stock speakers are actually pretty decent

[Yruyur]

Yes

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[tracerit]

i read in another thread as well that the stock speakers aren't too bad but it's the amp that sucks. if i only listen to music midway (vol level 30-35 in the BRZ), any point in getting an upgraded amp only? being an audio noob, i'm thinking the amp helps power up at the higher volumes.

[Zippy]

Originally Posted by tracerit

i read in another thread as well that the stock speakers aren't too bad but it's the amp that sucks. if i only listen to music midway (vol level 30-35 in the BRZ), any point in getting an upgraded amp only? being an audio noob, i'm thinking the amp helps power up at the higher volumes.

If you are planning on keeping the factory speakers, then I would suggest keeping the factory amp. The factory amp also powers the antenna on the roof of the vehicle. Some of the speakers are 2 ohms and difficult to work with after market on the amp end. The best bang for your buck if you keep the factory speakers is to add sound deadener to the doors and rear speaker locations. This will eliminate vibration from the doors/body and prevent reverberation from the speakers sound wave bouncing off the door/body and back to the speaker itself. There also is a sub out on the factory amp that you can run to a sub amp and hook up a JL Audio trunk sub kit to. If you add the sub, look at adding sound deadener to the trunk space as well to eliminate rattling.

[Redmist]

The factory door speakers are as light as a feather when you pull them out. They appear to use tiny, neodymium magnets which gives them reasonable power handling but sound quality goes out the window. They produce sound but it sure as hell isn't anything like the original recording. The OEM 400+ DSP may do a reasonable job of removing crazy anomalies but it's not accurate sound reproduction.

[Moto-P]

One of the primary reason that the Original head units for most manufacturers cost so much more is that these are made usually specific to the car, with calibrated EQ, and acoustic timing built in.

However, the biggest difference with OEM-grade headunits for most TOYOTA cars are that they are made with much higher tolerance and durability against shock, vibrations, heat, and use.
If you buy a 1990's Corolla, the chances are, the cassette player still works, and CD will still play well, and no amplifier issues are apparent. Take a car with an aftermarket low-end head unit from any of the big makes, and you're likely seeing many more units with broken buttons, dials, and dead LCDs, as well as mechanism and transports that are dead as well...

That's the difference really. However, because of the torture tests these units must go through, they are usually not the units to feature a lot of brand new technology in mechanical or engineering advancements...

The 2013 Base and Bespoke on the FR-S actually has a really nice audio drive signal in the amps, and the calibration is actually nice for a car in this class. There's no marketing tags and badges of Infinity or Bose here, just a good sound engineer at Pioneer, taking a lot of time in calibrating the speakers and head unit for nice decent sound.

[Moto-P]

Originally Posted by Redmist

The factory door speakers are as light as a feather when you pull them out. They appear to use tiny, neodymium magnets which gives them reasonable power handling but sound quality goes out the window. They produce sound but it sure as hell isn't anything like the original recording. The OEM 400+ DSP may do a reasonable job of removing crazy anomalies but it's not accurate sound reproduction.

Toyota 86 and Scion FRS's biggest difference, aside from the number of air-bags and badge, is the audio system. Since you seem to be in Australia, let me explain a bit.

Japanese, Continental, and Asia/Australian Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ all have 4 tiny dual-voice, single cone speakers, driven by a head unit of various varieties, all with very small amplifier even in the Limited package. This is true for all market Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ, except the USA models. This as you say indeed, does leave a lot to be desired for a car trying to appeal so much to a very niche audience. And you are correct in accusing them of the lack of sonic detail. However, the focus in these market cars, especially in Japan, was to keep every single gram of weight off the car for the singular purpose of it being a sports car. So there is some saving grace on the reasoning...

Now, the USA market took an entirely different approach in product planning for the FR-S content, that also transpires to the USA bound Subaru BRZ for the sake of production variables staying rather consistent.

The Scion FR-S, and USA-bound Subaru BRZ, all have a MUCH higher grade audio systems because Scion, as a brand wanted this to be one of the big selling point.
Thus the USA Scion FRS has a specifically made head unit, by Pioneer Audio, that has over twice the output to the front channels, and a separate amplifier at the rear driving door and rear side speakers.

