Ok, so I just got my 1987 Vette coupe a little over a month ago, and I think I finally have all the bugs worked out mechanically, so I am ready to start tinkering with the stereo.

The current setup is as follows. I am not sure when this items were installed or by whom.

Deck - Sony CDX C5850
Door Speakers - Boston Acoustics CX4 4"
Rear Speakers - Boston Acoustics CX93 6"x9"
Dash Speakers - Unknown (not even sure if they are hooked up)

From the research I have done, it looks like this is all decent stuff, obviously old, but decent.

However, at the current time it sounds like complete garbage!!! The stock stereo in my base Honda Accord sounded better.

I am not sure if it is do to it being old and worn out, or if it was not installed properly, or whatever. All I know is that I want it to sound better.

So, please help me. I don't have an enormous budget (say no more than $750), but on the same token, I do not want a show stopping stereo, I just want something that sounds pretty good.

I downloaded the manual for the deck and it has front and rear RCA pre-amp outs, so I could grab a decent amp, and throw some power at the existing speakers. How do you think that would sound?

Also, I guess, I could get a new deck and all new speakers of the same size as exist, and hope that gets me close to where I want to be assuming the existing is old technology and worn out.

Or, I can try and shoe horn a larger speaker into the door somehow, with a new deck and new rears.

As you can see I am all over the place.

Any help or advise would be appreciated. Thanks.

Ryan

 

Boston Acoustics is a very respectable brand (often used alongside JL Audio equipment)... I don't know much about Sony, but as long as the speakers aren't bad you should only need to get the appropriate amp for them. See if the speakers have the RMS (continuous) power handling on the back and get an amp that closely matches (or matches) the RMS power of the 6x9s (should be able to turn the power down on the 4"s with a 4 channel amp). Without an amp every aftermarket speaker will sound like garbage (but stock is junk too). No need to use anything larger than 4" in the front with 6x9s in the rear. If you are not familiar with how to wire everything properly you should get help installing an amp. Otherwise just remember to disconnect the battery -- I blew an amp like an idiot about 5 years ago...

 

I have the same problem, the aftermarket system in my 85 sounds like crap, the one in my old Explorer sounded better. You can fit up to 6 1/2 inch speakers in the doors with an adaptor you can get on eBay. I currently have a JVC head unit which puts out 48 watts x 4, 5 1/4 inch speakers in the doors and 6x9's in the rear, both Kenwood. All I hear when I have the stereo on is the rear speakers, and they sound like crap, mainly because they are not installed properly. The ones in the doors are too low to the floor to get any good sound out of.

This is what I plan on installing in the near future. I have a Sony Xplode with MP3 and XM capability that will replace the JVC. I plan on replacing the rear speakers with 3 way 6 1/2's and installing separate component speakers in the doors (a 6 inch subwoofer and separate tweeter which will get mounted either on the upper door panel or the windshield moulding). With proper installation it should sound as good as the Mach 460 unit in my 99 Mustang. Hopefully, I can do all this for under $400.

For better sound you might want to go the route of installing component speakers and an amp for the head unit. You could also install speakers in the dash, it fits a 4x6 speaker, but the clearance is minimal, so it might be difficult to find a good quality speaker for that application.

 

Just to note -- my 200+ watt Alpine head unit only puts out ~18 watts x4 RMS even though it may say 50 x4 max. I expect the Boston Acoustic 6x9s to need 60 watts RMS. I may suggest getting an Alpine amp as the best price to quality ratio -- The MRV-f345 will do 50 watts RMS x4 at 4 ohms and 75watts x 4 at 2 ohms. That should run close to $200 on eBay. With that amp -- if you should find that the speakers in there now ARE junk then you could switch to some Alpine Type Rs which would also put you in the perfect range with that amp. But no harm in doing the amp first and getting all of the wiring out of the way. Though having looked up your speakers I found that they are old models and may very well need to be replaced. An Alpine set-up is a great way to go with your budget (expect about $400 for 4 new speakers (6x9s and 6.5s if they fit) and that amp... The head unit should be fine with the amp.

 

First off, I would get a 4-channel amp. Run the front and rear RCA's to the amp. Then hook the drivers to that. Make sure everything is in phase (speaker cones moving the same direction, at the same time). Adjust the amplifier crossover points, and gains so that you keep the distortion out of there. By hooking it up this way, you also have control of the fader.

When it comes to installing amps, and speakers in a vette, room is very limited, so think first.

 

I would have to take a different approach to this... loose the Sony head.

They suck.

Get a nice Alpine or Eclipse HU, with more features than God. This way, you can start building the system up from the core out.

With that said, phase one is the head unit.

Phase 2 is speakers. You will want to loose the BA's completely. The way they are installed (4" up front, 6x9, rear) is really old school. You will want to install a nice pair (JL Audio?) of 2 way separates (or 3 ways if you are brave ) in the doors and go from there for a while.

Phase 3 is the amp. Get a nice little 2 channel to drive the front speakers.

Phase 4 is a pair of 8" subs, one for each rear enclosure.

Once you have installed them, phase 5, an amp to drive the 8" subs.

 

BOGUS, DO YOU KNOW OF ANY GOOD STEREO STORES IN THE SOUTH RIVERSIDE/NORTH SANDIEGO AREA YOU WOULD TRUST TO DO THIS. IVE GOT TO GET RID OF THE JUNK IN MY 95.

 

not at all... I do all my own installs... this is because I generally don't trust ANY install shop.

 

except I would go with one good 4 channel amp and bridge 2 channels for the sub. I have a JL 300/4 powering infinity kappa 6.1 comps and a pair of JL 8w3's and it is plenty of power in my vert.

 

I think you should install a nice 4 ch amp and give those speakers the power to make them sound good, see how you like it then. Then if you dont like it you've already got the amp installed and can play with your speakers. If your not into going full tilt and just want a nice sounding system you can probably get it done with just an amp, those should be good sounding speakers.