Stereo Sounds Horrible - Upgrade - How To?

***Ophir*** · 11-03-2009, 03:15 PM

I have a 2004.5 that came with a pretty basic CD player and I believe 4 speakers. The previous owner put in a OEM NAV head later.

The systems has the following symptoms:

* Front Door speakers are way over bass. Sound horrible.
* Rear door speakers need a lot of volume and sound marginal at best.

I see most people changing the entire system out but, i'd like to save the NAV head.

The speakers are easy to change out but, how hard is it o upgrade the amp?

* Can I use the factory harness in all respects, i.e amp to speakers and NAV head to amp?

I am not a big audiophile but I do want to hear my FOX News and CW music clearly.

Thanks

Last edited by Ophir : 11-03-2009 at 03:35 PM.

***Ophir*** · 11-04-2009, 12:02 AM

Jeeze! No help here?

king nothing · 11-04-2009, 12:34 AM

Do you have a factory amplifier? If not, this product should work for you. It gives you 2 RCA outputs and a remote turn on lead

Pac-Audio.com Product Details | iPod Integration for your car and More by Pac-Audio - Connecting you to the future

If your going to run subs, I would suggest a 5 channel amp like the alpine PDX-5 or a memphis belle. That way you only have to run one power wire. Id run 6.5 components in all the doors

__________________
06 Megacab Laramie
03 Mustang SVT Cobra Convertible

***Ophir*** · 11-04-2009, 12:07 PM

Thanks for the reply.

Where should I look for an amp?

If there is no amp, could the RBI NAV unit be at fault? Can they FUBAR that bad?

Quote:

Originally Posted by king nothing

Do you have a factory amplifier? If not, this product should work for you. It gives you 2 RCA outputs and a remote turn on lead

Pac-Audio.com Product Details | iPod Integration for your car and More by Pac-Audio - Connecting you to the future

If your going to run subs, I would suggest a 5 channel amp like the alpine PDX-5 or a memphis belle. That way you only have to run one power wire. Id run 6.5 components in all the doors

king nothing · 11-04-2009, 07:20 PM

Im gonna go out on a limb here and say that the nav unit could be at fault. My assumption is that trucks that came with the nav unit probably all came with the infinity system. the nav unit might not be fully compatible without the amplified infinity system. thats just a theory. I buy most of my equipment online, either from forums that i am on or ebay. What is your budget for amps? I could make some suggestions with a budget to work with

__________________
06 Megacab Laramie
03 Mustang SVT Cobra Convertible

Pooter · 11-04-2009, 07:32 PM

Nope, you can install a RB1(or RB4?) unit in a truck that is just the basic 4 speaker with no issues, I did in my '05, ive also sold two other RB1s that went into other trucks without issue. Im willing to bet either the speakers are gone(factory ones are pretty crappy anyway) Or it could be an issue with the RB1 itself, but its not due to installing in a non-infinity truck, or vice versa...

You should be able to upgrade and keep the RB1 just fine, just need a harness that will give you some speaker outs to run to your amp and either just replace the stock speakers(what I did on my old truck, made a big difference) or replace the stock speakers and run new wire from the radio to amp, then amp to doors.

Id start out replacing the speakers, then if the audio is still off youll still have a good set of speakes if you decide to add an amp, sub, etc and expand on the system.
I just went with Pioneer 6x9s up front(reuse the factory plastic spacer underneath the old speaker) and 6.5s in the rear doors.

__________________
'07 5.9 Mega Cab 2wd/G56
Smarty, Green CAI/Amsoil filter, Guages, 5" TBE, 2.5" Drop Shackles, MyGig Nav

sdimick · 11-04-2009, 08:40 PM

I have an 05' and i scrapped the the head unit and all 4 speakers for kickers. Alpine head unit. Still sounds like . Do yourself a favor and get the adapter so you can put 6 1/2's up front and get 10" woofers for under the back seat. Thats what i plan on doing.

