JBL audio quality

[booch2024]

For those that have the premium JBL audio, how's the quality?
I've read mixed reviews. What does it compare to?
Is it worth the upgrade or would it be better to add aftermarket speakers etc?
Can the JBL system be upgraded/tweaked more?

 

[Deleted member 1003]

I’ts not harman kardon or bowers and wilkins (bmw) but i think its like a 7 out of 10 and nicer than i would expect for a Toyota.

 

[Lenny33]

I have wondered the same, but I wonder how the stereo is for us common folk getting the regular Land Cruiser trim

 

[EOD Guy]

Spark-O-Matic baby!

 

[tfarab]

It’s pretty good. It’s clear but lacks power and punch. Thinking about a small sub, waiting to see what custom solutions come out.

 

[Lenny33]

I have always been intrigued by the slim self powered subs that mount under a seat. I wonder if that would be enough to make it sound better?

 

[Trailman]

Subwoofer in the LC 250 is located in the rear door/hatch. Watched a review saying it is hardly noticeable it even has one and the audio controls are pretty basic treble, base etc. No eq tuning currently. Interested to see what people come up with for solutions.

 

[stec06]

I have wondered the same, but I wonder how the stereo is for us common folk getting the regular Land Cruiser trim

Take this with a grain of salt, but I really like the base stereo in the 1958 and haven't even bothered to tune it. The soundstage is high and forward. Highs are clear/snappy and mids strong. I really haven't pushed the low-end because I'm mostly listening to podcasts and the occasional rock/EDM track.

Coming from a '15 DCSB Tacoma with several iterations of aftermarket sound systems, last being Image Dynamics speakers all around, 8" Sundown subwoofer behind the rear seats, 5-channel Sundown amp, and Alpine ILX-W670 head unit. I could never get that truck sounding totally right... it was loud for sure... but I can hear a lot more detail in the LC's OEM stereo.

Main difference is that when I bought the Tacoma I knew right away I'd have to mess with the stereo. No so much with the 1958.

 

[MHead]

Take this with a grain of salt, but I really like the base stereo in the 1958 and haven't even bothered to tune it. The soundstage is high and forward. Highs are clear/snappy and mids strong. I really haven't pushed the low-end because I'm mostly listening to podcasts and the occasional rock/EDM track.

Coming from a '15 DCSB Tacoma with several iterations of aftermarket sound systems, last being Image Dynamics speakers all around, 8" Sundown subwoofer behind the rear seats, 5-channel Sundown amp, and Alpine ILX-W670 head unit. I could never get that truck sounding totally right... it was loud for sure... but I can hear a lot more detail in the LC's OEM stereo.

Main difference is that when I bought the Tacoma I knew right away I'd have to mess with the stereo. No so much with the 1958.

I agree here...though I really didn't buy the 1958 for its stereo. I did however, replace the two small dash speakers with Infinity speakers(someone on this forum listed them) for $60 and it took all of 30 minutes to do both. The result was crisper highs and more clarity...there's enough bass in the the 1958 stereo to balance things. Things are basically stock...and I am happy with that.

 

[phxdsrtrat]

I have found the JBL to be clear and balanced. It lacks power if you enjoy a truly loud experience. It's loud enough for me and the bass has gotten better as the drivers have started to loosen up a bit.

-Curtiss

 

[Altitude]

I have always been intrigued by the slim self powered subs that mount under a seat. I wonder if that would be enough to make it sound better?

I had a BMW E60 that located the OEM woofers under the seats. I had occasion to upgrade the entire speaker system with a packaged speaker set that a German car audio specialist offered, which included those subs. So I have a point of view here.

Undeniably it’s effective to have subwoofers firing directly into your ass. It works, and certain theaters are adding that to their sound experience. On the other hand, under your seat there’s nearly no space for a speaker enclosure, or just for a very small one, so the output capability of a sub down there is compromised.

So it’s a cool effect but doesn’t replace a nice sub in an enclosure. I was actually able to make it easy to switch the wiring in the E60 between the under seat subs and a Polk Audio 12” cabinet I had, to the point where I could do it in 30 seconds. The Polk was in the trunk firing directly into the back of the rear seats. It was a much more satisfying effect, frankly, but any time I had a gig the sub box wouldn’t fit back there together with my stage amp. So it was useful to switch.

Anyway - to do something like this in the LC, you’d have to intercept the speaker line leading to the rear sub and run that under the seats to your aftermarket units. What I don’t know is where the power comes from - it’s either an amplifier near the head unit or in the sub itself. If the latter, you’d also have to invest in a power source for your under seat subs, which would make the project quite a bit more involved.

 

[EOD Guy]

I had a BMW E60 that located the OEM woofers under the seats. I had occasion to upgrade the entire speaker system with a packaged speaker set that a German car audio specialist offered, which included those subs. So I have a point of view here.

Undeniably it’s effective to have subwoofers firing directly into your ass. It works, and certain theaters are adding that to their sound experience. On the other hand, under your seat there’s nearly no space for a speaker enclosure, or just for a very small one, so the output capability of a sub down there is compromised.

So it’s a cool effect but doesn’t replace a nice sub in an enclosure. I was actually able to make it easy to switch the wiring in the E60 between the under seat subs and a Polk Audio 12” cabinet I had, to the point where I could do it in 30 seconds. The Polk was in the trunk firing directly into the back of the rear seats. It was a much more satisfying effect, frankly, but any time I had a gig the sub box wouldn’t fit back there together with my stage amp. So it was useful to switch.

Anyway - to do something like this in the LC, you’d have to intercept the speaker line leading to the rear sub and run that under the seats to your aftermarket units. What I don’t know is where the power comes from - it’s either an amplifier near the head unit or in the sub itself. If the latter, you’d also have to invest in a power source for your under seat subs, which would make the project quite a bit more involved.

I think the amp is located under the carpet, under the driver's seat

 

[Altitude]

I think the amp is located under the carpet, under the driver's seat

Might be pretty easy then, if there’s already a powered post-crossover speaker line right there. You’d feel the output but questionable whether it would be low enough or loud enough.