[Thomas from Kailua]

Aloha! Thomas from Kailua here with a 06 blue Ridgeline that is getting a new stereo with Nav. I have picked out a JVC KW-7000BT which is sweet and has all of the new stuff I want! I just hope it is really compatible with my iphone!

I need help knowing what I need to get before I have an installer do the dirty work. My truck has a sub woofer but I was told it will need an amp to run.

1. Should I replace the factory sub woofer or is the factory unit OK?
2. Do I need new speakers or keep the factory speakers?
3. How big of an amp do I need and which one should I get?
4. Do I need a special kit or adapter to install the head unit, and do I need an adapter to get the buttons on the steering wheel to work?

I know its a lot to ask but you are the pros! Please help me figure out which combo is best. Best meaning reasonable priced vs performance. If I do this right maybe you will hear my Hawaiian music playing from your house! Oh yea my reception is pretty bad..any recommendations on an antenna?
Thanks a lot or as we like to say Mahalo!
Thomas in Kailua

 

[hofffam]

Aloha! Thomas from Kailua here with a 06 blue Ridgeline that is getting a new stereo with Nav. I have picked out a JVC KW-7000BT which is sweet and has all of the new stuff I want! I just hope it is really compatible with my iphone!

I need help knowing what I need to get before I have an installer do the dirty work. My truck has a sub woofer but I was told it will need an amp to run.

1. Should I replace the factory sub woofer or is the factory unit OK?
2. Do I need new speakers or keep the factory speakers?
3. How big of an amp do I need and which one should I get?
4. Do I need a special kit or adapter to install the head unit, and do I need an adapter to get the buttons on the steering wheel to work?

I know its a lot to ask but you are the pros! Please help me figure out which combo is best. Best meaning reasonable priced vs performance. If I do this right maybe you will hear my Hawaiian music playing from your house! Oh yea my reception is pretty bad..any recommendations on an antenna?
Thanks a lot or as we like to say Mahalo!
Thomas in Kailua

Some of the answers to your questions depend on your budget and your priorities.

I think most here believe you SHOULD replace the door speakers, especially the front ones since they are the ones you hear most. Many here seem to like Infinity coaxes because they fit well and sound much better than factory. I prefer a component style of speaker but that is more work and more money.

Replacing the factory sub is not as easy a choice. If you don't mind a box under the seat - you can easily upgrade the bass with a single 10 inch woofer (or more). Replacing the sub behind the seat is more difficult. You have very few choices on replacement boxes because of the small space. Search here for factory subwoofer and you will find lots of info.

The factory sub is not as awful as some think - I think most of the bad sound of the factory system is the poor door speakers and the overall poor design by Honda. A good amplifier, and some careful filtering can clean up the sound. But if you want more volume you will need to replace the factory sub.

 

[Thomas from Kailua]

Thanks for the help Hoffman! I have budgeted up to $1,500 including installation. The JVC unit is about $800 on the net. I will replace the door speakers. I have young kids and don't usually blast the stereo, but I am known to do so when I am alone! With that in mind...

1. What type & power amp should I get?
2. What size door speakers?
3. Would a new amp blow out the factory sub?

I need specifics and advice so I can order it online.

Max volume is OK. I want clean sound and would like to be able to turn it up a bit - say to 12.
BTW how do I get my hands on one of those Ridgeline cubby cover doors! I sent the guy who makes them a message and am waiting to hear back. They are the coolest things I have ever seen! Thanks for your help, time, and advice!
Thomas in Kailua

 

[hofffam]

I would buy something like a 4 x 50 W amp to power your door speakers. A 100-150W amp is more than plenty if you want to use the factory sub - and still powerful enough if you replace the factory sub later. You might even find a good 5 channel amp to power everything.

I have generally liked Alpine amplifiers but there are many good brands. Avoid bargain brands like Pyramid.

The door speakers are 6 or 6 1/2 inch. But the door cutout is an odd shape and neither large magnets or nor wide frames will fit. Spacers are typically used to pull the speaker frame away from the door to create more room for the speaker frame.

You can retain steering wheel controls if your JVC can work with a PAC controller.

 

[jamiestud035]

Alpine has an inexpensive 4 channel amp that will push 40 watts to each speaker. Pretty good for the price. When i first had my truck i got a 100watt amp to push the factory sub and i was suprised, it didnt sound too bad.
If you want an inexpensive sub/amp i would check out the infinity basslink 1. It fits perfectly under the rear seat will give you a little more than the factory sub, or you could get the basslink and still use the factory sub if your not going to remove the factory sub, might as well use it.
As far as the speakers go that is tough because there are so many different brands and everyones ears are different. I like infinity because their 6.5 inch speakers come in 2ohm loads instead of 4, i can explain why this matters if you like, Also they are'nt expensive. The infinity door speakers dont supply much bass but that isnt an issue if you have a sub.
I have installed several of the PAC steering wheel adapter controls and none have ever seemed to work correctly, plus they are a pain to install. If someone has a positive story on that i would love to hear it.
Ass for accessories for install you will need a kit, harness, antenna adapter for the stereo. Several other wires are needed if you do an amp. Hope this helps

Jamie

 

[Thomas from Kailua]

Thanks for help Jamie! I have done a lot of internet product searching, saw some interesting install stuff on and got some of the best product info from cruchfield's site. They were good at matching equipment and explained to me the difference between 2ohm & 4ohm loads. Sonic Electronix seems to have the cheapest price.

Fathers day is fast approaching and this is what I have come up with far.

1. JVC KW-NX7000BT - DOUBLE DIN HEAD UNIT
2. INFINITY REFERENCE 5350A - AMP
3. 4-ALPINE SPS-600C SPEAKERS
4. BAZOOKA BT8024DVC - SUB

I'll also get a pac swi-jack for the steering wheel controls, head unit & speaker adapter kits, and a rear license plate camera. The infinity basslink 1 was a good tip that I will check out!

My biggest dilemma is ......do try to I install it and risk screwing it up or pay someone. The dash, door speaker removal, and back up camera jobs seem straight forward and there are videos on youtube with tips. Putting in an amp and sub requires running new speaker wire paths. I am also worried about balancing the sound correctly.

Most internet stereo sites sell install "credit" cards that you can use at local stores for stereo installation. Using their numbers, I should spend around $400 to 500 bucks on professional installation. That seems like a ton of money! I guess its a matter of how much peace of mind is worth! Any thoughts?

 

[jamiestud035]

Installing an amp for the first time will take a while and can be a little scary. The only real scary part is drilling a hole through the firewall for the power wire. Also if you run some wires incorrectly you could get noise from a 4 channel amp. This noise problem could be expensive to fix if you then decide to take it to a shop.
You dont have to worry about this issue when installing a sub because it is only low frequency.
My advice... install your own headunit, and door speakers. That is easy. I have seen horrible installs from people that didnt know what they were doing installing a 4 channel amp. If you decide to install the amp yourself i can give you some helpful tips.

thanks

 

[Thomas from Kailua]

Thanks for all of the input! I installed a Kenwood double din system with navigation, bluetooth, back up camera etc. The JVC unit I wanted wasn't totally compatible with iphone so I went with Kenwood. Also included was a amp for the doors powering new alpine speakers and a amp for the sub (kept the factory sub). The system sounds great! Alooooooha!