__________________
2005 Ram 2500 - - silencer ring gone - 4040xl - boost fooler - 4" lift with 35" Dick Cepeks' - 20" wheels - Flares - Power Pup with Outlook Monitor . .

Broaner · 11-04-2009, 09:52 PM

Do yourself a favor and go find a real nice car audio shop locally. They'll be able to figure out... A. Whats wrong or if its just crappy factory stuff that you're finally getting out of the honey moon stage with. B. If they can integrate with the NAV or switch it out with an aftermarket NAV. Everyone has their opinions of sound stuff but here is mine... And its not directed at anyone in particular.

Head Units
To me a head unit is a head unit. Features are nice if you want HD radio or in your case a NAV setup but no head unit is going to put out enough power to make the components sound good. Don't fall for that BS about 60 watts per channel.... yada yada The only purpose of the head unit is to allow selection of the music source and modify the sound a bit to your liking if desired.

Components
Yes, components. Don't think about coaxials. A component has a seperate crossover and tweeter. This allows the cone of the woofer to be very strong and distortion free and allows primo placement of the tweet. Also, speakers should ALWAYS be round. Sound waves radiate circularly not in an oval like a 6x9. Don't let some punk at Best buy sell you 6x9's "because they have more surface area." Oval speakers distort at lower SPL's. Finally, I say this with confidence because I've just gone through the ordeal; a good pair of components should cost at least $250+ In my truck now I've got Hertz HSK 165's(6.5') and 130's(5 1/4"). Each pair retails $300+ but they're well worth it. Clean as hell and they can take all you can throw at them past ear bleed level.

Amps
Car amp technology has changed recently so... It used to be that anything any good was discreet circuitry with tubes and big ole capacitors and as such took up the entire trunk of a sedan. Forget about it in trucks. Plus they put a huge amp draw on the electrical system. But now we've got the sweetass solid state amps that are all digital. They take up a fraction of the space, use a fraction of the power and sound right about on par with old school discreet stuff. I say right about on par because true audiophiles will say the crispness and quality of the music isn't the same. I say so what because its all comin off an Ipod anyway thats already had the quality lopped off. Ultimately my recomendation for an amp is a 5 channel. JL makes the HD900x5 It runs 100 true watts x 4 component channels and 500 true watts for a sub plus its smaller than a dinner plate. Pair that with 1 10" W3 in a stealth box under one of the rear seats and you've got a compact system that doesn't get in the way and isn't super obvious so nobody wants to break in all the time to steal it.

__________________
05 QC 6MT BD intake, Cat Delete, Crappy Crushbent Duals(On it when I bought it), Unkown aftermarket 17x9.5's(On it when I bought it), Amsoil, 315's, Bilstein's, Kore Bumps, Smarty Revo, Hertz HSK 165 & 130's, JL HD900/5, JL 10W3v3

Last edited by Broaner : 11-04-2009 at 09:56 PM.

king nothing · 11-05-2009, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Broaner

Do yourself a favor and go find a real nice car audio shop locally. They'll be able to figure out... A. Whats wrong or if its just crappy factory stuff that you're finally getting out of the honey moon stage with. B. If they can integrate with the NAV or switch it out with an aftermarket NAV. Everyone has their opinions of sound stuff but here is mine... And its not directed at anyone in particular.

Head Units
To me a head unit is a head unit. Features are nice if you want HD radio or in your case a NAV setup but no head unit is going to put out enough power to make the components sound good. Don't fall for that BS about 60 watts per channel.... yada yada The only purpose of the head unit is to allow selection of the music source and modify the sound a bit to your liking if desired.

