Stereo: How can you tell if you have the premium stereo?

[ascas]

Hello!

I am a KJ owner from Slovakia, this is my first post so go easy on me.

I've been searching the forums all day, but I did not find a definite answer to the following question:
I would like to swap the factory stereo to a new HU. I've read, that some KJ have premium sound systems, which have pre-amps in the doors. (Which of course makes the whole process a little more difficult) Is that true?

How can you tell if you have the regular sound system or the premium one with the pre-amped speakers? Given that you have you head unit / mounting bracket / wire harness / antenna adapter and the regular factory stereo, will you have any problems with installing?

Thanks a lot!

(I have a 2002 Black 2.5 CRD Sport...)

 

[hyde]

1) Jeep Owner Tools on Jeep Website, you just login and provide your VIN #, they will e-mail you back with build list (or e-mail them and request it)

2) Sports generally do not come with premium sound. First sign is, do you have 4 or 6 speakers? If you have 4, then you don't have premium, if you have 6 you MAY or may not have, in that case, you would have to open the door panel (just 10 clips) and check your speaker.

 

[JeepINgeek]

Sport Specials ahve premium sound...

 

[ThunderbirdJunkie]

ITBJRC Jayme's sport has premium sound.

And you can't assume that something that is generally true for US market KJs where they are a cheap vehicle is going to be true for export markets where Jeeps are pricier.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I'd venture to say that if you have the EVIC, sunroof, all power stuff, and alloys, there's a good change you might have Infinity.

 

[LibertyGuy]

If you have Infinity speakers, just hook up the HU's "Remote Amp" wire to the "Amp Turn On" wire on the aftermarket harness you buy.

I have done exactly that and the infinity speakers work perfectly with my new Sony HU.

 

[ascas]

Thanks for the answers!

I will try the Jeep owners tools on the website, that's a good idea.

I have a pair of tweeters in the dash, and two pairs of speakers in the front and back doors. That comes to six.

Based on the extras its hard to tell if I have premium sound. I don't have alloys or leather seats. But I have a sunroof, power mirrors, and the overhead console... (I think it's OTIS (?) - with the simpler features...)

So basically it's not that big of a deal to hook up the stereo, even if you have the premium speakers? What is the meaning of this remote amp / amp turn on trick?

Update: I've tried to register on the U.S. Jeep website, it won't let me with my puny European VIN. Neither the Slovak, nor the German or British Jeep websites have a registration or owner tools section...

 

[ThunderbirdJunkie]

All KJs got tweeters in the dash. It may be easiest to pop off the door panel and look at the speaker to see if there's an amp attached to it.

 

[LibertyGuy]

What is the meaning of this remote amp / amp turn on trick?

The amps that are hooked up to the Infinity speakers in the doors are controlled by a relay. This Amp remote wire will turn that relay on so the amps work, thus producing sound from the speakers.

1 extra wire to connect when you have Infinity speakers. That's it. It's as simple as that.

How do I know? Because I have an aftermarket Sony HU hooked up to Infinity speakers in my KJ. Works perfectly.

Now to find out if you have infinity speakers. Do as TBJ suggests and remove either of the front door panels and check out the speakers. If it has a amp attached to it, then you have Infinity.

 

[hyde]

ascas,
on the website use "Contact Us" and e-mail them with your VIN and request build sheet.

Tbjunkie, there are 4 speaker KJs as well.

When I upgraded my head unit, I hooked up the "Amp Turn On" lead to Motor Antenna wire on the new wiring harness. Basically that wire powers the relay which feeds amps.

 

[ascas]

Thanks for the answers, sounds good enough.

I have contacted the US Jeep site, will see if they care to answer. If not, I'll poke around here and try to get a build sheet from them. If that won't work out, I just follow your advice and take the door panel off.

So basically (if you have the Infinity speakers) all you have to do is to power them. But is the amplified output coming from the HU good enough for the additional amplifiers? Shouldn't those get a different input level...?

 

[LibertyGuy]

Thanks for the answers, sounds good enough.

I have contacted the US Jeep site, will see if they care to answer. If not, I'll poke around here and try to get a build sheet from them. If that won't work out, I just follow your advice and take the door panel off.

So basically (if you have the Infinity speakers) all you have to do is to power them. But is the amplified output coming from the HU good enough for the additional amplifiers? Shouldn't those get a different input level...?

All you need to do is hook up the HU's AMP Remote wire to the Amp turn on wire on the aftermarket harness and that's it. (of course you need to hook up the other wires as well, speakers, power, acc, ground)opcorn:

 

[hyde]

H/U is not powering the amps, they only send signal to them, telling them to turn ON.

 

[LibertyGuy]

H/U is not powering the amps, they only send signal to them, telling them to turn ON.

Yup exactly!arty52:

 

[hyde]

However, don't be fooled by thinking the stock stereo system is anything extraordinary. You can probably get a 50W head unit and switch your stock speakers to be powered by the head unit. You can go this route only if your speakers are blown, etc.. If they work fine, just swap HU. Remember, if you have premium sound, you can't just swap speakers, you would have to run new wires. Anyway, lets get you a new H/U first, see how you like it.


Just keep in mind, having premium sound system does not make switching H/U any more complicated. It only makes swapping speakers more complicated.

 

[ascas]

. Just keep in mind, having premium sound system does not make switching H/U any more complicated. It only makes swapping speakers more complicated.

Now that's the answer of my choice! It's all clear now! Thanks!

By the way, I've picked this antenna adapter, and this wire harness. It says, it's for the 02-05 Liberty so I guess it should be good enough for me!

Update: So as it turns out, Amazon does not ship any of these items to Slovakia. Arggghhh. Searching for alternatives.

 

[hyde]

ebay is your best bet, almost everyone will ship internationally nowadays.
Those look like they will work, although can't really tell from that picture of the harness, anyway, good luck, let us know what kind of H/U you pick out.

 

[ascas]

anyway, good luck, let us know what kind of H/U you pick out.

Thanks, will keep you posted here. I am still undecided on the HU, looking for something OEM looking. I really hate these flashy "darth vader" designed HU... My dream would be a Becker Cascade Pro - but those are way too expensive. I do not like the folding out TFT units too much, they are... meh. And again, they are too expensive.

Currently I am looking for a unit on which is possible to adjust the bacground and button lightning to match with the dashboard. My current pick is a JVC unit, namely JVC KD R-811. It has decent functions, and you can set both the display and button background colors...

 

[hyde]

try kenwood, they are not really flashy and they have great sound, make sure to go with excelon series, they come with 2yr warranty.

 

[ascas]

try kenwood, they are not really flashy and they have great sound, make sure to go with excelon series, they come with 2yr warranty.

Thanks for the tip, will surely look at them!