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My 06 Type 2 Radio Sounds like mush - no midrange

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by ARiddle, Apr 7, 2006.

  1. ARiddle

    ARiddle New Member

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    My 2006 with no Nav seems to have a type 2 radio. The sound is a booming lowrange which makes it very hard to hear vocals. My radio control has only a selection for highs and lows (the mids is noticeably absent in the middle of the display.)

    I have turned highs up to about the second highest notch. and lows down to the second lowest setting and moved the balance forward a bit and the sound is still like mush.

    Any ideas of what I can do to improve this?
     
    #1 ARiddle, Apr 7, 2006
  2. GeoGeek

    GeoGeek Member

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    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Step 1.) Replace the factory speakers....they are crap.
    There are several threads on this site discussing speaker upgrade options.
    Lots of folks seem to like the Infinity components.....I've got Diamond Audio
    and love 'em. There's even some good step-by-step guides on how to do it yourself
    if you wand to buy the replacement speakers and save some money on the install.
    Step 2.) Add an amplifier....even a modest amp will deliver better sound quality & output than
    the factory radio can.
    Still need more???
    Step 3.) Add a subwoofer to the system (let it handle all the low end so you can drive your mids harder).

    On all of these steps you can go from very inexpensive to "break-the-bank"....depends on your taste & budget; but I would recommend going one step at a time to see where your ear gets satisfied.
     
    #2 GeoGeek, Apr 7, 2006
  3. thejq

    thejq Junior Member

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    Replacing the 6 speakers is all it takes to make me happy. I used Infinity reference 6010cs in the front, and 6012i for the back. You should read Sparky's guide. I also summarized some of my experience here. Good luck.
     
    #3 thejq, Apr 7, 2006
  4. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

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    Only the JBL Audio system has a midrange adjustment. One of the easier ways is to add a subwoofer. That way, the woofer can take control of the bass allowing the speakers to have less of that booming sound.
     
    #4 Tideland Prius, Apr 7, 2006
  5. ARiddle

    ARiddle New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Apr 7 2006, 12:19 PM) [snapback]236455[/snapback]</div>
    I was not aware that when I bought the Package with the CD and speakers I was getting a crippled radio - and you didn't get full audio controls until you bought nav. I'm not too happy with Toyota on this one.
     
    #5 ARiddle, Apr 9, 2006
  6. aaf709

    aaf709 Ravenpaw of ThunderClan

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    Limited
    #6 aaf709, Apr 9, 2006
  7. tharwood

    tharwood New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(aaf709 @ Apr 9 2006, 09:37 PM) [snapback]237327[/snapback]</div>

    I put a Bazooka in the rear compartment and replaced the rear door speakers with some 3-ways....sounds immensely better depending on audio sources. CDs sound great, good FM jazz/classical sounds excellent, satellite radio is slight above average (signal source contains poorer quality audio information). Voice range stations such as talk radio sound much improved because of what was mentioned before...you can balance the mid-range and bass much easier.
     
    #7 tharwood, Apr 11, 2006
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