Components
Yes, components. Don't think about coaxials. A component has a seperate crossover and tweeter. This allows the cone of the woofer to be very strong and distortion free and allows primo placement of the tweet. Also, speakers should ALWAYS be round. Sound waves radiate circularly not in an oval like a 6x9. Don't let some punk at Best buy sell you 6x9's "because they have more surface area." Oval speakers distort at lower SPL's. Finally, I say this with confidence because I've just gone through the ordeal; a good pair of components should cost at least $250+ In my truck now I've got Hertz HSK 165's(6.5') and 130's(5 1/4"). Each pair retails $300+ but they're well worth it. Clean as hell and they can take all you can throw at them past ear bleed level.

Amps
Car amp technology has changed recently so... It used to be that anything any good was discreet circuitry with tubes and big ole capacitors and as such took up the entire trunk of a sedan. Forget about it in trucks. Plus they put a huge amp draw on the electrical system. But now we've got the sweetass solid state amps that are all digital. They take up a fraction of the space, use a fraction of the power and sound right about on par with old school discreet stuff. I say right about on par because true audiophiles will say the crispness and quality of the music isn't the same. I say so what because its all comin off an Ipod anyway thats already had the quality lopped off. Ultimately my recomendation for an amp is a 5 channel. JL makes the HD900x5 It runs 100 true watts x 4 component channels and 500 true watts for a sub plus its smaller than a dinner plate. Pair that with 1 10" W3 in a stealth box under one of the rear seats and you've got a compact system that doesn't get in the way and isn't super obvious so nobody wants to break in all the time to steal it.

For the head unit, id look for something with 4v preouts and a volume KNOB. buttons suck
I agree about the 5 channel amp, But i would stay away from the JL stuff. Not that its not good stuff, but you pay twice as much because it says JL on it. Alpine makes a nice 5 channel, but i would looks at a memphis belle. I have 2 and I absolutely LOVE them. this USamps is a great 5channel as well
US AMPS AX 5600G 1700w RMS 5 CHANNEL CAR AMPLIFIER 5600 - eBay (item 300319678616 end time Nov-29-09 10:39:52 PST)
You dont need to spend 250 on a set of components, And you definitely dont need components in the rear doors IMO. I have a set of diamond d6 comps in my front doors. they can be had for about 190 online. 100 for the matching coaxials for the rear doors if you want. I almost never use rear speakers. i like all my music coming from in front of me

__________________
06 Megacab Laramie
03 Mustang SVT Cobra Convertible

***Ophir*** · 11-05-2009, 01:38 AM

Thanks all,

I will start by checking the speakers. I am not a big audiophile so, if the NAV unit is at fault dead, i will likely replace it. The truck has a Sirius tuner with what appears to be a lifetime subscription. I wanna keep that.

***Ophir*** · 11-08-2009, 05:22 PM

Okay, it has to be the RB1 NAV Head Unit. I swapped in a speaker on the driver's door and the sound was just as bad. There is no amp behind the glove box either, just the plastic duct work.

Is there a guide anywhere on R&R'ing the Head Unit?

I also see a lot of RB4's on Ebay for less than the RB1. That seems odd?

Will an RB4 be compatible with the Sirius box I have on the RB1 today?

***Ophir*** · 11-08-2009, 05:59 PM

Okay, I found the web doc on how to remove the facia. I found all connectors tight on the RB1 and used Caig's De-Oxit on them and it still sounds bad.

http://www.pro-fit-intl.com/Adobe/DG-70-05-L.pdf

I also found the diff between the RB1 and RB4.

RB1 & RB4

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ophir

Okay, it has to be the RB1 NAV Head Unit. I swapped in a speaker on the driver's door and the sound was just as bad. There is no amp behind the glove box either, just the plastic duct work.

Is there a guide anywhere on R&R'ing the Head Unit?

I also see a lot of RB4's on Ebay for less than the RB1. That seems odd?

Will an RB4 be compatible with the Sirius box I have on the RB1 today?

