Well I tried to avoid the newbie questions on here, but now im in a bind. I just took apart my entire interior to do a full VE install. While Im at it I figured id do the sound insulation, so I ordered RAAMat BXT and ensolite from rick (great guy!). I was planning n ding the stereo a little later down the road, but after wrestling with the door panels once already...no way do I want to do that again just to swap the speakers (broke one of the little tabs on each one, and the part it mounts to!). So I want to do that now. I realize it will sound like poo running off of the stock HU but im willing to deal with that for a while. My question is regarding the door speakers themselves. Im looking to run all Diamond Audio, 2 D3 series 8" subs, but im still not sure on the doors. What the main difference you get between full components or the coax? And if I get component speakers how difficult will they be to mount in the door, I know corvettecaraudio sell the plates, but does the xover mount in the door as well or does that go somewhere else? Oh and ill also be looking for amps to run all of this, I think ill need about 250watts for each of the subs and guessing 100w for the fronts, one amps or two...any suggestions? thanks!

 

Wow, Coax vs Component.

Here we go.

GENERALLY SPEAKING

Coax components are on the cheap side. So, generally speaking, offer inferior sound quality but have the advantage that you'll never have to ask yourself "Where will I put this damn tweeter?"

Components can be on the cheap side, but can also be on the high end side. A lot more is put into component sets, partly BECAUSE of the tweeter issue. With nicer speakers, you don't always want to put the mid and the tweeter in the same location. Maybe you want the midbass in the door, but you want to bring the stage up by placing the tweeters in the pillars. As long as they are the same distance from your ears, they will blend perfectly.


However there are hybrids - components that can have the tweeter mount on the center of the speaker like a coax. ID Chameleon comes to mind.

When I ran Focal Utopias, I put the xover in the doors:


Now that I've gone to Dynaudio 3 ways, I put the crossovers near the amps. Except now I have three sets of wire going up each side of the car.


Though now I've moved the tweeter to the A-pillar, where it works much better.

 

I hate to laugh but you are definitely experiencing mod overload. I have the same problem. That's why I haven't gotten much done. I don't want to do anything until I do it all.
If you change the speakers with the intention of adding an amp later you'll need to run new wires to them now because the stock wires are the same junk as the stock speakers. Running new wires will make it difficult to reconnect to the stock head without cutting into the harness, which most folks don't do (even if they don't intend to go back to stock).
I'd say hold off until you have an entire plan. Either way you are going to go back into the doors before you're done. Just think how much easier it will be now that you have experience

 

You will never need to cut the stock harness. You can get an $8 wire harness from Metra, schoshe, etc. Stock wiring is fine for head unit power.

Obviously you have to run new wire for an amp... And this is the easiest car I've ever seen for that.

 

Go component!

Take a look at the difference between these Alpine S types i had on my silverado. The one on the left is the S type coaxial (SPS 170) and the one on the right is the component woofer (SPS 171A)



The Component version had several improvments over the coaxial version first being a true crossover network, and a much larger woofer magnet. The cone was less massive but made of a more rigid composate material.

If you're going to go component there's only one downside, You need external amplification to get the best sound out if it.

 

Thanks for the replies and info! jbondfl is right, its kind of a mod overload Im dind the LED swap while im at it as well! I just figured id make it easier on myself later. Is it really necassary to run new wires into the doors? I kind of figured I could stuff the components in there and not have to pull the panels again. Pulling the door panels ff is the only part im trying to avoid. Running the wires would be easier while the seats are out...and the carpet, but thats not a huge deal.

 

pulling the panels really isnt that bad IMO, basically when installing components you really need to run wiring to your amps but the problem is if you run wiring into the car you then need to somehow tap into the bose wiring behind the radio to make it work for the time being

 

If you use head unit power, there is no reason to run new wires


if you use an amp, you HAVE to run new wires. unless you're going to go under the dash, fish them out, and splice into them?

 

hmmm....I think its starting to make sense. I will indeed be running an amp later, probably 2, one for the components and one for the subs. So the only way around removing the doors again would be to do the entire thing now, or cut the wiring harness out of the door all together. Im starting to feel overwhelmed as it is so I think ill just plan to do the stereo all at once at a later date. your right the doors arent a huge deal, I just cant seem to get them off withut breaking a few of the white plastic connections. Ill have to see about getting some from the dealer ($$$$). Thanks for the input, Im sure ill have more questions when I start doing the stereo.