Help needed for 2017 Jeep Wrangler JKU audio system

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waber

CarAudio.com Newbie
I currently have a stock system in my 2017 Wrangler JKU(pavement princess w/ hard top). I recently got a 10” BRP Audio sub enclosure and a JL Audio 10W3v3 sub(500W, 4Ohm) to go with it, behind the passenger side rear seats. I mostly listen to rock, punk, and occasionally pop/top 40s stuff.
I’d like help figuring out what head unit, amp, front speakers & tweeters, and soundbar speakers & tweeters to go with it. If I had a budget of 1000 what would you recommend? If I got an extra $500 where should it go/what would be improved most with that extra?

Head Unit:
Hoping no more than $400, but if there is a huge value increase for the $ then I’m not opposed to increasing this.
I’m thinking of getting a Pioneer DMH-2660NEX. I want Android Auto, capacitive touchscreen(not a deal breaker if not), Bluetooth, Maestro compatible, and backup camera ready. I’d prefer to not have a CD/DVD player to avoid extra cost, but this isn’t a deal breaker either. I don’t care if the head unit has physical buttons or not. I don’t care if the screen is HD or not.

Speakers & Tweeters:
I understand that listening to a set of speakers is the better thing to do, but even then, I’m not sure what set of speakers to listen to. Can anyone provide a short list to try out? Should I get a different set for the front vs the middle soundbar?
I’m thinking of getting a pod or 3d printing my own for the tweeters. Any recommendations for this?

Amp:
Really have no clue of what to get for this. I know some people buy multiple amps, some buy one. I know sometimes you need to buy another battery if your system needs more power. I don’t need a marine one as my Jeep is just a daily driver with an occasional light off-roading.

Is there anything else that I'd need? Thanks for any and all advice!
 
400$ can buy you just about anything by way of head units. There's a couple 1000$+ ones and while they are very high quality and contain some advanced digital processing features they're certainly not 3X better than some of the 300$ offerings for 3X the money.

Stick to Kenwood, Pioneer, Alpine for reliable head units that will perform well, do what the advertisements claim, and give you a good long life. I've had good luck with the Sony head units in the last few years and am running Sony in all 3 of my vehicles at the moment. I have found Jensen pretty decent as well in the past. I believe JVC is the same manufacturer as Kenwood so they may be worth a look too. Features aside (within price brackets all of them should offer comparable features for anything you want there) I find look, feel, and intuitive (for me) user interface is very important so might could pop by a Best Buy or a couple shops and kick the tires on a few head units and just see which ones you like the feel of. Stay out of the gutter brands and find one you find easy/convenient to operate would be best.

As for component/coaxial speakers, again, stay away from the flea market brands (Boss, Dual, Soundstream, etc.) and if possible avoid the entry level line of anything and most stuff should be comparable. I really like the Harmon International lineup (JBL/Infinity), but there's several good components out there. Kicker, Rockford, Alpine, all make decent components/coaxials as well and are all trustworthy brands. There's a dozen more sold by various companies that just buy the same cookie cutter stuff from China, American Bass, Soundqubed, EMF, etc. should all give you decent value in whatever price tier you're shopping.

Pick yourself some components or coaxials you like then ask again about the best amp to drive everything. Again, here, you'll want to stay out of the flea market brands. Buying a smaller amp of higher quality will be better than picking whichever has the highest power rating printed on it and the sort of thing you'll be buying shouldn't need loads of power to get super loud. That said, stock electrical will probably cover whatever you're doing though I would suggest adding a beefy piece of wire from the - terminal of your battery to a clean and solid spot on the frame under the hood. Factory ground cable is generally barely adequate for even the stock accessories and should be upgraded if you plan to add any additional loads.

You will probably need wiring harness and dash mounting kit to put in a head unit. If you can find stuff you like at Crutchfield they'll throw in the install kits and OEM integration type stuff for """"free""". Obviously it's baked into the price, but after you figure in buying that stuff elsewhere and separate shipping it's usually a wash and Crutchfield has excellent customer support. Their website or phone support is very good about letting you know any random odds and ends you'll need for install so very much worth at least window shopping there, plug in your vehicle details and anything you'll need will pop up for you.

Lastly you will need some sort of amp wiring kit(s) to get RCA and power back to whichever amps you choose. Get your amps nailed down and then plan adequate wiring and connectors for those after you've decided.
 
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waber

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