There are 8 speakers in all USA cars, in base form.
All of which have twice as large magnets than Japan/Continental/European models, and are all polycarbonate/PET cone drivers.
In total there are crossed over 2 way component speakers up in the dash (1 tweeter pair, 1 high-mid pair) and single low-mid pair in the doors, and 1 pair of long-throw low-mids in the rear passenger's seat.

The audio experience in the Scion FR-S is quite drastically different from a Toyota 86 outside of the USA/Canada. North American cars have very eloquent and neat voice character, and speakers are much tighter in feel, since the cones distort much less in shape while pushing air, the result is a much better timed and punchier, tighter arrival of sounds to your ears. Since the head unit has pre-set DSP setup for iQ, FRS, and tC, each mode with timed staging for each speakers and cabin environment it is also tuned specific to each car, adding to the overall efficiency of the system using all reflective overlap of noise within the cabin space.

And all of this, BEFORE we add the OEM Audio+ Reference 400 system audio as dealer option. These options add yet another amplifier, and replacement 2 way separate component in the upper dash, a recalibrated DSP amplifier DSP unit tuned by Sandy Lirag, a former Boston Acoustics lead home/vehicle audio engineer, and a tuned closed 8" long throw carbon driver subwoofer. And because OEM AUDIO+ is a third-party external company outside of Toyota, catering to the dealerships in the USA, and owned in partnership with the engineer, Mr.Lirag, the audio system is not a high-volume, marketing entity-based hype, and is a truly fine-tuned system with a taste for accurate audio reproduction using, pricing, and calibrating to his own satisfaction and not the production board members...
IN the FR-S unit, it is truly matched to the Toyota 86 driving concept of "Built by passion, not by committee." But Mr.Tada has a point too, in leaving this out, for the few kgm it saves the car too

[Rayme]

The older you get the better they sound.

But seriously, they're the best STOCK speaker I ever had in a stock japanese car. Even my 350z's "Bose system" was complete crap compared to the stock FR-S speakers.

[acro]

Originally Posted by Moto-P

Toyota 86 and Scion FRS's biggest difference, aside from the number of air-bags and badge, is the audio system. Since you seem to be in Australia, let me explain a bit.

Japanese, Continental, and Asia/Australian Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ all have 4 tiny dual-voice, single cone speakers, driven by a head unit of various varieties, all with very small amplifier even in the Limited package. This is true for all market Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ, except the USA models. This as you say indeed, does leave a lot to be desired for a car trying to appeal so much to a very niche audience. And you are correct in accusing them of the lack of sonic detail. However, the focus in these market cars, especially in Japan, was to keep every single gram of weight off the car for the singular purpose of it being a sports car. So there is some saving grace on the reasoning...

Now, the USA market took an entirely different approach in product planning for the FR-S content, that also transpires to the USA bound Subaru BRZ for the sake of production variables staying rather consistent.

The Scion FR-S, and USA-bound Subaru BRZ, all have a MUCH higher grade audio systems because Scion, as a brand wanted this to be one of the big selling point.
Thus the USA Scion FRS has a specifically made head unit, by Pioneer Audio, that has over twice the output to the front channels, and a separate amplifier at the rear driving door and rear side speakers.

There are 8 speakers in all USA cars, in base form.
All of which have twice as large magnets than Japan/Continental/European models, and are all polycarbonate/PET cone drivers.
In total there are crossed over 2 way component speakers up in the dash (1 tweeter pair, 1 high-mid pair) and single low-mid pair in the doors, and 1 pair of long-throw low-mids in the rear passenger's seat.

The audio experience in the Scion FR-S is quite drastically different from a Toyota 86 outside of the USA/Canada. North American cars have very eloquent and neat voice character, and speakers are much tighter in feel, since the cones distort much less in shape while pushing air, the result is a much better timed and punchier, tighter arrival of sounds to your ears. Since the head unit has pre-set DSP setup for iQ, FRS, and tC, each mode with timed staging for each speakers and cabin environment it is also tuned specific to each car, adding to the overall efficiency of the system using all reflective overlap of noise within the cabin space.

And all of this, BEFORE we add the OEM Audio+ Reference 400 system audio as dealer option. These options add yet another amplifier, and replacement 2 way separate component in the upper dash, a recalibrated DSP amplifier DSP unit tuned by Sandy Lirag, a former Boston Acoustics lead home/vehicle audio engineer, and a tuned closed 8" long throw carbon driver subwoofer. And because OEM AUDIO+ is a third-party external company outside of Toyota, catering to the dealerships in the USA, and owned in partnership with the engineer, Mr.Lirag, the audio system is not a high-volume, marketing entity-based hype, and is a truly fine-tuned system with a taste for accurate audio reproduction using, pricing, and calibrating to his own satisfaction and not the production board members...
IN the FR-S unit, it is truly matched to the Toyota 86 driving concept of "Built by passion, not by committee." But Mr.Tada has a point too, in leaving this out, for the few kgm it saves the car too

I can confirm this the stock Japanese ft86 stereo is utter and complete rubbish.

OEMaudio here i come

[ZionsWrath]

I am not an audiophile and I feel the OEM system is good enough for most people. I am thinking about a simple small sub because when I turn it up to "I want the world to hear me and hate me" level it sounds kinda shitty. Also driving 70 with the windows down it could use a bit of help I think.

[Muskokan]

nothing but joy out of the pioneer unit in the Canadian BRZ, I installed the pioneer av 2500 series in my old car, and this feels like the upgraded version.

got 2 kickers in the front now, and i bought a new monoblock 3,000 amp ive yet to hook up. looking for a good 2x sub setup, as the 12's i have will not fit.

looking like its going to be 2 10' kicker l7's in a ported box, should be clean.

[ZionsWrath]

Originally Posted by Muskokan

nothing but joy out of the pioneer unit in the Canadian BRZ, I installed the pioneer av 2500 series in my old car, and this feels like the upgraded version.

got 2 kickers in the front now, and i bought a new monoblock 3,000 amp ive yet to hook up. looking for a good 2x sub setup, as the 12's i have will not fit.

looking like its going to be 2 10' kicker l7's in a ported box, should be clean.

forged sub?

mirin

[BlueDubbinTDI]

Uh what? This system sucks. I have the Dynaudio system from factory in my Golf and its like listening to music through cellphone speakers vs listening through Bose sound canceling headphones...

[cabasse]

Originally Posted by BlaineWasHere

I've already blown out three of the stock speakers. It's literally the worse I've ever had on a car.

Originally Posted by Lauren

The stock speakers are absolute crap IMO. Has anyone seen them out of the car? They weigh in at 191g!

That they make any mid range bass at all is frankly amazing. I ditched all my OEM stuff (I have a GT86 so touchscreen and 6 speakers. I replaced everything).

But, if you think the front speakers are bad, try fading to the utterly useless rears. I'm sure Toyota spec'd them just to say they have a 6 speaker system.

Originally Posted by cruzinbill

They use neo magnets which contribute to the light weight. I didn't reuse rears either. But IMO rears are only needed in large vehicles.

i think we got different speakers here in the states. after breaking mine in a bit, i'm actually pretty surprised at the quality. the (relatively large!) magnets on the door woofers have a bumped back plate to allow for extra excursion, all the cones are made of poly and have rubber surrounds. the woofers are powered by their own amp in the trunk to allow the dash unit to power the mids/tweets up front and the mids in the rear.





it would be wiser to add damping to the doors first before bothering to swap the speakers. i'd bet the OEM plus system redirects the bass from these woofers to the trunk sub to kill the rattle, but there are other ways of fixing it if you don't need more bass.

edit wow - moto-p hit every nail on the head - that's exactly what i was thinking and more.

[Rumbaar]

Yes, I was a little surprised when I took apart my rear boot looking for the OEM AMP and finding none. Now I have to think of a different option for mounting AMP and Sub in my car.