[Tyler Sandoval]

Hi!

So I've been wanting to replace the speakers in my 2007 camry (no JBL or Nav) for a while now because lets face it, the factory ones just arent up to par with what I want my music to sound like when I listen to it on the road.

Searching the internet has led me here and hopefully I'll be able to get some help. Starting off, I have basically no knowledge what so ever on how to install speakers or remove them other than the youtube videos I've come across on the subject, but like almost anyone, I'd much rather do this project on my own with the help of friends (who ARE more informed about the subject than myself) rather than paying up the ass to get it done at a shop.

Anyway, since i'm still gathering information about the project instead of diving in head first and possibly screwing up the audio in the car, I'm just posting here at the moment to ask about other's experiences, trouble shooting and recommend speakers and subwoofers others have used in similar projects.

Thank you !

 

[Zmon]

I would recommend amping the speakers you replace the stock ones with. I changed my front ones with some Infinity REF-6502ix's and while they're clearer, and just sound overall much better, they'd shine if I would of amped them as it would help out a TON with clarity and bass response at higher volumes.

Front speakers are easy to do, if you replace with 6x9 coax, they're just plug and play. Same with just about any size if you have the adapter. Crutchfield basically lists all the speakers that will work for your car, go check it out, they even throw in just about everything you need for free (speaker harness to plug into the oem harness, speaker adapters, installation guide..)

The rear speakers are the harder ones, there isn't much clearance in the trunk where that bar is below the stock speakers. You will need a bracket as well regardless if they're 6x9 or not. This link may provide some insights to other peoples installs. http://www.speaker-installation-photos.com/Toyota/Camry

 

[Camry_wiz]

Zmon is spot on. But if getting an amp isnt really in your picture, a new headunit and its built in amp will make a noticeable difference in sending better signals to your speakers. I have a pioneer headunit with pioneer 6x9's in the rear deck and stock up front (awaiting a deal to come by) and the stock speakers sound much better compared to the oem headunit. And in my case, instead of using an amp for my door speakers I went subwoofer instead and love it.

 

[Tyler Sandoval]

Thank you for the info !

I do plan on installing a new headunit. I was planning on getting this one X but was not sure if it would be a good choice sound wise. If I was to purchase a pioneer headunit, I'd need to buy trim (if thats the right term ) , correct?

As for obtaining an amp, I'd be perfectly fine with that, but would have no idea as how to or even where to install it, connecting the wires the the speakers, ect, but I'd love to learn how if there are any tutorials or the like, you know of.

I had wanted to see if it was possible to replace the two back speakers behind/above the seats with subwoofers, or if they would need to go in the trunk. If they did need to be placed in the trunk, I would be buying a sub enclosure for them.

 

[Zmon]

Ehhh... I'd look into a different head unit than the one you linked. If you wanted an OEM lookalike, a Rosen would be the best choice (IMO of course. I have one and I like it). For any other head unit, you will definitely need the trim kit. The Metra kit seems to color match the trim better, at least according to other users.

Can't help you with the amp, don't really have any experience installing them myself and I didn't want to install one at the time.

You'll have to use a sub enclosure in the trunk. Nothing wrong with going that route. I've even see people take off the rear seats arm rest and put one there.

 

[thedunce]

Zmon is spot on. But if getting an amp isnt really in your picture, a new headunit and its built in amp will make a noticeable difference in sending better signals to your speakers. I have a pioneer headunit with pioneer 6x9's in the rear deck and stock up front (awaiting a deal to come by) and the stock speakers sound much better compared to the oem headunit. And in my case, instead of using an amp for my door speakers I went subwoofer instead and love it.

^^^^ spot on.

I went a very similar route, but I have stock rear speakers and polk 6x9's in my front doors of my 07 SE. Door and deck speakers are powered by my pioneer head unit. Sound is amazing over stock. Threw in a 12" RE audio sub in the trunk, amped, and IMO, my system sounds pretty damn good (although I'm not some kind of professional audiophile, nor do I compete).

