DIY stereo upgrade for under $500.00

[Mark986]

Any pics of the completed work?

 

[Guy]

Truth be told I didn't take any pictures during the upgrade....

I thought about it but at the time I hadn't figured out yet how to upload them and I was just plugging through the mods.

Another member on here just completed the same upgrade today and he seems to be just as happy with it as I am.

The best way I can describe it... it's a great 40 year old mid-life crisis stereo upgrade. It isn't going to shake the windows in your neighbors house, but you will feel it in your gut when AC/DC is Thunderstruck.

It's also pretty balanced and the sound quality puts it in the ballpark of any decent premium factory audio system. It's on par with the bowers and Wilkens system in my Volvo xc 90 and that was a $2400 option. I'm particularly pleased with low listening ambient volume. Like when you have passengers and want to talk but have music in the background. Yes it's still a little flat, but you can hear symbals and drum lines distinctly from the midrange which is an improvement It shines from volume 8-25. For me, when I'm cruising alone I like it around 12.

Prior to the upgrades it wasn't worthy of a Ford Focus.

Again, I still make the disclaimer that I'm not a professional audio guy and this was A hobbyist DIY approach to the lousy sound problems in the stock system. There are guys on here spending thousands of dollars on upgrades, and I've never heard that kind of system,but I'm sure it's in another league.

What I will say though... for under 500 bucks you're getting every penny for it and then some.

At this point, nothing to see. It all looks factory.

 

[smurfslayer]

Juke Box Hero.

If all 3 mirrors on the truck aren’t vibrating, gain is not high enough on the sub, mmmkay?

I had to get the amp to the happy place, and to my surprise, I had more trouble with “one bourbon, one scotch, one beer” than I did with “Woke up this morning” (the Sopranos intro song). By the former, I mean the song, not the 3 drinks either respectively or together.

Once I was done fiddling with the amp, I was happier at volume levels 10 and above. I’m devising my plan for acquiring more stuff. (don’t START with me, Guy - speaker money doesn’t grow on trees).

This is the thread I keep checking back in on. it’s kind of my aspirational goal.

 

[Guy]

Come on man...
Few hundred bucks...

Visa... MasterCard.... American Express? Heck... even discover...

You know you want to.

 

[smurfslayer]

I’m thinking this will be my plan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWHniL8MyMM

 

[pjones]

Guys, just want to confirm, you are providing signal to the kenwood amp from the high level output from the Sony amp correct, using a high level to line level converter or some sort? Looking at the Sony amp, it looks like it's the amp for the entire system, not just the sub, so it cannot be removed.

 

[Guy]

Correct. I snipped the wires going to the sub and connected them to RCA adapters that became the kenwood inputs.

Easy really

 

[Marcsc1]

Will the shallow pioneer 8" sub work for the 2014 sub enclosure as well? Not sure if the gen2 stock sub setup is the same...

 

[pjones]

Thanks Guy, where did you mount the kenwood amp? I have it mounted just above and to the left of the sony. Seems to fit but need to fab something to keep both sides held up.

 

[Bevan11]

I will be installing the same setup next week that GUY did. I will get some photos from the installers and post them. Thanks GUY for the recommendation as I was about to spend 2500 on JL Audio that doesn't even have the range the pioneers have! I may have to add some type of unit he was suggesting to cut out The dips at higher volumes. I think he mentioned a crossover?