Newbie Question About Stereos

[NiPickle]

Hi all!

My 16 year old son has a 2007 Toyota Tundra with the original factory stereo and speakers. The stereo has almost no bass, and being 16, that is apparently incredibly important.

My question: How do we figure out what touch screen stereo, within reasonable price range, will fit into the spot that currently houses the factory stereo? The guy at Best Buy tried to convince me that any will fit, and with professional installation, will look just as nice as the original, but I really don't know that this is correct. I noticed that the part of his dash that houses the stereo almost slants back a little bit toward the windshield. Will an aftermarket stereo stick out funny?

We are considering the following two, and wondering if you can give us any input on which would be better, as well as what other parts we would need to purchase to make this work.

http://smile.amazon.com/Kenwood-DDX271-Touchscreen-Headunit-Receiver/dp/B00I0FV6UU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420315777&sr=8-2&keywords=touch+screen+car+stereo+bluetooth

http://smile.amazon.com/Pioneer-AVHX1600DVD-Mixtrax-Touchscreen-6-1-Inch/dp/B00GN5K88U/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1420315777&sr=8-5&keywords=touch+screen+car+stereo+bluetooth

Thanks so much in advance for any help that you can give us. I just totally don't know how any of this works!

Kind regards,

Anne

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[negolien]

Can always check Crutchfield.com they are very conservative in fit and you can get a general idea of what you are looking for. Their prices are a rapefest but the customer service and stuff are awesome. I do a lot of window shopping there before buying on ebay.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

You want to only change out the HU to add bass?

 

[mylows10 5,000+ posts]

The kenwood a aren't as good as they used to be. With that pioneer is the better option. Should fit fine as well. Next. Don't have best buy do the work. Do it yourself. Pretty easy actually. All color coded wires Also crutchfield is good for info. But prices are high any of the vendors here can help you out tho

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

it will look like this

 

[mylows10 5,000+ posts]

Also if your wanting to add bass. You'll need an amp amp kit. Sub and box

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

Start with the head unit - it will offer the modern connectivity your son will want. Crutchfield will include all of the adapters, harnesses, and detailed instructions for a fun DIY project for the both of you. Their prices are fair and the same as a brick and mortar store.

just replacing the head unit won't give your a lot of bass output. as mentioned, you'll need a sub and sub amp for that. for ease of installation, there are some custom fit enclosures you can buy from JL Audio and MTX. They aren't cheap but they look and fit great.

 

[big scott]

You want to only change out the HU to add bass?

i was thinking the same thing..

to get bass you need..

sub-woofer

box for that sub

mono (1 ch) amp to run it.

a good h/u will give you control over the system but will not give you more bass.

as stock speakers can only do so much, then they distort and fry.

 

[NiPickle]

Wow. Thank you all so much!

First, to address the asking about the head unit.... yes, that is what we are looking for, right now. I would rather the neighbors NOT totally hate me, as their windows rattle from a subwoofer //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Second, wiring ANYTHING to me is NOT a fun project. I would rather go to the dentist. I am about as mechanically DISINCLINED as one human can possibly be. I was thinking of going professional with the job just so it doesn't look lousy for resale value of the truck later on. If not BB, is there some group/ business that you can suggest who would be a good fit? I truly don't want to screw anything up, and I probably will.

Negolein, thanks so much for the idea of looking at Crutchfield and finding out what is needed. I know at Best Buy, they said that he needed a harness and a Double Din Dash Kit. I was just curious if that were all or?? I know that when I looked at the dash kit on Amazon, it was about $13, but BB wanted $45. That is a pretty huge difference.

Keep_Hope_Alive, thanks so much for the photo. That helps SO MUCH. Also, great beard.

Finally, mylows10, BEAUTIFUL Pitties! I want nothing more than to give them belly rubs and Greenies!

Thanks again for all your help. You are awesome!!

 

[negolien]

Yeah dash kit and a harness adaptor crutchfield does throw the dash kits in for free along with mastersheets. I' am like you though I don't do installs myself though I used to. Easier for me to pay someone tired if living life upside down under a dash.

 

[Jepalan]

My perspective & opinion...

IF you are budget is limited, then worry about the head unit later. When my son was 16 he complained about the bass in the factory system of his 2006 Civic. We decided to put in a self-powered sub to get him started. (We went with a Sound Ordinance kit from Crutchfield).

I made him save up for half the price and I paid half as a gift. Together we ran the power and ground wires and installed a basic LOC for the sub signal. By having some skin in the game, he has not abused the sub and is very happy with it. He also learned a lot about car electrical in the process.

I'm sure he will want to upgrade soon enough, and we will talk about priorities (new HU, new speakers & amp, better sub) versus budget.

If your son wants some more bass, then put in a sub and upgrade everything else later. I do not understand why you would buy a headunit first if he wants bass.

 

[NiPickle]

I was looking at the Crutchfield prices, and they are a bit stiff. Also, they have limited choices~ he doesn't need a GPS or a DVD player.

I am guessing I will buy from Amazon and get the suggested pieces as well. On the dash kit, does the kit fit the vehicle or does it fit the vehicle AND the head unit?

 

[NiPickle]

Thanks, Jepalan. I guess we were headed that direction because that is what the sales clerk told us to do, AND because I really don't want him rattling windows.

The clerk said that if your stereo bass is poor, that a sub isn't going to help too terribly much. Not true??

 

[big scott]

not true...

because you dont power the sub with your h/u . you have to get an amp to power it.

 

[NiPickle]

OK, so let's play a great new game. I have described what we are looking to do, and am willing to spend $200.

Who can find me the best equipment for the best price, including what is needed for installation? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

Any help is GREATLY appreciated. I can help you buy a house, and navigate financing, legal ramifications, and all the pitfalls of home ownership, but this? I got nothing.

Thanks //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif