How Can I Make My Jeep Wrangler Stereo Sound Better?

Whether driving in town or off-roading, listening to music is an important part of the Jeep experience. Unfortunately, for many, the current Jeep Wrangler stereo system falls flat.

While the current sound system does not match the quality of power that the Wrangler itself provides, a few relatively simple changes and additions can fix that. Here you will find all the upgrades you need to improve the sound system in your Jeep Wrangler.

1. Add a Subwoofer

Installing a subwoofer is most car enthusiasts go to upgrade no matter what vehicle they are working on. This is especially true for the Jeep Wrangler.

The original sound system is comprised of a series of small, not great quality speakers. These speakers are located throughout the car for sound distribution.

However, because of the speakers’ lower quality of sound, it ends up sounding disconnected.

The simple solution is to add a subwoofer!

Subwoofers provide your system with more bass giving an all-around better quality of sound. Additionally, installing a subwoofer in your Jeep Wrangler will reduce the strain put on the existing smaller speakers allowing them to put out better sound.

Subwoofers can be fairly expensive. This is because they are actually a collection of systems. A proper subwoofer should include a linear driver and an amplifier encased in a cabinet. If your subwoofer comes at a suspiciously low price, it will most likely be obviously low quality as well.

Although expensive, a subwoofer upgrade is something you can install on your own. Check out this video to learn exactly how to install your new subwoofer for an improved stereo system.

If you have already installed a subwoofer in your vehicle and still do not have desired sound quality, you may need to do some other upgrades listed below.

2. Upgrade the Front Speakers

Most of your system’s sound is produced by the front speakers. The front speakers are located at both the bottom and the top of the dash. Although the speakers are spread out to deliver sound evenly, each of them is fairly small (especially the upper speakers) and low quality.

The phrase “bigger is better” should be strictly followed in this situation. To upgrade the quality of your Jeep Wrangler’s stereo system, you need to upgrade to bigger speakers.

Upgrading the front end speaker system, although it sounds like it may come with a hefty price tag, can actually be done for less than a hundred dollars!

However, while the speaker upgrade kit can be purchased fairly cheaply, the installation process will cost you much more in time. In order to access the speaker system, around 70 pieces need to be removed–and later installed back in the right place in the right order.

The entire installation process from start to finish can take around three hours or more. That is what leads to a expensive install.

If you have experience working under the dash of a car then you can potentially save some money by doing this upgrade yourself. However, because of the complexity of the speaker install it may be wise to take it to a professional.

Another option other than purchasing a speaker kit is to get a system custom fabricated for your Wrangler.

This gives you more flexibility to choose the perfect setup for your listening needs. Unfortunately, this premium setup comes with a premium price tag and is therefore not the best choice for anyone looking to upgrade their Jeep Wrangler on a budget.

If you aren’t looking to pinch pennies, this is a great way to get the sound of your dream in your Jeep.

3. Add an Amp

If you chose to do the first two upgrades, then this one is an absolute must. In fact, your subwoofer installation most likely already included the installation of an amp, but if be sure to install this crucial piece of equipment.

An amp will provide your speaker system with the extra power needed to accommodate the additional and improved systems.

If you already have the dash opened up for the front speaker upgrade, this is the perfect time to work on your amp installation. Depending on the amp you chose, there should be enough room inside the dash for it to sit safely.

Many choose to install the amp below the passenger seat. While this is the easiest way to install this system, it may not be the smartest. Placing the amp on the floor exposes the potential for moisture damage and bumps. Keep your amp safe so it can work longer by installing it inside the dash.

You will then need to wire the amp to the battery from whichever location you chose. Be sure all the cables are disconnected from the battery to reduce the risk of getting shocked.

Not sure how to install the amplifier and wire it to the battery? No worries! Follow the video below to learn the correct way to install your new amplifier.

Be sure to include a fuse close to the battery to reduce the possibility for fire to start from an electric short.

4. Upgrade the Sound Bar

The sound bar is the portion of speakers located on the ceiling just behind the front row of seats.

While these speakers are not powerful by any means, they help contribute to the surround sound system for better listening. To boost the performance of your Jeep’s soundbar, you will need to replace each of the speakers and the enclosure they are in.

Although the Jeep Wrangler is now made with a custom vented enclosure, it still does not create the best quality of sound.

Updating the speakers in your Jeep will not only allow for louder music but will provide more bass and therefore a richer listening experience. It’ll also be great for your backseat passengers to enjoy the music just as much as those in the front.

A complete soundbar and speaker upgrade do come with a slightly higher price tag of around three to four hundred dollars.

Want to save some money but still improve your Jeep’s soundbar? With a few creative hacks, you can enjoy quality music and a bit of cash in your pocket.

Start by removing the speakers and then the entire speaker enclosure. Keep track of all the pieces as you will need them to secure the soundbar back in place.

The first hack to improve your speakers’ quality is to reduce the sound of wires vibrating. As your music reaches louder volumes and higher levels of bass, you will hear the wires start vibrating. Although this may not be an issue for you, it can become annoying after having to listen to it for a while.

Remove the wiring and set it to the side to be addressed next.

Since the wiring is out of the way, take a moment to line the speaker enclosures with sound skins. This cool product will help maintain proper acoustics in your system and prevent vibration in the panels.

If you are adding new speakers–which we highly suggest–now is the time to do the wiring for them. Be sure to wrap it in foam and tape to reduce the sound of it vibrating within the enclosure.

The final hacks to improve your Jeep Wrangler soundbar is to add polyfill. Polyfill is polyester stuffing, usually associated with sewing. Adding this helps reduce resonance and helps protect the sound quality of your speakers. Finish off the upgrade by installing after-market speakers.

See how to do this upgrade for your Wrangler in the following video!

If doing this handful of small improvements does not give you the desired sound quality, consider replacing the whole system with a new enclosure and speakers!

Either one of these upgrades is certain to raise the (sound) bar for your speaker system.

5. Add More Speakers

Adding too many additional speakers to your Wrangler can start to take over the limited space available. Instead of feeling like you are in your car, you may start to feel like you are in a rolling radio.

However, if the current number of speakers just does not create the listening experience you are hoping for then adding more speakers could be the solution.

So long as you do not use the space under the seats and in the trunk, you have plenty of space to add more speakers. If you want to keep those areas free for other item storage, you will need to get a bit more creative for speaker placement.

If you have experience fabricating custom car upgrades, this is likely a project you can do on your own. However, if your experience is limited or none it would be wise to visit with a professional fabricator for this project.

Before adding extra speakers to your Jeep Wrangler, try out the improvements described above. These upgrades could create the quality of sound you are looking for without taking up any of the space in vehicle. It will likely be more affordable to do these upgrades as well.