Alpine system upgraded with JBL and pioneer

[shadowhawk]

I did my Alpine system upgrade on my 2018 this weekend. I replaced the stock sub with a JL Audio 8W1v3 ($139 on Amazon) in the stock enclosure and it just fits. I powered it with a Kicker 43CXA3001 600 Watt MONO Class D Power ($97.68 on Amazon). Super tight bass and a huge improvement over stock for not much money. Mounted the amp under the rear seat behind the sub enclosure. The amp auto turns on when it reads signal from the head unit. You just can't beat JL Audio subs in my opinion.

I replaced the 3 dash speakers with Infinity REF3022CFX 3.5" 75W ($48.86 on Amazon). Way cleaner, crisper highs and clean install with the right knuckle socket adapter.

I left the front and rear door speakers for now as I'm really happy how the system is sounding now! It really thumps and everything is very clean and tight. Plenty of mids and upper lows, crisp high end, and the is sub tight and can really hit if you want it to.

I'm not a huge audio person, but I maybe just have to do something like this. It's not terribly expensive the way you did it. So I'd need 2 boxes of the Infinity speakers, since there's 3 of them?

 

[SyN]

Thanks BB for the advice on the surround sound.
I will try it after I get the rear door speakers installed.

If it works- Yes it will save me $$ as well as time and foul language attempting to dissect the center speaker.

Thanks Spin: For your install info.

EDIT: It might be kind of a interesting experiment to replace the center speaker with one of the JBL 3020s. They are only $31 on amazon..

Then experiment with the surround sound and fader/equalizer.
Dam I just need to quit thinking so much.

EDIT: Thanks BB for the Tip! Turned off the SS and it does seem to cancel out the center dash speaker. So I will leave the stock center speaker in place but just leave the SS in the OFF position.

The JBL Club 6x9 speakers will be installed in the rear doors Thursday morning.
I will report back with either positive reviews or negative either way.

 

[blackbetty14]

I did my Alpine system upgrade on my 2018 this weekend. I replaced the stock sub with a JL Audio 8W1v3 ($139 on Amazon) in the stock enclosure and it just fits. I powered it with a Kicker 43CXA3001 600 Watt MONO Class D Power ($97.68 on Amazon). Super tight bass and a huge improvement over stock for not much money. Mounted the amp under the rear seat behind the sub enclosure. The amp auto turns on when it reads signal from the head unit. You just can't beat JL Audio subs in my opinion.

I replaced the 3 dash speakers with Infinity REF3022CFX 3.5" 75W ($48.86 on Amazon). Way cleaner, crisper highs and clean install with the right knuckle socket adapter.

I left the front and rear door speakers for now as I'm really happy how the system is sounding now! It really thumps and everything is very clean and tight. Plenty of mids and upper lows, crisp high end, and the is sub tight and can really hit if you want it to.

While I’m sure it sounds great (big fan of JL) your install still requires a decent gauge wire harness to feed and ground the kicker amp. Pushing 600w would prob be in the 8-4gauge category. Most people willing to do the wire would prob just step up to a bigger single or dual enclosure. I’ve thought about running another single 8 under the rear driver seat. The issue is the enclosure to clear the fold flat floor.

 

[Spindrifter]

While I’m sure it sounds great (big fan of JL) your install still requires a decent gauge wire harness to feed and ground the kicker amp. Pushing 600w would prob be in the 8-4gauge category. Most people willing to do the wire would prob just step up to a bigger single or dual enclosure. I’ve thought about running another single 8 under the rear driver seat. The issue is the enclosure to clear the fold flat floor.

4 gauge wire ran from battery with fuse, short 4 gauge ground wire ran to rear seat bolt...

 

[SyN]

Ok! JBL Club 6x9s are in the rear doors & surround sound is in the off position.

Settings: treble +5 / mid +2 / bass +5
Fade- 1 click back

I’m impressed! Very Clean & Clear! Yes more Bass would be nice but it is what it is. Replacement of the stock 8” stock sub will happen in the near future with the Pioneer.

I know every speaker stage sounds 5X better when it’s amplified.
I’m at the age now where rattling the windows Just is not necessary. I will need my hearing in the next 20 yrs.

I had no desire to spend a A$$ load of $$$.
The extra $$$ I saved will go to a rear air bag system next spring.

 

[shadowhawk]

is it safe to say I need the metra adapter for every speaker I put in?

 

[shadowhawk]

is it safe to say I need the metra adapter for every speaker I put in?

 

[SyN]

Makes install so much easier & faster!
I used them on all 4 speakers & will use them when I replace the stock 8”sub.

 

[blackbetty14]

is it safe to say I need the metra adapter for every speaker I put in?

Yep. if you want it easy and pain free. The adapters are stupid cheap.

 

[shadowhawk]

playing around with the audio settings yesterday, I noticed that I seem to get much more front speaker than rear unless I redirect 75% of the sound to the rear. is that normal? is it because I have the crew cab and the seat backs are shielding the rear door speakers?

 

[blackbetty14]

playing around with the audio settings yesterday, I noticed that I seem to get much more front speaker than rear unless I redirect 75% of the sound to the rear. is that normal? is it because I have the crew cab and the seat backs are shielding the rear door speakers?

Did you replace the stock dash speakers with aftermarket? What system and speakers are you running?

 

[shadowhawk]

factory alpine system.

 

[blackbetty14]

If it hasn’t been touched then Covering the rear door speakers will make the front end seem louder.

 

[shadowhawk]

I'm not covering them. I'm referring to the front seats, and them blocking the sound from the rear speakers since they are so close to each other

 

[autokraftgt]

I'm not covering them. I'm referring to the front seats, and them blocking the sound from the rear speakers since they are so close to each other

It's normal and most prefer it. I don't like to be able to hear the rears, they should provide more of a rear ambiance/fill if set up correctly.

 

[shadowhawk]

It's normal and most prefer it. I don't like to be able to hear the rears, they should provide more of a rear ambiance/fill if set up correctly.

I guess I wasn't hearing them at all, OR they are doing their job just perfectly. I'm not sure which yet.

so if the rears don't contribute much, why upgrade them? you're telling me I'll notice a difference on a speaker I barely know is there anyway? I've got them in my shopping cart ready to buy

 

[TomT]

Upgrading the rears are a personal taste decision. I upgraded mine just so I wouldn’t have any weak links in the chain. I have them set much lower than the fronts.

 

[shadowhawk]

they are cheap enough, all things considered.

 

[13ram1500crew]

I want to upgrade my rear doors to add some extra mid-bass, i have the standard non alpine system in mine. I will most likely go with these JBL's.

 

[shadowhawk]

well, just hit "buy it" at the big gold online place. should be here Saturday with metra harnesses.