Fixing JBL Audio System (center dash speaker balance)

I just figured this out and wanted to post in case it helps someone.

I have the JBL sound system with the removable center channel in the dash. Initially it sounded good for detail and audio clarity, but I quickly came to dislike the mono center channel thing. Most of the audio is coming from the center, and I wasn't able to find an obvious way to adjust it.


But there is a simple fix! Go to the audio adjustment menu, scroll down to the audio balance selection tool--it looks like a top view of the cab with arrows to move the balance.

Start with the balance set to the center of the cab, where the two lines cross. From there, every time you move the balance further back in the cab, you will hear the proportion of sound coming from the center speaker decrease. I have mine set for -2 clicks. Now it blends in really well! It actually helps the "sound stage" now!

Hope this helps. I saw another forum where people were talking about putting tape on electrical connectors to disable the center speaker, but I think this adjustment method will give much better results.

Eh, it also cuts the total volume of the system. The rear speakers are so muffled

For almost two years I listened with the center speaker active and the balance just never sounded "right". As you said, the center speaker is too loud and overpowers the rest of the system. About two months ago I put electrical tape over the contacts for the center speaker so it is now disabled... Honestly, the system sounds much better and more balanced to my ears. I don't think I'll be going back to using the center speaker.

fredygump said:

I just figured this out and wanted to post in case it helps someone.

I have the JBL sound system with the removable center channel in the dash. Initially it sounded good for detail and audio clarity, but I quickly came to dislike the mono center channel thing. Most of the audio is coming from the center, and I wasn't able to find an obvious way to adjust it.


But there is a simple fix! Go to the audio adjustment menu, scroll down to the audio balance selection tool--it looks like a top view of the cab with arrows to move the balance.

Start with the balance set to the center of the cab, where the two lines cross. From there, every time you move the balance further back in the cab, you will hear the proportion of sound coming from the center speaker decrease. I have mine set for -2 clicks. Now it blends in really well! It actually helps the "sound stage" now!

Hope this helps. I saw another forum where people were talking about putting tape on electrical connectors to disable the center speaker, but I think this adjustment method will give much better results.

Click to expand...

This worked great!! Thank you. I went back 3 clicks.

Cover the left(?) 2 contacts either tape(painters/electrical etc.). It continues to charge so that you can use it if you want, but stop sound coming from it while driving.

The Dude said:

Cover the left(?) 2 contacts either tape(painters/electrical etc.). It continues to charge so that you can use it if you want, but stop sound coming from it while driving.

Click to expand...

I think this is one of the few cases where the knee jerk disable/ delete reaction to new car features is a mistake!

The reason why I don't just disable the speaker is because the center channel is a good idea! The system is trying to recreate the type of audio quality you would experience in your living room with high quality speakers. And, as an audio nerd making my own crazy speakers at home, I'd say they've done quite well.

The problem with car audio is that you are always too close to one side and far from the other side. So the stereo effect doesn't sound great--you hear too much of the right speaker and not enough of the left, and there is a time delay due to the distance. You can pretty much forget about a stereo image!

On the other hand, the center channel is a proven concept in home theater. The sound that is supposed to be in the middle of a stereo image is literally coming from the middle.

The problem with the JBL system (in my view) is the default tuning was designed to impress people in the first 30 seconds, rather than to be the best balance. But it is more complicated than that, because the perceived balance also changes when driving with road noise. When I'm in my driveway, it sounds really good. But when I'm driving, I hear more of the center channel. (I disabled the dynamic volume feature that increases volume when driving.)

Regardless, I'm convinced it is better to use the system's controls to change the balance to your liking.

I need to check where mine is currently set. I did move it back, but maybe not enough. I know that the beatsonic amp is just a bandaid, but it did make my weak JBL system sound better. I will give it a few more clicks back the next time I drive my truck. Toyota/JBL really dropped the ball with this sound system IMO.