One of these days, I may spend the 100 bucks to replace the factory deck speakers, but really, it would be a waste of money, since majority of the sound improvement came from a simple head unit upgrade. Even before I put the subwoofer in, I was content with the setup, which sounds much cleaner than factory. Only thing is that the factory deck speakers distort sooner than the Polks in the door, so I just fade to the front a little, and voila! But really, I don't listen to loud music much anymore, so I rarely run into issues. On a rare occasion, I may bump up the volume to about 1/2 way, and rattle my eardrums

 

[Camry_wiz]

Thank you for the info !

I do plan on installing a new headunit. I was planning on getting this one X but was not sure if it would be a good choice sound wise. If I was to purchase a pioneer headunit, I'd need to buy trim (if thats the right term ) , correct?

That unit looks fine, most units beat the standard oem headunit anyways. If you do decide to go pioneer or any other aftermarket, then yes youll need the dash kit to mount it properly. Currently, I have a stealth setup where you cannot see my pioneer (security purposes) as it is tucked behind a false plate, if youre interested in that I can post pics. Cost me $0 to do haha

As for obtaining an amp, I'd be perfectly fine with that, but would have no idea as how to or even where to install it, connecting the wires the the speakers, ect, but I'd love to learn how if there are any tutorials or the like, you know of.

Amps may seem difficult to install but are really straighforward, especially when used with aftermarket headunits. Locations can be anywhere you can fit it, hide it, and run wires to it. Usually I see them under the driver or passenger seat but most popular is the trunk. There are tutorials, not sure for camry exact but the concepts are the same. You'll need to rip half your car apart so set time aside where you wont need to drive it. It can be done in a day but I took and extra to make sure my connections were correct. Just try it for yourself and ask questions here, Id be glad to help.

I had wanted to see if it was possible to replace the two back speakers behind/above the seats with subwoofers, or if they would need to go in the trunk. If they did need to be placed in the trunk, I would be buying a sub enclosure for them.

What you want to achieve requires a special setup as you'll be utilizing the trunk as the box instead of the boxes you see normally or sold in stores. This also require special woofer that are pretty pricey as they are shallow mounts to fit where you want it, normal sub will not let you close your trunk because of the magnet size. Id recommend against that as it may become priceier than a standard box setup with 6x9s in the deck.

Good luck! Keep asking questions, its better than having to find things out by trial and error like I did.

 

[Tyler Sandoval]

Again, thanks for the help guys, I really appreciate it.

With the head units you guys have install, were you able to use the button controls on your wheels after installation ? I'm most likely going to be getting this Pioner . Should the

dash kit fit with it?

I wanted to replace the deck speakers with subs, (or new speakers now since I'm not yet willing to spend quite that much on subs which fit the deck) due to the bad bass quality produced when a high bass song is played. Turned up to a 5 setting bass in my current factory stero the car came with, they sound almost as if theyre going to pop with certain songs.

 

[Camry_wiz]

Aftermarket stereos require an extra module to keep the steering wheel controls. There are different brands but I used axxess aswc-1 as I got cheap on craigslist. If youre willing to spend the money, get the units that self learn the controls, programming these suck haha

A new headunit and speakers will definitely give you the bass youre looking for. A subwoofer is for those that like a little more rattle such as I.

 

[Tyler Sandoval]

Aftermarket stereos require an extra module to keep the steering wheel controls. There are different brands but I used axxess aswc-1 as I got cheap on craigslist. If youre willing to spend the money, get the units that self learn the controls, programming these suck haha

Do you know of any pioneer or recommend self learning units? If I was to purchase the extra module around how hard would you say it would be to install? I'm assuming the module would be connected to the unit and linked to the steering wheel, if this is correct, would the wires be run behind the plastic cover under the wheel?

A new headunit and speakers will definitely give you the bass youre looking for. A subwoofer is for those that like a little more rattle such as I.

