and my 2012 alpine was much better but now we have new truck with **** and wires to charge your phones Lol over the place. Come on RAM wake the f up!!! If none of ya been in a Tesla before go and listen to that system!!!! Jesus Christ!!!

 

[MD Sledhead]

The sound in this truck is so bad it's all muffled 9 speaker Alpine ? Yea right they should be ashamed on how this is integrated in this truck we spend 65 k on a this truck and you can't even get a wireless charging area that actually works!! Does these designers go to other cars and look and get ideas to put in their cars? Jesus damn it's 2023 and my 2012 alpine was much better but now we have new truck with **** and wires to charge your phones Lol over the place. Come on RAM wake the f up!!! If none of ya been in a Tesla before go and listen to that system!!!! Jesus Christ!!!

Pretty sure Jesus has nothing to do with this...
but I 100% agree with you on the system. I came from a 2014 that was awesome compared to this. My portable speaker sounds better than this system, and I bought a Limited (add $10,000).
I have a case open with Ram Cares - we'll see if they really do.

BTW - I didn't get wireless charging at all.

 

[skates15]

I installed the CDT Audio Unify 8 plus in the dash, including center and the rear headliners. I like a little rear fill and the unity 8 really woke up the rear, especially sitting back there.

I have yet the install the CDT speakers in the doors but so far I love these unity 8, you can hear highs when the volume is low, just really balanced and I'm not missing any lows amd.compared to the Kenwood, I can finally hear some high frequency, mid and low.

I used the speaker mounts from CDT which I did have to modify because the dash has a plastic tab close to one of the screw holes I simply cut a small wedge out of the mount.close to the screw ho!e and it mounted just fine. The rear I did not have to modify, they go right in with the mounts.

You have to buy the ram mounts separately at CDT.

I highly recommend tbese.

 

[blackbetty14]

Is the new alpine system the same as the gen 4? I’m prob getting a new 2024 with the apline and 12” head unit. My totaled 2018 had the apline as well and I upgraded all the speakers but the front doors and added a second 8” sub with dedicated amp. I think it made a noticeable difference compared to stock and was thinking of swapping it all over to the new ram. The JBLs are 3ohm I believe.

 

[skates15]

Is the new alpine system the same as the gen 4? I’m prob getting a new 2024 with the apline and 12” head unit. My totaled 2018 had the apline as well and I upgraded all the speakers but the front doors and added a second 8” sub with dedicated amp. I think it made a noticeable difference compared to stock and was thinking of swapping it all over to the new ram. The JBLs are 3ohm I believe.

I believe most of the speakers are 2ohm and my replacements are 4ohm, so your 3ohm speakers should do fine. The system won't truly come alive until you get an amp/dsp.

 

[blackbetty14]

But the sizes and such are all the same? 3.5 for the dash, 6x9 in the rear. Headliner in the 4th gen are smaller than whats in the 5th gen I think.

I believe most of the speakers are 2ohm and my replacements are 4ohm, so your 3ohm speakers should do fine. The system won't truly come alive until you get an amp/dsp.

 

[MD Sledhead]

Is the new alpine system the same as the gen 4? I’m prob getting a new 2024 with the apline and 12” head unit. My totaled 2018 had the apline as well and I upgraded all the speakers but the front doors and added a second 8” sub with dedicated amp. I think it made a noticeable difference compared to stock and was thinking of swapping it all over to the new ram. The JBLs are 3ohm I believe.

I can tell you for a fact that it is NOT anywhere near the same. The 2024 I have sounds worse than a portable blue tooth speaker. My 2014 was awesome. The 2023's on the lot sound noticeably better. You should listen to one before buying anything.

 

[blackbetty14]

I can tell you for a fact that it is NOT anywhere near the same. The 2024 I have sounds worse than a portable blue tooth speaker. My 2014 was awesome. The 2023's on the lot sound noticeably better. You should listen to one before buying anything.

