Sound Quality Worse After New Head Unit

Not trying to be a dick, but if your speakers sounded blown... Why wouldn't the first thing you look at be the speakers?
Feels like my tire is flat, better check to see if my gas tank is full.

 

I thought the same thing, but didn’t say it. Anyway, we are glad he has resolution.

I remember doing extensive meditations on speakers a few hears ago and found that Toyota switched to that poly-cone style in 2003-ish. The outter rim foam? would blow like @bspurs. Guys posted how to fixes with one guy using Silicone around the rim to bridge the gap.

My 2002 has the paper style and they still sound proper as a cheap factory speaker can. I push on them sometimes when I have the panels off to test their flex. Still strong.

 

It may seem nit-picky but technically these speakers aren't "blown."
The foam surround has just deteriorated to the point where the cone no longer stays centered. This is due to environmental factors and/or age.
This produces the floppy, paper in front of a fan, noise that people most often associate with bad speakers.

A "blown" speaker refers to when the voice coil, which is essentially a wire coiled around the neck, breaks and causes an open circuit.
This is usually caused by over driving, or overpowering the speaker.
This produces either no sound or very scratchy/popping sounds.

In either case, the end goal is the same, which is to get better sound but its typically cheaper and easier to simply replace them vs. repair.

And this concludes today's lesson in speaker terminology. *twirls mustache*

 

Given that he was told by the previous owner the problem happened after the HU was installed, I don't think it's too unreasonable to look at the HU first as the posssible problem and eliminate the settings there as a potential problem before you start pulling door panels off to look at speakers...

 

Oh sure, look at the settings and such first. I just don't think I'd start blaming the head unit and/or factory amp right away. If I put a bigger engine in my truck and brake an axle shaft, it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the engine or transmission. The first thing I'd check would be the item showing the symptoms of an issue.

 

Buy this man some mustache cream!

 

Hmmmm

You seem to be missing some parts!!!

 

Whatever you do, don't cheap out on the new speakers. You may spend more money now, but end up not having to spend money later if they end up breaking. Hope this helps you in the decision making lol

 

What do you mean?

 

Same reason as some guys suggested, but since the problem began with the install of the new HU, that was my first place to begin looking - wiring, bypass the amp, etc. Those were the steps Crutchfield advised I take as well.

 

Probably the fact that some of the speaker cone is gone

 

The entire surround of the speakers!

 

Oh for sure! I thought you meant something different entirely.

 

Just to bring closure:

Never found a factory amp. Installed new Kicker speakers (kept factory tweeters in place) from Crutchfield today. All 4 of the factory speakers had cracked and crumbling surrounds like the picture above. New sound is strong and clear, rattling is gone.

Now to play with EQ settings and find the right mix.

 

Great to here!

 

Good to hear! I find nice acoustic country music is good for getting the proper sound levels.

 

Almost country..

Eagles - Hotel California Live (Hell Freezes Over 1994)

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x30pss5

EF' YouTube..

 

Thanks for that....got to hear my all time favorite, brings back thoughts of munchies !

Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven Live

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4gk4af

 

@bspurs, altho 4yrs ago, if all you did was replaced OEM speakers, and just using straight HU amp, is your sound quality at freeway speed tolerable, IE: with vol 'turned-up' to overcome road noise?
Im replacing my OEM-nonJBL HU [and will use Amp bypass] from either new Alpine or Sony HU w/out adding preAmp; but curious as to how sufficient/defficient sound quality will be w/out preAmp.

 

Holy shit there's so much misinformation in this thread. So glad we added an audo section to the sticky new owner megathread so there's actually a lot of good info out there on the topic.

tl;dr for anyone who find this in the future:

• Regular cab/Access cab early years: Amp in the dash
• Access cab/mid-later years: Amp under a plastic cover inside the storage cubby that lives under passenger rear seat
• Double cab all years: Amp on the back driver's side wall under the plastic cover
• Some trucks DID come with no amp at all
• If you try to retain the factory amp (not bypass), there are consequences using all aftermarket products available at the time of this reply (minimally loss of fade/balance, maximally poor sound quality)
• List of all harnesses/bypasses for various systems here which should be accurate

That said, @ps8820 the system you're describing is what I have now, I think, and in the same year/cab type as mine, this was/is my current setup:

2006 access cab, non-JBL 6 speaker (tweeters visible in doors)
Originally bypassed OEM amp while installing Alpine W650 head, kept factory speakers, sounded great
Then updated all speakers to JBL aftermarket, because JBL has killer, accurate sound repro for the price, and their Club series happens to be great
Very happy with my setup, but added two 8" subs in a Q-logic box where the factory amp was and install JL 5ch amp to power everything soon
​

I'm a bit confused what you're asking though, and I'd love to help. Every aftermarket head unit I've ever installed had some kind of amplifier internally, and typically also has preamp outputs in the event you want to add amp(s) later.

That said, what is your concern about with/without preamp? My aftermarket head unit produces more, cleaner power than the OEM head unit. You should have zero concerns about power/volume running aftermarket if you bypass OEM amp properly, and you use clean, proper wiring, as in you're not a fucking idiot who things it's OK to use wire nuts or twist wires together and tape them.

To that last point, you should be using proper crimpers (like this, avoid the all-in-one pieces of shit), and terminating all wires with pigtail crimps or butt splices like you see in that very last link (or solder and shrink wrap), being sure to tug-test each wire after you crimp them. Or better yet, buy your head unit from Crutchfield and pay them an extra $25 and they'll build the harnesses for you, making it as plug-and-play as possible.

