2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Infinity Stereo Upgrades

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I'm not very stereo savvy but I'm removing interior panels off my 24V club cab for my paint project and want to upgrade the speakers while I'm at. And might as well improve the system!

Since I have the 6-speaker Infinity system with built-in amps in the speakers does that limit my options? This is what I'm hoping to do:

• Keep factory head unit, I like it pretty well and don't want to spend $$ for a new one
• Add secondary input for iPhone
• Replace all speakers
• Add amp to drive them, with sub output
• May add subwoofer later

According to Crutchfield I could add this 400W amp to my factory stereo, what do you think http://www.crutchfield.com/p_161LC8I/AudioControl-LC8i-Gray.html 400w should be plenty for what I want to do. It has an auxiliary input so I could set up a jack for my iPhone... that's the only thing I wish my factory stereo had. I'm hoping with a good set of speakers, including new tweeters, I won't need to add & set up crossovers (no idea how to do that).

If I can do this all for $350-500 that would be great, but suggestions would be great. Would like suggestions on brands/types of speakers. Also if there's anything missing in my line of thinking let me know!

Thanks...

 

[HHhuntitall]

Wellll, realize with that system, the front speakers already have amps built into them... on the speakers. In the door. Out in the heat and cold and dust.

My suggestion, if you want to keep your head unit, is to try to find a mid range speaker, like JBL or Pyle speakers, and perhaps the same in amps. I don't do much of that anymore, and I just budget build 'em now. Last time, I used an old Rockford Fosgate amp that came in something I parted out, and some new Kicker speakers in the front doors, with cheap Pioneers in the back, and a 10" Pyle under the seat.... Turned out ok. You can hear it plain as day standing outside with the doors closed....

IMO, you'll need to chase out the amp activation wire from the factory loom, and trace out your individual speaker wires for + and - for front and rear.... then splice all that back to your amp, then out to your speakers. You won't have the RCA connections, so you'll suffer some degradation in digital sound and have some interference from time to time on your amp inputs, as you won't have a shielded wire..... You'll also want to use heavier wire than factory. I'm a little outdated on what's on the market....... by about 5years!!! :-laf It's still pretty basically a matter of good components.... A little sound deadening with some Fat Mat would help in places, such as inside the back section of the cab... lots of rattle to kill there!! And after cutting into the door plastic, you'll want to get that sealed back up. I suggest while the rear seat's out to cover the rear of the cab, too. It makes a big difference in cooling the cab in the summer.... I'm not sure what head you have, but a crossover may be moot if it has the little joystick speaker control. That monster makes me mad!! Never can get it just right.... then, if you do, someone comes along and bumps it or jacks with it!!

 

[Road Dog]

The Infinity system has an 2 channel amp module mounted to each front speaker. One amp drives the front speaker and the front A-pillar tweeter (there's probably a cross-over in there too). The second amp drives the rear door speaker.

That LC8i isn't an amp; it's a line output converter. It takes the speaker output (high voltage) and converts it to a standard output (low voltage) suitable for a power amp. You still need an 4 channel amp to make it work.

If you want better sound then add a subwoofer that has a built in amp and speaker level inputs.

 

[VolsFan]

I know you stated you don't want to swap out your factory head unit. I was in the same boat, but I ultimately got one from crutchfield with auxiliary and USB ports and with the fascia and wiring harness shipped to my door for $99.99. What a huge difference it made in sound! I have done nothing to the speakers and am satisfied with everything for now.

 

[HHhuntitall]

Yeah, I didn't have time to look at the LC8.... I'd think a better solution could be found for an aux input.... Many amps available have the high inputs built in, as well as an AUX input, so the convertor might not be necessary..... For an aux input, you might look for a FM Modulator, too.... They work pretty easy.... There can be some interference in places, and especially if you have a CB radio in the truck.... I've installed several in cars and tractors, and they've worked fine... Only complaint was one guy who had bleedover from a local radio station when he was in town somewhere.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Shucks, I was hoping it would be a little easier than this... sounds like I would be better off essentially replacing the system. I think my stock speakers are getting tired because if crank it up to pretty loud they start distorting, sooner than they should IMO. The truck is 16 years old so certainly they're done for. I just remembered my CD player is dead anyway, motor that turns the disk doesn't work. Thank you all for the advice.

