Need Stereo Install Help
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,294
Likes: 612
From: I love the Big Butt Corvettes
St. Jude Donor '08
Need Stereo Install Help
I currently have an '05 Vert with stock set up. I would like to keep my stock head unit but change out my door speakers to a larger speaker. I think they can be upgraded to 5.25 inches and then add some high quality tweets. Additionally, I would be adding a 10" sub and an amp to drive all this. Can anyone give me any ideas on how much this would cost if I went with a fairly high quality grade equipment and could I do this project myself. I've did some stereo work on older cars, but nothing like this. Also, if anyone has done this and has some instructions that would be great. Thanks. 
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 21,136
Likes: 212
From: Long Island New York
6.5" component speakers are usually put in the doors. Komoman a member on this site makes quality mounting plates for the doors. They make installation a breeze. With good quality speakers in the doors your going to have to use an aftermarket amp for them. You can use a 4 channel amp to power the fronts and a sub. I used JL C5-650 components up front, JL XR-525 in the rear locations. They are powered with a JL 450/4v2 amp. I use a JL 10" Stealthbox getting power from a JL 300/2v2. The system really sounds good. Some will say you shouldnt use rear speakers but thats a personal thing for you to decide. You will also need quality wiring to complete the install. JL is a good name in Car audio but there are many others. Some more expensive some less. Crutchfield.com is a good place to learn some on the subject and they have good prices. There are cheaper places online but beware there are alot of graymarket and counterfeit products out there.And if you have a problem, trying to get satisfaction may be difficult. I cant help you with install questions because I had a shop do the work.Good Luck
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 5,572
Likes: 4
From: Los Angeles Ca
id def go with 6.5" or larger components in the front, a nice 3 or 4 chan amp and then a sub. as far as cost it'll range drastically. i'd suggest looking for about 100 wrms per side for the component speakers and 300 and up for the woofer.
I always recommend looking into xtant amps, i had a 603x in my last setup and was very very pleased with the sound. some other high quality names out there are zapco, audison and old school soundstream refrence amps. Oh, and butler audio but they jump up in price. I have butler built amps in my car right now and from the limited listening that i've had with them, they are great.
focal components are always a fan favorite on this site, fej and spkrboy can recommend some of those.
subs.. i have a tc sounds sub that was upgraded from an image dynamics sub. the id sub was really great, the tc sub is just a tighter sound. check out peerless though, great performance
I always recommend looking into xtant amps, i had a 603x in my last setup and was very very pleased with the sound. some other high quality names out there are zapco, audison and old school soundstream refrence amps. Oh, and butler audio but they jump up in price. I have butler built amps in my car right now and from the limited listening that i've had with them, they are great.
focal components are always a fan favorite on this site, fej and spkrboy can recommend some of those.
subs.. i have a tc sounds sub that was upgraded from an image dynamics sub. the id sub was really great, the tc sub is just a tighter sound. check out peerless though, great performance
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 8,718
Likes: 20
From: Dyer IN
Cruise-In IX Veteran
basically what everyone else said
6.5 components in the doors (def do some sound deadening)
rear speakers are up to you but id dump em
sub in the back
get one nice solid 4 channel amp to power it all... pdx 4.150 comes to mind as its small and powerful
6.5 components in the doors (def do some sound deadening)
rear speakers are up to you but id dump em
sub in the back
get one nice solid 4 channel amp to power it all... pdx 4.150 comes to mind as its small and powerful
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,294
Likes: 612
From: I love the Big Butt Corvettes
St. Jude Donor '08
This is exactly what I want. How hard would this be to install. Mostly I need to know:
1. How I would tie in the head unit. Is there an adaptor for this(to
make it easier instead of splicing wires).
2. What guage wiring would I need?
3. What brand speakers? 2-way or 3-way? tweets ?I'm leaning toward
Focal.
4. Would I need crossovers, etc?(This is where I kinda get lost in
stereo installation).
5. What brand of amp?
6. How hard is it to access the back of the head unit?
7. If anyone have any step by step instructions that would help.
Thanks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 9,289
Likes: 16
From: Skippack PA
St Jude Donor '13
Pent,
This is exactly what I want. How hard would this be to install. Mostly I need to know:
1. How I would tie in the head unit. Is there an adaptor for this(to
make it easier instead of splicing wires).
2. What guage wiring would I need?
3. What brand speakers? 2-way or 3-way? tweets ?I'm leaning toward
Focal.