11-03-2009, 03:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
*Ophir* The most known unknown Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Las Vegas, Nv Posts: 53 Thanks: 0 Thanked 11 Times in 1 Post Ophir's Truck Pics	Stereo Sounds Horrible - Upgrade - How To? I have a 2004.5 that came with a pretty basic CD player and I believe 4 speakers. The previous owner put in a OEM NAV head later. The systems has the following symptoms: * Front Door speakers are way over bass. Sound horrible. * Rear door speakers need a lot of volume and sound marginal at best. I see most people changing the entire system out but, i'd like to save the NAV head. The speakers are easy to change out but, how hard is it o upgrade the amp? * Can I use the factory harness in all respects, i.e amp to speakers and NAV head to amp? I am not a big audiophile but I do want to hear my FOX News and CW music clearly. Thanks Last edited by Ophir : 11-03-2009 at 03:35 PM.

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11-04-2009, 12:02 AM	#2 (permalink)
*Ophir* The most known unknown Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Las Vegas, Nv Posts: 53 Thanks: 0 Thanked 11 Times in 1 Post Ophir's Truck Pics	Jeeze! No help here?

11-04-2009, 12:34 AM	#3 (permalink)
king nothing Diesel Freak Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 633 Thanks: 2 Thanked 9 Times in 8 Posts king nothing's Truck Pics	Do you have a factory amplifier? If not, this product should work for you. It gives you 2 RCA outputs and a remote turn on lead Pac-Audio.com Product Details \| iPod Integration for your car and More by Pac-Audio - Connecting you to the future If your going to run subs, I would suggest a 5 channel amp like the alpine PDX-5 or a memphis belle. That way you only have to run one power wire. Id run 6.5 components in all the doors __________________ 06 Megacab Laramie 03 Mustang SVT Cobra Convertible

11-04-2009, 07:20 PM	#5 (permalink)
king nothing Diesel Freak Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 633 Thanks: 2 Thanked 9 Times in 8 Posts king nothing's Truck Pics	Im gonna go out on a limb here and say that the nav unit could be at fault. My assumption is that trucks that came with the nav unit probably all came with the infinity system. the nav unit might not be fully compatible without the amplified infinity system. thats just a theory. I buy most of my equipment online, either from forums that i am on or ebay. What is your budget for amps? I could make some suggestions with a budget to work with __________________ 06 Megacab Laramie 03 Mustang SVT Cobra Convertible

11-04-2009, 07:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
Pooter Diesel Freak Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: DFW, TX Posts: 945 Thanks: 6 Thanked 17 Times in 17 Posts Pooter's Truck Pics	Nope, you can install a RB1(or RB4?) unit in a truck that is just the basic 4 speaker with no issues, I did in my '05, ive also sold two other RB1s that went into other trucks without issue. Im willing to bet either the speakers are gone(factory ones are pretty crappy anyway) Or it could be an issue with the RB1 itself, but its not due to installing in a non-infinity truck, or vice versa... You should be able to upgrade and keep the RB1 just fine, just need a harness that will give you some speaker outs to run to your amp and either just replace the stock speakers(what I did on my old truck, made a big difference) or replace the stock speakers and run new wire from the radio to amp, then amp to doors. Id start out replacing the speakers, then if the audio is still off youll still have a good set of speakes if you decide to add an amp, sub, etc and expand on the system. I just went with Pioneer 6x9s up front(reuse the factory plastic spacer underneath the old speaker) and 6.5s in the rear doors. __________________ '07 5.9 Mega Cab 2wd/G56 Smarty, Green CAI/Amsoil filter, Guages, 5" TBE, 2.5" Drop Shackles, MyGig Nav

11-04-2009, 08:40 PM	#7 (permalink)
sdimick Cummins Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Ut Posts: 108 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts sdimick's Truck Pics	I have an 05' and i scrapped the the head unit and all 4 speakers for kickers. Alpine head unit. Still sounds like . Do yourself a favor and get the adapter so you can put 6 1/2's up front and get 10" woofers for under the back seat. Thats what i plan on doing. __________________ 2005 Ram 2500 - - silencer ring gone - 4040xl - boost fooler - 4" lift with 35" Dick Cepeks' - 20" wheels - Flares - Power Pup with Outlook Monitor . .

