Quote:
Originally Posted by
XEagleDriver 
Ordered a simple car audio system to upgrade the truck,
am looking forward to installing and just finished installing!
1) A
JVC KD-HDR20 head-unit, which at only $99 even has HD radio!
2) A pair of
Polk db 651s, 6.5" speakers for the doors.
3) A set of
Dynamat Xtreme less-resonant baffle material (only $5 with the speaker purchase, so what the heck).
I will report back in a couple weeks with the results of the new HU and HD radio.
Here are my initial impressions on the above equipment:
Overall, I am very pleased with this inexpensive set-up, it really delivered the goods in improving the sound in my truck.
1) The installation of the HDR20 and db651s went very smoothly. The Crutchfield supplied instructions and adaptors did the trick (kudo's to them).
2) The Dynamat product was also easy to use. I did not do any kind of comparison with/without it, since I did not want to install the speakers twice. FWIW, the Dynamat did seem to acoustically deaden the door in the area applied (subjective opinion). At the $5 price I would definitely use it again, at the MSRP maybe/maybe not.
3) I first installed the HDR20 and tested it with the OEM speakers and noticed cleaner highs/mids. Speakers would distort at higher volumes.
4) Then replaced the OEM speakers and the sound improved even more, and was capable of higher SPL (subjective, not measured).
PROS: 
- The JVC user interface was easy to adapt to, is well thought out and logical. Setting radio presets is not a "while driving" friendly endeavor, best left to doing during red lights and in parking lots.
- The HD Radio stations in my area were exceptional in town, but faded when I drove ~25 mi outisde of town (before you lose standard FM reception). However, the radio automatically reverts to the concurrent standard FM station.
The available HD stations in Columbia SC were all noticably better than standard FM and are:
MUSC, 90.5, an eclectic university station
WLTY, 96.7, classic rock
WCOS, 97.5, country
WOMG, 98.5, oldies
WNOK, 104.7, pop
WEKL, 105.7, Top 40 (a 100kW station from Augusta GA)
- Ability to disable AM radio (doesn't even scroll thru as a source)!
- Easy MUTE (-20db attenuation) with a momentary push of POWER button. To turn the unit OFF, you push and hold the POWER button. This is a nice way to skip commercials, but you can still hear well enough to know when music is back.
CONS: 
(both very minor)
- The "Aux In" (Sansa Fuze mp3 at full volume) was noticabley lower in volume than CD or FM, which were reasonably well matched. I mitigated this by selecting setting the AUDIO/VOL ADJUST menu for the AUX IN source to +6db. This may be an Sansa/mp3 issue and not a HDR20 issue.
- Having the DEMO as the first item under MENU is a little bit annoying, since you turn it off to work the HU normally, but see it every time you select MENU (should have been the last item IMO).
Hope this info helps someone else down the road.
XEagleDriver
Where in the world would a sub go in a standard cab truck?
