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Chevrolet Radio and Backup Camera for Lake Butler Client

September 9, 2022 By JOey Knapp

This client from Lake Butler recently checked in with us to see about installing a new radio and backup camera into his Chevrolet 2500. The client also mentioned possibly adding side-view cameras to his truck sometime. After listening to his other needs for his trunk entertainment system, we knew the perfect radio for him would be the Stinger Heigh10 radio.

Chevrolet Radio Installation

There was plenty of room between the screen and the shifter, when in park.

Android Auto apps are easily accessible.

The large 10″ display makes navigation mapping easy.

The Stinger Heigh10 radio offers plenty of source options.

The Stinger Heigh10 radio is not your average radio. It features a large, 10″ touchscreen display. While the large display makes the radio safer and more engaging, it also limits some of the vehicles in which it can be installed. In this Chevrolet truck, our first step was to measure and make sure the shifter would clear the screen. We were in luck, and there was plenty of space between the shifter and the screen. We were then able to begin the dash removal process and installation preparation.

Chevrolet Backup Camera

The backup camera was mounted just above the license plate.

The backup camera was perfectly aligned.

One of the ways the client wanted to take advantage of the large 10″ screen was with a backup camera. He was excited about how easy the new camera would make hooking a trailer up to his truck. The large, clear screen makes it easy for him to see his backup progress at a glance. We mounted one of our Echomaster backup cameras just above the license plate and neatly hid the wiring before routing it to the front of the truck.

One More Thing, Speakers

The front speakers were upgraded with Rockford Fosgate Punch coaxials.

Smaller 4×6″ coaxials were used in the rear doors.

A late addition to the project was new speakers for the front and rear of the truck. While we had the truck apart, the client wanted us to freshen up the speakers. We were happy to oblige and chose two pairs of Rockford Fosgate Punch coaxials to upgrade the front and rear speakers in the Chevrolet truck.

Setup and Delivery

With the radio, backup camera, and speakers all installed, it was time to set up the new radio for the client. We first adjusted the backup camera to ensure the client could see the ball of the hitch and the space behind the truck. We took advantage of the sound settings in the Heigh10 radio to maximize the sound from the new speakers. The crossover settings let us filter out some of the bass from the smaller rear speakers. With all the features working optimally, it was time to hand the truck back to the client. We knew his ride home to Lake Butler would be better than the trip to see us! Need a radio, backup camera, or new speakers for your Chevrolet truck? We can help! Please stop by, call, or contact us to learn about the options we offer.

Polaris Sportsman 4-Wheeler Stereo and Lighting Upgrades

August 26, 2022 By JOey Knapp

Side-by-sides and golf carts are a big part of the work we do at Pinnacle Autosound. A type of vehicle we are capable of working on, but don’t see as much of are 4-wheeler ATV’s. One of our Pinnacle team members recently purchased a Polaris Sportsman, so we were excited to get to outfit it with some of our products. Our plan was to upgrade the 4-wheeler stereo system and add some awesome lighting, so the ATV would look and sound good, day and night.

Rockford Fosgate Moto-Can Speakers

The rear of the pods feature Rockford logos that can be rotated.

The pod speakers were bolted to the front frame.

We used our laser to make some custom badges for the speakers.

Adding speakers on a 4-wheeler can be a pretty challenging task. There are not a lot of places to install traditional speakers. We had to look somewhat outside the box to come up with a solution on this bike. The answer for this 4-wheeler stereo speaker upgrade was to look to the Rockford Fosgate lineup of powersports speakers. Rockford Fosgate has a line of smaller tower speakers, called Moto-Cans. These speaker pods feature the great-sounding marine audio speakers we love, in a small, rugged plastic housing. In addition to offering great sound, the pods also include front AND rear lighting, something unique to this type of product.

Mounting the speakers took a bit of ingenuity. The speakers are designed to be clamped to a thicker bar, such as those found on a roll cage or wake tower. This 4-wheeler, however, only had thin metal tubes. We found that if we took apart the clamp assembly, that the bolt holes for it lined up perfectly with the thinner bars on the front storage rack. This allowed us to through-bolt the pod speakers securely to the front rack.

