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Anyone find a good after market sound system yet?

Doobiedoo12

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I made the mistake of thinking that after market products would be here faster than they have been. I really dislike the sound system my JLU came with. Anyone find a good after market one yet and installed it in the JLU?
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Xingpao

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In my opinion, there are two things you can do that will likely be more cost effective than simply replacing components. The first being sound deadening. If you, at the very least, take apart the sound bar and fully deaden it and replace the cheap speaker cable while you have it apart, you will be very pleased with the results. Deadening other spots will help as well.

You can also be sure to play only quality files, because the speakers in the stock set up just cannot handle low quality sound whatsoever.

After that, you can explore replacing the 4" in the soundbar and maybe placing a JL sub in the 10" enclosure, but it is alot cheaper to do the first 2 steps which will only enhance any sound benefits when/if you replace later.
 
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ChattVol

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In my opinion, there are two things you can do that will likely be more cost effective than simply replacing components. The first being sound deadening. If you, at the very least, take apart the sound bar and fully deaden it and replace the cheap speaker cable while you have it apart, you will be very pleased with the results. Deadening other spots will help as well.

You can also be sure to play only quality files, because the speakers in the stock set up just cannot handle low quality sound whatsoever.

After that, you can explore replacing the 4" in the soundbar and maybe placing a JL sub in the 10" enclosure, but it is alot cheaper to do the first 2 steps which will only enhance any sound benefits when/if you replace later.
Thanks for the helpful info. My speakers in the soundbar sound particularly awful because the sound doesn't project well. Do you mind providing more info on what to use and how to effectively deaden the soundbar? Is there a youtube video I can watch? Also, how difficult is it to change out the wiring in the soundbar and what wire do you recommend? I don't have any experience with audio, but would love to do this if it makes a noticeable improvement as an economical option! I've replaced the 2.5" tweeters in the dash and soundbar with plug and play 3.5" kickers and had the installer sound deaden up front and it helped alot. However, the installer said he didn't have room to add deadening to the soundbar. Thanks again!
 

Xingpao

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Thanks for the helpful info. My speakers in the soundbar sound particularly awful because the sound doesn't project well. Do you mind providing more info on what to use and how to effectively deaden the soundbar? Is there a youtube video I can watch? Also, how difficult is it to change out the wiring in the soundbar and what wire do you recommend? I don't have any experience with audio, but would love to do this if it makes a noticeable improvement as an economical option! I've replaced the 2.5" tweeters in the dash and soundbar with plug and play 3.5" kickers and had the installer sound deaden up front and it helped alot. However, the installer said he didn't have room to add deadening to the soundbar. Thanks again!
Here is a Youtube vid of deadening to a JK soundbar. The process should be extremely similar.

 

ChattVol

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Here is a Youtube vid of deadening to a JK soundbar. The process should be extremely similar.

Thanks! Have you done this to a JL before? My installer said there wasnt room for dynamat in the soundbar.
 

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Xingpao

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Thanks! Have you done this to a JL before? My installer said there wasnt room for dynamat in the soundbar.
I have not, but i doubt that very much. Maybe someone else can confirm.
 

ATXMTB

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I pick up my JLU on Monday. I plan on trying to deaden the sound bar myself as well. Which speaker did you upgrade to?

I watched that video several weeks ago and it is very helpful. But like the poster above noted, it looks like a JK but it should be similar. The video covers sound deadening material as well as replacing the wiring.
 

SouthTexasJLU

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Thanks! Have you done this to a JL before? My installer said there wasnt room for dynamat in the soundbar.
There isn't much room. It is not "open" like the JK sound bar. Crappy design, and with 3.5's you will never get much as far as loud quality sound. On mine, I gutted the "box" and made a new faceplate. I have 4 5.25 T-3's in the sound bar. I also used 6.5's in the "knee panel" and made a new face plate there as well.
 

ChattVol

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There isn't much room. It is not "open" like the JK sound bar. Crappy design, and with 3.5's you will never get much as far as loud quality sound. On mine, I gutted the "box" and made a new faceplate. I have 4 5.25 T-3's in the sound bar. I also used 6.5's in the "knee panel" and made a new face plate there as well.
That sounds awesome...I'm definitely interested to learn how you gutted the box to fit the 5.25's and also fit the 6.5's...is it difficult? Will you send pics? Would it sound ok without an amp?
 

SouthTexasJLU

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That sounds awesome...I'm definitely interested to learn how you gutted the box to fit the 5.25's and also fit the 6.5's...is it difficult? Will you send pics? Would it sound ok without an amp?
I will have to see if I still have the pics. Just pulled/cut everything out of the box. To fit the 5.25's you have to plastiweld a new faceplate on, then mount the speakers. Same for the 6.5's but had to mold the faceplate to fit the contours, then bondo work to make it presentable.
 

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ChattVol

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I will have to see if I still have the pics. Just pulled/cut everything out of the box. To fit the 5.25's you have to plastiweld a new faceplate on, then mount the speakers. Same for the 6.5's but had to mold the faceplate to fit the contours, then bondo work to make it presentable.
How do you remove the plastic panel over the lower and upper dash speakers?
 

Kube86

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I put in the Kicker 3.5 in the front and soundbar today. There is some room in the soundbar to put pollyfill. You need to take out the 4 inch speaker and start shoving it in there. I didn’t replace the 4 inch yet. Any recommendations?

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SouthTexasJLU

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The factory speakers on an amp don't sound bad at all. Use tape to cover the "ports" in the sound bar.
 

mlb777

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I cannot find anywhere on line what the NON ALPINE OEM stereo is pushing for watts RMS per channel. Does anyone know? Also I'm curious if someone (asking for a friend :) wants to improve the overall audio WITHOUT going to Alpine or Alpine cost what is better...changing out OEM speakers or the OEM stereo? I don't need to bounce down the road, but I would like to have a better, more full, less tinny sound if possible and am overwhelmed with how to get there. When i isolate the speakers I tend to think the front is 'ok' and I could live with it, but the roll bar sound when isolated seems very thin, tin, non bass and just overall flat. Does someone just swap out the roll bar speakers? (I did read above and plan to look at the roll bar for deadening options today. Any help would be awesome. We have an audio a4 that has standard audio and I LOVE it. Even our standard GMC Acadia is fairly decent. I feel like the 18 jl non apline has some promise, but needs a tweak or two to get it good. thoughts?
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