I know absolutly nothing about audio or navigation systems.
Little about me and audio. I like the stock system I have in the 08 Tundra, as far as that is concerned I have always run with the baseline stock system in my vehicles. I mainly listen to country and classic rock and lots of pod casts type talk shows and audio books- played on my Zune. I also listen to some r&b, hip hop, and classical. I do not usually listen to music really loud though there are times I like to crank it up.
A friend has a decent low end system in his vehicle couple of 10" subs with an amp plus some new mid range speakers and a new head unit. I really like the low bass and the thump feeling even when it is not turned up really loud. Although he tends to play his music really loud . Either way I can appreciate the cleaner sound in his system.
Now the questions.
I really want navigaiton for the Tundra. I can not decide weather to get something like a Garmin Nuvi or to go with a new head unit with nav, cd, dvd, etc.
What are the positive/negatives of going with a portable navigation system vs a new head unit and vice versa? One answer I have noticed so far, the upper end portable nav systems are almost as expensive as a mid to higher end head unit ~500.00
What portable nav system brand and model do you recommend?
What hu brand and model do you recommend?
If I go with a new hu what speaker combo, door, tweeters, sub, and amp? Do you recommend sound barriers such as dura mat?
Are there any audio/electronic forums you recommend?
I would like to do the install myself. It will most definitely will be a learning experience for me and a possible bucther experience for the Tundra. I went to Crap Boys and obviously I was disappointed.
Can someone recommend an audio shop in Tacoma/Fort Lewis Washington? Or if you live in the area would you like to do a co-op on my truck - you teaching me and me helping - payment would be some cold brews and a few bucks.
Or forget all this, buy a road map and a new Sig 229 and do the center consel hidey hole modification.
The funny part about the map and sig it might be the cheapest route.
Also, what on line audio retailer do you trust?
crutchfield.com is a very trust worthy site. But you can find the same hardware elsewhere for up to 50% cheaper elsewhere. I just ordered some speakers from onlincarstereo.com. We'll see how they turn out. Also, Sonicelectronix.com sells stuff for cheap. Have used them a few times.
i prefer the portable navigation systems over a double din with navi in it. why? because most double din navigation systems (the ones worth buying) will run you upwards of a grand. on the other hand, you can buy yourself a decent garmin 200 series for 150 bucks and it'll do the job. you can download updates for it, and transfer the navi to other vehicles.
and i agree with syber, you may want to check out crutchfield.com - that site has some good products and you can base what to pay off of that site.
as far as speakers, i didn't want subs, but i wanted more bass and better clarity at high volume. so i went with our sponsored vendor - tech12volts - and bought these - Check Out Our Products! : CDT AUDIO CL-62 6.5" Components w FREE REARS!! TT Group buy they sound 1000x better than stock and provide the bass i was looking for without the sub
Go buy the book "Car Audio for Dummies." It takes you through a complete system and explains everything. That way you can make an informed decision and get what suits you.
I went the stand alone Garmin route. The HU's are way cheaper without built-in navi. I have the Pioneer 4100 powering SX series Boston Acoustics and love 'em. So far I am ~$800.00 into a new system.
I will get a sub or two down the road.
If you are going to buy on-line go Crutchfield. They have the best customer service should you have any problems.
need new tires????? tire rack is running a special with 4 conti tires you get a tom tom. either way i would highly recommend a double din nav system, not only will it increase your sound quality on your stock system ten fold, it will look nice in the dash, give you the option to add lcd for the back seat and use it as the dvd player for the back along with your navi up front all while you listen to the radio. many brand are very good, jvc always seems to be a great bang for the buck if thats what your looking for and if you want to move up to the big leagues try out alpine or eclipse. steer clear of dual and jensen though. crutchfield can give you a good baseline to work with alpine, boston and mb quart make great speakers(in that order) and as you want to move up in quality. i have ran many ppi amps in the past with great sucess but have become very fond of alpine new line of digital amps, they are super compact, run very cool and just offer alot for the money. as far as subs go i would think one must be a fool to have a vehicle that will accept a jl stelthbox and not use that for the low end of the system. they sound great, take a pounding and no one is the wiser its there until you turn it on. i have designed may systems from low end all the way up to big investments. if this were my truck i would set up the following
eclipse avn 4430 (this will still allow you to take the nav with you in a second car...the vacation rental etc) and give you ipod fuctions, dvd,cd, bluetooth, and still be able to use the factory steering wheel controls, + adding a back up camera for hitching up that trailer.
