The best simple way to increase the sound quality in your jeep is to replace the radio with an aftermarket head unit and replace the speakers as well. I replaced my radio with a JVC marine unit so it can get rained on and it'll be okay. That radio puts out about 50 more watts than the stock unit. I also replaced the dash speakers with Polk audio 5x7" marine speakers. These speakers aren't the stock size and I had to cut the frame of my dash and make new mounts for the speakers. The stock size I don't quite remember but should be an easy search. I haven't replaced my sound bar speakers yet but that's in the cards, and I'll be going with more marine grade speakers. The audio quality with what I have already is a huge improvement and I can hear the music clearly with the top down doors on the freeway going 70-75.

 

Do you have any pics of how you did the dash speakers? I'm really interested in doing this now.

 

Buy ebay adapters ($12) to put 5.25" speakers in the dash. Sound bar will fit 6.5" speakers without any mods. Add a high powered head unit and you're done (unless you have a factory sub in the console). If so, replace that too.

 

Will I have to do any mods to get the 5.25 speakers to fit in the dash?

 

Will I have to do any mods to get the 5.25 speakers to fit in the dash?

You'll have to cut a small section of metal out of the way. It's pretty easy to do from what I recall. I did Polk DB 5.25 in the dash and 6.5's in the sound bar and it made a big difference. I'm still going to add a small amp though. I can't hear it over my tires at times.

 

depends on speakers you use.... I was able to just give the metal a quick wack to *move it over a hair with JBL's

 

yea I searched for speakers for minimal modification and found these jbl's I was happy.. then jbl 6 1/2 in the soundbar..(2001) added a underseat 10 inch shallow under rear seat ,great sound, then added a console sub from a 2001 more mid, sounds great for what it is.. but really great with hardtop to reflect the sound better

I even added sound dampening behind the front speakers to reflect sound out instead of into the dash.. , but if I didn't need the rear seat bet ur arse it would be more then it is HAHAHA

 

I just did polk dxi521s front and rear on my 05 ljr.
powered off a kenwood deck, sounds decent.
polyfill behind the dash speakers helps.

im looking onto a mini amp to power the 4 speakers now.
that will help a lot. still gotta upgrade the console sub.

 

Thank you all for all the info! I'm definitely looking into all the ideas. I'm off this weekend and next week so hopefully I can get something done in that time.

 

I recently put in a Kenwood marine head unit, Polk DB521 front and DB651 rear with a Polk 8" sub and sealed enclosure inside my new ammo can console, as well as a pair of Kenwood mini marine amps (4 channel and mono) under the steering column. I stuffed the pods with fiber fill and used Boom Mat baffles in the dash. It is a huge improvement over stock and didn't cost a terrible amount of money. My favorite part is that except for the head unit and soundpods, everything is hidden from view and doesn't take up any more space than factory. I did the entire upgrade over several months. At first all I wanted to do was the head unit... Then one thing led to a dozen other things.

As mentioned, the later TJ's do not need any cutting to squeeze larger speakers into the dash. Also, 6.5" speakers will just barely fit inside of the newer Sound Pods with a little trimming of the speaker mounting tabs. The larger grills will most likely need to sit on top of the pod.

 

how are kenwood mini marine amps working out?
im looking at the same thing.
got the model numbers?
thx

 

Bazooka tubbies. I've used them for the last few years. Rain, wind, the works. Roll bar clamp mount. Add a 10" truck box wedge sub to really make the sound good.

 

Like a lot of people, I'm also running Polk DB's front and rear. You should also check out Sony's new MEX-XB100BT deck. It has a class 3 amp built in (40 watts RMS per channel/100 watts of peak power). In case you don't feel like deal with a separate amp.

 

Sorry for the late response, I'll take the covers off and get some pictures up tonight.

 

5.25" with baffles and adaptor plates.

6.5" in the sound pods.

 

After a lot of research and recommendations from all of you helpful people, I'm going to go with the polk db's and a pioneer head unit that I found in some boxes in my closet. Thank you all for all the responses and advice!

 

Hey sorry for the late response. I know you decided on something already but here's what I did to my dash to get the 5x7s in.