 

[Woodenhead]

Yes you will need to replace the head unit, head units really aren't that spendy these days. A new head unit will be setup with outputs for your amps as well as aux/iphone inputs and even audio settings for your sub amp. I'll be watching this to see what you come up with. My '96 which I'm getting rid of has a decent Pioneer head unit with Alpine speakers and an MTX Thunderform box under the back seat with a 1000W Kenwood amp. The '98 on the other hand is all original stereo which isn't going to cut it, at the moment the left side speakers are fuzzed out too. I've pulled the Sub box and amp from the '96 but it's not worth tearing out the head unit and speakers.

The bottom line, once I get these trucks back together I'll need to do the stereo in the '98. I'll be looking for a head unit with all the modern goodies, maybe even capable of handling the hands free phone stuff like the fancy new trucks

Mike

 

[Grinder1]

I know you stated you don't want to swap out your factory head unit. I was in the same boat, but I ultimately got one from crutchfield with auxiliary and USB ports and with the fascia and wiring harness shipped to my door for $99.99. What a huge difference it made in sound! I have done nothing to the speakers and am satisfied with everything for now.

So you were able to just wire new head unit to the factory loom? That's a great way to go. I'm not familiar with the OEM radios in your vintage truck. Does yours have the Infinity upgrade with separate speaker amps like my '95? I have heard that you cannot wire an aftermarket stereo directly to them.

 

[VolsFan]

Grinder1, yes, the head unit will attach to the factory harness even with the infinity speakers, (which I have) crutchfield asks you what speakers you have in the truck so I guess there are two different wiring harnesses. But it was a quick and easy install, even with fool proof instructions. I don't know the past history of the speakers in my truck, but if they are the stockers I am happy with them until one of them fails.(the only thing that will not work is the steering wheel buttons for volume and scan,which didn't mean anything to me, I'm sure there is a way to get them to work w/ aftermarket unit though)

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

That's good to know Volsfan. The factory speakers don't look too bad, seem to be good quality, so maybe I should try going your route and see how it turns out. I assumed when I tried the stereo the other day and it didn't sound that great up loud it was the speakers, but maybe I'm just maxing out the head unit. I don't like the whole idea of running new wiring and having this really turn into a project, I have so much other stuff going on I didn't need something else complicated. This all started with "since I got the door panels out might as well upgrade speakers" type thing.

Volsfan what head unit did you get, how long ago was this? Are you happy with it? I see nowdays head units have USB input so you can plug in a thumb drive, and some do iPone/iPod bluetooth syncing to access playlists and play them right off your device. I'm thinking to get one without a CD drive, CDs are kinda going the way of cassettes and 8-tracks.

 

[VolsFan]

The head unit I got is a JVC, nothing fancy. I got it first of this year, so has not been in too long. It looks pretty good in the cab. It has cd and aux/USB ports. I personally like having CD player, even though they are antiquated. I like having a hard copy, just a qwerk I have. I would definitely recommend crutchfield for your audio needs. As I stated earlier, the head unit, fascia and harness was 99.99 shipped to me. While driving through Charlottesville Va I went by a crutchfield store and got another head unit for my commuter car so I could have aux/USB ports.(I finally joined the new millennium and got a smartphone last fall so upgrading my stereo was the next logical step to me) forgot to mention it does sync with the iPhone for pandora and can do Bluetooth which I have not gotten around to doing yet on my vehicles. Did it on my wife's car and it's pretty handy

 

[BIGNASTY]

When we lived in Calif, the young man next door had a stereo in his car that would rattle the windows in our house and he was quite a ways away. He worked at a car stereo shop, I have the Infinity system in stock form in my truck. I asked him what I could do to make it better? He said that the spec's on the stock system are not bad at all, it just lacked the power and could use another set of speakers in the rear. He installed a amp behind the rear seat and put two long narrow speakers in under the rear seat facing forward (nobody hardly ever sits in the back anyway) What a difference!!!!!!!! I listen to music loud enough to make your ears bleed, and this will do that and more VERY CLEARLY !!!!!

