DIY stereo upgrade for under $500.00

smurfslayer · May 12, 2020

good luck!

K223 · May 15, 2020

I’m going lazy on this one, before I get in there. But can someone show me the firewall location best to run amp power through?

Thanks

smurfslayer · May 16, 2020

There’s 2 easy options, one on the passenger side ( paging @goblues38 ) and on the driver’s side, left side of the footwell. I used the driver’s side. There’s a grommet on the inside that’s easy to pop out, there’s a wire bundle going through.

Fish through with something until it stops on the rubber ‘boot’ in the firewall area. A long screwdriver can punch a hole for the wiring and all that’s left is the routing.
Be patient, this can take a few tries and a while to get it just right.

goblues38 · May 17, 2020

smurfslayer said:
There’s 2 easy options, one on the passenger side ( paging @goblues38 ) and on the driver’s side, left side of the footwell. I used the driver’s side. There’s a grommet on the inside that’s easy to pop out, there’s a wire bundle going through.

Fish through with something until it stops on the rubber ‘boot’ in the firewall area. A long screwdriver can punch a hole for the wiring and all that’s left is the routing.
Be patient, this can take a few tries and a while to get it just right.

Passenger side there is also a grommet, vut out the center of it and a 4 gauge wire fits perfect. it is under the heater core. you access it from under the hood, then use a coat hanger to fish the into the passenger compartment. and pull the wire into the engine bay.

it is under the carpet and sound deadener and up the fire wall....so you cant get to it from the inside very easy.

there is a youtube out there where a guy walks you thru how to do it.

K223 · May 17, 2020

Awesome just what I wanted to know. There’s been so much rain, so haven’t got to it yet.

Years back it wasn’t nothing for me to strip an interior and just go at it.

Thanks @smurfslayer @goblues38

K223 · May 22, 2020

Took apart the interior on front passenger side only to find a leak. I know someone who recently had an AC leak as well. This looks to be the same. Will bring it in before I continue with the stereo upgrades.

This is the area to feed through the firewall correct? I did have that fiber cover off previously.

DBRaptor · May 23, 2020

I first wanted to maybe buy some decent speakers to upgrade my 2017 802A Sony. But after looking @ reviews on Crutchfield, I spent a few extra $$ on speakers to cover the front and rears:

- Front: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_136C2690X/JL-Audio-C2-690tx.html
- Rear: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_136C2650X/JL-Audio-C2-650X.html

I haven't even received the speakers in the mail yet and I am already looking at The JL Stealthbox and an amp. Wanted to keep it under $500 but here we go...

Wolfeman · May 23, 2020

DBRaptor said:
I first wanted to maybe buy some decent speakers to upgrade my 2017 802A Sony. But after looking @ reviews on Crutchfield, I spent a few extra $$ on speakers to cover the front and rears:

- Front: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_136C2690X/JL-Audio-C2-690tx.html
- Rear: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_136C2650X/JL-Audio-C2-650X.html

I haven't even received the speakers in the mail yet and I am already looking at The JL Stealthbox and an amp. Wanted to keep it under $500 but here we go...

Look at MTI Acoustics as well. They currently have a sale going on using code SAVE20 that saves 20%. I don't have one of their boxes but they look top notch and several people here have ordered from them.

lawdog · May 28, 2020

DBRaptor said:
I first wanted to maybe buy some decent speakers to upgrade my 2017 802A Sony. But after looking @ reviews on Crutchfield, I spent a few extra $$ on speakers to cover the front and rears:

- Front: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_136C2690X/JL-Audio-C2-690tx.html
- Rear: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_136C2650X/JL-Audio-C2-650X.html

I haven't even received the speakers in the mail yet and I am already looking at The JL Stealthbox and an amp. Wanted to keep it under $500 but here we go...

You are headed down the rabbit hole...

Those are good speakers, but you're never going to get what they really can do out of the stock head unit/without amplification. The '17 Sony sends more signal to the rears than the B&O does, but I still doubt they're worth doing without an amp. JMO.

Hush Car Audio · May 29, 2020

There are other options that I would recommend over the C2s that will work awesome with stock power or amplified. To truly get good sound you should bypass the Sony system entirely using a PAC unit and amplify the speakers. Send me a PM if interested.

DIY stereo upgrade for under $500.00

smurfslayer

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K223

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smurfslayer

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