i just ordered my truck on saturday. eventually i want to install an upgraded sound system. i did not order the audiophile option but now i am second guessing myself. if i get the audiophile system, will it be easier to install new amps and subs? can i just unplug the old ones and plug the new ones in? basically, does the audiophile system get rid of the necessity of ripping up the interior of my truck to run speaker wire and such?
thanks
joe

 

I have the Audiophile system in my FX4, and I like it very much. From what I have read, the sub amp is 90 watts. I'm not sure what the driver size is. I think having that installed would make upgrading it much easier because the wiring/harness is already there. Provided the power requirements of what you upgrade to won't blow the fuse or melt the wiring, you should just need to tap into it.

 

Personally I would not order it. It just wouldn't be worth the money to me. Running wire is not too difficult, and that way you can make sure the wire is of proper size (like mentioned above). I'd say save the money to spend on aftermarket equipment.

 

thanks guys. i went back on wed. and got the audiophile. $291+taxes works out to less than 75cents a month over 48 months, so....
another question for you. i am new to this stereo stuff. never could be bothered to put a system in the beater i drive now. someone mentioned that the wiring might not be able to handle the power of a better amp. i want to keep the indash 6 disc cd player. so would it be possible to change just the amp and the sub and get much more bass? or is it limited by the h/u? and if i go this route of just changing the amp and sub, would i have to worry just about the wiring between the amp and the sub not being sufficient?
thanks
joe

 

The wiring setup on the audiophile option would not be sufficient to handle upgrading amps later down the road. It all consists of 14-16 gauge power leads, grounds etc. to the back. I was also unable to locate an adapter to tap off the lead going to the amp. I was told that cutting any of the plugs off will void the electrical side of your warranty such as if the car does not start down the road and they find cut wires, your paying for the repair. The wire harness does not use RCA plugs to conect to the amp but uses a standard OEM type plug.

The enclosure holds one 8" woofer and the amp is bolted to the box. If i had to guess, it soulds like around 40 watts RMS to the woofer. It sounds good but not real loud. You can't feel much bass but it does make some noise. In my case it got me by for 6 months then became bored with it. Not to mention in order to get any sort of bass response made the door speakers so loud they hurt your ears and would distort a little bit. I feel you can't beat it for the price even if you get bored with it later.

Now to the fun part of your question, You bet you can upgrade the sub and amp and still use the audiophile HU. You will need wire adapters between your HU and the trucks harness. Then either run the high outputs to your high input amp or run an LOC. I've got a Hifonics 1500 D and 2 10 subs under the back seat. Wound up running a 50x2 amp to the front speakers just to keep up with the bass and to improve imaging. The HU was close to keeping up, but not quite enough for the types of music I listen to. My system pounds now The main wires I would worry about would be the Power and grounds not being sufficient in the upgrade. An amp install kit would take care of all your problems. The biggest leap is drilling the hole in your firewall to run the power wire off your batt back to the amp.

Have fun with your new truck

 

thanks guys for all the info. that last post by sticker steve has my head spinning. i know not too much about all that stuff. but it will be at least another 8 weeks before my truck gets here and who knows how long after that before i get bored with the audiophile. but at least i now have an idea of what is possible and what isnt. and i am sure i will have more questions when the time comes for me to make some upgrades.
joe

 

bottom line. If you are planning on upgrading, dont spend the money on the audiophile system. It wont satisfy you long if you go with the audiophile. Save your money and do it right yourself (or with a custom installer) with the proper gauge wires, connections, grounds, etc. That way you'll know its done right.

If you want something that sounds 2x better than the traditional stock stereo and you DONT plan on upgrading, get the audiophile and enjoy.

Most people who upgrade regardless from stock or audiophile, always end up upgrading a little more over time.