Intro, Selection and Build

Hello everyone! I picked up a 19’ one owner pro about 6 weeks ago after being in a 100 series LC for the past 5 years. Have never had a truck and the time was right, market hadn’t cooled off completely for LC’s and got a pretty good deal on the tundra. However I’ll probably be picking up an 80 series in the next year or two for wheeling duty. Obligatory photos.
I can’t help my self so a few subtle changes have already been taken care of, things that the wife won’t notice. Once paid off and the kids are out of daycare my wife’s 5th gen gets a lift and tires and then I will be back to suspension upgrades etc. For now she doesn’t need to know what lives behind panels and under seats.

Current upgrades:
Coach-builder 1” shim & +2 Shackle
285/75r17 Toyo AT3

Audio: Proposed (listen to pretty much everything, 80’s rock, talk radio, EDM, Grunge, Rap etc.)

Headunit:
Sony 9500es from TGP (Purchased)

Front Stage:
BLAM 165RS
Morel Maximo Ultras
Audio Frog, GS25 + GS90 (can is cross these over without passive crossovers using an amp?)

Rear:
Matching Coax for the above

Amp:
Kenwood Excelon 800-5
Helix -M Four + mono

Subwoofer:
Tech12 box and 2 jlw0

Looking to do a quality, budget build. Meaning, I am not going to be spending $1500 on a JL VX amp and full active with dsp. etc, understand you can rabbit hole this but would like to keep prices reasonable and the system overall relatively simple.

Would like some feedback on the components listed and anything else that I may be over looking. Should note doors will be deadened as well as floors and back wall. Will also do MLV on the floor.

Thanks!

 

My trucks current….

Kenwood headunit..
Audio Frog widebands in the dash
Steg components in all doors
Arc Audio 10s in a JRT ported enclosure
Everything currently running off an Arc KS900.6 but will be changing to either multiple KS series amps or Multiple Helix amps(I have several of both)
currently sounds great and loud enough to make most people uncomfortable at 1/2-3/4 volume. I just want to see how much more it has in it…..

 

My equipment list
Jvc kwz1000. I thought about the Sony. Probably not a lot of difference between the two

speakers 3 way up front
Mk25 tweeters in the sail panel
M3 carbon midrange in the dash
Tm65 in the front doors

I am not using any rear speakers. No one rides back there and what I have upfront can get stupid loud if I want . So I did not spend the cost for rear doors

the stereo integrity speakers are great for what they cost
They have a big sale currently, I might pick up a 2nd set just to have for later

I am running 6 channels of amplifier power
Sony xmgs4. Tweeter and 3.5 inch
Sony xmGs4 kids in the door
Sony xmgs100. Sub amp
Side note on the Sony gs series.
I have used Phoenix gold, Linear power, alpine, pioneeer premier, Rockford fosgate, us acoustics , ct sounds
I like the Sony’s they are dead quiet, no turn on turn off issues,

two Rockford Fosgate 8’s behind the rear seat

controlling everything with a zapco z8 dsp


To answer your questions on the gear you asked about
Blam,audiofrog, Morel. I have not personally listened them but of those 3 lines you won’t know till you get them in the truck.

There have been reviews on the kenwood 800-5 amp is good to go

Helix builds good equipment so the amp is fine.


You are picking out good gear. I would probably go a different option on the amps to cut come cost.

send me a pm. I will go over my install, the issues I ran into, things I would do different,

 

do you feel like you lost any staging in eliminating the rear door components? I’ve considered either doing the same OR making making in door enclosures and doing 8” mid bass in the rear doors.

 

I feel not having the rear door speakers helps the overall sound quality. With correct time alignment it feels and sounds even the subs are upfront.

The only change I will make in my overall system is I will upgrade to the Gatley audio seat brackets and change the sub enclosure at some point. The Rockford Fosgate 8's I have work fine and work well enough to not make me want to change today, but at some point, I may change it out. If I was starting from scratch, I would 100% go the Gatley option.

Shallow mount subs, low power subs, low excursion subs, will never get as loud or as low as a Standard size sub setup. It takes air space and power to get bass. The Gately seat brackets will allow a much larger enclosure to fit behind the rear seat of the CrewMax.

 

I’ve considered making a set of seat relocation brackets…. Welding and fab is a big part of what I’ve done for 35 years. Making a set would be easy.

the Arc Audio 10s are impressive enough that it makes it hard to worry about it to much. Very much in line with old school sq subs I ran in the 90s. Very musical across a broad range. Though there are several subs I’d like to try just to see.

maybe before I rip the 900.6 out I’ll play with disconnecting the rear doors and maybe bridge the channels a push that power to the subs.

 

Lucky I think you should make some. Make 2 sets in case you do. I would like to have some with even more space than the Gatley option has. I would like to be able to get something with 10 inches mounting depth and have around 2 inches left over to put grills on the sub. An American Bass XR 12 would be fun.

