Hopewell Client Gets Incredible Audio System for 2017 Jeep Wrangler

A client from Hopewell contacted Extreme Audio in Mechanicsville by e-mail to discuss upgrades to his Jeep Wrangler audio system. The client was stationed in the Middle East and had invested a great deal of time researching the upgrades he wanted. We conversed back and forth over the summer to create the plan for his Jeep. Once he returned from duty, he brought his lifted Jeep to us so we could begin the sound system transformation.

Sound Deadening for a Solid Foundation

The first order of business was to remove the seats and carpet from the interior of the Jeep so that we could apply a layer of Soundskins Pro to the floor, rear fenders and as much of the firewall as we could access. The client has shod his Jeep with very aggressive 35×12.5R20 Nitto Trail Grappler tires. While they offer the look and the off-road performance he wants, they are noisy on the road. The sound deadening helps to reduce the noise transfer into the vehicle’s cabin.

We ran Stinger power wire and interconnects to the area under the seats before we reinstalled the interior.

JL Audio Jeep Wrangler Audio System Upgrades

JL Audio C5 tweeters were mounted in the dash.

The speaker pods were modified and treated with SoundSkins Pro.

The overhead pods also received a speaker upgrade.

The crossovers were mounted on an adapter plate.

The next step was to install new front and rear speakers in the Jeep. The client chose JL Audio C5-650 components. We removed the large speaker pods from the lower corners of the dash to prepare them for the new speakers, and we took off the backs of the enclosures so that the speakers have adequate airspace to function properly. We also lined the walls of the enclosures with more Soundskins damping material to prevent buzzes and rattles. The tweeters from the front C5-650 set were mounted on ABS adapter plates in the dash speaker location.

The speaker locations in the overhead soundbar were treated to a second set of C5-650 components. The woofer bolted right into the factory opening and a second set of adapter plates took care of the tweeter mounting.

BRP Jeep Wrangler Subwoofers

BRP makes this great-fitting Jeep enclosures.

The subwoofers were mounted on the sides of the wheel wells, leaving plenty of space.

The client wanted lots of bass in the Jeep. After some research and discussion, he chose a set of BRP Auto Designs enclosures. The enclosures fit on top of the rear wheel wells and included steel mounting brackets that hold everything in place. We installed a pair of JL Audio 12TW1-4 subs in the enclosures.

Premium JL Audio System Amplifiers

The JL Audio VXi amplifier provides plenty of power and processing.

The subwoofers were powered by a JL Audio HD amplifier.

The client chose a pair of JL Audio amps to power the Wrangler audio system. A VX400/4i four-channel system amp powers the front and rear speakers through their passive crossover networks and provides the signal processing we would use to tune the system. We connected an HD750/1 750-watt subwoofer amp to the preamp output of the VXi amp to drive the sub. The amps are mounted under the driver and passenger seats.

Alpine Multimedia Receiver Upgrade

Apple CarPlay will allow the client to use his smartphone safely.

The large Alpine screen provides plenty of viewing space for the backup camera.

Our technicians were able to fit a small backup camera in the spare wheel.

We removed the factory radio from the Jeep and replaced it with an Alpine iLX-207 multimedia receiver with an iDatalink Maestro RR vehicle interface module. The iLX-207 includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration so the client can communicate safely while driving. The Maestro interface allows the audio system controls on the steering wheel to work with the new radio. We added a rear-view camera to the back of the Jeep to make parking and maneuvering safer.

Compustar Remote Car Starter

A new Compustar T12 remote car starter and security system lets the client warm up the Jeep on cool winter days and cool it off in the summer. The security system includes an integrated tilt and motion sensor that will sound an alarm should anyone try to steal the wheels.

Sound System Tuning Process

With everything installed, the last step was for our team to set the crossovers, equalizer and signal delay settings in the VX400/4i’s digital signal processor to create a natural and realistic listening experience in the Jeep. After we were happy with the tuning, it was time for the client to return to Extreme Audio to hear the Jeep Wrangler audio system for the first time. He was thrilled with the way it sounds! If you are in the Richmond area and want to upgrade your vehicle’s sound system, drop by our location in Midlothian or Mechanicsville. You can also reach us by e-mail using our contact page.