For today’s build highlight we wanted to take a look at some factory door speaker upgrades for newer Jeep Wrangler JLs. Some newer JL models depend on 2 sets of 4inch speakers and two sets of 2inch tweeters for their factory sound system. While this might be fine for some, these small speakers just don’t cut it if you want a loud sound system. First of all, these tiny speakers aren’t really cut out for any sort of aftermarket amplifier, so if you were thinking about getting more oomph out of them by adding a 4-channel amplifier that’s going to be a no-go.
BEFORE: Factory component speakers on 2020 Jeep Wrangler JL
AFTER: 6.5 inch speaker adapted into 2020 Jeep Wrangler JL soundbar.
Luckily enough for us our friends over at Metra have developed speaker pods that allow us to go from the factory 4” component speakers over to a 6.5-inch speaker of your choice. Making the switch from a 4” door speaker to a 6.5” door speaker dramatically opens your options when it comes to picking out a replacement speaker for your power needs.These pods are available for both the two component speakers up on the sound bar and the set of 4” speakers that sit up under the driver foot wells so that way you can fully upgrade your Jeep’s factory sound system.
6.5 inch Kenwood speaker in its front dash adapter for Jeeps.
For this specific sound system, we decided to go with one of our favorite factory replacement full range door speakers: Kenwood Exelon Reference. As we’ve mentioned before- these door speakers are perfect for most sound systems. They work great with factory radios but can also handle up to 100 watts rms so they’re perfect for the addition of a 4-channel amplifier.
As always if you have any questions about our builds or want to price out a sound system of your own feel free to give us a call!
So, you just got yourself a brand-new-top-of-the-line-best-2027 car or truck and you’ve made one huge realization- the factory sound system sucks. Well, the sound system sucks but you actually really like the factory radio that comes with it (Apple CarPlay and back-up cameras are awesome).
Tons of people call into the shop to ask us this question about their vehicles- can I add a sound system to my car/truck without changing the radio? The answer is absolutely! We can install sound systems into most car or trucks without having to install an aftermarket radio because of adapters called Line Output Converters (LOC for short).
Setting up an LC6i from AudioControl in one of our systems.
Adding an Amplifier to Your Factory System
A line output converter is a device that allows us to get an audio signal from your original stereo system and send that signal to a monobloc amplifier if you just want to add bass, or a 4-channel amplifier if you want to do a full sound system. Amplifiers are the core of any audio system because they are what actually power your speakers and subwoofers to deliver better sound quality and will give you an overall better listening experience.
Now keep in mind that not all line output converters are made equal. There’s a ton of options out there when it comes to line output converters that will fit all sorts of budgets, but keep in mind that line output converters are the foundation of your sound system- having a good quality audio signal from your factory car stereo can make or break your sound system.
We always recommend using high quality line output converters from trusted brands like AudioControl, PAC Audio and JL Audio. These companies have decades of experience building high-quality car audio components so you can rest assured that you’re installing one of the best line output converters in the industry into your sound system.
No matter what line output converter you choose, just make sure you follow the installation instructions carefully and double check your connections to assure everything is wired up correctly. Doing this will help you get the most out of your sound system.
Adding a Subwoofer to Your Factory Radio
If you’re only looking to install an amplifier and subwoofer to your vehicle’s factory sound system you’ll only need a line output converter that has 2 RCA speaker outputs for your bass amp. Some 2-channel LOCs like the LC2i from audio control will even allow you to adjust output levels and give you bass boosting capabilities via their Accubass Optimization which will give you a rock solid bass. The only downside to using a 2-channel LOC is that if you’re looking to replace the entire factory sound system with an aftermarket one, you’ll need a line output converter that has more than 2 RCA outputs.
Adding a Voice Amp AND a Subwoofer to Your Factory Radio
Sometimes just adding a subwoofer to your factory system isn’t enough to get the powerful sound you’re looking for. If you want your audio system to really sound great, you may also want to upgrade your door speaker setup by adding a 4-channel amplifier. If you are installing a 4 channel amp to your vehicle, a single 2-channel LOC will not give you the correct amount of RCA outputs you will need to power your amplifiers. This is where you need to take into account both your budget and the quality of sound you are looking to get.
For a budget-friendly option, you could buy two more 2-channel LOCs and install those to give you the extra RCA outputs you need. This means that you will have a total of 3 line output converters installed into your factory system- 1 for bass, and two for your voice amp. While there is certainly nothing wrong with this sort of setup we definitely suggest considering using high quality LOCs for your voice amp to avoid introducing any sort of distortion in your system.
If you want to achieve a truly high-end sound in your vehicle, you may want to invest in a 6-channel LOC like AudioControl’s LC6i. This LOC comes with a total of 6 RCA outputs- 2 dedicated for bass, and 4 dedicated for voice.-and gives you a wide range of adjustments options for all 6 channels. With this setup you’ll be able to adjust the signal from your stereo and divide it equally amongst both of your amps which will minimize distortion. This will ensure that all channels of each of your amps are working optimally, resulting in a powerful and clear sound.
Making The Right Choice
Choosing the right products to build your sound system can feel overwhelming at times. Factors like budget, brand preferences, and audio quality goals can all make it difficult to make a decision on what kind of converter you will need to install an amplifier. Visiting your local audio shop and getting input from knowledgable staff can make installing an upgraded sound system a breeze. If you’re near the Houston, Tx area looking to get a sound system installed into your car or simply would like a quote, I would highly recommend visiting us at High Tech AutoSound Warehouse. We offer a wide selection of audio components from top brands like Rockford Fosgate, Kicker, Kenwood and more. On top of that, our team of experts can provide you with invaluable advice on how to install the best sound system for your vehicle. With our help, you’re sure to get the perfect sound system in no time.
Its time to highlight one of the sound systems we worked on at our shop! This sound system was installed on a 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 and covers all the basses needed for a full-blown sound system.
Here’s the overall breakdown for what we installed:
1 AudioControl LC6i to get a clean signal from the truck’s factory radio.
0 Gauge oxygen free power and ground cable.
2 Hifonics Gemini Amplifiers- one to power our subwoofers and one to power the door speakers.
Now the most important part of any sound system is going to be the stuff you don’t even hear- the wiring and line output converters. We decided to go with 0-gauge Stinger brand oxygen free copper (OFC) power cable to serve as the foundation for the entire system. Using oxygen free cable in your sound system is going to make sure all your amplifiers are receiving the optimal amount of power from your battery. While OFC cable tends to be a little more expensive than other types of amp power kits, we fully believe it is the best bet to go with to make sure any system works no matter the size.
The next bit of the system’s foundation is the line output converter. For those of you who may not know- line output converters are little devices that let us connect your aftermarket sound system to your factory radio without having to modify it! There are tons of options out there for line output converters to use, but for a build of this size our preference is Audio Control’s LC6i system. Using the right line output converter can make or break any sound system in your car because its going to act as the source of the audio signal that your amplifiers are going to work with. The LC6i is going to give us the cleanest signal from our factory radio without introducing any extra noise. Using cheaper or less powerful alternatives won’t give us a quality signal to which will make your system not sound the best- even if you shelled out the money for top-of-the-line amplifiers and speakers.
Now for the fun stuff! This build utilizes a set of DS18 ProNeo pro audio speakers and tweeters powered by a Hifonics brand 4- channel amplifier to deliver the mids and highs for this system. The DS18 ProNeo series of door speaker provides a whopping 250 watt rms punch to this sound system delivering loud and clear mids and highs.
ugly old factory door speaker
Pro audio door speakers like these ProNeo speakers from DS18 will sound best when paired up with a 4-channel amp. Factory and aftermarket stereos simply do not have the power to drive these speakers on their own.
DS18 Pro-Neo Speaker
For the bass we went with two DB Drive 8” sub woofers loaded in one of our custom ported boxes. These woofers are being powered by a monoblock Hifonics amplifier at 1 ohm so that we can get the full power of the amplifier. This customer mentioned to us that he listens to a wide range of genres of music, so we also decided to add and Epicenter from our friends at Audio Control. The Epicenter is a bass restoration DSP that allows us to adjust the amplitude of lower frequencies- aka it increases the bass in songs that don’t really have a lot of bass in them like corridos, banda, country, etc.
DB Drive 8″ woofers in one of our custom ported boxes.
And finally, we went ahead and added some interior and exterior lighting around the truck to give it that extra personal touch. While these LED lights and underglow don’t add anything to the sound system it helps the truck stand out from the rest.
RGB lighting.
If you’re interested in getting a sound system or have any questions about car audio, security, or suspension feel free to give us a call! Remember, it’s your ride made better.
Most people will hold on to their cars for at least 10 years which is great- until you realize that the average lifespan of factory door speakers are about 3 to 4 years. Getting ahead of the curve and replacing your old factory truck speakers before they go out can save you a bunch of headaches down the line. There are a wide range of truck speakers available out on the market today, so picking the right door speakers might be a little overwhelming at first, but don’t worry we got you!
Picking the best door speakers for your car is going to mainly boil down to one question: How loud do you want to go?
Kenwood Excelon door speaker installed.
If your main goal is to improve your existing the sound quality and clarity of your factory system, then we highly suggest looking for speakers that advertise themselves as being “factory replacements”. These types of door speakers will work great with your factory or aftermarket radio and won’t need a four-channel amplifier. One of our absolute favorite speakers in this category is the Kenwood Excelon Reference series of speakers. These door speakers are built using a glass fiber cone which means that they’re built to last and come with a built in high power tweeter. This series of door speaker can handle up to 100 watts rms so while they’ll work great with whichever radio you have, they can also handle the addition of a 4 channel amplifier if you want your sound system to go even louder.
Kenwood Excelon truck door speaker installed.
If you think it’s time for a door speaker upgrade in your car or truck- just give us a call! Its your ride, made better.