 

Damn you JJVW. You just cost me $130.00. I ordered a KAC-M3004 and baffles for my 5.25. I'm copying your amp mount too. Thanks alot :2thumbsup:

 

Sorry

Do not trim the baffles until after the speaker is attached to the adaptor plate. Then run a sharp knife along the plate to remove the excess.

I tried fiber fill before the baffles. But it bothered me that there is really nothing inside the dash that keeps the fluff in place and it was visible from inside the glove box. Someone with better ears can tell you which would or should sound better. I can't.

For the amp placement under the steering column, search for the Skinny Pedal mount. Then for the Thrifty Pedal mount which is the DIY version that I based mine on. One bolt is all you really need. For the install, get ready to bend yourself into ways you shouldn't be used to.

 

didn't want to start a new thread so i tagged on to this one.

i have upgraded speakers to:
polk marine 5.25 in dash (have boom mats in place behind speakers)
polk marine 6.5 in overhead soundbar (filled with polyfill and think i put boom mats in there also....can't remember, been a few months back)

have a sony cdx-gt300 head unit (came in jeep,,,,,everything works so didn't see a reason to upgrade)

i tested each speaker with isolation of controls and all speakers are working correctly.

here's my conflict:
while up front, driver or passenger, if i adjust so i can hear the front speakers (just 1 notch to front from even) i can't hear sound bar well. if i adjust to hear soundbar better front can't really be heard (if i stick my head to front i hear them...they are working but i can't seem to get a good blend). this is driving with hard doors, windows up, soft top up and all windows in going 45 on blacktop.....top does not have much wind noise and there isn't much road noise either.

was looking at tweeter above dash pods as well as nalin tweeter brackets by door strap retainer but thought i would see if anyone else had an opinion.

i also thought maybe put some spacers on rear screws of soundbar speakers where they mount to the soundbar itself to angle the speakers more to the front? not hanging out, just a slight tilt??

update took head unit out and fuse is good, removed rca cables and found factory ground and head unit ground just screwed together......i found a screw hole on back of head unit....found a screw and put both the ground wires on this and attached them to back of head unit casing....will test on ride home to see if any of that made a difference i see the sony has a fuse in head unit, any chance it would be blown and affecting some of the head unit function/power? or if that fuse was blown would it not work at all? also when i looked behind head unit to see if something was loose there are 2 rca cables hooked up that go no where, they are taped off and wire coiled behind head unit.....any chance that being plugged in to head unit but not to an amp or speakers is causing problems? sorry, kinda stereo illiterate here.

just want a decent sound.....no thumping or anything just want to be able to understand nikki and jen when they are talking between songs at night :laugh:

 

The RCA cables are telling you that there was an Amp involved at some point.
I think an Amp will help you with your problem.

 

that's what i was figuring, didn't know if them being plugged in without anything on other end would affect anything.........kinda sucks an aftermarket head unit can't effectively run 4 speakers tho.

 

Those RCA plugs are the sub out for your head unit. If they aren't plugged into an amp they should be removed. As for the lack of balance, that could just be the head unit. Some radios won't allow that much of a fine tune to get the perfect balance you're looking for, which is harder to get when your ears are closer to the rear than the front. I would go to that one tick to the rear. Those speakers are pretty close to your head when driving so you'll be able to hear the music nicely. The fronts just help put out more of the audio.

 

just to follow up......

when i took out the rca cables that were going no where and grounded it to rear of headunit i noticed the butchered wiring so i decided to order a metra connector and do it right, was suppose to be in today so in prepping i went ahead and removed everything and yep noticed i should have ordered both ends because i hadn't seen before but they butchered and totally cut out 1 factory connector and butchered the other so close......decided heck with metra ends and just cut everything out and added water-tight butt connectors (ocd and impatience don't mix well)......well in the process of this i found 3 of the 4 speakers wired reverse (factory negative was going to speaker positive).....would this affect sound??

got it all corrected and neatly put back.....will test drive later.

 

i found 3 of the 4 speakers wired reverse (factory negative was going to speaker positive).....would this affect sound??

Yes most certainly

 

Glad to hear that worked out well for you.