[Radknight]

Hi, I'm on a quest to find out as much info on the standard Alpine audio system as I can prior to my SRT arriving in November.

Does anyone have any pictures of the '14 Alpine Amplifier so I can get an idea of plugs, inputs, outputs, etc? All help would be extremely helpful...and appreciated.

 

[bill_de]

Are you sure it will be an Alpine? I thought the 14's use a system built by Harmon-Becker.


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[Radknight]

Pretty sure the standard system is Alpine and the Super Premium System is Harman Kardon. Doesn't matter because I'm rippin' that b**ch out. XD

 

[SNUKE]

The Alpine is standard, the HK is optional.
If you have it on special, rather than dealer stock (you signature suggest so) then it is as you would have specced it. I suspect almost all dealer stock would be ordered with the upgraded HK audio.

Has your dealer provided you with an E number yet, I can't see you in the tracking thread?

Grand Cherokee SRT®

SURROUND SOUND
Optional on SRT is the Harman Kardon® high performance audio system featuring;

19 High-Performance, High-Efficiency GreenEdge® Loudspeakers in a 7.3 speaker playback architecture (includes Nine Tweeters, Five Mid-Range Speakers, Two Mid-Woofers and Three Subwoofers).
High Voltage Class D Amplifier with Tracking Power Supply and 11 Channels of Amplification with Logic 7 Multichannel Surround-Sound Technology.

 

[Radknight]

Still waiting for my E number. Dealer said as soon as he had it he would give me a call. My main contact is on annual leave at the moment.

I didn't have a chance to listen to the HK system so I ordered my SRT without it. As you can imagine finding an SRT in stock is pretty hard at the moment and the one I test drove didn't have the HK. I didn't want to risk it knowing I can install a hi end system myself. I understand there is a lot involved and it isn't as straightforward as one would expect.

Come late November there should be more stock so if I decide to swap for a SRT with the HK my dealer might oblige me for the price of the upgraded system.

I see yours is due to arrive late October. Awesome. I bet you can't wait. You wouldn't happen to have any amp pics would you?

 

[SNUKE]

No amp pics, what dealer?

 

[Radknight]

Suttons Rosebury.

 

[kkreit01]

If you are ripping it out, what do you want to know about it? It's a small black box with a couple of large wiring harnesses on it. The power and ground are about 12-14 ga (max). 504w my ass! It's horrible to integrate to/upgrade this system. It costs a lot of money, time, and patience. It also cost a boatload to replace with the same features. Alpine should really be ashamed to put their name on it.

 

[Radknight]

Thats what I hear. It's one part that I'm not ripping out because I have to use it until an adapter comes out. I'm just curious what it looks like and all the inputs and outputs, etc.

 

[OverlandAzul]

Hope these help. The final setup is not pretty but does the work.

 

[Radknight]

Hey, that'll work. Thanks for the pics. Did you end up putting your spare tire back in the back?

 

[jeffreybehr]

If you are ripping it out, what do you want to know about it? It's a small black box with a couple of large wiring harnesses on it. The power and ground are about 12-14 ga (max). 504w my ass! It's horrible to integrate to/upgrade this system. It costs a lot of money, time, and patience. It also cost a boatload to replace with the same features. Alpine should really be ashamed to put their name on it.

Yup. My '13 JGC Limited didn't have the Alpine system in it, but it was a 10-speaker system. Rad..., you've seen my thread on replacing mine. Of course, the principal problem is that the original system sounds horrible--shrill and hard on top, loose, boomy, grossly excessive on the bottom, and veiled and hard in the middle.

Mine was, and I'm pretty yours is, a fully digital system, that is, one that sends only a stereo digital signal to the poweramp via a CANBUS. You'll have to start all over, as I did, with the frontend and poweramp. I wanted to continue to use some of the original system, so my new DVD receiver drives a PAC adapter harness, both sourced from Crutchfield. My final system still uses the reardoor speakers (rewired) and the SW, which is plenty loud and extended for me. See http://www.jeepgarage.org/f155/installed-a-new-dvd-receiver-in-my-13-limited-63937.html
for details. Good luck, and pls keep us informed on how this project proceeds.

 

[My1stJGC]

Ok I have a '14 limited with the 9 amplified speaker plus subwoofer. Is that the alpine setup also? I know you can only get the HK on Summit and SRT. I don't think the setup is that bad. Of coarse after 16 years of 1000 watt systems (2 block bass setup) my ears are not what they used to be.

 

[jeffreybehr]

Ok I have a '14 limited with the 9 amplified speakers plus subwoofer. Is that the Alpine setup also? I know you can only get the HK on Summit and SRT. I don't think the setup is that bad. Of coarse after 16 years of 1000-watt systems (2 block bass setup) my ears are not what they used to be.

In the '13 models, I understand that 'the Alpine system' merely replaced the super-cheap communistchinese drivers with blue-coned Alpine units...that all the rest of the system was the same. BTW, the speakers aren't 'amplified' in the sense that each driver has an amp parked on it. I KNOW that my front-door (both the bass/MR and the treble pairs), the rear-door pair, and the D-pillar pairs of drivers were not directly powered and that they were driven by sections of the main poweramp located in the LR corner of vehicle. I'm still astonished that Chrysler/Jeep/Mercedes allowed such a HORRIBLE-sounding system to be marketed.

