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SolaraGuy.com • View topic - head unit upgrade questions
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head unit upgrade questions

PostPosted: Fri Apr 29, 2011 1:24 pm
by mrsteve8
I drive a 2002 toyota solara with the JBL stereo system. I am new to the whole aftermarket scene so my questions may have obvious answers so I apologize if they do.

This is what I am considering buying.
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_070XDV9101 ... l?tp=20217


My questions are:

If I upgrade my head unit will all of the current speakers/electronics still work?
What will I need to upgrade to the head unit I want? (link above)
Also if what I have wont suffice what will I need to buy?

Also any suggestions on anything else I can do to make my current system sound better whether it be through upgrades or simple things I can do is appreciated. I am on a tight budget so keep that in mind.

Thanks

Re: head unit upgrade questions

PostPosted: Fri Apr 29, 2011 9:59 pm
by dinoxor
bumpp for the new guyy, intoduce yourself in the introduction section!!
honestly I don't know anything regarding audioo, but from the look of your potential headunit, I would suggest a double din since that flip up thing might cover up the a/c vents.

Re: head unit upgrade questions

PostPosted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 9:03 am
by Pocketman
Like mrsteve8, I too am new to this aftermarket scene. My '05 has the JBL satellite compatible head, yet Crutchfield recommended me a Clarion CX201 receiver head. Is there not something that functions in lieu of the no longer available Toyota satellite kit? If I replace the head, do the steering wheel controls continue to function? What about dimming the controls with the dash lights? If this is a receiver head, there must be an amplifier someplace?

Some of you have no doubt put some nice upgrades into your Solaras. Any and all advice is appreciated.

EDIT - May have found a solution to my question:
viewtopic.php?f=37&t=50144

Re: head unit upgrade questions

PostPosted: Mon May 02, 2011 5:28 pm
by KingKevin
oops double post :p

Re: head unit upgrade questions

PostPosted: Mon May 02, 2011 5:30 pm
by KingKevin
Hey,

So I'm not gonna pretend to be an expert on this stuff, but I did install a new head unit, an amplifier and 2 12" subs in my car with my friend so I know a little bit about this.

That being said, the first thing you want to know is if you want to get an amplifier for your speakers or for getting subwoofers. If you want to get subwoofers then you will need an amplifier as well as a headunit. If you just want to get a headunit, almost all of them have built in amplifiers so you will be able to power all your speakers from the headunit.

Also I am wondering what you want in your headunit. The one you linked is a DVD player, is that something that you really want? If you are just going for sound then I would suggest gettting a good single din head unit for the same price. The other thing is that you should stick to name brands such as Alpine, Pioneer, Kenwood, etc... Dual isnt very reputable.

Things to look for in a headunit:
If you want to run an amp then you want to look at the preamp voltage. The higher the better! Anything above 2volts is pretty good, but i only have 2v on mine and its fine.
Since you are going to be powering your speakers off the headunit you want to look at the wattage it can put out. Never look at the peak wattage as that number is complete bull. This is a number attained in lab environment with a bunch of condition met that cant really be produced in real life. You want to look at RMS wattage. The higher the better!
Also if you want double din or single din. Double din will take up all the room of where your old radio is and they look nice, but they tend to be a lot more expensive than single din. Single din will leave a gap underneath where you can place stuff this is common in a lot of cars(your phone, ipod, wallet, etc...) I have a single din in my car. If you are on a budget and want the best quality I would probably go single din.

If you want DVD: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_113DDX318/Kenwood-DDX318.html?tp=5684&nvpair=FFBrand|Kenwood&nvpair=FFBrand|Pioneer&nvpair=FFBrand|Alpine&nvpair=AG_Size|FFDouble%40DIN&nvpair=AG_Type|ffDVD_Video&tab=features_and_specs This one is really good if you can afford it lol
Single din: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_113KIV900B/Kenwood-KIV-BT900.html?tp=5684&nvpair=FFBrand|Kenwood&nvpair=FFBrand|Pioneer&nvpair=FFBrand|Alpine&tab=features_and_specs This one is pretty good...

Anyways hope this helps... anybody who knows more than me feel free to correct anything i have said and/or add on.

Good luck

Re: head unit upgrade questions

PostPosted: Sat Jul 16, 2011 10:41 pm
by timbrinosa
I think the electronic gadgets will just work fine. If you'll analyze Audio System its just a bunch of INPUT and OUTPUTS. there's no problem with audio system that can't be fixed for as long as these gadget are in working condition.