I installed the USA Spec PA11-Vette module/interface last night at home. This interface gives a FULL DIGITAL connection to your stereo. No crappy FM/analogue connection most of you know about.

It connects directly to your XM receiver box or directly to your stereo receiver with an optional cable for those of you non-XM equiped vettes.

It's a simple hook up, but the hard part is geting the carpet pulled back, getting the XM receiever out and routing all the cables neatly underneath the carpet to the front armrest console area. Now if you have a convertable this is a much easier installation by far, because the XM receiver is located directly behind the Corvette logo waterfall between the passenger and driver seats. Coupe owners like me will have to do a little extra work fooling around with the carpet in the rear making sure everything is neat and back like new. The XM receiever is located directly behind/above the left rear wheel behind the carpet for coupe owners.

I was able to route the iPod cable under the carpet and under the arm console into the console itself. I did this by running it behind the E-brake handle so that the cable is completly hidden except for where it enters the arm rest console to connect to the ipod.

I will be posting some pictures soon of the completed install and location of some of the components.

Now for the sound and controls. In Playlist mode your iPod is completely locked out and you control everything via your radio or steering wheel controls. In this mode it allows for 5 playlists with as many songs in each list as you want. This is the only mode that will show you the song and artist name.

In direct mode you completely control your iPod like you would if you had headphones hooked up to it walking around with it. I like this mode for now, but I may opt for playlist mode when I get the hang of things so I can go completly go hands free and see the song info.

The sound quality is every bit as good as a brand new CD or burned CD off Itunes. You can adjust your stereo audio controls(bass, treble, etc.) to your liking. You can also set your iPod's equalizer to any style. I put mine in Treble booster mode. Seems to get great sound quality in this mode over others.

The USA Spec works off of XM1 while XM2 is your XM radio channels. You can opt to run the system through the AUX CD player, but I have herd the sound quality lacks depth or bass. May or may not be true.

For those without a XM receiever you can buy a separate cable from where you got it to make it work.

All radio functions including CD player still work the way they did from factory..Only thing taken away is XM1..XM2 radio is still available.

This was well worth the time and effort it took to install. Great sound quality and the potential for 1000s of songs at your finger tips. Good bye CDs!

P.S. You can mount the control module(white box) in a more hidden location. Convertable owners can have it compltely hidden behind the water fall. For coupe owners you have a limited length of iPod cable(3feet). I had to mount the white box close so I could run the cable into the armrest console. I did e-mail USA spec and they do make a longer iPod cable..So I may buy one and completly hide the white box and wires. The current config allows me to easily switch the modes to "playlist mode" or "Direct mode" without going to much trouble if I had the box completly hidden.

I uploaded the completed install pics below---->

 

Nice write us and pics! Your post is going into the FAQ!
:CHEERS:

 

Thank you for the kind compliment.

 

Will this interface work with a Pioneer AVIC-D2 with the Pioneer XM/NavTraffic box?The USA IPOD set up looks extremely well made.Thanks for the great writeup!

 

I'm not sure..you may have to either call crutchfield or USA Spec and ask them if its compatible...it may be.

 

so u did'nt loose your XM radio at all or what? what do u play the i-pod in?(cd,rdio,XM1,XM2) cause looks like im gonna get one too...great review PM me if can on question thx

 

Guys, I have one of these for sale. I no longer need it as I upgraded to a new head unit. The USAspec vette module is very easy to install just like the above post. It is in perfect working order as I only used it for about a month. I will take $125 shipped. I can take paypal.
Thanks
Evan Q.
evoshangar@satx.rr.com

 

Item is sold, Thanks
Evan Q.

 

hey guys i have a question, the install looks great and i am going to get one for my 05 vette. the question is, i have the nav unit but no xm, i read i have to get a different cable, but then does that run into the back of the unit or do i still have to pull the carpet up and hook it up to the xm reciver in the back? thanks for the help
Jon

 

I though the XM unit was under the carpet near the waterfall between the seats.?

Does this charge the ipod too?

 

In the coupe the XM module is under the carpet over the left rear wheel. In the vert it's under the waterfall itself.

 

I am thinking about going this way too in my 2007 coupe since GM doesn't seem to want to release that so called Personal Audio Link they said was going to be out in Oct, then April. Does it charge the iPod and does anyone know if the song would show up on the non-nav bose in the 3LT?

 

any opionions on what to do if we dont have xm?

 

Great writeup... USA Spec aught to put this on their site!!

Cheers!

 

I bought this unit (USA SPEC PA11-VET)and for some reason it does not work in my early 05 with nav and xm. When I plug everything in, the xm disappears on my touch screen so I can not access the ipod. The connections are straightforward, so there is no chance I goofed it up. (as soon as I replugged the original wires back in place the XM1/2 icon reappeared on the screen). I am sending it back. I don't know if the unit is faulty or if there is something different about the early radios with nav.

anyone have other ideas?

anothercrisis

EDIT....This system now works. I shut the car down and allowed everything to reboot, rest, ???, when I fired it back up, XM1 now controls the IPOD. The 5 playlists for me are awkward, but I am pleased that I have real IPOD integration.

anothercrisis

 

I bit the bullet and purchased a PA11-vette today. I read your writeup and had a few questions. Could you be more specific on how to remove the carpet and the XM receiver? I'm not concerned about how to do the wires or where to put the unit (I'm going to keep the IPOD in the left rear well in the trunk). I just don't want to screwup the carpet and trim.

Thanks.
Dave.

 

I'm thinking of trying this unit and would like more input from current users if they like it or not.

 

For what its worth I just bought one from Crutchfield for my wife's Toyota Sequoia. Installed it myself. Pretty simple. Works as advertised and sounds great. So much better that the fm transmitter ipod connector that we used to use.

 

I put one in. Pretty simple. Quirky GUI, but sounds terrific. If you mostly listen to all your songs in shuffle mode it works well. You can have 6 playlists, but they're names won't show on the display. If you press info while playing a song, it will show the title and artist momentarily.

Makes a HUGE difference in sound quality of the sound system.

 

I installed the USA SPEC-11 vette on my 05 C^ NAV w/o XM and it does not recognize module. Took car to dealer to have head unit reprogrammed to no avail. Does anyone know what I need to do?