Clarion, JL Audio and Rockford Fosgate Electronics

Now that we had some speakers on the Polaris, it was time to send some audio to them. We accomplished this through the use of a JL Audio Bluetooth receiver. The Bluetooth controller was mounted between the handlebars, for easy access while riding. The output of the controller was sent to a Clarion four-channel amplifier. The Clarion amplifier is marine rated, so it can handle any punishment it may take on off-road excursions. The final piece of the electronics puzzle was to add in a controller for the lighting we were installing. The Rockford Fosgate lighting controller we chose offers the user many different color, and pattern settings via a smartphone interface. The lighting controller and the Clarion amplifier were mounted on a Starboard (HDPE) plastic board that we custom cut to fit the front storage area in the Polaris.

4-Wheeler Stereo Setup and Lighting

The lighting pods give great lighting coverage on this Polaris ATV.

The rear of the Rockford Fosgate pods feature a lit logo.

The front of the speaker pods have RGB lighting.

With the electronics secured, it was time to add the rest of the lighting to the ATV. The lighting source we chose were small lighting pods by LEDGlow. These little circular pods are designed for use on motorcycles and powersports vehicles. They put off quite a bit of light and have a very small footprint. The pods were mounted and then the wiring neatly routed to the lighting controller.

The final step of the stereo and lighting package for this Polaris Sportsman was to set the amplifier gain controls and crossovers and test out the lighting. The result of all of the hard work was a 4-wheeler stereo system that was loud and clear enough to be heard, even at wide open throttle. In addition to great sound, the 4-wheeler lighting additions would ensure the ATV looked great, and was even safer, when the sun went down.

We loved the challenge of fitting a full audio system and custom lighting on this 4-wheeler, if you have a similar ATV and would like to know what we could do to help it look and sound better, stop by with it sometime. We will take a look at it and go over with you options to fit your goals and budget.

Can-Am Spyder Speaker and Amplifier Upgrade

August 19, 2022 By JOey Knapp

Here at Pinnacle Autosound we not only work on cars and boats, but also quite a few powersports vehicles. The owner of this Can-Am Spyder stopped by to talk with us about upgrading the speakers on his bike. We discussed the options available, and for a unique bike like this, they are somewhat limited. The client agreed our suggested speaker and amplifier package was the way to go, and booked his appointment.

Can-Am Spyder Speaker Installation

The mounting brackets allow us the angle the speakers toward the rider.

The speakers look right at home on this Can-Am Spyder.

The rugged grille on the speakers protects them from damage.

The black and silver colors of the pods were perfect.

The chosen speakers for this Can-Am Spyder speaker upgrade were the JL Audio VeX pods with the M3 speakers. The small size of the VeX pod makes it a perfect fit for the sides of the Can-Am Spyder. The rugged housing and sturdy sport grille on the JL Audio M3 speakers ensures that the pods will not only sound great, but look good for quite a while. The pods were mounted with the correct clamps and the wiring was run to the front storage compartment

Can-Am Spyder Amplifier Installation

The small size of the MX amplifier meant the client kept almost all of his room in the storage area.

The small JL Audio MX amplifier was the perfect choice for this Spyder.

The next step was to install the Amplifier and the Bluetooth source unit. To receive audio from the client’s phone, we used a JL Audio MBT-RX Bluetooth receiver. This receiver sounds great and plugs right into the amplifier. The power for the speakers comes from a JL Audio MX280/4 amplifier. The JL Audio MX280/4 is an incredible little amplifier. In fact, it is our most popular amp! The small form of the MX amplifier allowed us to install it in the bottom of the front storage compartment. The compartment insert was trimmed, so the wiring for the amplifier and Bluetooth receiver could be neatly routed behind it.

Setup, Cleanup and Go!