I did a quick crank up when I was looking at a built to serve and the system was loud. It wasn't for more than a few seconds but when I get into the vehicle for a proper more than 2 min look through (truck was being moved to another dealer) I will give it a listen. I will tell you my 2018 Apline sounded like trash using the blue tooth vs the hard connection. It was night and day difference. Even FM radio sounded terrible vs Satellite radio or hooking my iphone and playing music through Itunes. I don't listen to music unless its through my phone as the sound quality is so much better. When its connected through Bluetooth even for hands free calls the sound is tinny and low (couldn't really hear with volume maxed out), plugging the phone in to answer calls was 50x better. and had to turn the volume down.

 

[skates15]

But the sizes and such are all the same? 3.5 for the dash, 6x9 in the rear. Headliner in the 4th gen are smaller than whats in the 5th gen I think.

Yes, 3.5 for headliner and dash and 6x9.

 

[MD Sledhead]

I did a quick crank up when I was looking at a built to serve and the system was loud. It wasn't for more than a few seconds but when I get into the vehicle for a proper more than 2 min look through (truck was being moved to another dealer) I will give it a listen. I will tell you my 2018 Apline sounded like trash using the blue tooth vs the hard connection. It was night and day difference. Even FM radio sounded terrible vs Satellite radio or hooking my iphone and playing music through Itunes. I don't listen to music unless its through my phone as the sound quality is so much better. When its connected through Bluetooth even for hands free calls the sound is tinny and low (couldn't really hear with volume maxed out), plugging the phone in to answer calls was 50x better. and had to turn the volume down.

Check the settings on your phone... there's a volume limiter for blue tooth connections. I have music stored on my phone. With any bluetooth setup (Harley, portable speaker, etc.) I have to adjust the volume up and down for different songs even.
My 2024 is crystal clear and sharp with phone calls using carplay over bluetooth.

All I'm telling you is that the music quality in my 2024 is sad compared to my 2014... both stock.

 

[skates15]

Check the settings on your phone... there's a volume limiter for blue tooth connections. I have music stored on my phone. With any bluetooth setup (Harley, portable speaker, etc.) I have to adjust the volume up and down for different songs even.
My 2024 is crystal clear and sharp with phone calls using carplay over bluetooth.

All I'm telling you is that the music quality in my 2024 is sad compared to my 2014... both stock.

The difference may be in that the 2024 is not really alpine speakers from what I gather, they just put their name on some cheap Chinese made speakers. Perhaps your 2014 alpine system has real alpine speakers? Plus, as I said in another post, the 2024 head unit only has one full definition speaker and that is the rear doors, everything else is mid and mid base, so its muffled. When you combine that with low definition satellite radio, then the 2024 is probably not going to sound as good ad your 2014, although I don't know how the 2014 is setup, sound stage wise.

 

[Black-Wolf]

The difference may be in that the 2024 is not really alpine speakers from what I gather, they just put their name on some cheap Chinese made speakers. Perhaps your 2014 alpine system has real alpine speakers? Plus, as I said in another post, the 2024 head unit only has one full definition speaker and that is the rear doors, everything else is mid and mid base, so its muffled. When you combine that with low definition satellite radio, then the 2024 is probably not going to sound as good ad your 2014, although I don't know how the 2014 is setup, sound stage wise.

All the RAM series use cheap chinese crap. My 2017 had cheap chinese speakers in them. I like my music loud, so they died after about two years - I replaced all of them

 

[runamuck]

The speakers in my '19 and my '22 sound pretty good. just take a ride in a late model silverado and see the diff. right away. the only problem I have with the system in my '22 laramie 2500 is that the woofer takes up all the storage space under the back seat..should be mounted on the rear bulkhead like my '19 1500.

 

[FL-RAM]

Is the new alpine system the same as the gen 4? I’m prob getting a new 2024 with the apline and 12” head unit. My totaled 2018 had the apline as well and I upgraded all the speakers but the front doors and added a second 8” sub with dedicated amp. I think it made a noticeable difference compared to stock and was thinking of swapping it all over to the new ram. The JBLs are 3ohm I believe.

