SpeckledTiger

Hey guys new to the forum! I bought a 13 lariat a few weeks ago and am really depressed about the radio especially after coming from a bose system on a 2011 Tahoe. I wish I would have gotten the sony, but o well. On top of it not getting very loud, it just has no depth it feels like in the door speakers. I've tweaked the setting a bunch and just can't get much out of them. ZERO bass it seems like even when turned up! The rest of the truck is frickin awesome, but what can I do to better this thing. I just want some loud crisp music with good descent bass. What are my options without spending serious cash. Would just some good door speakers and tweets help me out, or am I looking at buying another amp? Thanks fellas. God bless

king nothing

I would have thought a lariat would come standard with the sony system (which doesnt get very high marks around here either). Whats your budget and are you able to do the install yourself? At minimum, I would replace the front speakers with a nice set of components, disconnect the rear speakers, and add a 10 inch sub under the rear seat with a small amp. If you look in the stereo section of the site, I have put together some setups for guys who have been asking the same. I will admit the bose in my wifes 07 tahoe was one of the best stock stereos Ive heard, although lacking bass

iRub1Out

Replacing the HU is the only way to stop the bass from dropping off at 1/2 volume.
The HU does that on purpose.

The speakers are cheap OEM, they're ALWAYS cheap, but the huge limiting factor is the HU.

SpeckledTiger

I don't need anything ridiculous in the bass, just a little bit like a good factory system. I don't wanna replace the HU, so I guess i'll just have to deal with it.

cthusker

Actually after suffering and replacing several GM supposed HIGH END I'm very happy with the Sony in my Lariat…….. guess ya just can't please everyone!

12GBMPlatinum

If you have the Sony Nav I'd avoid replacing it if you can help it. I went through this conundrum and decided to change out my door speakers (Front and Rear) and then I did the subwoofer polyfill mod and I'm more than pleased with the results. You might want to give that a shot first.

iRub1Out

I'm content with the factory system in my FX4, not Sony.

Its perfect for what I listen to; talk radio (Jason Ellis) and OCCASIONAL music/radio.

I have no true need to loud clear sound, but I appreciate it when I hear ungodly distortion because the mids are **** but the lows are dominant over everything...

Anyway, its a good system, its just not "audiophile" good.

SpeckledTiger

I don't have the sony, therefore no sub for me. Will just replacing the doors with some higher quality speakers make a decent difference or what? What kind did you install and how are they?

iRub1Out

No.

You gain nothing from new speakers because the HU will STOP you from making it push what its programmed to push, which is stock speakers.

You can add an amp, that would help even with the stock HU, if you do replace the speakers, you will have no noticeable difference unless you add an amp.

It will still cut the bass at 1/2 volume and the highs won't be so "shrill" when the mids cut out.

That's my experience.

SpeckledTiger

I'm not an audiophile myself, but occasionally I just like to crank it up on my way to work, the camp, with friends etc. The stock unit gets loud enough, but the speakers just suck IMO. I listen to a lot of southern rock/americana, country, and a little bit of hip hop when the time is right.