I would LOVE to upgrade my audio

Sawtooth · 02-02-2017, 07:48 PM

Hello Campers. Getting to be spring here in NC and I cant wait for the first road trip. Before we get going this year I would love to upgrade my audio system. I have a 2017 RKSS - love it. BUT. the audio has these little rectangular speakers hanging off the ceiling and the DVD Player plays through the surround sound but the TV didnt. Had to run an external patch to the DVD/radio player to the front jack of the radio unit. Also the DVD player is not the best. It skips, and just gets stuck. Hate the darn thing. Any recommendations on replacement unit and speakers?

gajeep2 · 02-15-2017, 04:47 PM

Any stereo shop can help you with that.

rsdata · 02-15-2017, 05:40 PM

if you have to ask for help, I would take it to a specialist...

call Crutchfield at the very least

Mr Havercamp · 02-15-2017, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsdata

if you have to ask for help, I would take it to a specialist...

call Crutchfield at the very least

Lol........Crutchfield sells the IRV 34 for $400 and as much as I like Crutchfield, and have dealt with them since the beginning, they'll have advisors that will talk that piece of junk up like it's the best thing ever.

rsdata · 02-15-2017, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Lol........Crutchfield sells the IRV 34 for $400 and as much as I like Crutchfield, and have dealt with them since the beginning, they'll have advisors that will talk that piece of junk up like it's the best thing ever.

You know I have a Genesis Tech 2.0 in my unit. Once I got it and it sounded so horrible, I had to take it out of the cabinet and look at the back. Problem was that it was not installed at the factory nowhere near correct. Crappy crimp on connections and no connections to one stereo side at all.

After adding some speaker connections so I could at least get stereo sound, soldering on the connectors and figuring out how it interfaced with the DVD player and TV hookup so I could get it to play a DVD through the house speakers instead of the tiny TV screen speakers, I had to say it was not a bad unit. After 2 1/2 years in harsh environments it still works.

I have replaced the two outside speakers for better sound... the two inside are stock and OK, but I added another good pair up front I use more often then not that sound better than the stock ones installed.

I know what I am doing and what to expect from an all-in-one entertainment center... and the IRV and Genesis Tech units are about all you can find at that price point of $400. Stock RV speakers are a joke, so they have to be included in any upgrade.

An automotive audio specialist CAN and will provide you with separate components and wire them together to work correctly. Speaker upgrades are easy... there are hundreds to choose from. Open your checkbook and any reputable audio specialist will fix you up.

gajeep2 · 02-15-2017, 06:36 PM

Best buy, crutchfield, Hifi buys, what ever should have installers that can do the job. It will save you a bunch of coin if you do it yourself, maybe enought to add an amplifier or maybe a powered sub. On that same thought, a Wi-Fi network extender and/or 4G call phone extender maybe a good idea as well.

gajeep2 · 02-15-2017, 06:38 PM

I would do it for you for a large papa-john's pizza and 2ltr Coke, that is you buy all the parts. If you were in Texas

johnbryanpeters · 02-15-2017, 06:45 PM

I'm not highly satisfied with the stereo in my 2013 RP-171. In particular, the interior speakers don't seem to be of decent quality and one's in the aft bedroom and the other's by the entry door forward and starboard. I guess that if you happen to be standing at the stove, you might get something like stereo.

Addressing this is not really high on my project list; if I want decent music I don headsets and use my phone.

Mr Havercamp · 02-16-2017, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsdata

You know I have a Genesis Tech 2.0 in my unit. Once I got it and it sounded so horrible, I had to take it out of the cabinet and look at the back. Problem was that it was not installed at the factory nowhere near correct. Crappy crimp on connections and no connections to one stereo side at all.

After adding some speaker connections so I could at least get stereo sound, soldering on the connectors and figuring out how it interfaced with the DVD player and TV hookup so I could get it to play a DVD through the house speakers instead of the tiny TV screen speakers, I had to say it was not a bad unit. After 2 1/2 years in harsh environments it still works.

I have replaced the two outside speakers for better sound... the two inside are stock and OK, but I added another good pair up front I use more often then not that sound better than the stock ones installed.

I know what I am doing and what to expect from an all-in-one entertainment center... and the IRV and Genesis Tech units are about all you can find at that price point of $400. Stock RV speakers are a joke, so they have to be included in any upgrade.

An automotive audio specialist CAN and will provide you with separate components and wire them together to work correctly. Speaker upgrades are easy... there are hundreds to choose from. Open your checkbook and any reputable audio specialist will fix you up.

Funny how wiring something correctly makes even junk sound better isn't it? Our 2017 Roo was the same way, both interior speakers were on the right channel of zone A, both exteriors were on the left channel of zone B, and polarity was reversed on all. Speakers, even crappy ones, tend to not sound the best when the cone needs to push for a bass note but instead pulls

. That was despite having a dedicated home run from each speaker to the unit which makes no sense why they would wire it that way. They have been wiring them wrong for years and I have corrected many for others. Just putting in some quality speakers, I like Polk Audio or Rockford Fosgate, and verifying the wiring can make any of these cheap RV units sound much better no matter if they are Jensen, Concertone, IRV, and maybe even Furrion if you're lucky.

The speakers used are even worse quality than the head units. I had an AM transitor pocket radio given to me for my birthday around 1968, that had a better speaker.

For $400, or a lot less, you could always throw in something such as THIS

It will not have the 3 zones but there are ways around that too, as I am sure you're aware.

Gearitis · 02-16-2017, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsdata

I have replaced the two outside speakers for better sound... the two inside are stock and OK, but I added another good pair up front I use more often then not that sound better than the stock ones installed.

What speakers did you use to replace the outside speakers? I am looking for ideas with the limited 2"s or so of space.

extremebike · 02-16-2017, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sawtooth

Hello Campers. Getting to be spring here in NC and I cant wait for the first road trip. Before we get going this year I would love to upgrade my audio system. I have a 2017 RKSS - love it. BUT. the audio has these little rectangular speakers hanging off the ceiling and the DVD Player plays through the surround sound but the TV didnt. Had to run an external patch to the DVD/radio player to the front jack of the radio unit. Also the DVD player is not the best. It skips, and just gets stuck. Hate the darn thing. Any recommendations on replacement unit and speakers?

If you don't like the OEM audio then You will not like any of the RV audio systems. Look at a good quality auto system with good subwoofer power. My Genesis died and I got another RV brand installed. Big mistake. You can get a good quality auto system for $400 the only two issues is the mounting and the wiring interconnect, but any good audio installer can take care of the connections.

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