Guidance on audio upgrade 2015 non jbl

I’ve got a 2015 CM SR5, it has the worst sound system I’ve ever had in a vehicle… my base model 2014 civic sounded better.
Do I just need a new head unit and speakers? Do I need an amp for the HU and speakers?
I’d possibly like to add a 8 or 10” sub behind the rear seat.

 

You could do all the above

check out tech12volts for packages

 

I have a 2014 with the same head unit. I replaced it all - Kenwood HU, Maestro for the steering wheel controls, Infinity 5 channel amp under the passenger seat, new Infinty speakers in all the doors and a 10" sub under the back seat in a box made to fit there. Installed it myself, took about a full day but I was pacing myself. Waaayyyy better sound. Stuff has gone up in price since then though.

 

Regular JBL in 19 is OK. It is worse than Kernwood HU + Focal midbasses in my car, but miles above JBL Synthesis in wife's Sequoia. That one is just junk worth of $3k.

 

Do our non jbl trucks have amps under the seat for the speakers?

Is that a plug & play swap?

 

Yes, a small amp. Not sure about a P&P. I just tapped into the wires based on a wire diagram that I found on this website, somewhere... It was a couple years ago. You just pull the RCAs to the amp and then hook the speaker wires to the amp. I did not hookup the speakers in the dash. The front doors have the Infinity component speakers so the tweeters are mounted in the sail panel on the door. No need for the dash speakers.

 

Dash speakers are powered off the head unit itself. Door speakers are powered via the amp under the passenger seat. You can buy a harness that uses the factory harness for the amp so all you need to do is run power and rca's.

Like others have said. shoot james randy taylor at tech12volt an email and tell him what your looking for and he'll set you up with a good deal.
tech12volt@gmail.com

 

Here’s one I built for a friends son in his 2021 Crewmax. I did have to build 2” seat risers though so I had enough room. Also made the seat risers longer to be able to mount the seat forward 2” as well which gave plenty of space and subs were smacking the back of the seat. I used 2x4 1/2x.250HSS for the riser material. I used the tape to keep the outline so I could measure the mounting holes accurately.