[NScherry]

I was looking for a new KL with the premium sound option. However, when I listened to the premium sound system in my brothers Trailhawk, I didn't think it sounded as good as the six speaker system in my 2015 with upgraded JBL door speakers and Kickers in the dash. Thoughts?

 

[AtlCade69]

Apples to Oranges, even in the premium, you'll want to upgrade the speakers, then it should beat the base system.
Factory speakers are rarely (if ever) as good as decent aftermarket ones.

 

[Lindy]

Yeah, you still get garbage speakers with the 'premium' system, so I'm not surprised at all that your 6 speaker system sounds better with the upgraded speakers.

 

[Tyler-98-W68]

If you put proper 2ohm speakers with the alpine system it sounds incredibly good, the speakers are the only weak part of the system

 

[Leems]

With only very rare exceptions, factory speakers are always the weakest link in any automotive sound system. In the last three vehicles that I've purchased new, the speakers were always the first thing to go and I have never been unhappy with that decision.

The people who select sound system components - specifically speakers, are: 1) lacking reasonable funds to select something better; 2) they also could be tone deaf.

 

[Joeg]

From Leems Post #5
"The people who select sound system components - specifically speakers, are: 1) lacking reasonable funds to select something better; 2) they also could be tone deaf."
Add #3
3) You get what you pay for, Lowest bidder wins speaker contract from Jeep.

 

[nbb350]

Keep in mind that what source you listen to matters a lot. SiriusXM and FM have horrible dynamic range with all the compression that is applied to the signal. I'm not sure about HD Radio, but in my experience with it when it switches from analog to digital radio, there is a noticeable improvement in sound quality.

To accurately judge sound quality in our vehicles, we need a quality signal source: CD (yeah, right! how many of us paid for THAT option?!?! lol) or a high-bitrate mp3 on a USB drive.

Since I listen to SiriusXM 99.9% of the time (100% of the time I'm outside of a car wash...lol), I haven't bothered to upgrade my speakers since that signal source is the system's weakest link.

 

[techguyga]

Keep in mind that what source you listen to matters a lot. SiriusXM and FM have horrible dynamic range with all the compression that is applied to the signal. I'm not sure about HD Radio, but in my experience with it when it switches from analog to digital radio, there is a noticeable improvement in sound quality.

To accurately judge sound quality in our vehicles, we need a quality signal source: CD (yeah, right! how many of us paid for THAT option?!?! lol) or a high-bitrate mp3 on a USB drive.

Since I listen to SiriusXM 99.9% of the time (100% of the time I'm outside of a car wash...lol), I haven't bothered to upgrade my speakers since that signal source is the system's weakest link.

Amazon Music HD for the win! I've been streaming HD and UHD music from Amazon since their HD service launched in 2019. Day and night difference from other sources.

 

[nbb350]

Ah, yes...back in my pre-Jeep days I would stream Amazon music from my phone to the stock headunit thru a 3.5mm Metra adapter! THAT wasn't what you'd call a high quality signal tho!

 

[NScherry]

Thanks for your input everyone. I pretty much assumed the Alpine speakers must have been bottom of the barrel. So speaker upgrades whichever route I take.

 

[greenmachine]

I was looking for a new KL with the premium sound option. However, when I listened to the premium sound system in my brothers Trailhawk, I didn't think it sounded as good as the six speaker system in my 2015 with upgraded JBL door speakers and Kickers in the dash. Thoughts?

I'm in total agreement, although I don't have the premium audio - I got all the other premium packages on my used 2015 aside from the audio. And since its even more terrible than the premium audio package, that is going to be my first immediate upgrade that I'm gathering materials and supplies for as we speak, well second now that I've disabled the auto stop start functionality.

 

[greenmachine]

Thanks for your input everyone. I pretty much assumed the Alpine speakers must have been bottom of the barrel. So speaker upgrades whichever route I take.

see they're not really alpine, unless you count the amp.. the speakers themselves are garbage - unbranded 18w 8o speakers made in mexico

 

[ExaltedVanguard]

Any speaker has a break in period as the woofer material softens and wears in. I found that the premium speaker system sounded significantly better after a month or so. Aftermarket will likely sound better of course, but I'm plenty happy with the premium system as is. SiriusXM is the limiting factor on quality - better speakers would just mean I'd hear the compression better.

I also can't speak to the 6 speaker system, but the premium audio uses an alpine radio/amp which will not clip the signal when you crank it. If not used to good equipment, some people interpret crunchiness as loudness. So there's sometimes the perception that the 9 doesn't get loud (even though it's actually very loud) due to the lack of crunch.

 

[Leems]

Keep in mind that what source you listen to matters a lot. SiriusXM and FM have horrible dynamic range with all the compression that is applied to the signal. I'm not sure about HD Radio, but in my experience with it when it switches from analog to digital radio, there is a noticeable improvement in sound quality.

To accurately judge sound quality in our vehicles, we need a quality signal source: CD (yeah, right! how many of us paid for THAT option?!?! lol) or a high-bitrate mp3 on a USB drive.

Since I listen to SiriusXM 99.9% of the time (100% of the time I'm outside of a car wash...lol), I haven't bothered to upgrade my speakers since that signal source is the system's weakest link.

Much of what you say is undeniably true, however, I burn my own CD's using Apple Lossless, so although they are native 44.1 kHz and 16-bit, they have a 1,411 bit rate and you can actually hear the difference in dynamic range. SiriusXM is better than FM, but they are very limited. I don't see a benefit of .wav files on a flash drive over what I'm using now.

 

[Spud]

Anyone have some suggestions for a decent replacement 6x9 for the so called “Alpine system“?

Thanks

 

[greenmachine]

Anyone have some suggestions for a decent replacement 6x9 for the so called “Alpine system“?

Thanks

I'm currently looking at that myself -
I had originally purchased the Infinity Reference's but they are too bright for my taste. I'll keep their 3.5's I ordered in tandem to service as full range like but not as bright tweeters in the dash setup, but I'm going to try others for the doors since I need a little separation, even with subs going in a little later they will need a good compliment. Don't get me wrong, they are nice and clear loud, but they just don't service well for "full range."
2nd round is upping the budget and going with JBL Stadium GTO930 since they are supposed to service much better on the bottom end for a full range, but you probably can't go wrong with any of the JBL lineup. But since they are still components, depending on how they sound, I'll probably just scratch them altogether for the rear doors and source something fully dedicated to the midbass range.
You probably can't go wrong with mid range Rockford's or Kicker's either if you still want to retain a little bass.

 

[benw825]

I was looking for a new KL with the premium sound option. However, when I listened to the premium sound system in my brothers Trailhawk, I didn't think it sounded as good as the six speaker system in my 2015 with upgraded JBL door speakers and Kickers in the dash. Thoughts?

My alpine system sounds great. Not sure why some think its mediocre

 

[greenmachine]

Because it's just not. It might sound better than the current base options, but it doesn't even come close to the factory premiums I had in my last two cars that were acceptable enough for me not to need to upgrade.

But I like to listen to a lot of music, so what works for me might not be needed by others, etc. So to each their own

 

[Flybynightcru]

Because it's just not. It might sound better than the current base options, but it doesn't even come close to the factory premiums I had in my last two cars that were acceptable enough for me not to need to upgrade.

But I like to listen to a lot of music, so what works for me might not be needed by others, etc. So to each their own

Agreed. There's definitely much room for improvement...😎

 

[Spud]

When the 3.5 dash speakers are too bright I’ve had some decent success by series connecting a 10 to 20 ohm 2 watt resister in line.