I'm looking to buy a new (to me) vehicle in the 2016-2018 year range. Likely a small SUV (CR-V, Rav4 or the like) and I have noticed the HUs on pretty much all the vehicles in this year range have no PRE-OUT on their HU. When upgrading a system like this that are often integrated into a "Entire Vehicle" media/NAV system, how do you (the experts here) upgrade the system? Looking to add amps mostly since the component speakers and subwoofer are not the problem. I'm guessing adding a "Line Out Converter" is out of the question for achieving high quality audio. Gutting the entire system (Which I did with my 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid) seems a bit extreme, especially if the stock system has NAV. So, how do you upgrade a stock system that has no PRE-OUT?
Thanks in advance.

 

Hi Greg,


It's been about 10 years since I last logged in and posted here, my current vehicle, a 2017 Ford Taurus, has pretty much the same setup, a nonstandard audio system that has multiple functions like audio, NAV, climate all built into the center console.


It's sad that I got interested in car audio again, and realizing that it's still a stock system..., sooo..., been looking at car audio again, go figure...


Anyways, been working on a equipment list, and while doing that list, I came across several "OEM Integration" options..., one was JL Audio's FiX 86 unit...


https://www.jlaudio.ca/car-audio-pro...em-integration


This unit interfaces with the output of the factory unit and corrects any audio timing and outputs to RCA jacks, so far, All I've done is glanced at it and no idea how it hooks up, perhaps a subject for a future post... :-)