With all the new audio gear installed it was time to level match the amplifier to the Bluetooth receiver’s output. We also took time to set the crossovers in the amplifier to allow the speakers to safely play within their safe range of frequencies. The bike sounded great, so our final step was to clean up the panels, and call the client for pickup. The client was very happy with the installation and great sound his bike now had! He was so happy, he referred one of his Can-Am Spyder owner friends to us for a similar system. Keep an eye out for a post on his friend’s build too! If you are ready to enhance the ride of your Can-Am Spyder with new speakers, give us a call or contact us here!

Premium Stereo Upgrade for Steinhatchee Invincible Fishing Boat

March 5, 2021 By JOey Knapp Leave a Comment

A client from down in Steinhatchee recently brought his Invincible Fishing Boat to Pinnacle Autosound for a sound system upgrade. The client had done business with Sound Line Design – the home theatre company in the same building as us. When he mentioned that he wanted to upgrade the stereo on his bout, they sent him our way. The boat came with a pair of JL Audio amplifiers, two subwoofers, and six matching speakers. While this might be enough for most people, this client wanted much more. After reviewing how the system was configured, we put together a package that would play louder and sound even better.

JL Audio Marine Speaker Upgrade

Midway through the boat another pair of speakers were added for uniform sound.

The very front of the bow was upgraded with a pair of JL Audio coaxial speakers.

The sides of the console were home to the pair of JL Audio subwoofers.

A pair of M6-880’s were added to the stern of the boat.

The speaker lighting provides ambient light throughout the boat when the sun goes down.

Thankfully, our install bay is 50 feet long. Once we had this Invincible and its trailer inside, there were only a few feet left to walk around it!

In terms of the audio system upgrade, the first order of business was to install three sets of JL Audio M6-880X-C-GwGw-I 8.8-inch coaxial speakers. Aside from being part of the top-of-the-line M6 Series, these speakers also include JL’s Transflective LED lighting system. The lights are mounted below the translucent woofer cone to keep them away from water but illuminate the speaker beautifully.

Our team ran new wiring to each speaker location in the bow and stern of the boat, along with the pair mounted on either side of the center console to power the RGB lighting.

The next step was to upgrade the subwoofers with a pair of M6-10IB-C-GwGw-i-4 10-inch drivers. Also part of the M6 family, these subs have the same gloss white classic grille and Transflective illumination as the speakers. The subs are mounted in recessed baffles on either side of the helm.

We always use stainless steel fasteners when upgrading the accessories on boats, ATVs and side-by-sides to ensure there is no chance of anything corroding when exposed to water.

Invincible Boat Marine Amplifiers

The boat came with a JL Audio M600/1 subwoofer amp and an M600/6 to power the original speakers. We added a second M600/6 amplifier and rewired all six speakers in what’s called a bridged configuration. This ups their power delivery from 75 watts to an impressive 200 watts. Given the upgrade to M6 drivers, the system can play a LOT louder without distorting.

Marine Radio and Lighting Integration

Our modifications on the dash look like a factory upgrade.

Our laser cut plate expertly integrated the radio and lighting controller into the boat.

The boat came with a SiriusXM receiver integrated into the Garmin multifunction display in the helm. We added a JL Audio MediaMaster MM100s-BE digital media receiver to the boat to provide Bluetooth audio streaming capabilities. We connected the JL radio to the Garmin screen using the NMEA-2000 built-in interface.

The radio is mounted in the helm on a laser-cut and engraved panel that we fabricated with our Thunder Laser Nova 63. We mounted the knob for the JL Audio MLC-RW LED controller to the left of the radio and added the Invincible Boat logo just above it. The controller will let the client change the color of the LED lights in the speakers and subwoofers, adjust their intensity or configure them to cycle through a rainbow of colors. He can also connect to the lighting control module using an app on his smartphone and the built-in Wi-Fi receiver.

Columbia County’s Best Marine Audio Upgrades

After about two days of work, we had the upgraded audio system in this Invincible boat installed. The amplifiers’ settings were configured so the system would sound crystal clear, even with the volume cranked. The client was thrilled with the upgrade and loves how loudly the system plays. If you are shopping for an audio system upgrade for your boat, drop by Pinnacle Autosound in Lake City and speak with one of our Product Specialists. You can also reach us by phone or e-mail using our online contact form.