coaxials(or seperates) of your choice, polk, boston, mb quart, alpine...there all pretty good. when i built my last truck i ran polks everyday and mb quarts for sound quality comps. i would recommend titanium dome tweeters if you listen to rap, techno, or any thing with extreme high notes as these seem to keep up better.....however they are a little harsh. i perfer silk or textile for a smooth less intense experence. your best bet, even though its a little more expensive is to run seperates up front for a solid sound stage and coaxials in the back for a good fill.
as far as amps go i would run a alpine pdx 5. this is the compact powerhouse that sounds amazing. it will handle your entire system and draw min power from your trucks charging system. and to boot you can stick it just about anywhere...its tiny.
as far as subs go i would run whatever jl stelthbox that fits...it will exceed your expectations.
this probally comes in around 2k-2.3k or so. a little pricy yes but its all quality stuff that will last the life of your truck.
sorry the post is so long, just thought i would pass the info i have
My thoughts on the HU....after living with a double DIN unit for about 6 months, I wouldn't have it any other way. I like the integration with my phone and back up cam. Plus it usually provides a larger screen than a portable, and it is in the dash as opposed to on the dash. The biggest negative for these would be the price, but again I think it is worth it for the look and convenience.
I will look into the book. But it feels like there is to much to learn. I actually want to be spoon fed on the audio. I would like the better sound and will give it a go and try the install. But I am not super interested in all the technical stuff. I have been to a few audio forums and the information is over whelming and confusing.
I have been reading the pos/negs on built in vs portable nav. Lot of peeps prefer the portabile because of the portability. They also like it because you can upgrade much easier and still keep your audio system. One person also pointed out you can take it inside and sit and enter all your destinations and trip info vs sitting out in the truck.
The pos for built in is the system integration. It can override your music to inform you to make a turn. It works with your headlights/lighting system. No clutter with extra equipment.
06DC thanks for the build specs. I will be reading more on the HU and sub config.
I was at a local audio store yesterday - Foss Audio of Tacoma - and this is the system quote -$3000.00 plus and tax wasn't even entered yet. And they told me this was a great deal.
Kenwood DNX5140 $950.00
Add Bluetooth $175.00
Exile Sub w/Box $450.00
Exile 251 500w Amp for Sub $200.00
Exile 4 Channel Amp $400.00
Image Dynamics 6.5 Speakers
for all 4 doors $400.00
and installation cost $???.??
I will look into the book. But it feels like there is to much to learn. I actually want to be spoon fed on the audio. I would like the better sound and will give it a go and try the install. But I am not super interested in all the technical stuff. I have been to a few audio forums and the information is over whelming and confusing.
I have been reading the pos/negs on built in vs portable nav. Lot of peeps prefer the portabile because of the portability. They also like it because you can upgrade much easier and still keep your audio system. One person also pointed out you can take it inside and sit and enter all your destinations and trip info vs sitting out in the truck.
The pos for built in is the system integration. It can override your music to inform you to make a turn. It works with your headlights/lighting system. No clutter with extra equipment.
06DC thanks for the build specs. I will be reading more on the HU and sub config.
I was at a local audio store yesterday - Foss Audio of Tacoma - and this is the system quote -$3000.00 plus and tax wasn't even entered yet. And they told me this was a great deal.
Kenwood DNX5140 $950.00
Add Bluetooth $175.00
Exile Sub w/Box $450.00
Exile 251 500w Amp for Sub $200.00
Exile 4 Channel Amp $400.00
Image Dynamics 6.5 Speakers
for all 4 doors $400.00
and installation cost $???.??
I think they saw me coming from a mile away.
You are correct. They saw you before you ever turned into the parking lot.
