less is more or how I learned to live with my stock non-JBL head unit.

disclaimer: I have been lucky and have had a power sunroof and better than base trim level head unit in 8 out of 10 of my previous used new to me vehicles. my previous VW touareg had a nice system that was easily bested the dyaudio system in the VW golf that I still have. I've had bose, infinity and aftermarket alpine and kenwood setups as well...etc, etc.

anyway the stock navigation unit in my 2016 SR5 leaves a little something to be desired sound wise but overall I actually like almost everything else about it for the most part. yeah, it has phone issues auto connecting to bluetooth sometimes but the call quality is actually pretty good almost all the time. personally I think the navigation portion is kinda better than most people give it credit for, at least it isn't rerouting me into insane detours and bypasses like google maps in real time. overall I think it does a pretty good job for it's trim level in my SR5.

that said I have been wanting just a little bit more out of this head unit, not in loudness but sound detail. I didn't want to upgrade to a newer 2019-2024 OEM head unit just for android auto or go aftermarket. either one looked like more money than I wanted to spend for something that is more of a want than a need. plus I don't feel like rewiring my 4runner. I wire enough stuff at my 9 to 5 as it is. My solution may not work for you but I think it will work for me.

I already own an old 2018 LG V40thin Q phone, the sound geek phone with the onboard 32 bit quad DAC chip. this is and was a popular phone in audiophile circles and actually my second one as I had the previous LG V30 as well because of it sound qualities.

I have been using this old phone to play 24 bit Hi-Res music via a connected 3.5mm aux cable to the stock toyota nav unit and it really wakes up the sound in my 4runner. this isn't window shaking massive bass sound but it is better mos-def. I knew it would sound a little better but honestly it sounded twice as good as expected. it is a little lounder (maybe )but way more clearer sounding. I think it is mostly a case of quality sound input equals quality sound out. regardless the effect is almost night and day.

I think if I swapped out the old OEM paper speakers for something aftermarket I think I could live with it longterm. I don't know how true it is but I have heard it said that most times with a decent source that speakers not the amp or head unit can make a bigger difference unless of course you are going for the super loud window shakin' thing...just sayin'

all of this could be easily duplicated with a pocket sized DAP player or portable DAC/amp for $130-350 off of Amazon using the aux input, not bluetooth option.

 

I am doing something similar.
Have a portable headphone amp/dac with a Sabre ESS 9038 DAC that I connect to my phone and then via 3.5mm aux to the aux in of my OEM head unit
I swapped all my speakers to infinity and with sound deading, it sounds phenomenal.

 

nice, I am leaning towards a FIIO BTR7 or a shanling M5 to replace the LG V40 sooner than later. I am sure I am on borrowed time battery wise. I have looked a little
before into speakers. I stopped looking as it almost seemed like I couldn't replace as of the speakers with the same brand. maybe I should have skipped crutchfield and went
straight to parts express instead.

I have only fully installed dynamat in one car, doors, roof, floor, trunk etc. it was a first gen mini cooper and with all of the glass that car had it barely made a difference. that thing was
like driving a fish bowl, but a fun fish bowl.

 

Swapping speakers on a 4R is very straightforward.
The dash will take 3.5 inch, front door 6x9 and rear door and hatch 6.5.
You get connectors and adaptors for a direct bolt on fit.
I went with all Infinity but pick your poison from JBL, focal, kicker etc etc.
Once you remove the door pad to install the speaker , it's imperative to plaster some sound dead ing sheets there. Few sheets each door reduces the vibration and gives that solid European door feel.
Shanling is glitchy, Fiio is good so is Fosi.

 

yeah, there is difference between sound damping and sound treatment...I've wrapped plastic OEM connectors near speakers in a thin piece of foam before...because subtle rattles do happens. thanks for the info on shanling and fosi, I don't know that brand.

 

The OEM 3.5s are the weakest link, IMO. I got a big improvement just by tweaking the fader farther back than I would with decent fronts.