I'll probably end up getting a sub in the future in that case, but for now replacing the speakers and head unit are my top priority, haha

 

[Camry_wiz]

The steering module id say it isnt hard but im pretty good with wires. All it is, is powering the module through the wiring harness you use for your radio (power,ground) and then tapping into the toyota harness that leads to your steering wheel. All this is done at the radio so you dont disassemble the steering wheel itself. Id recommend the metra brand of the steering wheel control modules which Ive heard are self learning, since i dont own one, im no help with models, just do a little searching.

Also, the pioneer model and dash kit your link before are great, however id recommend the 7" version of the pioneer double din's if you can afford it since I have one and theyre cooler. Im actually about to install a backup camera when it arrives so stay tuned.

 

[Tyler Sandoval]

The steering module id say it isnt hard but im pretty good with wires. All it is, is powering the module through the wiring harness you use for your radio (power,ground) and then tapping into the toyota harness that leads to your steering wheel. All this is done at the radio so you dont disassemble the steering wheel itself. Id recommend the metra brand of the steering wheel control modules which Ive heard are self learning, since i dont own one, im no help with models, just do a little searching.

Ok, that sounds easy enough, though I'm very visual when it comes to things, the wheel harness is literally just the plug that connects to the radio through the back right? I'll defiantly look into the Metra brand.

Also, the pioneer model and dash kit your link before are great, however id recommend the 7" version of the pioneer double din's if you can afford it since I have one and theyre cooler. Im actually about to install a backup camera when it arrives so stay tuned.

Will the 7" fit in the dash kit I linked? or is the kit a one size fits all type ?
I'm very interested in the back up camera, and would love to know how it goes for you. I'd like to have one as well but again, I'd have no idea how to install it.

 

[TigerHeli]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-PIONEER...3-IPOD-BLUETOOTH-SIRIUSXM-HD-HD-/181619844609

It will fit. All the Pioneer (and aftermarket except the Chinese type you picked initially or the Rosen) are Double-DIN and will fit the Metra kit.

The 7-inch just has smaller buttons across the bottom instead of on the side and looks better.

I agree - spend the extra money. You won't be saying 6-months from now "I could have been fine with the smaller screen", but you might be saying "I really wish I'd gotten the larger screen".

Aftermaket camera with aftermarket radio is pretty easy to install, but you have to snake a wire from the trunk area to the dash.

 

[Camry_wiz]

^ TigerHeli nailed it. Double din or single dins are what they are, regardless of brand when speaking of aftermarket radios. It will fit, and since the screen takes up the whole front, mine flips open to insert the CD and SD card AND has a tilt function for ease of view, sweet features. Ill try to make a DIY on the rear view camera depending on time and weather, its real cold out here in Chicago.

 

[TigerHeli]

Didn't realize these had SD card support.

The motorized tilt screen is usually a failure point and a negative for me - but you will typically use a USB stick or SD card with hundreds of albums and never take it out - and the tilt screen likely helps with glare - which can be a huge issue in the 2014- Corolla (not sure on the Camry).

 

[gyota]

The fronts are really easy just look up a guide how to remove the door panels if you need to. Buying some Toyota speaker wire adapters makes it easier. They plug into your factory plugs then into the speakers. I bought some adapters/spacer plates for front and rear but I am going to buy the thicker options for the front. The windows rub against the back of the speaker and glue from the sticker on the magnet gets on my window.

In my opinion, an amp is not necessary. At all. My Orion 6x9's with an aftermarket HU are loud as hell and clear.

As far as the rear goes, it was a pain in the ass kind of. Mainly just because of the lack of space to work with between the speaker and the rear window. With the right tools probably not a problem. I had zero clearance issues with the speaker. I guess my main problem is not being able to get the rear deck completely out of the way and having ot work around it sitting halfway on your backseat with seat belt straps still in it. And the "C" pillar panels a break easily where the plastic push tabs are. I need new ones after my install. the top of mine are attached to my car with double sided automotive tape. The clips get messed up easily as well. They also bend and break were they become unusable. I guess if you're careful this isn't a problem. I am not a patient careful person.

