i have a 1993 stock sound system, if i turn the base up at all, with volume 1/4, it starts to cuts out in the rear speakers, but if i turn the base all the way down and listen to rock i can turn the volume all the way without it cutting out.

 

Sounds like your capacitors on the amp circuit boards are getting old. If you have the amps rebuilt, it should help the problem. You'd also get better responses over in the audio section. Good luck!

 

You can get upgraded amplifier circuits from places like ecklers or mid america.

 

I had volume, but it didn't sound right. I actually removed all 4 speakers, along with the Delco Bose deck because the cassette didn't work correct, and sent them to United Radio in Syracuse, through my local Chevy dealer. They rebuilt the entire deck, replaced all the lamps, and cleaned it for $200. They also must have fixed a couple of the amps on the speakers because it looks like the capacitors were changed out, and tested these for another $200. The system sounds like new.

Of course it still isn't as good as the 500 watt Monsoon stereo in my 2001 Z28 Camaro, that is just plain rediculous

 

Speaker impedance decreases below speaker resonance and if you apply high power audio below the resonant speaker frequency, the speaker current can be so high that any protective circuitry in the amplifier will be activated. Some amplifiers have electronic protection which is fast acting and resets very fast and this may be what is making your amps cutout. You can prove this is the cause by connecting a series resistor of 4 to 8 ohms to each bass speaker and trying your bass boost and turning up the volume.

 

unless you just want the stock look save yourself a lot of trouble and just replace the whole stereo system. those old indiv. amped setups from bose go out constantly. plus you can go ahead and throw in some 6.5s in the front while your at it. the increase in quality over the worn out factory will be extreme.

just a thought
CJ

 

sounds like a bose. Trash it and replace it with quality aftermarket stuff for 1/2 the price and 1000% better sound. Don't even bother trouble shooting the problem unless, like a few guys above stated, you just happen to want to keep the stock radio (which sucks horribly) and stock speakers (which also suck horribly).

 

The system is clipping (audio on an O scope is a pure sine wave. when over powered, the sine wave's are clipped at + going and - going spikes, making a square wave. Audio speakers, and amps can't handle this wave form. Hence distortion, if left at high volume for a length of time damage to the speakers is eminent). as with any sound system from the biggest to the smallest, they all have there limit. Bass take's the most power out of the amplification system. When you turn the bass down, and turn the stereo up it is loud, and sounds good, add bass, and you get the distortion. I do agree the capacitors in the amps should be changed out. Some things get better with age, caps aren't one of them. The Bose system is a great sounding system for it's size. The speakers are only 3.5-4 inches designed into an optimum enclosure volume, and tuned port (bass reflex system). For there size they put out some pretty good bass, Note: the speakers are 1 ohm. As with almost anything. You can modify the stereo system, by replacing it with a new up to date system. The trick is getting the wiring run neatly through the Corvette, and that is a big job in itself. So why not use the existing wires? kill the power to the amps, then use there drive wires as speaker wires. The size of the wire is fine. You can unplug the bose relay to kill the power to the amps. Then just leave them alone. You are interested in the drive wires. You can also hook the power ant. wire on the stereo, to the power antenna wire, and still retain that option. replace the speakers with what you can make fit. They will not be in tune with the enclosure, but it doesn't matter much in such a small area.

Sorry this post is so long, but I still haven't covered everything. There should be enough here to get you through it however...

 

I replaced everything myself and ran the wires under the carpet with ease. I have Boston Acoustics all around and even put some small tweeters up in the dash. A 12" sub to add a little punch with an amp behind my seat. Not too hard an it sounds great. I also found a deck which matches my Digi dash perfectly!

 

All of this sounds great. But would GM just toss wiring under the carpet? It could be made really easy if you just run your wiring over the top of the center console and super glue the tweeters the top of the dash.

 

haha, that would be awesome, more fitting of a fox-body though. I went to an audio shop where the installer knew corvettes and got a professional install (fiberglass enclosures to replace bose enclosures), it ran about $600 for the total install (less the cost of materials) but it was worth it to get it done right. the 6.5 fronts help a ton, as does having the rears angled forward, i would suggest both if you get the chance/ want to spend the dough.


CJ

 

What's wrong with running it under the carpet? It's out of sight, it's thicker wiring, and I didn't need to splice into the factory wiring.

 

They dont call it BLOSE
for nothing

 

Nothing wrong with that at all. Some people just think you have to do everything the hard way, even though you get the exact same results

I did that also. RCA and Speaker wires running down passenger side, power wires running down driver side.

 

IMHO There is only 1 right way. All the rest are wrong...

 

So true, my way is the right way!

 

Hey mine too! wow we all are doing it the right way!

 

Wires under the carpet get stepped on , rolled and compressed which eventually abrades the insulation and shorts to ground. If you dress the wires so they don't get stepped on, there isn't anything wrong with running them under the carpet.

 

Unless they are run under the carpet on the side of the center console! hehe