11-04-2009, 09:52 PM	#8 (permalink)
Broaner Cummins Fan Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 36 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Broaner's Truck Pics	Do yourself a favor and go find a real nice car audio shop locally. They'll be able to figure out... A. Whats wrong or if its just crappy factory stuff that you're finally getting out of the honey moon stage with. B. If they can integrate with the NAV or switch it out with an aftermarket NAV. Everyone has their opinions of sound stuff but here is mine... And its not directed at anyone in particular. Head Units To me a head unit is a head unit. Features are nice if you want HD radio or in your case a NAV setup but no head unit is going to put out enough power to make the components sound good. Don't fall for that BS about 60 watts per channel.... yada yada The only purpose of the head unit is to allow selection of the music source and modify the sound a bit to your liking if desired. Components Yes, components. Don't think about coaxials. A component has a seperate crossover and tweeter. This allows the cone of the woofer to be very strong and distortion free and allows primo placement of the tweet. Also, speakers should ALWAYS be round. Sound waves radiate circularly not in an oval like a 6x9. Don't let some punk at Best buy sell you 6x9's "because they have more surface area." Oval speakers distort at lower SPL's. Finally, I say this with confidence because I've just gone through the ordeal; a good pair of components should cost at least $250+ In my truck now I've got Hertz HSK 165's(6.5') and 130's(5 1/4"). Each pair retails $300+ but they're well worth it. Clean as hell and they can take all you can throw at them past ear bleed level. Amps Car amp technology has changed recently so... It used to be that anything any good was discreet circuitry with tubes and big ole capacitors and as such took up the entire trunk of a sedan. Forget about it in trucks. Plus they put a huge amp draw on the electrical system. But now we've got the sweetass solid state amps that are all digital. They take up a fraction of the space, use a fraction of the power and sound right about on par with old school discreet stuff. I say right about on par because true audiophiles will say the crispness and quality of the music isn't the same. I say so what because its all comin off an Ipod anyway thats already had the quality lopped off. Ultimately my recomendation for an amp is a 5 channel. JL makes the HD900x5 It runs 100 true watts x 4 component channels and 500 true watts for a sub plus its smaller than a dinner plate. Pair that with 1 10" W3 in a stealth box under one of the rear seats and you've got a compact system that doesn't get in the way and isn't super obvious so nobody wants to break in all the time to steal it. __________________ 05 QC 6MT BD intake, Cat Delete, Crappy Crushbent Duals(On it when I bought it), Unkown aftermarket 17x9.5's(On it when I bought it), Amsoil, 315's, Bilstein's, Kore Bumps, Smarty Revo, Hertz HSK 165 & 130's, JL HD900/5, JL 10W3v3 Last edited by Broaner : 11-04-2009 at 09:56 PM.

11-05-2009, 01:38 AM	#10 (permalink)
*Ophir* The most known unknown Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Las Vegas, Nv Posts: 53 Thanks: 0 Thanked 11 Times in 1 Post Ophir's Truck Pics	Thanks all, I will start by checking the speakers. I am not a big audiophile so, if the NAV unit is at fault dead, i will likely replace it. The truck has a Sirius tuner with what appears to be a lifetime subscription. I wanna keep that.

11-08-2009, 05:22 PM	#11 (permalink)
*Ophir* The most known unknown Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Las Vegas, Nv Posts: 53 Thanks: 0 Thanked 11 Times in 1 Post Ophir's Truck Pics	Okay, it has to be the RB1 NAV Head Unit. I swapped in a speaker on the driver's door and the sound was just as bad. There is no amp behind the glove box either, just the plastic duct work. Is there a guide anywhere on R&R'ing the Head Unit? I also see a lot of RB4's on Ebay for less than the RB1. That seems odd? Will an RB4 be compatible with the Sirius box I have on the RB1 today?