If you are planning on doing the install yourself, you will need to go with Crutchfield instead of Sonic for the tech support. Or you could find a shop that would be willing to give you some support if you purchase the equipment from them. Remember these services are worth something. If someone comes in to my shop with stuff purchased from Sonic etc, what incentive do I have to help them with install info? You should do some shopping, but the lowest price should not be your only criteria.
The audio forums can be daunting due to the amount of info and level of experience out there. Just need to sift through it all at your own pace so you understand it all. The book explains everything right down to the size of amp power/ground wires needed for a given application. You can also read it several times if you don't understand it the first time. It answered a few questions I had before I started upgrading my system.
Slate is "spot on" about a self install. You will be hard pressed to find an installer who is willing to answer your questions for free if you didn't buy their stuff.
I will look into the book. But it feels like there is to much to learn. I actually want to be spoon fed on the audio. I would like the better sound and will give it a go and try the install. But I am not super interested in all the technical stuff. I have been to a few audio forums and the information is over whelming and confusing.
I have been reading the pos/negs on built in vs portable nav. Lot of peeps prefer the portabile because of the portability. They also like it because you can upgrade much easier and still keep your audio system. One person also pointed out you can take it inside and sit and enter all your destinations and trip info vs sitting out in the truck.
The pos for built in is the system integration. It can override your music to inform you to make a turn. It works with your headlights/lighting system. No clutter with extra equipment.
06DC thanks for the build specs. I will be reading more on the HU and sub config.
I was at a local audio store yesterday - Foss Audio of Tacoma - and this is the system quote -$3000.00 plus and tax wasn't even entered yet. And they told me this was a great deal.
Kenwood DNX5140 $950.00
Add Bluetooth $175.00
Exile Sub w/Box $450.00
Exile 251 500w Amp for Sub $200.00
Exile 4 Channel Amp $400.00
Image Dynamics 6.5 Speakers
for all 4 doors $400.00
and installation cost $???.??
I think they saw me coming from a mile away.
the eclipse hu i was giving to you is both built in double din and also portable to give you the best of both worlds...its cheaper,plus bluetooth is included. the alpine amp is a 5 channel so it does all your door speakers plus one sub in one amp. saves you about 150 on instal, only mounting once and running wires once. plus its clean...jl stealthboxes come built custom for your truck...and tuned. so im sure they know whats up over there but they also want to get as much from you as possible. but at the end of the day spend a little time doing reasearch as it is your money and you could ask 100 people to design a system for you and everyone will do it a different way....if you want to do the install yourself order at least one thing from crutchfield as they will walk you through the entire install even if it takes them 5 hours on the phone.
Slatecrew - I agree, people should be paid for their time. But I was suprised at how much they wanted to be paid. I bought a set of NFab nerf bars and the establishment wanted to charge me $80.00 for the install. My daughter, she is 11, did the install ourselves in about an hour.
I am not saying paying for some else's time is not worth it, I just saying sometimes folks over charge for very simple jobs. And I understand certain skills and jobs are well worth cost.
I was able to find the same head unit on a number of internet retailers, that seem reputable, for 40% less. And the step up HU with blue tooth was 50% less at a couple of sites.
I did not look into the rest of the set up.
Beerguy - I will go out and look at a copy of Car Audio for Dummie. I think instead of buying everything at once or any of it at all I will slow down and learn a little more.
The thing I really want the most is the navigaiton. Might just go for a portable or the integrated/portable like 06DC suggested.
Might also do like 06DC suggested in another message - replace the HU and see if I like the sound with stock speakers etc. The jist of his message was change or add something and stop when you are satisfied.
a11eyg8tor, (cool name by the way) Like I said, you should do some shopping, as price is important and you shouldn't pay too much. I have a slightly different perspective from the other side of the counter having been in retail for over 20 years. I can't tell you how many times someone has purchased an internet product and then had questions on installation, operation or even worse, needed warranty work, and many times they bring it in and expect us to take care of it. If there is a shop you want to work with, talk to them about price. They may be able to come a little closer in price, but don't forget they have a lot more overhead than the online places, but they can be right there when you need them.
. Either way I can appreciate the cleaner sound in his system.
08 DC
2008 CrewMax Limited 5.7 / Slate Metallic
