Fitting Aftermarket Stereo

[bestseany]

Just wondering if anyone has fitted an aftermarket single-DIN headunit to a mk2 Avensis? The CD player is broken on my Toyota one and I want to fit my Kenwood stereo to replace it.

I'm not sure how you remove the standard stereo though? And has anyone found a decent silver fascia adapter that matches well?

[Fridgemonkey]

Normally I would not recommend Halfords for anything but the audio guy at my local branch was helpful and knowledgeable (obviously misplaced!). When checking replacing my toyota radio/CD player for a propriety one, he was able to advise me on a fascia, a rear cluster fitting kit and a steering wheel adaptor kit if you need one. Yes the fascia is black but surely this would only matter if you were trying to re-sell your Avensis for a high price. In which case, you take out a mortgage and fit a Toyota replacement radio. (In the end I bought a Toyota radio second-hand through eBay.)

[bestseany]

It's just the black fascia that's concerning me, it'll look a bit rubbish next to the silver trim. I might not have a choice though really. Shame.

[theoilburner]

It's just the black fascia that's concerning me, it'll look a bit rubbish next to the silver trim. I might not have a choice though really. Shame.

I've done this with mine, and actually it's nowhere near as bad as you might imagine. The biggest problem is that the stereo display colours doesn't match the rest of the dash, the facia being matt black looks OK. Not great, but acceptable.

[bestseany]

It's just the black fascia that's concerning me, it'll look a bit rubbish next to the silver trim. I might not have a choice though really. Shame.

I've done this with mine, and actually it's nowhere near as bad as you might imagine. The biggest problem is that the stereo display colours doesn't match the rest of the dash, the facia being matt black looks OK. Not great, but acceptable.

Yeah, that's a point. I think my Kenwood has green or red illumination on the buttons (changeable). Have you got a picture of how it looks in yours?

[theoilburner]

Yeah, that's a point. I think my Kenwood has green or red illumination on the buttons (changeable). Have you got a picture of how it looks in yours?

Aha, I most certainly have:

http://picasaweb.google.com/TheOilburner/Misc#5528212254091932786

Sorry about the dusty dash and dirty carpets! :)

[andymcm]

http://picasaweb.google.com/TheOilburner/Misc#5528212254091932786

Sorry about the dusty dash and dirty carpets! :)

Thanks for the pics. How do you find the sound compares to the Toyota head unit?

[bestseany]

Yeah, that's a point. I think my Kenwood has green or red illumination on the buttons (changeable). Have you got a picture of how it looks in yours?

Aha, I most certainly have:

http://picasaweb.google.com/TheOilburner/Misc#5528212254091932786

Sorry about the dusty dash and dirty carpets! :)

Thanks for the pics. Looks good B) Will have to get myself a fascia for mine now.

[Wiilm]

How do you find the sound compares to the Toyota head unit?

My 04 model HU was rubbbish compared to the mid range aftermarket unit I put in.

[theoilburner]

Thanks for the pics. How do you find the sound compares to the Toyota head unit?

On a rating of 1..10: Standard stereo 2, upgraded HU with standard Speakers 7.

It could do with a little more mid range and the bass needs to be turned up to max to get a decent low freq output, but it's good enough for me.

The original HU seemed to have no bass at all and created a very flat tuneless sound in comparison.

[bestseany]

I fitted my Kenwood on the weekend and I'm quite happy with how it looks. It looks better with the black than I was expecting.

It does sound better now but the standard Speakers aren't brilliant. And one of my Speakers isn't working at all.

[theoilburner]

I fitted my Kenwood on the weekend and I'm quite happy with how it looks. It looks better with the black than I was expecting.

It does sound better now but the standard speakers aren't brilliant. And one of my speakers isn't working at all.

Excellent, looks pretty smart. Chances are if they don't sound so good and one isn't working, maybe they're on they way out anyway?

[bestseany]

Excellent, looks pretty smart. Chances are if they don't sound so good and one isn't working, maybe they're on they way out anyway?

Possibly, I have to turn the bass right down on the headunit or I get distortion and crackling from the Speakers. I tried turning on the low pass filter but it makes the sound too tinny as I don't have my sub in at the moment.

Any idea how difficult the Speakers are to change for aftermarket ones?

[theoilburner]

Possibly, I have to turn the bass right down on the headunit or I get distortion and crackling from the speakers. I tried turning on the low pass filter but it makes the sound too tinny as I don't have my sub in at the moment.

Any idea how difficult the speakers are to change for aftermarket ones?

I would say on mine that the bass is pretty clear, put something like the Prodigy on (forgive my 90s taste!) and it bumps along quite nicely, although lacking a little sub, but it's still pretty fair.

I'm a bit confused about the Speakers myself. I know you could fairly easily change the main 4 cones for standard 2-way units (probably 16-17cm?) but then you would have extra treble lower down the doors, plus the existing system must have some kind of built in crossover to split the sound to the tweeters, so I'm not sure how that would be affected?

I've seen component Speakers for sale, but they always seem to come with (expensive) crossover kits, which we obviously shouldn't need...

Ideally someone might sell a kit to straight swap all 8 Speakers to better quality units, but I've not seen anything like that.

[velanic]

hey guys i have fitted an aftermarket HU in my 06 t4 avensis but i get distorted sound sometimes. i was wondering if this could be because there is more power going into the Speakers than they can take. does anybody know what power the standard Speakers are.

the HU is 4 x 50w

[theoilburner]

hey guys i have fitted an aftermarket HU in my 06 t4 avensis but i get distorted sound sometimes. i was wondering if this could be because there is more power going into the speakers than they can take. does anybody know what power the standard speakers are.

the HU is 4 x 50w

No idea, but I'm guessing around the 35-40w mark. My 4x45w HU feels at the limit of what they can comfortably take.

[Lumpsack]

Just checking before I order - is this the thing you guys were buying (Linky) - also do I need any special kit to get the original out?

Ta

[Lumpsack]

Hmn, I contacted them and they just said it isn't in our database as compatible... Any ideas?

[bestseany]

Yep, that's exactly the same as the one I fitted to mine. Will fit fine.

You'll just need a socket set to fit it. Don't forget to get a ISO conversion lead for the wiring too.