 

I appreciate the detailed response! I’ll have to check out Stereo Integrity. I noticed you are running 3 way up front, how do you feel the staging is with the tweeter in the sail panel and mods in the dash? I think ultimately I am going to need to go with a DSP, understand the basics but scares me a little bit on the programming end. May take you up on that as I am sure I’ll have some questions.

Also, changed the amps up a little bit and I ended up with some Audison sr series. Next need to figure out speakers and possibly processing.

 

I am very intrigued in the Af wide bands. How are you powering your front stage? DSP?

 

Welcome from NY.

 

To run a 3way upfront I feel unless you get real lucky a DSP is going to be needed.

If you stick with a 2 way you probably do not need a DSP. The Sony 9500es has plenty of adjustments to do what will be needed.
It can control time alignment for each speaker in a 2 way,
It also appears that the parametric EQ can adjust each speaker separate from the others.
The 9500es has a lot of the same controls as a DSP.



If the goal is to get much better sound than the factory radio and keep cost down.

I would probably do a 6.5 in the front doors. A set of wideband in the factory dash locations.
A single subwoofer behind the rear seat.
You could do this setup with a single 5 channel amplifier.
A 2way setup in the front can get plenty loud and sound good doing it.

Audiofrog gs series, CDT audio, Stereo integrity, there are a lot of options for a 2way wide band speaker setup.

 

Hopefully I will have some time here soon to devote to the build seeing as work will slow down a little bit and were getting close to the holiday season being over. I've spent a decent amount of time researching and I think i have a final direction on the build and some changes from my initial thoughts.

Here is what is done so far and components purchased.

Sound Deadening - Floor, Back Wall, Front doors all have a combined 120sqft of deadener + a layer of CSF.

Front Stage:
Audio Frog: GS25
Audio Frog: GB10OE (Deal to good to pass up, installed in JBL sails)
Audio Frog: GS690

Rear Fill:
?

Amps:
(2) - Audison SR 4.300
(1) - Audison SR 1.500

Processing: Still trying to decide what to do here. Either JL TWK 88 or a Helix Variant

All wiring is ran into the cab. 1/0 main run which will go into a fused distro block then 4awg from there.

Still need to deaden the rear doors. Build and amp rack and pull wire for the dash speakers and tweeters.

For now i will run the 9500es in active mode and jus use the GS25/GS690. I am a super impatient person so the additional 4 channel and processor will probably be added in the next month or two with the final piece being the JL stealth box for the CM. However, trying to figure out if that set up is worth it $$$$

I will say, if you are on the fence about headunits that 9500es is pretty awesome! No, not as feature rich as the Kenwood's or Alpines but I think it looks awesome, performs awesome and fits the overall feel of a Toyota vehicle, just what you need, reliable and no frills. So far off of deck power everything gets loud, clear and full sounding even at higher volumes.

 

I would start with just the sony 9500

And run an active 2 way up front.
No rear fill.

If you get the sound you want with just that no need to run a 3 way or a dsp.

 

If I was going to spend the money on the JL box I would look at the gately audio option if I wanted max output and options on subs.

This will probably be my only upgrade to my system in the future.

 

So, have been braving the cold here in Colorado over the past week or so to get Amps mounted and Speakers buttoned up. This has somewhat snowballed and my wife asked me how much I have spent, of course i played stupid.

New Layout:
Head Unit: Sony 9500ES
Active Front 3-Way
Tweeter: Audio Frog GB10 (JBL/Platinum Sail Panel)
Mid-Range: Audio Frog GS25
Mid-bass: Audio Frog GS
Rear Fill: Morel Maximo Ultra - Coaxial (Need to install)
Speaker Amp: JL VX800/8I + DRC 205 + VXI-BTC module
Sub Amp: Audison SR 1.500
Subs: TBD, still leaning towards to the JL stealthbox but also entertaining building my own box

For the most part i am wrapped up with all of the small details, tons of Tessa Tape, Sound Deadening, CSF and heat shrink. I did end up buying the TT - 6x9 Adapters but custom made an Amp rack.

Overall impressions with a fairly quick tune is awesome, very real sounding, accurate, powerful midbass, TA is easily set. Excited to see what it sounds like with a sub. Also, based on where I get with the tune i may spring for a JL Max tune...we'll see.

 

Super happy with how the amp rack turned out. Spaced out enough to allow air flow and keep all excess wiring underneath the mounting plate. I can grab pictures with the seat installed if anyone wants.

 

Looks good so far

 

Wrapping up some last final details. My JRT box and 2 10w3v3’s should be in transit any day now. Didn’t have enough room for the RD 1000/1 so I cut the amp rack down and pulled the Audison SR to use in my wife’s 4Runner. May cover the RD beauty panel with vinyl or something but so far I’m digging the way it came out. Utilized the ESP center tray to house the sub amp. Also added a set of Morel Maximo ultra coax’s for rear fill.