4. Would I need crossovers, etc?(This is where I kinda get lost in
stereo installation).
5. What brand of amp?
6. How hard is it to access the back of the head unit?
7. If anyone have any step by step instructions that would help.
Thanks.
This is exactly what I want. How hard would this be to install. Mostly I need to know:
1. How I would tie in the head unit. Is there an adaptor for this(to
make it easier instead of splicing wires).
2. What guage wiring would I need?
3. What brand speakers? 2-way or 3-way? tweets ?I'm leaning toward
Focal.
4. Would I need crossovers, etc?(This is where I kinda get lost in
stereo installation).
5. What brand of amp?
6. How hard is it to access the back of the head unit?
7. If anyone have any step by step instructions that would help.
Thanks.
As to which brand of speakers & amp, those are mostly matters of opinion so I strongly suggest you go to brick & mortar and put your ears to work, find out what sounds good to you!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,294
Likes: 612
From: I love the Big Butt Corvettes
St. Jude Donor '08
Komoman, Pent, Scott, NYC6
thanks for the responses and I have been reading a lot about installation. A couple of questions.
1. Komoman, How do you like the JLAudio Stealthbox for the C6 Vert? They look really functional but they are high dollar. Would a small sub be just as good for a lot less $$$?
2. What speaker components are you currently running in the fronts?
3. Are you running an electronic crossover?
4. Where could I get the RCA plugs soldered on to the PAC ADD-GM24.
I've never soldered anything.
5. Komoman, Do you still make the plates to chage out to 6.5 speaks in the front?
Just trying to get some more ideas. I'm going to car toys this week to listen at some different set ups.
Thanks for all the help.
thanks for the responses and I have been reading a lot about installation. A couple of questions.
1. Komoman, How do you like the JLAudio Stealthbox for the C6 Vert? They look really functional but they are high dollar. Would a small sub be just as good for a lot less $$$?
2. What speaker components are you currently running in the fronts?
3. Are you running an electronic crossover?
4. Where could I get the RCA plugs soldered on to the PAC ADD-GM24.
I've never soldered anything.
5. Komoman, Do you still make the plates to chage out to 6.5 speaks in the front?
Just trying to get some more ideas. I'm going to car toys this week to listen at some different set ups.
Thanks for all the help.
Last edited by BigButtLover; Jun 23, 2008 at 01:21 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 9,289
Likes: 16
From: Skippack PA
St Jude Donor '13
Komoman, Pent, Scott, NYC6
thanks for the responses and I have been reading a lot about installation. A couple of questions.
1. Komoman, How do you like the JLAudio Stealthbox for the C6 Vert? They look really functional but they are high dollar. Would a small sub be just as good for a lot less $$$?
2. What speaker components are you currently running in the fronts?
3. Are you running an electronic crossover?
4. Where could I get the RCA plugs soldered on to the PAC ADD-GM24.
I've never soldered anything.
5. Komoman, Do you still make the plates to chage out to 6.5 speaks in the front?
Just trying to get some more ideas. I'm going to car toys this week to listen at some different set ups.
Thanks for all the help.
thanks for the responses and I have been reading a lot about installation. A couple of questions.
1. Komoman, How do you like the JLAudio Stealthbox for the C6 Vert? They look really functional but they are high dollar. Would a small sub be just as good for a lot less $$$?
2. What speaker components are you currently running in the fronts?
3. Are you running an electronic crossover?
4. Where could I get the RCA plugs soldered on to the PAC ADD-GM24.
I've never soldered anything.
5. Komoman, Do you still make the plates to chage out to 6.5 speaks in the front?
Just trying to get some more ideas. I'm going to car toys this week to listen at some different set ups.
Thanks for all the help.
2. I am running a custom set of component speakers, a Seas 7" midbass with a Vifa tweeter using a custom crossover designed by a friend.
3. The crossover question gets a bit convoluted in my setup as currently configured. The fronts are using a passive crossover, but I have adjusted some of the signal parameters being sent to it using digital filters built into my Zapco DC Reference amp. Once I have that tuned in the parameters will be incorporated into the final version of the passive crossover and the Zapco DSP will be used for EQ and cabin tuning.
4. You can get the RCA's at Radio Shack.
5. Yep, I still make them. They're sold through forum vendor Pipedreams. Here's a link to the page for them on his site:
http://www.nakidparts.com/id28.html
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