08 Gx470 Stero (factory nav) (3 Viewers)

[teamcurtis]

I'm sure everyone is annoyed with this topic by now, but i had a few questions i haven't seen answers to.

Head unit Options
Subwoofer Options

My main goal is to have improved sound. I'll admit it would be nice to have a nav screen that doesn't look like its so old.
The options that seem appealing to me are the Vline V2 or converting to non-nav climate control and adding a stereo.
Regardless I will replace the main speakers in the truck.
What is the general consensus on the Vline? Is it slow to start up? Is the sound quality really improved?

I have seen the SCAR subwoofer upgrade. I don't want a big box in the back, but I would like better bass, so this seems like a great option
I haven't seen anyone do a highline out and add a mono amp so you can run a traditional 4ohm subwoofer. Is there a reason no one seems to be doing this?

Are there newer or better solutions I havent read about

 

[teamcurtis]

Nothing?

The more i read the more the Vline seems buggy and not ideal.

How much is the factory radio holding back the sound quality?
Should I just do the GTA for bluetooth and upgrade the speakers?
Or is adding an aftermarket headunit with the facotry ML amp really going to improve sound that much?

 

[LX470 Owner]

I have an 05 and an 06 GX470. I have a Grom VLine 2 in the 05 and it works as well as any mid-tier head unit replacement. The 06 has a more crisp display being a year newer and 50K less miles, but It could also be electronics improvements between their manufacture. It is never going to feel like a new Carplay-enabled system because of that older display.

Forums suggest the Phoenix head unit replacement may work well if you buy the custom firmware. These reviews trend overly optimistic - everyone shows off the finished product but doesn't come back and update the review nine months later when systems fail. I have a Kenwood in another vehicle and technically you can say the same of that. Kenwood abandoned it after a year with no firmware updates. I physically inspected the Phoenix and it is no worse than any mid-tier head unit. I would not waste time trying to do the dash-control conversion, you will never find the parts.

I put a bluetooth-FM transmitter in the 06 and you are not going to be content with its audio quality. I don't see anyone actually doing it but audiophiles could build a standalone system using a soundbar or similar setup and abandon the in-car audio entirely. The ML mess is too much to unwind, which is a shame because otheriwse simplfiy the electronics (and reengineer it with a timing chain instead of a belt) and the GX would be perfect.