non-JBL sound system / stereo upgrade

[lazysheep]

i've searched, but i may ask some common questions. so please bare with me, as i'm not an audio expert.

i'm ordering a package 2 prius tomorrow and i already know i want to upgrade the stereo. i listened to 1 at the dealer and it just sounded horrible. i'm not a huge audiophile so i don't need a 1200W system with 2 12" woofers. i just want a system with clean and clear sound and decent bass. i know i don't want a subwoofer, so car-shaking bass is not a requirement. here's what i'm thinking:

budget = 300 - 400

option 1:

keep factory radio/cd player. this means i will need to add JL audio's cleansweep cl441-dsp (found for ~160 on net). replace front speakers with component set and add amp to power components. can i get away with just these 3 things? if so, what is a good set of component speakers and amp that will keep me w/i budget?

option 2:

cleansweep cl441-dsp + front components + amp + rear 2-way speakers. would adding rear speakers make the overall sound quality better (i don't care about rear seat passengers)? if so, what are some recommendations?

from searching the archives infinti kappas and focals seem to come up often. are these still good component speakers to buy?

also, i noticed jl audio also has a cleansweep cl-ssi. i've read the details, but i'm still not sure what this does. would i need to buy this also?

i'd like to keep this closer to 300 (probably not possible) since i'm adding an ipod kit (~250) and i'll need to account for various other supplies needed for the install (mounting kits, wires, etc).

lastly, any recommendations (besides crutchfiled) for online retailers to order from?

thanks in advance.

[coleman22]

i have the exact same questions and posted last week about this but nobody helped

[PA Prius]

I replaced my non-JBL front speakers with Infinity Kappa 60.7cs that I got on e-Bay for just over $100. incl. shipping. This was a nice improvement. Attached are some notes I gleaned from others (thanks!) on installation.

PA P

[zenMachine]

For that budget:

You don't really have to get the Cleansweep DSP. Do a search for banjoman's solution. It's much cheaper, and you can use the money saved on new speakers and an amp.

A Kenwood sub would be a good investment.

No need to upgrade rear speakers.

[lazysheep]

Originally Posted by zenMachine

For that budget:

You don't really have to get the Cleansweep DSP. Do a search for banjoman's solution. It's much cheaper, and you can use the money saved on new speakers and an amp.

A Kenwood sub would be a good investment.

No need to upgrade rear speakers.

i usually haul a lot of stuff so i don't want a sub taking up space in the hatch.

thanks for your input

[zenMachine]

The Kenwood KSC-SW1 fits nicely under the driver seat. For less than the price of the DSP it does a lot to enhance the sound.

BTW, if you don't have JBL then why do you even need the Cleansweep??

[priusenvy]

For $300-400 I'd add an amp and a pair of Diamond D661s speakers. I've no idea what the frequency response of the stock stereo looks like. If it's flat, you don't need a CleanSweep 441dsp. If it looks like a silhouette of the Himalayas, like the JBL, you'll need one sooner or later.

Infinity makes a good $100 (Ebay price) speaker. Diamond makes a good $200 speaker. Focal makes a good $500 speaker. Go outside these price ranges and you'll find each of these mfgrs are not as competitive as they are within their sweet spots. For instance, for $200 I'd rather have Diamond Audio D6s than a cheap pair of Focals.

A subwoofer would be the last thing I would add. A lot of clean power, poured through some good component speakers, will produce plenty of bass. The subwoofer in my system is really not necessary, unless it's there to annoy the neighbors.

[pumpkin13039]

Are the JBL sound systems the same in all the Prius' packages? I have package 6, and it certainly does not compare to the one in my ES 330 Lexus that I traded in. I mostly listen to XM's classical stations, so the symphonies sound pretty bad. Any upgrade to improve without spending a bundle or adding a lot of equipment? I can live with it the way it is, but would like it to sound better, if possible.

[lazysheep]

Originally Posted by priusenvy

For $300-400 I'd add an amp and a pair of Diamond D661s speakers. I've no idea what the frequency response of the stock stereo looks like. If it's flat, you don't need a CleanSweep 441dsp. If it looks like a silhouette of the Himalayas, like the JBL, you'll need one sooner or later.

Infinity makes a good $100 (Ebay price) speaker. Diamond makes a good $200 speaker. Focal makes a good $500 speaker. Go outside these price ranges and you'll find each of these mfgrs are not as competitive as they are within their sweet spots. For instance, for $200 I'd rather have Diamond Audio D6s than a cheap pair of Focals.

A subwoofer would be the last thing I would add. A lot of clean power, poured through some good component speakers, will produce plenty of bass. The subwoofer in my system is really not necessary, unless it's there to annoy the neighbors.

awesome. this is exactly what i was looking for.

is there a way i could check the freq response of the stock stereo? i figured i would need the 441dsp b/c i'm keeping the stock stereo and mostly all of them are...bad, for lack of a better word.

for $200, diamonds sound attractive (i'm guessing you're referring to the HEX series?). any recommendations on an amp with clean and adequate power for these suckers?

[priusenvy]

Originally Posted by lazysheep

for $200, diamonds sound attractive (i'm guessing you're referring to the HEX series?). any recommendations on an amp with clean and adequate power for these suckers?

I have HEXes in my Acura and I actually like the cheaper D6s better (though some of this may be due to the crappy Bose headunit which I haven't addressed yet). They have identical tweeters, and the crossovers, though packaged differently, look the same inside. The only difference is the woofer.

There are a lot of good amps available, but many of them will not fit your budget. I'm partial to MTX amps because they are such a bargain. They're a step below an Alpine or DLS or JL Audio, but they're available dirt cheap on Ebay, and tend to be overbuilt and underrated. I have four of them, though I did have a problem with one of them not turning on, which was resolved by taking a soldering iron and touching a bunch of the pads underneath the PC board to eliminate any cold solder joints.