Flats Boat Audio System for Local Marine Repair Business Owner

February 15, 2019 By JOey Knapp Leave a Comment

The owner of a Lake City marine repair business recently stopped by to talk about upgrading the audio system in his flats boat. He currently had a radio and speakers in the boat, but their performance was anemic. We talked about possible speaker upgrades, a new radio and adding and amplifier. We always like to mention the benefits of adding a subwoofer too, which the client seemed open to. Happy with the discussion, the client setup a time to drop his boat off.

Radio Replacement

The Kenwood radio provides the clients with numerous audio sources.

The addition of the waterproof cover will ensure the radio lasts for years.

The first step to building a great audio system in this boat was to upgrade the radio. For this project we used a Kenwood marine radio. The radio will give the client the ability to not only play CD’s, listen to the radio, play audio from a USB drive but also to stream audio from his phone via Bluetooth. While the radio is a marine radio and designed to survive life on a boat, we added an additional bit of protection with installation of a waterproof radio cover.

Speaker Upgrades

The rings were machined in our fabrication room.

The stepped adapter rings look great and help fit the speakers into the larger holes.

A pair of JL speaker was installed in the rear of the boat.

The front of the boat receive a pair of speakers and a single subwoofer.

This boat is going to look and sound great day and night.

The most important part of this job was providing the client with crystal clear music and high volume levels. Our go-to speaker for this sort of project is the JL Audio MX marine coaxial speaker. Fulfilling a request for some lighting from the client’s wife was easy with the addition of the LED illuminated series of JL Audio MX speakers. These speakers have the great JL Audio sound and also feature blue LED lighting. Adding the lighting required a bit more work because we also have to run not only speaker wires, but also lighting wires, to each speaker. The lighting for the speakers was powered by an unused rocker switch that we repurposed for the lighting.

After the speaker and lighting wiring was done it was time to install the speakers. Unfortunately we found that the off-brand speakers the client previously had in the boat were a bit larger than the new JL Audio speakers. To fit the new speakers in the old holes we made custom adapters out of marine-grade HDPE plastic. The rings were machined to give the JL Audio speakers a larger lip. The center of the ring was recessed to allow for the speaker to fit down in it, for a cleaner look. Finally the outer edge of the ring was chamfered for a more finished shape. We mounted the speakers into the adapter rings using stainless steel hardware.

Subwoofer Addition

When the client dropped off the boat with us it was with the understanding that we would research options for a subwoofer. After looking around the boat while we were working on it, we found that a single 10″ JL Audio marine subwoofer would fit in the very center of the front storage area. The client agreed to this spot, so we began the work to mount it. Normally if the fiberglass is thin in the areas we plan on mounting subwoofers, we will make an additional support baffle. The fiberglass in this area of the boat, though, was plenty thick for mounting the subwoofer.

JL Audio Amplifier

Powering the whole system is a JL Audio MX series 4 channel amplifier. This little amp offers an impressive amount of power in a small package. We fabricated a mounting plate for the amplifier using the HDPE. This plate was attached to the side of the console using existing mounting holes for another piece.

Great-Sounding Boat Audio

Once the equipment was mounted and all the wiring was tidied up, it was time to set the level adjustments and crossovers on the amplifier. When we first powered on the system we were blown away. For the modest amount of equipment this boat had, it sounded incredible! When the client’s wife picked it up, she too thought it sounded great. If it is time to get that boat of yours ready for the water, give us here at Pinnacle Autosound a call or contact us here.

Toyota Corolla Audio System Upgrade for Lake City Client

September 10, 2018 By JOey Knapp Leave a Comment

A client recently brought her Toyota to us here at Pinnacle Autosound for a Corolla audio and technology upgrade. She wanted a safer way to interact with her phone while driving and also needed new speakers. We put together a plan for her car and started to work.

Apple CarPlay Radio Upgrade

Apple CarPlay was the star of this Corolla audio upgrade.

The USB port gives the client easy access for plugging in her phone.

The microphone makes sure the client’s conversation are easily heard.

