1997 Es300 Stock Amp Vs Sony Head Unit

[Eric Cheung]

Hi, I am using an Alpine F250 amp to power the front speakers and the sub-woofer. Rear speakers are powered by Sony head unit.

I am thinking about using the stock OEM amp to power the rear speakers instead using of the head unit's output, but am not sure if there will be any improvement. Any comments?

Thanks in advance.

[pj8708]

Hi, I am using an Alpine F250 amp to power the front speakers and the sub-woofer. Rear speakers are powered by Sony head unit.

I am thinking about using the stock OEM amp to power the rear speakers instead using of the head unit's output, but am not sure if there will be any improvement. Any comments?

Thanks in advance.

What type of improvement are you trying to get? More/deeper bass? Smoother bass? Louder, more pronounced mid-range? More intense treble or smoother highs? More punch? Kindey punch volume?

What model/year Lexus do you have?

My experience has been with the standard premium system from the factory is that the amp is under powered compared to a custom installation of a 20 year old but not bad for an old geezer like me. The weak link in the Lexus sound is the door speakers and the sub. I have a seperate sub in the trunk running of an Alpine amp. This gives me nice surrounding, smooth bass that fills out the bottom of any music. I am trading my 05 ES for a 2010 ES tommorow and will move the sub and amp to that car and am putting two new 6x9 coaxial speakers in the front doors. I feel the tweeters in the dash are quite good.

Paul

[Eric Cheung]

Hi, I am using an Alpine F250 amp to power the front speakers and the sub-woofer. Rear speakers are powered by Sony head unit.

I am thinking about using the stock OEM amp to power the rear speakers instead using of the head unit's output, but am not sure if there will be any improvement. Any comments?

Thanks in advance.

What type of improvement are you trying to get? More/deeper bass? Smoother bass? Louder, more pronounced mid-range? More intense treble or smoother highs? More punch? Kindey punch volume?

What model/year Lexus do you have?

My experience has been with the standard premium system from the factory is that the amp is under powered compared to a custom installation of a 20 year old but not bad for an old geezer like me. The weak link in the Lexus sound is the door speakers and the sub. I have a seperate sub in the trunk running of an Alpine amp. This gives me nice surrounding, smooth bass that fills out the bottom of any music. I am trading my 05 ES for a 2010 ES tommorow and will move the sub and amp to that car and am putting two new 6x9 coaxial speakers in the front doors. I feel the tweeters in the dash are quite good.

Paul

Hi Paul, thank you for your response. The reason I want to see if there will be improvement is that my stock am has been idle since I bought the Sony head unit and the Alpine F250 amp. Now the front door speakers and the sub are being powered by the Alpine F250 amp. The rear speakers are being powered by the Sony head unit direct. That is why I am thinking if powering the rear door speakers by the stock amp will be better than powering direct by the Sony head unit.

I have already changed the door speakers to Polk Audio speakers.

[pj8708]

Hi, I am using an Alpine F250 amp to power the front speakers and the sub-woofer. Rear speakers are powered by Sony head unit.

I am thinking about using the stock OEM amp to power the rear speakers instead using of the head unit's output, but am not sure if there will be any improvement. Any comments?

Thanks in advance.

What type of improvement are you trying to get? More/deeper bass? Smoother bass? Louder, more pronounced mid-range? More intense treble or smoother highs? More punch? Kindey punch volume?

What model/year Lexus do you have?

My experience has been with the standard premium system from the factory is that the amp is under powered compared to a custom installation of a 20 year old but not bad for an old geezer like me. The weak link in the Lexus sound is the door speakers and the sub. I have a seperate sub in the trunk running of an Alpine amp. This gives me nice surrounding, smooth bass that fills out the bottom of any music. I am trading my 05 ES for a 2010 ES tommorow and will move the sub and amp to that car and am putting two new 6x9 coaxial speakers in the front doors. I feel the tweeters in the dash are quite good.

Paul

Hi Paul, thank you for your response. The reason I want to see if there will be improvement is that my stock am has been idle since I bought the Sony head unit and the Alpine F250 amp. Now the front door speakers and the sub are being powered by the Alpine F250 amp. The rear speakers are being powered by the Sony head unit direct. That is why I am thinking if powering the rear door speakers by the stock amp will be better than powering direct by the Sony head unit.

I have already changed the door speakers to Polk Audio speakers.

I think I understand, but I'm not sure I can answer your question. When you say "better", is that better sound quality or better use of the amps you have to maximize the most power? If it is the later, I don't have the knowledge to answer that question. If it's the former, I would wonder what type (if any) of crossover settings the original unit has and if they will match the speaker output you want. Have you installed an equalizer to help ballance all the different systems and speaker types your running? When you say Better, you are the best and only judge of that. Your ears are what matters and a good local professional installer helps me get that.

Good Listening,

Paul

[pj8708]

Car Audio Tutorials:

Here is a web site with some tutorials that might prove interesting.

