Toyota Avalon Stereo System Upgrade for Raleigh Client

A client from Raleigh contacted Adrenaline Autosound in Clayton in search of a 2007 Toyota Avalon stereo system upgrade. We ask all of our clients a lot of questions about how they listen to their music. We find out what they like about the existing audio system and what they hope to achieve with an upgrade. This client wanted the system to play louder without distorting. He also wanted better overall tonal balance and improved accuracy. Using that information, we were able to design a solution to achieve his acoustic goals while maintaining the factory look of the vehicle interior.

Kenwood Head Unit Upgrade

We started by installing a Kenwood KDC-X701 CD Receiver with Bluetooth in place of the factory radio. The new head unit is a dramatic upgrade over the factory radio in terms of source options and features. We were able to integrate the new source unit into the factory location and maintain the functionality of the factory radio cover. When not in use, the radio is completely concealed and the vehicle looks like it just rolled out of the showroom.

JL Audio System Amplifier

We suggested the JL Audio XD700/5v2 five-channel amplifier to power the new sound system. This amp includes an advanced crossover design that allows us to configure one pair of channels with a bandpass filter to maximize the performance of the speakers we are installing. We mounted the amp under the driver’s seat to keep it out of the way.

Audiofrog Component Speakers

With slight modification, the Audiofrog tweeters were a perfect fit for the factory location.

Two layers of HDPE were bolted together to form the speaker adapters.

The capacitors for the tweeters are inexpensive insurance for the client.

The most important aspect of any audio system is its speakers. As such, the client agreed with our suggestion of using Audiofrog GS series speakers. We started by integrating a set of GS10-OE tweeters into the factory A-pillar speaker location. We had to reduce the diameter of the tweeter by about 1/16 of an inch to make them fit but maintained the ability to reinstall the factory speaker in the future.

One step we include in all of our fully active systems is to include a set of protection capacitors on the new tweeter wires. In the event someone other than us adjusts the amplifier, these caps will protect the tweeters from being damaged.

We removed the factory 6×9-inch door speakers and used them as a template to create mounting adapters for a set of GS60 component speakers. We made the adapters from HDPE plastic. We added a layer of SoundSkins deadening to the door to reduce noise transfer into the vehicle. The final step in the door speaker installation was to add a set of acoustic coupling baffles to focus all the sound energy into the interior of the vehicle.

We mounted a G10 subwoofer in a compact sealed enclosure that fits nicely into the rear corner of the trunk.

Toyota Avalon Stereo System Upgrade

With the settings on the head unit and amplifier configured to provide great output and smooth frequency response, it was time to turn this Toyota Avalon stereo system upgrade back over to the client. He loved the sound and was thrilled with how well everything was integrated into the vehicle. If you are looking for better sound, but with a factory look, drop by or send us an e-mail using our contact form.