Oem audio vs aftermarket ?
 

Ok so I've read all the great reviews of OEM audio system, but I am wondering if a cheaper option would be just as good. I was thinking of adding some sound deadening in the doors, something like the second skin door kit, and add a good 10" powered sub. For the sub I was thinking the JL Audio PWM110-JXWXv2. I would do all the install myself. Would this option be just as good for a cheaper price? Or is the Oem audio system just that good?

Any help is appreciated.

I've got the OEM Audio+ reference system, and have the doors/quarterpanels/trunk sound-deadened. The sound deadener DOES help with the doors quite a bit. If you're planning to keep the stock head unit, and also planning to sell your BRZ down the road then i'd recommend the OEM+ system. The quality is great, and is several steps up from the stock system (especially in tweeters and volume potential). If you are moving to aftermarket stereo then a custom install is much easier.

Do you like how the stock system sounds now? If so, you may be happier with just a sub. If you're not impressed, then go with the OEM+. You can always resell down the line and make back most of your money.

I see why people would be drawn to the OEM Audio, but its not a particularly good value. If you want the best bang for your buck, building your own system will yield far greater results.

I agree that the OEM+ system isn't the best bang for the buck, but in a car like ours I don't think that you can achieve 'far greater results' for the money. The car is too noisy, even with proper sound deadening, and the OEM+ system already breaks you into the high-end of where this car can go. For $1500, it is hard to beat.

Now with that being said, a custom setup would allow much more tweeking of sound to personal preference. And this can be a big deal!

I spent half of what an OEM Audio setup costs and it sounds better.

Yeah I'm gonna have to disagree with OEMAudio not being the best bang for the buck. Have you heard it? I just installed mine yesterday, and it is seriously good. Just adding the sub to your car with speakers won't give the blend of lows, mids and highs that OEMAudio gets. I can hear everything, including vocals, clearly. Also, the signal going to your amp then to your speakers will ruin sound if the signal from your head unit to amp(s) isn't of good quality. OEM isn't just speakers and an amp, signal is modified before amplified then crossed over so that each speaker isn't reproducing frequencies it is unable to do. You could make your car better than it is for less money than OEM, but you honestly cannot make it as good for the same money. I have modified many sound systems over the last 30 years, even completely changed some out, this OEM system is impressive and well thought out. The speakers are very pretty carbon fiber to look at too before installation. Now my car looks totally stock except for the space saving sub enclosure, but seriously rocks. And, it can get loud enough to be nearly painful.

A proper DSP processor alone runs $500 minimum.

You guys are missing the point...

I never said the OEM Audio wasn't good, I've heard it, its great! BUT, the OPs question was in regard to value, and if you know what you are doing you can achieve as good or better sound for less.

I have that sub. It fits in the space really well, and looks great. it performs pretty well, although at lower volumes it disappears a little bit. I am getting much better results out of it using the AVH-4100NEX then I did with the stock head unit, mostly due to getting better control over the crossovers. I recommend not using the bass boost at all, or very very sparingly. I got much better results with that unit when I turned the bass boost off and upped the gain correctly using a DMM.

Incidentally, I have on many occasions considered upgrading to the JL stealthbox, and am still toying with the idea from time to time.
I have a for sale thread in the classified section for my PWM110-JXWXv2

All I did was swap the dash speakers to something that sounded more clear, and then I wired in an 8" small enclosure (1/2 cubic foot kicker setup) with a 120w alpine amp. Takes up the space of a large shoebox - i still have use of most of my trunk - and sounds great. Plenty of boom without bothering those around you.

Plus, the small size and power of the sub doesn't overpower the (mostly) factory system in the rest of the car, and doesn't take up much space. The best part is that once you can remove the bass from the normal speakers and let the sub do it's job, all it takes is a bit better cones up front for clarity and the car sounds pretty good for not a whole lot of money invested.

OP, wanted to provide one more thought:

The OEM headunit has an internal EQ that is set to accommodate the stock speakers and their acoustic properties. This means that simply dropping in different speakers (while changing nothing else) can lead to undesirable results. The best method (the one that yields the greatest quality) involves having an external processor that can take the signal from the head unit and flatten the EQ before sending to your amplifier to power the speakers.

It would be nice if the stock headunit spit out a flat signal, but this simply is not the case.

If you're just adding a sub you will be fine -- and depending on your musical ear you may not notice a simple swap in speakers (if you choose to do that), but I thought i'd throw it out there.

back before I did full after market I did the ktp-445u install with kappa 62.11i in the doors.. that's noticeable.. it will also drown the entire rest of the system out but it still sounds pretty alright, and is dead simple to do.

Value of something will be different for each individual. I'm not a huge audiophile type, so throwing around specs on this brand sub or that brand amp is lost on me very quickly. So for me the value in buying the OEM Audio setup was in that they have already done all the R&D work. I dont know one amp from the next, or one sub from the next, so by taking all that guess work out of it they've saved me time, money , and a few headaches. The amp they supply works with the OE head unit, and the sub fits extremely well in the space allowed - gives me enough room to still fit a full size road bike back there. All the parts work well together, and compared to the stock system they are a VAST improvement. Will you throw down the $$$ for OEMAudio+ and go out and start winning sound competitions.....no, probably not. Will you have clear crisp sound and nice deep bass that will make you smile....yup.

If your an audiophile type thats obsessed with how one amp vs another makes the highs sound or needs your neighbors to hear the bass from your twin 20" sub setup that takes up the entirety of the trunk and part of the passenger seat...then the OEM+ setup might not be for you. For the record...my neighbors say they can hear me coming home or going to work just fine (thankfully my neighbors are cool with my tunes twice a day lol)

So theres my take on its value...if you just want an upgrade but dont want to guess around or try this or see if that fits....its very worth it. If you have a very specific idea of sound or want something that shakes fillings loose...have fun!!!

* should note I have the basic OEM+ setup, not the top of the line....and its more than adequate for my tastes.

To specify more I think the stock sound system really doesn't sound bad. My previous car was a BMW with premium stock sound system and I really would just like to have a little more good sounding bass and get rid of the the door rattling bass with some sound deadening. I think once the deadening goes in the door speakers will sound a little better too. This option probably wont sound as good as the oem audio system but I think for me it will be good enough for a lot less money. Thanks for the help btw.