Don't know, but my old 2019 4Gen base stereo with 6 speakers (which I upgraded to Kickers) sounded better than my 9-Speaker Alpine with upgraded Infinity Refs. If I were you, I'd not waste money on the "Alpine" system. Get the standard speaker system and upgrade the speakers yourself and add your own sub.

 

[blackbetty14]

Don't know, but my old 2019 4Gen base stereo with 6 speakers (which I upgraded to Kickers) sounded better than my 9-Speaker Alpine with upgraded Infinity Refs. If I were you, I'd not waste money on the "Alpine" system. Get the standard speaker system and upgrade the speakers yourself and add your own sub.

Too late lol. Got the truck which came with the apline. System sounds fine btw. I already removed the stock dash speakers and swapped in the JBL clubs from my last truck. The rear doors will eventually get done as well. Won’t be able to do anything with the stock sub as it’s a 3 voice coil vs the 2 that was the 4th gen’s. Headliners are more 3.5” which is not the same as the 4th gen’s. I think the alpine system isn’t too terrible honestly in the 5th gen. Since i did the dash I was able to tweak the EQ and increase the treble without distortion.

 

[Black-Wolf]

Too late lol. Got the truck which came with the apline. System sounds fine btw. I already removed the stock dash speakers and swapped in the JBL clubs from my last truck. The rear doors will eventually get done as well. Won’t be able to do anything with the stock sub as it’s a 3 voice coil vs the 2 that was the 4th gen’s. Headliners are more 3.5” which is not the same as the 4th gen’s. I think the alpine system isn’t too terrible honestly in the 5th gen. Since i did the dash I was able to tweak the EQ and increase the treble without distortion.

You can still swap out the sub. I have never heard of a 3VC sub... that doesn't make sense. Can you give me the part number for it? Also, you should still be able to swap out regardless - amps that have subwoofer dedicated channels typically don't need to use all the channels for a sub in order to work correctly. You can also do a couple of things by using just one channel rather than two (or three) for the sub - but you'd have to be careful since this doesn't sound standard in any way, shape, or form. If you pull out the sub, are there three connectors, two, one? Can you post a pic - I'm really curious about this sub!

 

[blackbetty14]

You can still swap out the sub. I have never heard of a 3VC sub... that doesn't make sense. Can you give me the part number for it? Also, you should still be able to swap out regardless - amps that have subwoofer dedicated channels typically don't need to use all the channels for a sub in order to work correctly. You can also do a couple of things by using just one channel rather than two (or three) for the sub - but you'd have to be careful since this doesn't sound standard in any way, shape, or form. If you pull out the sub, are there three connectors, two, one? Can you post a pic - I'm really curious about this sub!

I haven’t confirmed but I do remember reading that it was a triple voice coil. The bass in the 5th gen is louder than the 4th gen for sure which was a dual 2ohm voice coil.

If you scroll down to “bass in your 1500” it states the 8” alpine sub is a triple 2.2ohm voice coil. Crutchfield does not have a listed replacement which makes me believe it really is a custom sub. Below is the link as well as a screenshot of that info.

Upgrading the stereo system in your 2019-up Ram 1500

How to upgrade the stereo system in your Ram 1500

www.crutchfield.com

 

[FL-RAM]

I haven’t confirmed but I do remember reading that it was a triple voice coil. The bass in the 5th gen is louder than the 4th gen for sure which was a dual 2ohm voice coil.

If you scroll down to “bass in your 1500” it states the 8” alpine sub is a triple 2.2ohm voice coil. Crutchfield does not have a listed replacement which makes me believe it really is a custom sub. Below is the link as well as a screenshot of that info.

Upgrading the stereo system in your 2019-up Ram 1500

How to upgrade the stereo system in your Ram 1500

www.crutchfield.com

These links need to be stickied.