TacoFreak said:

I need to check where mine is currently set. I did move it back, but maybe not enough. I know that the beatsonic amp is just a bandaid, but it did make my weak JBL system sound better. I will give it a few more clicks back the next time I drive my truck. Toyota/JBL really dropped the ball with this sound system IMO.

Click to expand...

What were you expecting the system to be? It is focused on sound quality, not shaking the body panels. And I'm all about sound quality.

I set a small piece of cloth on mine, it reduces the volume just enough to blend in.

fredygump said:

What were you expecting the system to be? It is focused on sound quality, not shaking the body panels. And I'm all about sound quality.

Click to expand...

Well, that is exactly my complaint. I am not a kid who wants to rattle the body panels, but IMO the sound as it comes from the factory is not crisp or clear, but muddy. I am hardly alone in wishing that this system provided higher quality sound.

The JBL sound system in my Tundra was quite good for an OEM system, where the one in my Pro is a disappointment to me.

fredygump said:

I think this is one of the few cases where the knee jerk disable/ delete reaction to new car features is a mistake!

The reason why I don't just disable the speaker is because the center channel is a good idea! The system is trying to recreate the type of audio quality you would experience in your living room with high quality speakers. And, as an audio nerd making my own crazy speakers at home, I'd say they've done quite well.

The problem with car audio is that you are always too close to one side and far from the other side. So the stereo effect doesn't sound great--you hear too much of the right speaker and not enough of the left, and there is a time delay due to the distance. You can pretty much forget about a stereo image!

On the other hand, the center channel is a proven concept in home theater. The sound that is supposed to be in the middle of a stereo image is literally coming from the middle.

The problem with the JBL system (in my view) is the default tuning was designed to impress people in the first 30 seconds, rather than to be the best balance. But it is more complicated than that, because the perceived balance also changes when driving with road noise. When I'm in my driveway, it sounds really good. But when I'm driving, I hear more of the center channel. (I disabled the dynamic volume feature that increases volume when driving.)

Regardless, I'm convinced it is better to use the system's controls to change the balance to your liking.

Click to expand...

One man’s mistake is anothers’ “Eureka!” moment.

If you think the sound in the truck is good, then more power to you, don’t let me change your mind. I will, however, explain my reasoning on things.

1) if Toyota were trying to recreate the home listening environment, they would have put a correct speaker, with the correct voicing in a permanent location, not a removable, tinny Bluetooth speaker with no sound quality. As well, there would be a surround processor, like that in the Mark Levinson system in the spendy Lexus models, rather than the “quadra-stereo sound in most cars.

2) Toyota, with their judicious use of band-pass and all-pass filters, do a half-decent job of giving you a center-image without the cheap Bluetooth speaker. Pop it out of the holder, play some tunes, and look straight ahead. See if you can get a center-image in your mind. But, if you really want a center-image, get a good DSP. You can adjust imaging all you want.

3) The JBL system was designed because that who Toyota partnered with. It’s designed to keep you happy, not to impress at all. If you want a true demo, turn off engine sound enhancement and ANC with a Carista device. Then go for a drive. You’ll be as thoroughly unimpressed with it as I am. The tinny Bluetooth speaker, IMO, detracts from the sound the system CAN produce, hence why I disable it.

Personally, I’m in the research phase of pulling the whole system and installing something that will WOW me when I crank the volume knob, but that’s just me.

The Dude said:

One man’s mistake is anothers’ “Eureka!” moment.

If you think the sound in the truck is good, then more power to you, don’t let me change your mind. I will, however, explain my reasoning on things.

1) if Toyota were trying to recreate the home listening environment, they would have put a correct speaker, with the correct voicing in a permanent location, not a removable, tinny Bluetooth speaker with no sound quality. As well, there would be a surround processor, like that in the Mark Levinson system in the spendy Lexus models, rather than the “quadra-stereo sound in most cars.