 

@shifty-Fair enough if I wasnt 100% clear.
My intent is to replace OEM Toyota [non-JBL] radio w/Alpine or Sony HU W/OUT install of an external amp [aka preAmp?] to begin with, therefore NOT using the existing under-rear-seat, 'non-JBL-amp' [thus install of C'field 'amp by pass harness'].
Also leaving OEM speaks in place, "initially". If SQ is tolerable as such, especially at freeway speed [w/my frwy treads], I'll wait a while before migration to better speaks is necessity. Of course, seeing condition of @bspurs OEM speaks on his DC, 'a while' might be sooner than I thought...
As for wiring, yes, its hard to beat C'fields' homework and package price, so will be using their harness [metra 70-8121].
Related:
Maybe 'overkill' for auto 12V DC, but in my experience of [offshore boats] marine DC wiring, as a rule I always use
1: Ancor tinned conductor,
2: Proper Crimp tool [Klien Model #3005CR: also pricey but makes crimping easier and 100%],
3: Ancor butt-crimp-heat shrinks.
4: Anti-oxidation grease on conductor before crimping, and
5: 'BluSea Systems' hardware.
Ancor & BluSea brands are top quality [and pricey] but not as necessary for auto12V DC, as heat shrink, butt terminal crimps AND anti corrosive compound before crimps.

 

“Preamp” is a device that basically takes a weak signal and makes it usable by other equipment, like tuners and amps. Like, “back in the day”, all home stereo receivers had a “phono” input for turntables which was essentially an integrated preamp so your turntable (which has notoriously “quiet” signal output) could be used with a standard stereo. These days, to use turntables with a modern receiver or headphone amp, you need to buy a preamp box to manage it. That’s where my confusion was coming in. What you’re calling a preamp is, I think, an amp?

MY OEM, NON-JBL speakers were practically mint on my truck on removal. I expect you will find the same. The surrounds on the various speakers, some where better than others but my non-JBL ‘06 had woven surrounds, not butyl like his appeared to be. I gave mine away on here they were so nice; I think you’ll find yours are fine!

Furthermore, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the Alpine or Sony head using OEM speakers and amp bypass. I know I was, and you & I have basically the same truck, same audio package etc. I reserve the right to be wrong but don’t think I am on this one!

 

I concur w/amplifier OR External amp; I guess i'll call it an External Amp, since it is literally that. Though I think ive heard the term 'pre-amp' [erroneously] used and so 'the dude abides'.
Nontheless, an ExtAmp in this truck is lo-priority for me, UNLESS, interior noise at freeway speeds compels me otherwise. Thats why im curious how it turned out for @bspurs [if he follows thread almost 2 yrs later]; I had a feeling it turned out satisfactory to pretty good, or the thread wouldve gone on longer, but wanted to hear about it anyway. Good to hear I might be plesantly surprised as my Toy speaks still sound very good w/the OEM radio.
So, my FGT interior noise is relatively minor for an 18yo truck; likely result of the foam and "silencer sheet" Toyota installed thruout body panels and cab floor. [See the FSM chapter on Paint Coat [PC1-14] ].
Good to hear I might be living w/out an external amp; upgrading speaks doesnt sound over the top $'s and not finished investing in engine/tranny PMs and longer term, a hood and top repaint...at this point.
Also, I am still on fence betwn Alpine ilx407 vs. 507.
BTW: I'd live w/the Toyota radio if it werent for the volume knob acting up and if I hadnt been spoiled by backup cam assist for trailering hook-ups and cell handsfree op's.

 

I assure you, any modern high quality head unit’s internal amp is going to far outperform the 20+ year old OEM external amp. Technology with audio circuits/chips has come a hell of a long way in two decades and I’m sure a lot of the stuff in our trucks is at least 25-30 year old tech. Marinate on that for a minute.

 

Cool- can hardly wait to place my order w/C'field. Now weighing xtra$s for 507 over 407....
Weird, as has been pointed out in many reviews of 407, just 5 band EQ? But you do get Rear & Front cams...

 

https://www.crutchfield.com/S-2mrQa...0ILX507/Alpine-iLX-407-vs-Alpine-iLX-507.html

I think the big items to note:

The 407 does not support wireless CarPlay or wireless Android Auto, so if that's important to you, stick with the 507. A lot of people love CP/AA because it basically turns your stereo into an "OEM+" receiver, which functions just like a newer 2020-era touchscreen Toyota, with integrated NAV, etc. It's really not convenient to need to plug a USB cable into your phone to get it. I personally prefer just stepping into the vehicle, starting it, and CarPlay just kicks in. Feels more like it's meant to be. I don't want to dick around w/cables.

The 507 also has one high power USB port, a slight bump in amplification (+2w/channel), almost triple the EQ bands and supports FLAC playback if you're a lossless fan.

The 407 has an RCA video input and has a little less than half the mounting depth overall, because it's shaped more like a box, whereas the 507 is more of a screen with a single-DIN head unit coming out of its bottom.

I think it ultimately depends on what you're looking for. They're numbered similarly in their part, but they're pretty different overall. It's not like the ilx-650/670 where they're nearly identical in chassis and appearance and function, but one is clearly an update/refresh of the other, having features Alpine should've probably put in the original release.

 

All notable differences, including 1280x720 of 507. Could be happy w/ilx407, but a price drop on the ilx507 may change that.
Small minus of 507: Tho I am a fan of the 'Button undererbite', i like the simpler appearance of the 407- purely aesthetic of course.