Get those adapters from the link the other guy provided though. For front and rear. The guy who sells them will refund half of your money if you provide step by step photos. I am about to buy some more for the front from him that are thicker. If you want my standard ones I'll sell them to you for whatever it cost to ship them plus the price of a Checkerburger.

 

[gyota]

Here is my car install from that guys website:

Front: http://www.speaker-installation-pho...ry-47/36683601_rSNbZt#!i=3050182916&k=RXsTptH

Rear: http://www.speaker-installation-pho...ry-48/36683610_4SgLZB#!i=3050182926&k=Qzh6rGG

 

[franky932]

The fronts are really easy just look up a guide how to remove the door panels if you need to. Buying some Toyota speaker wire adapters makes it easier. They plug into your factory plugs then into the speakers. I bought some adapters/spacer plates for front and rear but I am going to buy the thicker options for the front. The windows rub against the back of the speaker and glue from the sticker on the magnet gets on my window.

In my opinion, an amp is not necessary. At all. My Orion 6x9's with an aftermarket HU are loud as hell and clear.

As far as the rear goes, it was a pain in the ass kind of. Mainly just because of the lack of space to work with between the speaker and the rear window. With the right tools probably not a problem. I had zero clearance issues with the speaker. I guess my main problem is not being able to get the rear deck completely out of the way and having ot work around it sitting halfway on your backseat with seat belt straps still in it. And the "C" pillar panels a break easily where the plastic push tabs are. I need new ones after my install. the top of mine are attached to my car with double sided automotive tape. The clips get messed up easily as well. They also bend and break were they become unusable. I guess if you're careful this isn't a problem. I am not a patient careful person.

Get those adapters from the link the other guy provided though. For front and rear. The guy who sells them will refund half of your money if you provide step by step photos. I am about to buy some more for the front from him that are thicker. If you want my standard ones I'll sell them to you for whatever it cost to ship them plus the price of a Checkerburger.

Q.:1 :JUST changing the speaker is ok for my budget? is the OEM radio can handle bigger watts speaker?

Q.: 2 and do i have to change the OEM adaptor or just put the aftermarket ON the existing adaptor on the car ?

TYVM

 

[gyota]

Q.:1 :JUST changing the speaker is ok for my budget? is the OEM radio can handle bigger watts speaker?

Q.: 2 and do i have to change the OEM adaptor or just put the aftermarket ON the existing adaptor on the car ?

TYVM

Q1: I'm not a pro but I don't see why it would be a problem to just change the speaker. Look for one with a low wattage requirement I guess. I think you'll be fine with whatever you go with. But speakers would always sound better with more power. I personally had no problem getting loud with what I did.

The website http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/ lets you get pretty specific with your search and always has great clearance items. That's how I got mine. I never buy anything off a website like that but they have good deals.

Q2:You don't have to buy an adapter you'll just have to cut the wires and attach those to your new speakers. The adapters just keep you from having to do that. They really aren't that much. (Was going to provide a link but they've actually increased in price) But if you're on a budget just cut them and attach like I've done in every other car I've owned.

 

[Camry_wiz]

Q.:1 :JUST changing the speaker is ok for my budget? is the OEM radio can handle bigger watts speaker?

It will work but i believe the oem system is a 2 ohm setup when most aftermarket speakers are 4 ohm. Keep that in mind, mixing the ohms results in muddiness and lower overall volume. If you are not changing the headunit, id personally recommend holding off on changing the speakers, not worth it in my opinion. Its better to use the stock speakers and throw it onto a new headunit as the unit will send better signals at a higher wattage to overcome the drawbacks of mixing the ohms. I still use stock speakers and they sound much better on my pioneer.

Q.: 2 and do i have to change the OEM adaptor or just put the aftermarket ON the existing adaptor on the car ?

Not required, its just nice to have those adapters so going back to stock is a breeze but I just cut my wires as I never go back to stock anyways.

TYVM