2) Toyota, with their judicious use of band-pass and all-pass filters, do a half-decent job of giving you a center-image without the cheap Bluetooth speaker. Pop it out of the holder, play some tunes, and look straight ahead. See if you can get a center-image in your mind. But, if you really want a center-image, get a good DSP. You can adjust imaging all you want.

3) The JBL system was designed because that who Toyota partnered with. It’s designed to keep you happy, not to impress at all. If you want a true demo, turn off engine sound enhancement and ANC with a Carista device. Then go for a drive. You’ll be as thoroughly unimpressed with it as I am. The tinny Bluetooth speaker, IMO, detracts from the sound the system CAN produce, hence why I disable it.

Personally, I’m in the research phase of pulling the whole system and installing something that will WOW me when I crank the volume knob, but that’s just me.

Click to expand...

Yes, while testing the different settings, I listened to it with and without the center speaker connected. If my head is on the center line of the cab, and I disconnect the center channel, I hear a literal "hole" in the image! This "hole" is the missing audio content I mentioned previously...it makes it sound "muddy" to borrow your term. So if you have your center channel disconnected when it sounds muddy, it is muddy because the center is disconnected. Sorry, but that's just how the system was engineered.


This leads to the only real "fail" of the system--it does not detect the presence (or absence) of the center channel. (I'm pretty sure...)

I agree with you that the system should automatically switch to standard stereo when the center channel is removed. Using the center channel should be a choice. The tweeters in the A pillars are not enough for a stereo setup.

With my head on the center line of the cab, I shouldn't be able to hear a difference between when the center channel is connected or disconnected.

And yes, the center channel is gimmicky; I told the salesman! But it works better than I was expecting. Considering I have the SR5, it is not bad at all. It's better than the Fender system on my GTI! (My GTI has a subwoofer that fits in the spare tire, and it sounds like banging a plastic bucket with a stick! It has been disabled.)

However, I might feel differently if I paid a premium for the TRD Pro.

•edit• I have no idea why I can’t quote when using my phone.

Fair enough, you have your opinion, I have mine. I am a little confused though, on a couple things. When you were demoing the sound with and without the tinny, I mean tiny, center speaker, why would you put your head in the middle of the cabin? Does anyone, aside from gangsters, drive like that? What you’re “not” hearing is the cabin null created from the all-pass and band-pass filters Toyota puts on the left side of the cabin, to create the illusion of a center image while driving.

Second, you do realize there are 4 speakers up in the dash area? 2 tweeters in the a-pillars and 2 mids in the dash corners. You’re right., just tweeters wouldn’t be enough for any sound system.

Lastly, um, yes, yes you should be able to hear the center speaker from the center of the cabin. It’s placed in such a way so as to aim directly at the windshield and reflect into the cabin. What sort of dispersion pattern do you think a small Bluetooth speaker has? If it’s too much, when used at the picnic, you’d get next-to-no satisfactory sound at anything more than 10 feet (a quick guess), but obviously with a narrower pattern, the perceived sound (key phrase) is better. You’re assigning characteristics to a cheap add-on that aren’t there.

We could go back-and-forth for a while, but it really boils down to choice. You choose to have your “center” speaker, I choose to tape mine off. I was simply offering a way to disable the Bluetooth speaker while not draining the battery. You told me I was wrong to have a choice.

I like the little speaker, I have used it while working in the garage, etc. I also did the adjustment the OP shared and it did work for me. In the truck, I am good with good enough, it's not going to be the same Bang and Olufsen system in my top tier Audi and I am not expecting it to be.

Good information is good information, even if you decided not to utilize it.

Kodachrome said:

I like the little speaker, I have used it while working in the garage, etc. I also did the adjustment the OP shared and it did work for me. In the truck, I am good with good enough, it's not going to be the same Bang and Olufsen system in my top tier Audi and I am not expecting it to be.

Good information is good information, even if you decided not to utilize it.

Click to expand...

I agree! This is the best way to view this sound system and in reality it is quite adequate. I am probably comparing it to the Mark Levinson system in my wife's Lexus, and that is not at all a fair comparison.