Questions about JBL speakers / amp

From our FAQ in the JBL section, Tom details that the front door speakers have the crossovers inside the amp while the rear door speakers get full range signals with the tweeter using a cap for a high-pass filter. So unless 2006 drastically changed it, it should be the same.

As for the bluetooth/nav voice, it comes from the nav box, but I'm not sure what 2006 changed since it has drastically enhanced features.

 

For the fronts they're crossed over electronically in the amp, for the rears there's a single pair of wires carrying a full-range signal, and the crossover is in the door (on the speakers actually).

Most people don't replace the amp, since you'd lose your volume control, among other things. If you need more power, use a line-out converter out of the factory amp and feed the signal into another amp. I'm feeding the rear (full-range) channels of the factory amp into two MTX amps powering two pairs of component speakers and a subwoofer.

Nav Voice is sent by disconnecting the left front speaker from the audio signal and driving it with the Nav system. So as long as you use the factory wiring for the front left dor speaker, you still have voice.

 

I have a 06 with the JBL system. I'm waiting to see which OEM intergration product I'm going to use. The general idea is these products will combine the signal out of the amp, un-eq the signal, and give you a line out to an external amp. Depending on the product, this might require two modules or one. I'm waiting to hear more on the JBL product, was called Fix8 but I believe has since been renamed. This product will use microphones to re-eq for your new speakers. The general idea is it takes reading from each sitting position and then does x number of calculations to create a better listening environment.

Here is a quote that I found on caraudiomag:

Ken

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(H2OSkier @ Jun 14 2006, 06:50 AM) [snapback]271061[/snapback]</div>

Ironic JBL is selling a product to un-eq their product, and they know it too. Doesn't a class-action fit in here somewhere?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mssmith95 @ Jun 14 2006, 07:24 AM) [snapback]271078[/snapback]</div>

My left front door speaker is the mid-woofer from my left front component speaker. I reused the factory wiring for the front speakers and just replaced the four drivers.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NuShrike @ Jun 14 2006, 07:05 AM) [snapback]271065[/snapback]</div>

Well this is not just their product. As I understand it the "eq" that is being undone is for the factory speakers. Once that is undone, then the product will "eq" for the speakers that you are putting in.

The JBL unit is just one of a few that are coming onto the market. There are just too many people that don't want to mess up their dash with 3rd party head units, or loose the functionality of the controls on the stearing wheel. They are not going to be cheap but if I can have my cake and eat it too ... well I might bite.

Ken

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mssmith95 @ Jun 14 2006, 09:22 AM) [snapback]271156[/snapback]</div>

Initially I did not when all I had was the factory amp, but when I went to an aftermarket amp (fed from the rear channels of the factory amp), I then had a full-range signal for the front speakers, so I installed the crossovers that I had saved. Since I used the factory wiring, I brought the outputs of the amp in the trunk forward to the area under the front passenger seat, and put the crossovers there. The signals then travel on the wiring that used to connect the four front speakers to the factory amp.

I have Infinity component speakers.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(H2OSkier @ Jun 14 2006, 09:26 AM) [snapback]271158[/snapback]</div>

Ya, I understand that and I especially like being to EQ for your current set of speakers.

I just wish JBL would come out with something that would just 'turn-off/deprogram' the EQ in our current JBL amp instead of dealing with the digital artifacts and signal loss of going from digital to analog (head to amp), analog to digital to analog (JBL amp), analog to digital to analog (Cleansweep or JBL's thing), analog to analog (new amp).

It boils down to me of what's the point of running an amp to power an amp too? The reality is this is how it works, but why does buying a 'premium sound system' end up meaning you'll get incrementally inferior sound?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NuShrike @ Jun 14 2006, 02:24 PM) [snapback]271352[/snapback]</div>

Just check the number of threads where owners write that the sound is "amazing" after disconnecting the center speaker.

People who find the OEM system inadequate are a minority, small enough apparently that the best business decision for Toyota is to continue to install the crappy JBL system.

The Bose audio system in my Acura is a POS too. Like the Prius, it looks like they had a $30 budget for speakers, and they all need to be replaced.