I just want the 2 speakers. Not looking to expand into saddlebags or lowers or anything. I would like to have a Bluetooth HU and be able to hear it clearly at highway speeds. I will buy a piece at a time if I have to to get what I need to make it happen. What do you guys think of the new Jensen replacement HU? Worth the price considering it's plug and play and marine grade?

 

Personally Jensen has not gained my trust just yet. However, I do trust Iron cross audio. I've sent about 3 HU's to them for mods and repairs and they do a great job!! Fast turn around and great customer service! If I were in your shoes I would just send my stock HU to Iron Cross for the the 4V pre-outs and bluetooth mod. Go with a Rockford PBR300X2 for an amp and two infinity 62.11i speakers and call it done. JMHO.

 

They said it would be $250 to repair and update. That's the price of a very nice aftermarket HU or a decent HU and install kit. I'm just weighing my options here. Does the mod you were talking about change the output to 4 ohm?

Edit - This was their response to my email $150 as core. $250 repair…includes repair, all updates and mods to latest production specs, one year warranty, lifetime re-repair discount if needed (less than 1% do)

 

No Sir. . I was refering to increasing the Stock HU to 4V pre-outs. The general Idea is that a higher voltage input to your amp will require less amplification and therefore less noise. You might check with Iron Cross for verification but I think the stock HU is only 2V before modification. Nutz my mentor and ultimate audio guru on here always recommends 4V pre-outs.

 

Originally Posted by Da Shadow View Post

I found it.

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ICA's pre-amp mod can be done to a higher volt output if the amp needs one. However, keeping the DC potential as low as possible and allowing the amp to work with a cleaner signal (Higher DC means more noise potential) is the better way to go. Most of the better amps gain controls will allow for the use of the cleaner, lower level output.



Wow...that post was from Dec 2010.
Yes, we said that a higher v output was available (3 years ago we were at about 2) As we pushed it higher, we we're getting noise in the signal, so we settled at 3v...that was the optimal voltage we could achieve with no noise riding on the signal.
We never made a claim that we would install a pre-amp higher than 3v.
Did I miss something??


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The above I copied from a thread in which Iron Cross responded to a conversation regarding output levels.
I believe Iron Cross does 3V outputs but they are convinced that 3V is a good level and with their reputation I would have no reason to doubt their word.

 

Something to add:
I believe IC's statements regarding 3V are for the stock HU. If you search their posts regarding the stock HU they talk about the pre-amps in that unit being designed by the same folks that design and build some very nice equipment so the pre-amps in that unit are not junk, however, the output amps leave a lot to be desired and that is why it is best to bypass them. I like my stock HU and will have this mod done to enhance the performance of my four BT 7.1s and BT amp. Wanted to do it last year but the weather got good and I figured I would wait for cold weather this year to send it off. Currently my system is great and can be too loud. It is clear no matter how fast I ride but I won't feel it complete until I get rid of the line level adapters, or whatever they are called.

 

Thanks for the clarification Shadow! I would never doubt their expertise either! I guess by the time the info got to me in 2012 someone bumped it up to 4v's lol This is what I know. . . Every guy I know who had this mod done is completely happy with it.

 

The new Jensen makes modding the stock HU problematic... pre-amp outputs, blue tooth conversion, and Ipod controls add up to quite a bit of money. I've found the Jensen unit available for about $409, seems to be a deal if the stock unit can be sold to offset the cost.

 

Thanks for the advice fellas. I'm still not sure I want to keep the stock HU. That seems to be the cheapest route but not necessarily the best. I definitely want it louder than stock and would like to be able to run a conventional 4 ohm speaker. Is that possible with the stock HU after Iron Cross does their standard mods?

 

I would agree if the Jensen had a track record. I've been hoping to hear some great reviews on it because I would go for it then. Hopefully by next winter enough folks will recommend it to send me down that path rather than adding pre-amp outs to mine. My only "hook" to the stock HU is weather radio and its water resistance. It has been in some really hard rains and still works great. I like WB when traveling especially in the Midwest where you have no idea how huge and rough a storm can be by just looking at it going down the road. Other than that all I use is my iPod with the IC interface. If it weren't for my need for WB I'd have a nice Sony or Kenwood with a splash cover.