Hybrid XL Base Stereo Upgrade - Tips & Tricks

[Mav921]

Hello All,

I am interested in upgrading my Hybrid XL's base stereo.

After a few days of research I am considering the following:
-Hoel Plug & Play wiring (200.4/HS10)
-Kicker Key 200.4 (Front doors only)
-Kicker Hideaway HS10 (mounted to rear bulkhead)
-JL C2-650 components (front)
-Leave rear speakers alone

My questions are:
-For those who have done component with the Key 200.4, did you Bi-Amp?
-Where did you mount tweeters?
-Did you mount Key behind glovebox, if so how?
-How did you wire front door tweeters/woofers
-What are y'all's lessons learned from your installs. Any other suggestions?

Thanks for sharing!

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[Red Ryder]

I did bi-amp the front's with a Key 200.4. I used the factory wiring for the door woofers, disconnected the factory tweeter connectors and ran new wires for the replacement tweeters to the behind-the-glovebox location.

More details here: https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/f...cket-to-mount-key-lc2i-behind-glovebox.13078/

In case you mount a sub behind the seat, this might be helpful: https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/f...p-board-to-back-cabin-wall.13013/#post-286687

 

[Mav921]

Red Ryder,

Awesome links!

Any tips on having one of your brackets printed?

Where did you mound your tweeters, which components did you use? What does the rest of your setup look like?

Thanks!

 

[Red Ryder]

I pretty much did what Filmay2K did in this thread (see below), except he kept the factory tweeters and I put the Powerbass ones in as they were drop-in.

https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/f...anel-removal-finished-with-lots-of-pics.4064/

Looking back, I would have done it the same, but not bothered replacing the rear speakers, and installing the Morel tweeters in the dash like snowkarver here: https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/f...grade-with-before-after-rta.31655/post-580699

 

[Red Ryder]

Any tips on having one of your brackets printed?
Thanks!

I never had one printed, I fabricated mine "old school" by heating and folding 1/8" ABS. There are others on the forum that printed them and it is on Thingaverse I believe.

 

[colinl]

The dash tweeter locations are not bad at all, I would start with that and I have a strong feeling you'll be satisfied with it. Definitely bi-amp and fade the rear all the way gone or very low, leaving them on the head unit.

I just looked at the C2-C650 and I would use the flush mount housing for the tweeters and then cut the factory tweeter mount with a heated knife or dremel (flex head will be super useful). Make the opening a little bit larger than the tweeter and then put double-sided tape on it to secure in place. Here's that process on my Focal tweeters, except I was lucky that they fit loosely without any cutting.

 

[Mav921]

Colini, thanks for sharing!

Which focal speakers did you use? Do you recommend them?

Any tips for mounting the door speakers? Did you do any deadening?

Thanks!

 

[colinl]

Colini, thanks for sharing!

Which focal speakers did you use? Do you recommend them?

Any tips for mounting the door speakers? Did you do any deadening?

Thanks!

That is the tweeter from an rse-165 component set. I'm very happy with them. I listened to all the Focal on a local dealer's demo board and I like these better than the flax Evo. The flax tweeter produces crisp cymbals but it is a little bright for me. And I loved the kx2 but I don't have the amp or the desire to spend that much.

 

[colinl]

No tricks with the door speakers. Yes, I used Amazon basics deadener. I think the package I got was 8x14 sheets or something and it's enough to do both doors, anything I needed in the back and still have several sheets leftover.

If you have this factory cloth noise damper, I recommend pulling it aside and applying deadening behind it. I didn't and wish I had.

 

[Maverick Grabber]

XLT is the same stereo. From running sound for local bands for 15 years I decided to play with what I was given. The first thing I did was to get the front to rear balance set for me, the next was to take the bass and treble all the way down then take the volume all the way up, I tailored the EQ to that. The first rule to running live sound is Bass steals the volume and turning it up makes it sound muddy and distorted, Recently I've discovered an app called Musicolet for my phone, it is only for music you have on the phone, no streaming, downloading or WiFi capabilities. What it does have is a great equalizer you can play with up to 31 bands, I'm using 15 bands and it makes a huge difference.

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