2007 JBL stereo upgrades for dummies?

I don't think the JBL '07 sounds too bad, once you disconnect the center speaker. Play with the rudimentary equalization in the Audio (bezel button)->Sound (screen button, lower left) screen and see if you can't tweak it to where you can stand it. Try treble all the way up, mid in the middle, and bass half way up from middle, the L-R centered, the F-R position one back from center, and adjust from there.

There are lots of threads in the Audio and Electronics forum devoted to speaker choice and subwoofer choice. The important thing to know is that the only full-range source (such as it is, the amp does some roll-off) is the output to the rear doors, so you have to get your signal for a sub from those amp outputs. The JBL amp was not designed to power a sub directly, so you must have some kind of amp for the sub, even if it is built in (a powered sub).

The only place to put a sub is in the back someplace, and it is handy to wire it with plugs for an easy disconnect when it is more important to haul stuff than rock out.

Have fun, you won't be a dummy for long.

 

Does anyone have a link to some specification for the non JBL and or the JBL radios. I see the wiring diagrams which are great, but I have some questions.

1. Does anyone know the impedance of the stock speakers?

2. From the wiring diagram it looks like the front speakers, non JBL are wired in parallel? The one on the door pillar and the one in the door. Is this true?

The reason I ask is after looking pictures of these components and driveing the car for a couple of weeks, there is no way to get a good stereo image out of these things the way they are tuned, they sound good for what they are, and the head unit seems very nice, but with such a quite car, you could really get some great sound out of the thing. I would prefer to do the work myself, which is why I am asking. It would be nice to get a wiki how to page on this going, or a sticky for audio only, minus the 500 how do I hook up an ipod posts.
http://www.vfaq.net/FAQ-stereo.html
nevermind that is all you need right there. Thanks Bill Robbins, Tom Stangl, Michelle Vadeboncoeur

 

Desert,

I put in new tweeters and they really improved the sound. I purchased some ADS 346ix from Ebay. I think there are still some for sale from the guy, he had a few pairs. The tweeters fit in the existing tweeter bracket in the door pillars. I just trimmed a bit of the plastic using a utility knife. The ADS speakers also came with a new woofer, but I have not gotten around to installing it yet.

People have installed other brands of speakers in the tweeter bracket too.

I too am thinking about getting that Kenwood amp. A few Prius chat people have installed it. Some said it was great, and some did not like it. They put it in the "hidden" storage compartment above the spare tire. You will have to run some wires to the amp under the passenger seat.

When I install the woofers in the front doors, I plan on installing "sound deadening" material in the doors. I think that will help reduce the vibration of the door panels when I turn up the volume.

Good luck.

 

JL Audio Tutorials page has some good info on various system enhancing options.
Anyone interested in improving the Prius' sound system might want to look here
to get ideas.

Systems 9 & 11 are particularly relevant to those wishing to add only a subwoofer.

http://mobile.jlaudio.com/products_amps_pages.php?page_id=30