Stereo system upgrade

[ToplessInVa]

I have a 22 JL Sport with 7” Uconnect 4. No upgrades as of yet. I drive with top down and doors off as much as possible and the stereo is lacking, badly… On a normal occasion when at highway speeds, the radio is hard to hear. I’m not looking to have people hear me coming from a mile away but would like to be able to turn the radio up and be able to hear it. I’ve upgraded stereos in older vehicles and have the knowledge to be able to do it myself but have never done anything with Uconnect. I don’t want to spend a ton but am looking for some suggestions. I’m guessing that even if I upgrade the speakers, the factory stereo would probably need an amp to really notice a difference in sound. What is the most economical way that anyone has found to help with this?

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[WranglerFreak]

Amp and new speakers like Hertz, Focal, Alpine is the best bang for the buck. A new headunit is a huge improvement but that gets costly.

 

[ToplessInVa]

Amp and new speakers like Hertz, Focal, Alpine is the best bang for the buck. A new headunit is a huge improvement but that gets costly.

Did you install the amp inside the dash or under the seat?

 

[WranglerFreak]

mine are under the seat cause i already had some out of my jk and they were too large for dash. There are several that will work inside the dash and be a cleaner job. I have 2 amps..1 for speakers and 1 for sub but you could do a 5.1 amp to handle all.

 

[lashlee]

If you need more volume, an amp (or multiples) will be what you should be looking for. A PAC harness/adpater will be your best bet while keeping things simple. I would go with 6.5's in the lower dash pods, along with a 6.5 or 6x9 in the soundbar. You could look into a Helix V8 or V12 to try and keep things tucked away or a small standard amp will fit under the seat.

 

[Hitdog540]

Agree about current system. I added an amp...under seat, changed all speakers but most importantly, added a subwoofer which is installed behind passenger seat on the side and looks factory but sounds custom. I spent about $2500...not sure if you think thats a lot but with music you definitely get what you pay for. Don't cheap out.

 

[ToplessInVa]

Agree about current system. I added an amp...under seat, changed all speakers but most importantly, added a subwoofer which is installed behind passenger seat on the side and looks factory but sounds custom. I spent about $2500...not sure if you think thats a lot but with music you definitely get what you pay for. Don't cheap out.

How did you install sub?

 

[BamaDoughnut]

I originally tried replacing the factory top dash and roll bar speakers with the same size (3.5). The difference was barely noticeable. I bit the bullet and replaced rollbar and kick panel with 6.5 Sony ES components (front tweeters in dash). I added the stinger 12 sub to the tailgate. I have a 2 door and had the amp installed in the little cubby in back. Sound is amazing. I kept the factory 7 head unit.

 

[Hitdog540]

How did you install sub?

In all honesty I had a shop do the entire install. My days of changing components are long behind me. And btw...the sound is crystal clear even at higher volumes. No distortion!

 

[Wycheguy]

What are reputable head units?

 

[lashlee]

I prefer units from Alpine, Kenwood, JVC, Sony, Pioneer, and Clarion. I like the Stinger units, but don't have any experience with installing one. The JL uses a digital signal for the camera(s) and most aftermarket companies down convert the signal sacrificing picture quality.

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