Time to upgrade

[4shorts]

Well this week I've put over 20 hours on the tractor and we got another storm on the way for tomorrow. This week I noticed one of my factory speakers was starting to make some distorted noises so I knew it was time to get them out of there for an upgrade. Although the factory Kubota stereo is working great this will be an opportunity to to put in a new Sony unit. With the new Sony I can attach my Iphone to it, Play MP3's WMA's and AAC. I like the idea of using a USB stick as well.

I ended up in the city yesterday and came back with a new set of Infinity Reference two way speakers. Wow these things are top quality compared to the ones I'm taking out that Kubota had in there. The first photo will show you the new speakers on the left and the old one on the right.

The next thing I had to do was remove the light bar on top of the cab and then remove the roof. All work has to be done underneath the roof. Once I got that off I removed the factory radio bracket and realized I'm going to need to drill out the spot welds for the two small ears on the factory bracket and weld them to the new bracket for my new stereo.

After I did some careful measuring the new Sony CDX-GT5400UI fit right in place. I had to figure out Kubota's wiring and used my DVM and labeled the wires then soldered and heat shirked them to the new harness.

I installed the new speakers and turned on the system and could hardly believe the awesome sound that came from it. Crystal clear and no distortion at any sound level and it's loud. I won't have it up very loud while operating the tractor but it's nice to know I could if I wanted to.

The unit also comes with a remote. I had the extra Ram mount so I put the remote on that. What I like about the remote is If I want to play a few tunes while the tractor is in the shop I can select the tunes from the shop floor. How cool is that. The Kubota radio with the CD played and weather station was fine. Worked well but I just wanted a few more bells and whistles in the cab. Here's a few photo's of the day.

 

[4shorts]

More photo's.

 

[mjncad]

As usual...too cool for school! Now you need to add some outdoor speakers to it!

 

[Ductape]

Nice upgrade ! I've noticed that with alot of newer stereos, it can be difficult to read the display when mounted overhead. Many manufacturers make the face so it can tilt upward to make it more visible, which is great for dashboard installs...... no so great for overhaed consoles. Was this an issue at all with your Sony? I assume the factory wiring was ample enough for the added power consumption of the new head unit. I need to upgrade my tunes also...... wouldn't have to spend alot to out-perform the stock unit. Hall & Oates would sound much better with a new stereo ! :laughing:

 

[4shorts]

As usual...too cool for school! Now you need to add some outdoor speakers to it!

Now that's a thought :laughing:

Nice upgrade ! I've noticed that with alot of newer stereos, it can be difficult to read the display when mounted overhead. Many manufacturers make the face so it can tilt upward to make it more visible, which is great for dashboard installs...... no so great for overhaed consoles. Was this an issue at all with your Sony? I assume the factory wiring was ample enough for the added power consumption of the new head unit. I need to upgrade my tunes also...... wouldn't have to spend alot to out-perform the stock unit. Hall & Oates would sound much better with a new stereo ! :laughing:

Thanks buddy. Before I bought the thing I was looking at them on display and I could see the display at all angles so I bought it. I've always liked the Sony products. Wish I had the extra room to add more to the system but the only room left was in the bucket .
Those Kubota speakers were very sad at best. The difference is incredible now. No problem with the wiring handling it. Oh man I got to go listen to Hall & Oats now :thumbsup: Can anyone recommend a good pair of ear plugs :laughing:

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

Are you going to install some sub woofers so people can hear you before they see you :laughing:

 

[jake98]

Oh man I got to go listen to Hall & Oats now :thumbsup: Can anyone recommend a good pair of ear plugs :laughing:[/COLOR]

I think they tossed John Hall's butt out of the NY state house if I'm not mistaken.. he may be singin the blues these days..

 

[mjncad]

I'd be playing Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Diana Krall, etc on mine if I had a cabbed tractor...

 

[4shorts]

I think they tossed John Hall's butt out of the NY state house if I'm not mistaken.. he may be singin the blues these days..

Now why did they go a do a thing like that! Either way it don't matter because he's not from Hall & Oates.

I'd be playing Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Diana Krall, etc on mine if I had a cabbed tractor...

