Upgraded head unit that looks stock

I would think you.would be okay for a little while. I would do the live chat with Crutchfield....their site is where I got that info from.

 

Yep. Mine was non-JBL also and I have an amp under the seat.

 

Each channel is already a 4 ohm load, so as long and you have all stock speakers and amp there’s no change needed.

 

This is what I was referring too on the speaker change.....

 

The amp only powers the door woofers, so as long as nwh is leaving everything other than the head unit alone, there's no change to the load. And technically even if the amp is bypassed, it's still a 4-ohm load per channel (2-ohm door, 6-ohm dash corner, 8-ohm center channel with dual voice coils), so still doesn't really apply. If the door and dash speakers are swapped, then yes, the impedance needs to be taken into account.

 

I ordered the 9" Pioneer off Crutchfield. Came with all the connectors, parts etc. Took nearly 3 hrs to install. No actual splicing per se, but there was a lot of plugs and adapters (many from the Maestro kit were not used). I think I had to connect 5 wires together from the harnesses supplied, that plugged into the factory connector.

 

I have a 2020 with non jbl and kept the head unit but did new amp and speakers/subs. Head unit is fine for what it is but that’s only because of CarPlay. Without that I’d end up with one of those iPad looking things but I prefer the stock look

 

Gotcha. I didn't read too deep into it as I replaced everything in mine.

 

Were the directions they supply pretty clear and easy to follow? I’ve never done an install like this, just a simple CD player replacement.

 

I think someone on here did a whole thread about a newbie stereo install.

 

Yep, you’re right. I’ve read through some of that.

Edit: Just realized that was your thread. Ha! I’ve read through so many audio threads I can’t keep up lol.

Did you get yours through Crutchfield?

 

It was me!

No, I watched Crutchfield closely, but they had no stock at the time due to the supply chain issues. I ended getting everything from Amazon.

At the time I was really watching for the Kenwood unit, but everywhere I looked (save a few scammer sites) showed no stock of anything I was interested in. Finally during a routine search, the Pioneer popped up as an alternate product, with limited supply, and that’s when I just sighed and bought it.

I searched high and low for threads or videos about installing and couldn’t find anything, which is strange because if you are reasonably handy, this is not a difficult project. My installation took days because of waiting on parts and just being very busy around the holidays.

I’d like to think that if I had found a thread like mine, it would have been a 4 hour deal start to finish… but who knows. Part of the fun is getting away from everything and just plodding through the work, confident in the end you’ll have made a massive improvement in sound and function.

 

I still want one but really don't know if it is cost effective for the little gain that I would get.

 

And to answer- yes. Especially with the Maestro unit, which provides you with a wire-by-wire guide to splicing and connecting. Your head will try to make it more complicated. Just follow the wiring guide, and it goes smoothly. If you run into a jam, Maestro has EXCELLENT phone tech support. And you can always come here with questions.

 

The sound gain is huge. It really wakes up the factory speakers.

 

I already have a Pioneer though. Screen size is all I would gain.

 

Yep- they are inflated right now. I felt insane buying at $1100 and now they are $1500.

 

Yeah...even the 7600 is $1300.

 

Yikes, $1500 now!?! Yeah, i see the hesitation.

 

@nhw544 keep in mind that all of the wires that come with the Maestro will not be used.

On my 2020, these were not used.

 

I noticed in your thread that you said not to get the Sirius adapter and just use the app. While using the app in CarPlay, does it allow you to scroll through your favorite channels like you would if they were preset using the tuner?

 

Kinda. The SiriusXM app is pretty horrible and flaky, but you can usually get your favorites and recent stations to show and scroll. You can usually find a rebate to get the XM tuner for free if you look around, especially through Crutchfield.

 

We pay for 1 SiriusXM subscription and its tied to my wife's Highlander. I use her login on the app, and play it through the H/U in my truck. As TRDFerguson said, its not the best interface, but works in AndroidAuto at least.

 

I used it once after installing and then got a prompt that my plan had expired. I just let it go because I really had stopped tuning in except for rarely.

If you use satellite as a primary source, I’d get the tuner like TRDFerguson suggests. Heck, for all I know the tuner is strapped to the bottom of the factory head unit in a box in my attic now.

 

Yep, if you gotta pay for it anyway, might as well have the tuner. I use the tuner a lot while I’m out in the desert since there’s very sparse cell coverage. I’d probably ditch it myself and run off Spotify full time (offline playlists saved to phone) but my wife insists we run SXM on both vehicles. I was able to get the subscription down to around $60/year per vehicle, so that’s not terrible.

 

Well after going back and forth on this, I went ahead and ordered through Crutchfield. When I went to checkout, it asked me if I wanted to add a ready harness, so of course I added that. Not sure why they originally said they didn’t have any. Anyways, should be here Tuesday so hope to get it installed Wednesday or Thursday. Appreciate all the feedback in this thread and in the @panicman thread!

 

While I’m at it, any recommendations for a front camera?

 

Anytime kit from anytimebackupcamera.com

https://www.anytimebackupcamera.com...ucts/anytime-backup-and-front-camera-full-kit

 

If you’re installing an aftermarket HU, why would you use the Anytime camera kit? Most aftermarket HU’s have direct access to the cameras without requiring an override

 

I only have the factory rear cam, but I can bring it up anytime.

Anyone have JUST a front cam recommendation that will plug right into my HU?