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I'll check JVC Volsfan. I stopped by Best Buy today and looked at a few head units and the Alpine and Pioneer were most to my liking. One thing that bugs me about head units in general is they all have the detachable faces which makes them a little loose in their sockets and the tactile feel of pushing the buttons is pretty crappy. Some were worse than others at the store, hopefully whatever I end up with has good integrity.

Bignasty that is good to hear (no pun intended, LOL), I'll check with Crutchfield about an amp & speakers under the rear seats.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I can't believe I started this thread almost a year ago! Good news is I FINNNAALLLYYY installed a new head unit LOL

I went with a JVC KD-X320BTS and so far I like it. I got the harness and the rest of the system I left alone. Sure enough VolsFan was right, changing out the head unit alone made a real difference in audio performance. I can get it pretty loud before those 17yr old stockers start to distort. It'll do for now but someday I'll add an amp and subs under the rear seat.

The unit has USB, bluetooth and does Pandora and XM radio, and has a pair of audio outputs. It also links to the steering wheel controls if you have those. So far I'm happy with it. The bluetooth feature is great, I linked it to my iPhone and use it as my primary audio source. It's nice not having wires, and using the remote control I can navigate through my songs without touching the phone. I have two young cousins I pick up from school a couple times a week, 12 and 7yr old girls, they are loving the new stereo. Today the younger one insisted on blasting Abba tunes all the way home, Mamma Mia over and over, LOL.

 

[Woodenhead]

So the new head unit is running through the factory infinity speakers that have built in amplifiers? If so, that's good to know as I've been holding off installing a head unit thinking I needed speakers at the same time.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Yes Woodenhead my entire system is original other than the head unit, I say go for it! One wire that you connect up on the harness controls the Infinity amps.

 

[BMelhuish]

Several years ago, I replaced the head unit with an Alpine, and it ran straight through the factory speakers. Several weeks ago, I replaced the speakers with 3 way Alpines in the front and 2 way Alpines in the rear. I just hooked up the front speakers through the old amps. I just remounted the amps to the door.

 

[DRAG DIESEL]

Hey Vaughn, Just go wild...you know you want to. Here's what i did when i finally got an extended cab truck... totally invisible... 4 6.5" components separates w/1" tweets. and 1 JL12" stealth box in the middle seat location. 107db A, clear as a bell. When the ricers pull up next to me cranking up their distorted crap...i just roll the windows down and grab the nob and let some Big and Rich roll. Gets a lot of funny looks when the stereo covers up the rattle of the cummins!

 

[HHhuntitall]

Ya' know, four bolts, a lift up on the seat, and the whole rear seat comes forward... then some FatMat against the back of the cab, which isn't insulated anyway, and you can mount the components a little more solid to the back of the cab.... Just my preference.... Other, perhaps even larger, hardware has a little more room to breath... (Just a note: You might want to vacuum that back seat a little before hand... the dust tends to fly out when the volume goes up... ) Nothing against what you did there, it looks neatly done!! I like to keep that area clear, though. Makes room for the bang sticks....

Oh, and don't forget a little Colt Ford.... Kinda redneck, but with a touch of humor... :-laf

 

[Woodenhead]

Yes Woodenhead my entire system is original other than the head unit, I say go for it! One wire that you connect up on the harness controls the Infinity amps.

Good to know, thanks Vaughn.