Matt we usually see things in the same light but Diana Krall! :drool:

 

[4shorts]

Are you going to install some sub woofers so people can hear you before they see you :laughing:

There's an idea. The Harley riders around here say there noisy pipes saves lives. .

 

[luscsmith]

I believe all of mankind likes some kind of art and there are different kinds of art.
I like to look at the pictures of your work because to me it is art.

Scott

 

[jake98]

Either way it don't matter because he's not from Hall & Oates.

"a little information in an empty head can have the time of it's life..":laughing:
I put 2 and 2 together there and got 3.

 

[4shorts]

I believe all of mankind likes some kind of art and there are different kinds of art.
I like to look at the pictures of your work because to me it is art.

Scott

Thanks Scott. I appreciate that. I often wonder why I take these pictures while I'm doing my projects but when I hear folks like yourself enjoy seeing them that's icing on the cake. Thanks for posting. Cheers. Paul

"a little information in an empty head can have the time of it's life..":laughing:
I put 2 and 2 together there and got 3.

:laughing: Ah man we would get along well. Up here we call it a brain fart when things happen like that. I have about four of them a day :laughing:

 

[pilot-werx]

Fun to see this topic as I am about to do the same with my Deere. I ended up with kenwood speakers and a jvc deck.

 

[4shorts]

Fun to see this topic as I am about to do the same with my Deere. I ended up with kenwood speakers and a jvc deck.

Cool. Hope yours is easier to do the install in than mine :thumbsup: Kenwood and JVC is good gear. We got the snow coming down again. I just did a MP3 CD with 135 tunes on it to listen to while out playing in the snow. If I run out of tunes I'll hook up the Ipod to the system and have over 5000 tunes. Couldn't do that with the Kubota system.
This is what it looks like out my door right now Oh and I added two more strobes to the blower. :laughing:

 

[tlbuser]

After reading, I'm thinking David Bowie should be high on your playlist

YouTube - David Bowie- Space Oddity Original Video (1969)

 

[4shorts]

After reading, I'm thinking David Bowie should be high on your playlist

YouTube - David Bowie- Space Oddity Original Video (1969)

:laughing: Good one BUT it will be more like this if I keep spending money on the tractor. Da wife is going to pack my bags :laughing:


YouTube - Elton John - Rocketman (In Think Itｴs Gonna Be A Long Time).

 

[mjncad]

Matt we usually see things in the same light but Diana Krall! :drool:

That's OK, I like her voice and she's tasty looking; but do you know she's married to Elvis Costello? That's an odd couple; but not nearly as weird as 1980's supermodel Paulina Porozkova (sp) being married to Rick Ocasek (sp) of 'The Cars' (I think that was his band) at one point in time.

Oh well, my musical tastes are outside the norm for most members of this forum.

 

[varmint]

Paul, and others who take the time to "document" their projects: thank you. You have to believe that lots of readers enjoy seeing better equiped owners than ourselves, and folks with more talent and time, busy doing neat things.

All your various LED strobes have got me thinking how nice it would be to have something really visible (more than a SMV triangle) when we venture out on public roads. I am exposed for about 200 yards on a two lane highway whenever I trek out with a trailer behind my tractor for old horse manure at a neighbor's boarding farm, and since it's on a hill, I get real nervous! I always go on sunday afternoon, but still, a flashing LED is gonna happen when I find a cheap one. In fact, if you could post some info on those replacement LED bulbs you mentioned, for the Kubota original lighting, I'd appreciate it.
Keep posting- we love it!

 

[looknlearn]

That's OK, I like her voice and she's tasty looking; but do you know she's married to Elvis Costello? That's an odd couple; but not nearly as weird as 1980's supermodel Paulina Porozkova (sp) being married to Rick Ocasek (sp) of 'The Cars' (I think that was his band) at one point in time.

Oh well, my musical tastes are outside the norm for most members of this forum.

I am with you there. I listen off and on to many other styles of music but listen to jazz regularly. I listen to Jazz FM 91.1 on my sound system when I can pick it up, and when I can't get it, I'll tune in on Itunes. Great sounding stuff, though my memory is so poor I can't every remember the artist's names.


4shorts,
That is a nice upgrade from the stock stereo and the install job looks professional. I'm sure that music sounds much better too. That tractor is becoming more of a luxury vehicle than machinery.:thumbsup: