Car Audio - New to Upgrading

[StarsFan4Life]

I recently purchased a brand new 2010 Toyota Tacoma TRD Offroad 4 door. While it is a heck of a truck, it lacks a bit in the audio department. It's stock everything (not the JBL package) and I think it's the speakers really holding everything back.

My questions here are simple, but I hope I am in the right place:

1. Will upgrading the speakers alone to a nice Infinity speaker set (4 speakers for the doors and 2 tweeters for the front doors) make for a decent audio quality upgrade while still using the stock head unit?

2. Will I need to upgrade my stock head unit?

3. Do I need an amplifier to really get good sound of new speakers (will this work fine with stock head unit)?

Anyone have any good suggestions on where I need to go? I don't want a subwoofer in the truck as I simply just do not have the room. However, when stuck in traffic, I would love to jame to Boston at a higher volume without peaking out (about 45 is the max without it just leveling out).

I look forward to your responses!

 

[KentState]

I'm not familar with the audio system in your Toyota, but this is what I've found. If you don't have a Bose system or something with external amps, a new headunit can make a big difference. The factory speakers may have cross-overs built into the system which makes upgrading individual speakers difficult without gutting and installing an amp. I found a specialty audio store in your area and make use of a Tacoma message forum. Most have a good audio section with tons of tutorials for replacement.

 

[Eos]

I think new vehicles make it very difficult for people to upgrade anything but the speakers. The way the HU is integrated into the dash looks nice, but has got to be hell for putting anything else in there.

 

[jellyrole]

Check crutchfield.com for a head unit they have adapter cables and plates for the new one to in the old ones place.

 

[DominionSeraph]

1. Will upgrading the speakers alone to a nice Infinity speaker set (4 speakers for the doors and 2 tweeters for the front doors) make for a decent audio quality upgrade while still using the stock head unit?

Probably not.

2. Will I need to upgrade my stock head unit?

No, the audio quality coming out is probably fine below the point where it gets overdriven.

3. Do I need an amplifier to really get good sound of new speakers?

Yes. To get any sort of bass you need power. But a base head unit's internal amps will be massively overdriven (and thus distort) at pretty weak power levels. Like 5-6 watts. And this will make your highs sound like crap because they're being fed by the same overdriven amps.
A head unit with a decent internal amp (like 18Wx4) would probably do you, but those tend to be more expensive than just going with an external amp. (you can get 50Wx4 for like $100) But the head unit does have the benefit of not needing to run power and sense wires, input wires from your head unit, and rerouting your speaker wires to the amp.

(will this work fine with stock head unit)?

Yes, but hopefully it has line-out. Otherwise you need an amp that can handle speaker-level out, or a speaker level to line level converter. (which is likely)

 

[jlee]

http://www.customtacos.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=15