Anything to the Infinity sound system?
 

Hey all
Ran across a 96 that had the Infinity system. Was just wondering if there's anything significant to that or it's just marketing garbage? I noticed that the head unit looks to be just the factory standard AM/FM cassette unit so maybe the Infinity side is speakers only? This was a base LB truck that had it so I would guess there's probably nothing to it.

My 94 has an aftermarket Alpine basic CD unit installed and I have a Pioneer single DIN unit I was going to install since it has an aux port. Otherwise I was considering going with a new aftermarket with a USB port. I like the look of the factory system but it would be limited...

Thanks
Steve A

I "think" the infinity was the upgraded stereo of that time period for chrysler products...... Kinda like Bose was for GM

Thanks, I was thinking the same thing. I found it odd that it was installed in a plain white LB Dakota with a rubber floor mat and full bench seat and no power options. I do think it was SLT trim level though. The bench seat was in particularly good shape too, kind of wished I could get that but in ext cab that's not really a viable option.

Steve

The Infinity and Infinity II systems are described somewhat at https://www.allpar.com/stereo/head-units/index.html .

(For ANY questions about Chrysler head units / radios etc., Jeremy Schrag is just about the Go To Guy For All The Info.)

RwP

Thanks for the link Ralph. Looks like Jeremy is really up on his Chrysler sound systems. I always thought that for factory systems they were pretty good. My 94 came to me with a Kenwood head unit installed, which had decent sound, but I wanted something that had other media capability so I installed a Pioneer SuperTuner 3D that I had acquired several years ago which has an aux port. I've also considered getting a Pyle shaft & knob type "old school" stereo that has USB and aux capability. Those Pyle units are actually pretty cheap but I have heard they do a decent job.

I would have gotten a factory radio from the JY but I wanted AM/FM (no cassette thanks) and there weren't any there. The JY gets another $6 for a cassette unit and that's not really an incentive for me to go with OE.

I will say though that the 'Infinity' system in the 96 Dakota did not have an Infinity marked head unit. The door speaker grills had Infinity badges but the head unit looked like the standard Chrysler AM/FM cassette.

Steve

Yah, back in 1996 most likely the original Infinity head unit was swapped; but at that time, a LOT of the Infinity systems were standard head units with a badge added. The "magic" such as there was happened at the speakers entirely.

RwP

My 95 SLT has the infinity system, and it does pound pretty good for a 23/24 yr old truck. Although I found the trick was in the wiring when you want to replace a speaker. Stock speaker replacements came with 2 leads ( +/-) the back of the infinity speaker had 8. Took quite some playing and testing to make it work. Although for what its worth the system is still trash, when you add 33" M/T tires and a 4" open exhaust windows down its still quiet as hell compared to my work trucks or really any other newer truck.

If you like blasting your tunes I suggest an upgrade.

I second 1202diesel.

I upgraded in my 1988, and the new head unit, speakers, and the sub behind the seat are better than the old head unit was, even with these new speakers.

AND I can play a thumb drive loaded with my type of music ... so there's always that.

Wife may be getting a SiriusXM head unit to add to the truck; that'll be cool too.

RwP

I replaced two Infinity factory speakers (when they quit working for some reason) in my '96 Dakota with some generic Kenwood speakers. The Infinity speakers were far superior.

Thanks for the feedback guys, if my truck had been wired for the Infinity I would definitely have snagged the speakers and the factory radio, unfortunately it was not, but I am running some infinity Alpha 5x7 in the rear and some Alpine coax in the front. They sound ok for what I need and it did use some speakers I had laying around!

Steve