OEM Audio Plus

[JGalp]

Hey guys,

Just bought a 15" brz limited and man, stock from the factory that sound system sucks!!

first thing i did was change the EQ settings to the recommendation of another forum member on here and it made a big difference. To me, the actual sound from the speakers sound fine, (I'm not picky) but it really lacks bass.

I stumbled ac ross OEM audio plus which has great reviews, but can someone tell me what the base kit really has that makes it so special?? i mean what brand is the speakers and sub/amp? it doesn't make sense to me that a sub, custom box, amp and i think it just replaces the front tweeters? cost 1200 bucks..

I called audio lab (in orange county, 5 star rated 200 review car stereo place and they can build me a system that replaces all 4 speakers, 10 in sub, amp and custom box (similar to the OEM Audio plus one, and he said a rough estimate would be between 600-1000 depending on the brand of the speakers sub and amp i choose. then they have a guy with a sound meter, i think its called a "scope" that will adjust the EQ s ettings to make it perfect. oh and also he will install a bass knob to wherever i wanna put it.


So i have a few questions,

1. If someone could break down what makes the OEM audio plus system so special (especially for those who have the system) and why i should choose it over building my own system that also replaces the speakers.

2. If i was to go off and build my own, what are the most important things to replace? I like the stock head unit so i don't know how i feel about switching that out.. does it make a big difference? and obviously i am going to get a sub and 5 channel amp (probably conservative sized i don't want the bass to be rattling my windshield and trunk) but i heard some people on the forums say the speakers are fine and to just replace the front tweeters? Any advice on these things would be awesome

3. Lastly is there anything specific to the brz that i should know and relay to an installer that they may not know about the car?

Again i really appreciate this guys. Thanks!

[mjs]

I've had this system since June of 2013 and am very satisfied. It is definitely a well balanced system. Just enough bass but not so much that people will give you odd looks at stop lights.

1. A definite portion of the cost is the custom sub box that is specifically molded to the rear corner of the trunk. You're also paying for a system that specifically works with your stock headunit. And also everything you need to install the system comes in the box (minus door panel removal tools but those are only a couple bucks on Amazon).

2. Like previously stated, this system is built for your stock headunit. The speakers that come from the factory are definitely well built but the stock amp is what really lacks. The OEM Audio Plus system will include 2 new tweeters for the front dash, a sub which already has two new amps preinstalled (one for the sub and one for the speakers), a nicely wrapped wire harness with all of your needed connectors and a detailed installation guide.

3. Honestly, I wouldn't pay someone to install this. Its actually quite easy to install. You just need to set aside a few hours. I've honestly never taken car panels off from a car interior and never done an install job this big and I thought it was easy. The included instructions are very clear. Also, there are tons of videos posted both by OEM Audio Plus and consumers showing the install process. Check those out and that might help sway you to this system.

If you have any other questions feel free to ask.

[JGalp]

Aw som! Thanks bro I appreciat that

[Timmy_Jones]

Originally Posted by JGalp

Aw som! Thanks bro I appreciat that

The Audio Plus system will certainly help you save some time on the install, but some of the cost of that kit is the tremendous R&D they put into making the install easy...it really is your call on whether or not you want a pro, to make their own custom setup for you.

My concerns would be making sure you don't add too much weight to the car and that you retain the stock look of the vehicle.

The rest is up to you.

[teamturbo]

I purchased the Reference series. If you're going with the OEM+ system, you might as well spend the little extra for the speakers.

The sound system is good and a clean install. Although the system came with instructions on installation, I decided I would not attempt to install it myself. I took it to a Toyota dealer and spoke to one of their techs who does audio installs and those sorts of upgrades. I took him about 2.5 hrs to install and $120 in costs. Sure beats the headache of something going wrong

I can tell you after the Reference series was installed, the audio tech was really, really impressed with the quality of the sound and the assembly of the system. We sat inside my car bumping music for about 15 minutes. He said it rivals systems that cost $3K.

If you do purchase it, I doubt you'd regret it.

[JGalp]

Originally Posted by teamturbo

I purchased the Reference series. If you're going with the OEM+ system, you might as well spend the little extra for the speakers.

The sound system is good and a clean install. Although the system came with instructions on installation, I decided I would not attempt to install it myself. I took it to a Toyota dealer and spoke to one of their techs who does audio installs and those sorts of upgrades. I took him about 2.5 hrs to install and $120 in costs. Sure beats the headache of something going wrong

I can tell you after the Reference series was installed, the audio tech was really, really impressed with the quality of the sound and the assembly of the system. We sat inside my car bumping music for about 15 minutes. He said it rivals systems that cost $3K.

If you do purchase it, I doubt you'd regret it.

really? i wonder why its so good..i mean the shop i was talking to said they would make me a custom everything..replace all speakers, custom box, amp and 10 in sub and then scope it to mke sure it all went together well..for cheaper than the oem + which is mainly just tweeters amp and sub..wish i knew what brand the oem audio + uses. does anyone know?

[fz6r]

Originally Posted by JGalp

really? i wonder why its so good..i mean the shop i was talking to said they would make me a custom everything..replace all speakers, custom box, amp and 10 in sub and then scope it to mke sure it all went together well..for cheaper than the oem + which is mainly just tweeters amp and sub..wish i knew what brand the oem audio + uses. does anyone know?

The basic concept of OEM Audio +, is that it retains the OEM look and you don't have to cut into anything. The regular system maintains your OEM door speakers. It just replaces the amp and tuning of the door speakers to have a bit more clarity.

I'm a big audiophile... I can tell you that the OEM audio plus system sounds amazing. However, the 8 inch sub isn't enough for me (previous vehicle was a VW GTI with a XXX RE 12 inch sub), so I went the custom build route. It really depends on what you want overall. If you're fine with crisp, but somewhat low bass, the OEM Audio + system will be perfect. If you are someone who has a bit of a need for more bass, go with the custom build.

The biggest thing with OEM Audio +, is that you won't have to worry about any backlash from a dealer should anything go wrong with the wiring of the car.... With a custom build of door speakers, etc... They can potentially blame your aftermarket wiring on the issue and make you put up a fight to get anything done.

[gramicci101]

The OEM Audio + system comes with a DSP that is tuned specifically for this car, our head unit, and our speakers. That's why it costs more than just throwing some speakers in the car and a sub in the trunk.

Originally Posted by fz6r

(previous vehicle was a VW GTI with a XXX RE 12 inch sub)

GOD DAMN.

[fz6r]

Originally Posted by gramicci101

The OEM Audio + system comes with a DSP that is tuned specifically for this car, our head unit, and our speakers. That's why it costs more than just throwing some speakers in the car and a sub in the trunk.



GOD DAMN.

Haha, it was a beast of a sub. I didn't put it in the FRS, as it wouldn't fit. But, this time around, I have a JL Audio W6V3 custom built into the spare-well. It's pretty loud, so I keep the bass down a bit.

[gramicci101]

Originally Posted by fz6r

Haha, it was a beast of a sub. I didn't put it in the FRS, as it wouldn't fit. But, this time around, I have a JL Audio W6V3 custom built into the spare-well. It's pretty loud, so I keep the bass down a bit.

I know people that use RE XXX's in their home theaters. Granted, they go for the 18's, but it's interesting to listen a sub that has no real excursion limits. I would never have thought to put one of those monsters in a car.

I'm going small for my BRZ. A Kicker low profile 8" on the side of the passenger footwell powered by their 200w motorcycle amp. I've got all the equipment, just need to start laying fiberglass.

[fz6r]

Originally Posted by gramicci101

I know people that use RE XXX's in their home theaters. Granted, they go for the 18's, but it's interesting to listen a sub that has no real excursion limits. I would never have thought to put one of those monsters in a car.

I'm going small for my BRZ. A Kicker low profile 8" on the side of the passenger footwell powered by their 200w motorcycle amp. I've got all the equipment, just need to start laying fiberglass.

Yea.....My GTI definitely took a pounding from that thing. Girls would sit in my car and freak out when the bass hit. I think keeping it simple is best. I like really deep bass, so I went with the JLW6. It's deep, crisp, and can be loud if wanted, but it's very quality. Going with an 8 inch sub is smart though. You will definitely hear all of the notes that you lose with a bigger sub.

[gramicci101]

My only problem is that I have a thing against the sub being in the trunk. I want it to be in the cabin, because I don't want my trunk to rattle and I don't want the sound muddied as it comes through the back seat. So it's either going on the side of the footwell or it's going in one of the back seat side panels. The footwell is easier to get to.

[fz6r]

My trunk rattles. I need to get some sound deadening pretty soon. But the sound doesn't muddle at all. Footwell sounds like a good choice.

[Tmo]

Originally Posted by gramicci101

My only problem is that I have a thing against the sub being in the trunk. I want it to be in the cabin, because I don't want my trunk to rattle and I don't want the sound muddied as it comes through the back seat. So it's either going on the side of the footwell or it's going in one of the back seat side panels. The footwell is easier to get to.

If you are inclined to do some custom work, the back seat side panels appear to be big enough to support a sub where those little bitty speakers are. You'd have to do some cutting of course back there. I'm not sure how many people you normally but in the back seat, I guess that depends on how many people you drive around that are missing legs sooooooo, what about just taking those seats out and, putting some sound deadening down, then some carpet (or something similar) to make it look nice, lay some fiber glass and have the subs where the seats were? just food for thought. Too much work for me but I hate having the sub in the trunk also.