Replacing ALL of the original system would require 10 channels of amplification, a relatively major project requiring at least 2 multichannel poweramps and LOTS of new drivers and rewiring. I'm VERY happy with my hybrid (of original and new) system of drivers and amp.

But maybe after years of using kilowatt systems with 2 block bass setups (whatever that is), probably you won't be satisfied with the original SW. My original SW has plenty of output, extension, and quality for me.

BTW, the last stages of my system rebuild will have me adding a bunch of Dynamat Extreme to the exterior of the SW cabinet and replacing the current, unmodified, fine-sounding old Alpine V12-series, 50WPC MRV-F307 poweramp with another old Alpine V12-series poweramp, this one a 60WPC MRV-F407. The '407 is one of the bandpass-filter amps with the filter controls atop the amp and also with MOSFET output transistors. I always believed that, all other things being equal (which, of course, they never are), MOSFETS sound a little better than bipolar output transistors. The '407 will get 2 pairs of new PS-final-filter caps (now-quite-expensive Black Gates no less) serving all 4 channels, and 5 new pairs of coupling caps in channels 1 and 2.

What is a '2 block bass setup'?

 

[SNUKE]

What is a '2 block bass setup'?

Google gives this as the second option.

Seems about right:

Bass Lesson - Intermediate Block "Basic Slapping Part 2" - YouTube

 

[My1stJGC]

When I used to install car stereos we used the term 2 block bass. Bass so loud they hear you 2 blocks away. My last setup was all image dynamics from components to 2 IDMAX 12's running off a Q1200.1 using audio control overdrive and EQ's. The factory setup if fine for me since I don't need those kinds of set ups anymore.

 

[jeffreybehr]

When I used to install car stereos we used the term 2 block bass. Bass so loud they hear you 2 blocks away. My last setup was all image dynamics from components to 2 IDMAX 12's running off a Q1200.1 using audio control overdrive and EQ's. The factory setup if fine for me since I don't need those kinds of set ups anymore.

I suspected it was something like that.

If you find the original system's bass to be adequate, and I suspect you'll find the output of the rear-door and D-pillar drivers adequate, I suggest you do something similar to what I did.

 

[My1stJGC]

In the '13 models, I understand that 'the Alpine system' merely replaced the super-cheap communistchinese drivers with blue-coned Alpine units...that all the rest of the system was the same. BTW, the speakers aren't 'amplified' in the sense that each driver has an amp parked on it. I KNOW that my front-door (both the bass/MR and the treble pairs), the rear-door pair, and the D-pillar pairs of drivers were not directly powered and that they were driven by sections of the main poweramp located in the LR corner of vehicle. I'm still astonished that Chrysler/Jeep/Mercedes allowed such a HORRIBLE-sounding system to be marketed.

Replacing ALL of the original system would require 10 channels of amplification, a relatively major project requiring at least 2 multichannel poweramps and LOTS of new drivers and rewiring. I'm VERY happy with my hybrid (of original and new) system of drivers and amp.

But maybe after years of using kilowatt systems with 2 block bass setups (whatever that is), probably you won't be satisfied with the original SW. My original SW has plenty of output, extension, and quality for me.

BTW, the last stages of my system rebuild will have me adding a bunch of Dynamat Extreme to the exterior of the SW cabinet and replacing the current, unmodified, fine-sounding old Alpine V12-series, 50WPC MRV-F307 poweramp with another old Alpine V12-series poweramp, this one a 60WPC MRV-F407. The '407 is one of the bandpass-filter amps with the filter controls atop the amp and also with MOSFET output transistors. I always believed that, all other things being equal (which, of course, they never are), MOSFETS sound a little better than bipolar output transistors. The '407 will get 2 pairs of new PS-final-filter caps (now-quite-expensive Black Gates no less) serving all 4 channels, and 5 new pairs of coupling caps in channels 1 and 2.

What is a '2 block bass setup'?

Why would you need a 10 channel system? I would say a five channel setup. You replace components with components cause they have crossovers already. Some allow adjustments for tweeter placement near or far from mid range. Two pairs of components running off a 4 channel amp and one mono amp for sub. You wouldn't have to run all new wires just start your wiring where the factory amp is like OverlandAzul looks to have done. and using stock head unit you would you a line level or RCA's with an aftermarket HU.

 

[Radknight]

With 8-10 channels you can run full active channels; fronts, rears, subs and center channel and get 5.1 or 7.1 Surround Sound. No passive crossovers needed.

Using something like a JBL MS-8 or RF 3Sixty.3 processor to clean up that muddy sound. I'm now leaning toward the JBL MS-8 as I can use it to make quick improvements with the flexibility to replace and install additional components later on as I go.

 

[My1stJGC]

With 8-10 channels you can run full active channels; fronts, rears, subs and center channel and get 5.1 or 7.1 Surround Sound. No passive crossovers needed.

Using something like a JBL MS-8 or RF 3Sixty.3 processor to clean up that muddy sound. I'm now leaning toward the JBL MS-8 as I can use it to make quick improvements with the flexibility to replace and install additional components later on as I go.

I get you. I forgot it was a surround system. another one is the audio control LC8i