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Stereo Conundrum (Stock Stereo)

2K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  RamHemi07 
#1 ·
I currently have the stock 2007 basic radio with the aux input and 4 speaker sound system (Crew Cab). I recently decided to upgrade my door speakers.

I went out and purchased the JBL GTO938 6x9's for the front as a start. These speakers are rated at 100W RMS and 300W Max @ 2 Ohms.
http://www.jbl.com/EN-US/Products/Pages/ProductDetails.aspx?PID=GTO938

There's where I messed up(cant return the speakers), the stock stereo will not even push this speaker. Thus, I see two options.

1. Buy a new head unit (typically rated at 22W RMS/50W Max) to hope this will move these speakers.

2. Keep the stock stereo and purchase a adapter to give me RCA outs and buy a new 4 CH Amp.

I would like to be able to sneak by with just option 1 and buying the new head unit but don't want to waste money and end up buying an amp anyway.

I am asking what you guys would recommend, which would deliver better sound quality and be more cost effective.

I do not plan to install any sub woofers in future.

Thank you for the Help!!!!!!
 
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#3 ·
An amp is what you really need, buying a new radio will help a little but probably won't achieve what you are expecting from those speakers.
 
#5 ·
I can't say how many car amps take line level in. But make sure you get one that does because there will be no preamp out connectors on the stock radio. Seeing as the radio takes aux in what more do you need?
 
#7 ·
Yeah, I would say if you want good sound, go for the amp. Replacing the head unit really doesn't make much difference when it gets right down to it as far as pushing speakers. The only way to achieve the right sound in the ride is to run an amp that can push your speakers. I had a hell of a setup in my '03 QC with a dedicated battery just to run my amp for the subs, and a seperate amp on my speakers. Ran a 1 farad cap on the main battery to keep my lights from dimming, and I had it goin' on when I turned those babies up. I was a bit younger then, and less considerate of neighbors, I might add....if my exhaust didn't wake them up, my music sure did. I was not a well-liked young man in the neighborhood, I'll say that!

In all seriousness, just make sure you get an amp that puts out enough RMS to fully supply the speakers, because there's no sense having a bad-ass setup if you don't give them enough juice.
 
#8 ·
So it sounds like i need a minimum amp RMS rating per ch of 100w for the amp to only be sufficient for my JBL speakers? I was looking at a 300w RMS amp with 200w to be split in the front and 100w for the rear; does this sounds sufficient? Wow, what did I get myself into...

I too had a very nice setup in my old truck many years ago which got me into trouble with amp'd door speakers and a 15 with a capacitor... Now I'm only looking to run a nice clear more all around set-up. I have no intentions of rattling of my mirror's off!!

Thanks guys!!
 
#9 ·
Yeah, I would say so. I usually ran a fairly similar setup, and 100w RMS per channel should be plenty, I would think. That's probably not far from what I'm gonna run when I redo my speakers here in the next few months. No subs this time, as I don't need to rattle everything to pieces, but I want a nice crisp sound when I turn her up.

I had an '02 Firebird a while back, and the subs hit so hard they would pop the latch in the back and my hatch would open while I was going down the road...happened a few times on the freeway! :Wow1: I'm getting too old for that kind of crap.

Good choice on the JBLs by the way - those things should sound SICK once they get to thumpin'!
 
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