Paul

[pj8708]

Car Audio Tutorials:

Here is a web site with some tutorials that might prove interesting.

Paul

http://www.carstereo.com/help/

[Eric Cheung]

Car Audio Tutorials:

Here is a web site with some tutorials that might prove interesting.

Paul

http://www.carstereo.com/help/

Paul, thanks again for your responses. I am looking for better sound quality.

Since the wires of the stock amp have been cut by the previous owner, I am wondering if it is worth the effort in figuring out the wiring and re-connecting the stock amp for the rear door speakers.

It somebody had experience with it and thinks the stock amp is of lower sound quality than the head unit output, then I will probably not spend the time in making the stock amp work again. However, if the opposite is true then I am willing to spend the time.

[BoaR]

well, true the stock amp is no window breaker.... but tbh i find the OEM sound system more than enough. they tuned it just right for the car.

what you have to ask yourself is what exactly do you consider "quality" ??

to a lot of people i ask that question to - its just turning the knob to the end and making it loud as possible. if that would be your answer, then change out the stock for something else. it's underpowered for those kind of needs.

if your answer to quality is more like hearing the proper range of sound not necessairly at window breaking boom boom civic style - then the OEM system (which at the time was actually very expensive) is tuned better than any walmart crap you can put into the car.

also the year of the car makes a difference. because there are changes to the system in itself. on the pre '97's the sound was very good, but lacking base. the fronts were tuned to give the base instead of the rears and do nothing else. leaving weak backs to reproduce the rest of the sounds. the fix was to swap to some 3 or 4 way rear 6x9's. thats what i did leaving everything else untouched and it was magical. (get the same ohm and power range) everyone that heard it really though i had changed the entire stereo in that '95, only to look at the dash and see the everything stock.

after '97 they added in the standard sound system from the LS so it got a sub, and the audio range changed (for the better i might add) to have a lot more "umph". nothing was needed to change if you just plain enjoyed crisp responsive tuned sound. and if you happened upon the hamachi premium as an option in your es for 98+... sorry to say but you are an idiot if you change even 1 piece. ive rarely heard anything better than that stock soundsystem - its goddamn amazing... one of my friends just got an older LS and im jealous beyond believe at how good it sounds.

I laugh a little bit when i pull up next to a civic with a 16 year old booming his walmart crap and can turn my dial 3/4 to dround him out (with everything stock on the 98 nothing changed at all), with better sound 99% of the time. then peel away in my obviously non-sports car - making him feel really stupid for wasting money on that kind of car/sound system instead of getting a lexus for a fraction of the ricerpart buying cost. It's a complete waste of money in my eyes. when my 12 year old car has a better stock sound system than his brand new 1000$+ walmart special of the week. it just tells me that i made the right choice over and over again.

Good luck whichever route you choose. just know that they didnt put a crappy OEM sound system in the 3rd gens.... its actually more than decent so the real question is do you want earsplitting sound or not, then make the decision from there.

[Eric Cheung]

Hi BoaR, thanks for your response and the information.

By sound quality I mean the details of vocal and the sound of musical instrument, not the booming power.

My car is a 97 model and I believe the stock amp is a Pioneer. Do you think the stock Pioneer amp will sound better than a Sony headunit's speaker output?

Thanks again.

[BoaR]

if you are not going for boom boom then stay stock. not worth the trouble IMO to change anything.

not going to repeat from my previous post. but its pretty much putting walmart junk into a honda. dont do it :P

stay stock, the sound system is most excellent already.

if you are stumped for the pinouts on the wiring - obviously google, but ill sugges the hanes manual for a hard copy... i actually just picked up a used one off kijiji for 10 bucks and its worth it's weight in gold. the entire electrical mapping is beyond anything ive seen before detailed in a manual. reading it off a PDF isnt the same. weird i know eh?

http://www.amazon.com/Toyota-Camry-1997-thru-Haynes/dp/1563924048

it's on page 12-47 what you are looking for.

hands down one of the best 10$ ive ever spent in my life lol :D

[Eric Cheung]

if you are not going for boom boom then stay stock. not worth the trouble IMO to change anything.

not going to repeat from my previous post. but its pretty much putting walmart junk into a honda. dont do it :P

stay stock, the sound system is most excellent already.

if you are stumped for the pinouts on the wiring - obviously google, but ill sugges the hanes manual for a hard copy... i actually just picked up a used one off kijiji for 10 bucks and its worth it's weight in gold. the entire electrical mapping is beyond anything ive seen before detailed in a manual. reading it off a PDF isnt the same. weird i know eh?

http://www.amazon.com/Toyota-Camry-1997-thru-Haynes/dp/1563924048

it's on page 12-47 what you are looking for.

hands down one of the best 10$ ive ever spent in my life lol :D

Oh! I actually own a copy of that Haynes manual. I bought it from Amazon a few years ago. I did not realize it contains the information and I've forgot my owning a copy of it until you mention it. Thanks for reminding me of that. LOL

I'm now out of town and will take a look at it when I get home.

Thanks!