System Upgrade??
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Joined: Mar 2015
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From: tn
System Upgrade??
I assume this is posted somewhere and any help would be appreciated guys but forum seems hard to search to find answers alot of the time. Going to ad a 5 channel alpine to the existing speakers and ad 2 JL 10s or one 12...anyone done an upgrade like this and what were the results. any info and help would be appreciated. THANK YOU.
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Joined: Mar 2015
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From: tn
Big 3?? Just wondering if you can direct me to posts or threads. Been in car audio when younger but never used stock anything..lol...wondering if I'm wasting money this way buy just adding better amp and power to existing speakers and a sub....seems logical that it would work just wondering if anyone has done it and what difference it made.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,212
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From: NC
Big 3 means upgrading your battery power and ground wires, as well as the wire running from your alternator. While bigger wire is never a bad thing, you may not necessarily need to do this when installing your system. I've done it in vehicles in the past when I was pushing extremely high wattage amps (2k plus) that weren't terribly efficient. With that said, I have a 5 channel Audison in the IS and didn't do it because I don't need to.
As for the install, you have a couple of options. You can either use a Hi/Lo converter by wire tapping the speaker wires and getting and RCA (interconnect) output that you can run to the 5 channel Alpine, you can use a processor like the JL Audio CleanSweep, Rockford 360 or Audison Bit One, or you can add an aftermarket HU and bypass the factory system completely. I ultimately chose the latter. When I did mine, there were no dash kits available for our cars so I had to fabricate my own. I've seen them since then so that makes it easier but still a tedious install. Are you planning on doing this yourself?
As for the install, you have a couple of options. You can either use a Hi/Lo converter by wire tapping the speaker wires and getting and RCA (interconnect) output that you can run to the 5 channel Alpine, you can use a processor like the JL Audio CleanSweep, Rockford 360 or Audison Bit One, or you can add an aftermarket HU and bypass the factory system completely. I ultimately chose the latter. When I did mine, there were no dash kits available for our cars so I had to fabricate my own. I've seen them since then so that makes it easier but still a tedious install. Are you planning on doing this yourself?
Lead Lap
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 642
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From: YaY Area
Big 3 means upgrading your battery power and ground wires, as well as the wire running from your alternator. While bigger wire is never a bad thing, you may not necessarily need to do this when installing your system. I've done it in vehicles in the past when I was pushing extremely high wattage amps (2k plus) that weren't terribly efficient. With that said, I have a 5 channel Audison in the IS and didn't do it because I don't need to.
As for the install, you have a couple of options. You can either use a Hi/Lo converter by wire tapping the speaker wires and getting and RCA (interconnect) output that you can run to the 5 channel Alpine, you can use a processor like the JL Audio CleanSweep, Rockford 360 or Audison Bit One, or you can add an aftermarket HU and bypass the factory system completely. I ultimately chose the latter. When I did mine, there were no dash kits available for our cars so I had to fabricate my own. I've seen them since then so that makes it easier but still a tedious install. Are you planning on doing this yourself?
As for the install, you have a couple of options. You can either use a Hi/Lo converter by wire tapping the speaker wires and getting and RCA (interconnect) output that you can run to the 5 channel Alpine, you can use a processor like the JL Audio CleanSweep, Rockford 360 or Audison Bit One, or you can add an aftermarket HU and bypass the factory system completely. I ultimately chose the latter. When I did mine, there were no dash kits available for our cars so I had to fabricate my own. I've seen them since then so that makes it easier but still a tedious install. Are you planning on doing this yourself?
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,212
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From: NC
I only get dimming in the IS if I am playing Jeezy or some other song with really deep bass, for an extended period of time. The electrical of the IS is quite durable, to be honest. Most of what I listen to is SQ music, the wife is more of a bass head than me. She beats the hell out of it but it hold up just fine.
Lead Lap
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 642
Likes: 9
From: YaY Area
I only get dimming in the IS if I am playing Jeezy or some other song with really deep bass, for an extended period of time. The electrical of the IS is quite durable, to be honest. Most of what I listen to is SQ music, the wife is more of a bass head than me. She beats the hell out of it but it hold up just fine.
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From: tn
Big 3 means upgrading your battery power and ground wires, as well as the wire running from your alternator. While bigger wire is never a bad thing, you may not necessarily need to do this when installing your system. I've done it in vehicles in the past when I was pushing extremely high wattage amps (2k plus) that weren't terribly efficient. With that said, I have a 5 channel Audison in the IS and didn't do it because I don't need to.
As for the install, you have a couple of options. You can either use a Hi/Lo converter by wire tapping the speaker wires and getting and RCA (interconnect) output that you can run to the 5 channel Alpine, you can use a processor like the JL Audio CleanSweep, Rockford 360 or Audison Bit One, or you can add an aftermarket HU and bypass the factory system completely. I ultimately chose the latter. When I did mine, there were no dash kits available for our cars so I had to fabricate my own. I've seen them since then so that makes it easier but still a tedious install. Are you planning on doing this yourself?
As for the install, you have a couple of options. You can either use a Hi/Lo converter by wire tapping the speaker wires and getting and RCA (interconnect) output that you can run to the 5 channel Alpine, you can use a processor like the JL Audio CleanSweep, Rockford 360 or Audison Bit One, or you can add an aftermarket HU and bypass the factory system completely. I ultimately chose the latter. When I did mine, there were no dash kits available for our cars so I had to fabricate my own. I've seen them since then so that makes it easier but still a tedious install. Are you planning on doing this yourself?
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,212
Likes: 3
From: NC
If you want cleaner, you will definitely want to update the speakers. I chose to run component speakers in the doors and placed the 6.5s in the factory location and put the tweets where the factory 3.5s were. The factory tweets at the top of the door panel are still there but aren't powered. The only issue I still deal with from an SQ stand point is imaging because I haven't put the tweets in the pillars but the system is VERY clean. No noise whatsoever when playing zero bit tracks from IASCA and other demo discs.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,212
Likes: 3
From: NC
Here are a few pics of my current setup and install. I did replace the Memphis C3 15 with a Hertz HX380D later, which isn't pictured.
Lots of extra bracing and multiple coats of fiberglass resin inside for added strength.
Cooked a Memphis M3 15 along the way.... Uggh!
Kenwood HU in the lower panel where the factory 6 disc changer used to be.
Lots of extra bracing and multiple coats of fiberglass resin inside for added strength.
Cooked a Memphis M3 15 along the way.... Uggh!
Kenwood HU in the lower panel where the factory 6 disc changer used to be.
Last edited by Slammer1; Jul 8, 2015 at 08:34 PM.
Thread Starter
Rookie
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 98
Likes: 1
From: tn
If you want cleaner, you will definitely want to update the speakers. I chose to run component speakers in the doors and placed the 6.5s in the factory location and put the tweets where the factory 3.5s were. The factory tweets at the top of the door panel are still there but aren't powered. The only issue I still deal with from an SQ stand point is imaging because I haven't put the tweets in the pillars but the system is VERY clean. No noise whatsoever when playing zero bit tracks from IASCA and other demo discs.
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