To assist with the client’s driving safety a Sony touch screen radio with Apple CarPlay was installed. This will allow the client to have handsfree control over many functions of her phone. Some of the new features she will gain are: on-screen navigation, speech-to-text messaging, and numerous audio streaming sources. The Sony radio is Bluetooth enabled, so the client can make and receive handsfree calls while driving. Our technicians mounted the microphone for the radio at the top corner of the windshield, for maximum performance. Plugging in her phone to the radio was made easier by a remote USB port that was installed in her console.

Corolla Audio Upgrade by JL Audio

To address the problem of the anemic sounding front door speakers our techs installed a set of JL Audio C1 coaxial speakers in the factory locations. The JL Audio speakers, paired with the new Sony radio, give the client much more output, clarity and response. If she ever decides to add an amplifier to the system, the JL C1 speakers can also handle a bit of power, too!

Backup Camera for Additional Safety

To securely mount the camera the trim panel was removed from the car.

The wiring enters the trunk through a hole protected with a plastic grommet.

The camera wiring was neatly secured to the factory wires.

Once we finished our work on the factory loom it looked completely stock.

Backing up is much safer thanks to the addition of the backup camera.

The final step in the upgrades on this Toyota Corolla was the addition of a backup camera. The camera was mounted just above the license plate on a plastic trim panel. The camera was secured to the plastic with stainless steel bolts to ensure a lifetime of use. The wiring for the camera was neatly routed with the factory wiring. To maintain a factory look in the trunk, the tape on the OEM wire loom was cut and our wires were inserted. Then the OEM wire loom was re-taped, leaving it looking like we were never there. The backup safety system also includes guidelines to help the client judge when she is getting too close to an object.

Audio & Technology from Pinnacle Autosound

If you have a car, truck, boat, golf cart or side-by-side that needs an audio or technology upgrade come see or contact us at Pinnacle Autosound. We offer a wide range of products to fit anyone’s budget. Topped with our award-winning installations, our solutions can’t be beat!

Lake City Powersports Client Gets Yamaha YXZ Stereo System

July 6, 2017 By JOey Knapp Leave a Comment

A powersports client from Lake City recently came to Pinnacle Autosound looking for a Yamaha YXZ Stereo system. We have worked on a number of side-by-sides so we had a great idea of what would get his rocking.

Rockford Fosgate Radio Provides Lots of Choices

The start of the system was the Rockford Fosgate PMX2 Radio. This radio is purpose-built for the powersports market. It is designed to hold up to the most abusive conditions. As you can tell from the pictures, this side-by-side is no trailer queen, so we knew this was the perfect radio. The client now has almost unlimited audio sources when paired via Bluetooth to his smartphone.

Rugged, Efficient Power by JL Audio

Adding audio power to powersports vehicles can sometimes be a challenge. There are a number of obstacles that aren’t found in regular cars or trucks. The first hurdle is size. There is very little space available in the normal side-by-side. Another concern is the limited charging amperage of the side-by-side charging system. Taking these things into account, we chose the JL Audio MX280/4 amplifier. As you can see, it was small enough to fit in the glove box. The glove box doesn’t provide a waterproof seal, but that was no concern for us, as the JL Audio amplifier is built to withstand the elements.

Yamaha YXZ Stereo Speakers

The final step for the Yamaha YXZ stereo system was to add some great sounding speakers. We started by adding a Wet Sounds Core 10 speaker bar. This is a very low-profile housing that holds a number of smaller speakers. We used two of the JL Audio amplifier channels to power the speaker bar. To fill in the bass that the system needed we used a Bazooka 10″ subwoofer. The tube system was designed for marine audio use, so we knew it would hold up well under the extremes this Yamaha YXZ would see.

Visit Your Local Powersports Audio Experts Today

The completed system sounded great and took up almost no usable space in this vehicle. If you have a side-by-side or other powersports vehicle and need a stereo system added or upgraded, Pinnacle Autosound is the place for you. We are experts in integrating audio systems in all types of vehicle. Call us or use our online contact form to schedule your appointment today.