Sound Quality Worse After New Head Unit

Trying to problem solve on my new-to-me 04 double cab.

Backstory: the previous owner installed a DVD receiver a few months before selling. He said after installing, the sound quality got worse. He assumed the amp was still connected and sending too much power to the speakers. He says it was all factory before he did the install, but he never saw an amp. Now it's my problem.

I chatted with Crutchfield, who determined that either a) I should replace the speakers, or b) the previous owner didn't properly bypass the amp and I should check that first as it would be a $10 fix. So today I pulled the HU out and there's no amp where I expected to find one. Everything I've read said there should be an amp under the stereo, behind the A/C controls. Even the Crutchfield guy said there should be an amp there, even with the non-JBL system (which I assume is what I have, because I don't see a JBL badge on the speaker grill).

So...what next? Could the amp be hiding somewhere else and interfering with the sound quality? Is it possible there never was an amp, and if so, why would the sound quality suffer with a new head unit? I've only ever seen sound quality improve drastically with new amplified head units.

Thanks for any thoughts! I've been scouring this site and others, but cannot find any helpful info on situations where there is no amp present.

 

Do you have the JBL system? Look on the front door speaker grills and see if there is a JBL logo since the OEM Head unit is gone. My 06 Dbl Cab limited with JBL audio had the amp located on the back cab wall behind the rear drivers side seat back.

 

Doubtful any amp would be behind HU in dash. Most likely under seat or in rear as shown in previous post.

 

Id have to ask what you're willing to spend?
Budget?

 

I do not have the JBL badge on speaker covers, so I can only assume that I do not have the JBL system. Either I have an amp somewhere else (maybe where yours is) or I do not have an amp at all and something else is going on.

 

I'll spend what I need to to get it fixed, within reason. I'm no audiophile, I just want it to sound right. If all it takes is correctly bypassing the amp with a $10 harness, fantastic. If I need to spend $150 on 4 new speakers, that's fine. Not looking to do much more than that though.

 

Have you tried running the VIN # to see how it was equipped? Maybe specified in in there.

 

This - Click on the link, sign up, and put in your vin #. You can see the factory options/specs and service record history if any.

https://www.toyota.com/owners/

 

I actually did this. Here’s all I found regarding the sound system: “Deluxe AM/FM/CD with 6 Speakers.”

 

I wonder if @Roman could shed some lite on it, if audio includes an amp. He is a Toyota Parts guy that is fairly responsive.

 

I had the same situation happen to me. I put a new touch screen head unit in my "04" and it sounded terrible. I'm no stereo guy either and turned out I had the settings wrong for the speaker outputs. Head unit has all sorts of adjustments that I have no idea what they do for sound quality. Luckily I got someone to walk me through it.

 

^ Ignore this. In almost all first gens with a 6 disc, there is an amp behind the climate controls. So that statement is wrong.

I did car audio for almost 10 years back in the prime of these trucks and Ive done my fair share of JBL bypasses. The AC is different from the DC and honestly I could never figure out the rhyme or reason to which components ended up in which trucks.

Back to the OP problem. Pull the back panel beneath the rear window, that will tell you instantly if there is an amp.

 

If you have the six speakers, you don't have an amp, which means, the front channels drive the front door and dash speakers, these are usually connected in parallel, If the total ohms of the front speakers don't add to 4ohms, it can make it sound really bad. Invest in new speakers and amp.

 

Mine had an amp under the OE stereo. First gens have a confusing number of stereo options.

 

I have a 2006 access cab, non-JBL, my amp is under the passenger side rear seat cushion hidden by a black plastic panel. Very easy to get to. My problem is similar to the OP, I installed a new Kenwood head unit, but now I am getting zero sound at all. No music, no telephone output via Bluetooth, nothing - AFTER it worked fine for a few days, and then no sound. Checked fuses. Then I swapped the amp with another used factory unit, still no bueno. Stumped...

 

This. Most DCs have the amp on the back wall. Early ACs have them in the dash, later ones are under the seats.

 

My amp is in the same location, it's rather small but it's can't be missed because of the wires.

 

Picture of aforementioned amp behind climate controls. If this isn’t there, and you have these wiring harnesses behind the radio, then you have a standard 6 speaker system.


These are standard

$8 70-1761 Radio Wiring Harness For Toyota 87-Up Power 4 Speaker

70-1761 Toyota harnesses that have been used since the early 90s.

 

What's wrong with the sound? Is it like a bad signal, or does it sound more like blown speakers? Adding a new head unit with more power may be too much for the old speakers. They are probably paper and getting up there in age. Many years ago, I added a cd player to my '91 4Runner, the extra power trashed the speakers which were already on their last leg.

 

MrDirtjumper
That's the one I put in my RCLB, it sounds great driving two door speakers and two tweeters... someday I will upgrade the door speakers.

 

Did some Rockford Fosgate speakers in my '03 Access Cab. They were a Christmas gift from my inlaws. Sound great, easy install into factory location (leaving factory tweeters intact) and didn't even need the speaker plugs that Crutchfield sells. Just spliced the wire to the factory harness that's on the speaker mounting ring, then plugged that in to the speaker plug on the door.

 

I'm not a proper audiophile, so my terminology won't be correct. But it just sounds weak, lacking bass, and if there is any hint of bass in the music, the speakers rattle pretty good.

Two updates: I just pulled the panel behind the rear seat, and there is no amp there either. I'm beginning to think there's no amp at all. 2nd thought - I remember installing a HU on my 07 4Runner and at first, the sound was AWFUL, like I was inside a tin can. I reset the HU and selected a different setting (can't remember what it was) during the initial setup, and that brought back the full range of sound. They sounded like they were meant to - loud and strong from the factory speakers. I'm wondering if there's a similar setting with this head unit that is throwing things off. Or as suggested, maybe the new HU is wrecking the old paper speakers (which may be why they rattle a bit with any hint of bass).

Thanks for all the thoughts, keep 'em coming if there are more.

 

what model dvd player did he install?

 

JVC KW-V430BT

 

The factory speakers in the DCs were a poly cone with a foam surround. Most often what people mistake for a blown speaker is the surround has deteriorated and sounds all floppy. That could easily be the case.

All of the settings in the head unit could be trashed. Set all of your levels to zero and see if that fixes anything.

He could have 1 or 2 speaker polarities reversed and you have a few speakers out of phase.

Honestly at this point it could be any of, or a combination of these things. You can save your money and waste a whole lot of time doing back yard troubleshooting or you can save your time and spend a little money and have a pro look at it.

The main reason I got out of this business is because everyone and their uncles brothers cousin know more than you, or can do it for cheaper. Audio is audio. Troubleshooting someone else's terrible work is why the pros get paid.

 

Have you played with any of the sound settings? Found these in the manual. I would try changing these individually, maybe get improved sound.

 

I did play around with some of those settings. I reset everything back to zero, and then one by one tweaked some settings. I think it has helped some, but still floppy/rattley sounding, as described above. Also not much bass at all.

Maybe a dumb question, but there is an initial setup setting that asks whether this is a 2-way or 3-way setup. Which should it be? If I remember correctly, I think 2-way sounded better, 3-way sounded like a tin can.

 

I pulled the right rear door panel today to replace the power lock actuator, and had my first look at the state of my speakers. Think I found my problem?

 

New speaker time! Woohoo!

 

Ya think? Lol!!! New speaker install is pretty simple to do.