Stereo help please
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 0
From: Kansas City MO
Stereo help please
I know almost nothing about stereos and will be upgrading my C6 this winter.
I do have a fair stereo in my 2004 Dodge Ram regular cab. I have eclipse component speakers in the dash and doors. A pair of Polk 12" subs behind the seats in a custom enclosure and an Eclipse 4 channel amp powering everything. the head unit is a DVD player so I can watch movies with my grand daughter on long drives. this system sounds great for my ears.
I went to a stereo place wanting something similar and this is what they are telling me. I want a indash DVD player and they are wanting to have the factory amp power the factory tweeters and mids and somehow they will "unhook" the power from the factory amp that powers the base in the factory speakers leaving the factory amp to just power the tweeters and mids.
then they want to add an amp to power two subs in the rear.
SO basically I would be getting:
new dvd head unit
new Amp to power subs
2 10" subs. don't know which ones yet
factory amp would power the existing factory tweeters and mids. they said they did this on another c6 and said the factory speakers and amps sound good if you do not have them powering the factory subs or base.
I was expecting to buy something like my eclipse component speakers and they talked me out of it.
any advice would be great.
Here are links to my truck stereo
http://www.rumblebee.org/album_page.php?pic_id=4032
http://www.rumblebee.org/album_page.php?pic_id=4027
John
I do have a fair stereo in my 2004 Dodge Ram regular cab. I have eclipse component speakers in the dash and doors. A pair of Polk 12" subs behind the seats in a custom enclosure and an Eclipse 4 channel amp powering everything. the head unit is a DVD player so I can watch movies with my grand daughter on long drives. this system sounds great for my ears.
I went to a stereo place wanting something similar and this is what they are telling me. I want a indash DVD player and they are wanting to have the factory amp power the factory tweeters and mids and somehow they will "unhook" the power from the factory amp that powers the base in the factory speakers leaving the factory amp to just power the tweeters and mids.
then they want to add an amp to power two subs in the rear.
SO basically I would be getting:
new dvd head unit
new Amp to power subs
2 10" subs. don't know which ones yet
factory amp would power the existing factory tweeters and mids. they said they did this on another c6 and said the factory speakers and amps sound good if you do not have them powering the factory subs or base.
I was expecting to buy something like my eclipse component speakers and they talked me out of it.
any advice would be great.
Here are links to my truck stereo
http://www.rumblebee.org/album_page.php?pic_id=4032
http://www.rumblebee.org/album_page.php?pic_id=4027
John
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 7,035
Likes: 134
From: North Augusta, SC
Their plan would work, and probably sound good, but you can do much better for the same amount of cash.
Regardless of which amp you end up with, a single 10" sub in the back should be plenty. Two subs with the stock amp for the rest of the speakers is definitely overkill. If you do end up keeping the stock amp, at least have them change out the front twiddlers for something like the Polk db351's or Boston Acoustic S35's. The stock speakers are seriously lacking when it comes to highs.
If money isn't much of a concern, and even if it is, the best way to go would be an aftermarket amp with component speakers on custom plates in the doors, and new coax rear speakers if you want to keep them. Many people insist that the rears mess up the sound stage, but I personally like having them.
Without rears, a single 4 channel amp works great (2 front, 2 bridged to the sub). With rear speakers, a 5 channel amp would be the cleanest install, but many use one 4 ch amp to the regular speakers and then get a separate single channel amp for the sub.
Just so the shop doesn't screw it up: If you don't have OnStar, or if you don't want to keep it, the GMCO is the only interface adapter that you need. If you have and want to keep OnStar, with the stock amp you need both the GMAH24B and the GMAHCM adapters, to keep OnStar and use an aftermarket amp you need the GMAH24 and the GMAHCM.
Last year I put in a DVD/Nav radio with the stock amp and speakers (other than upgraded front twiddlers). It sounded pretty good, but it didn't get very loud. It was OK with just the windows down, but with the top out I always found myself wanting more. Last month I put in a new amp, sub, and speakers. Check out my sig for details about the components, it only cost me about $600 for everything other than the radio itself (but I did make my own box), so you can get a great sounding system that gets pretty loud even if you're on a budget. Check out the "what do you run" sticky thread to see what others have done.
Long story short (too late, right): I would recommend 6.5" components on custom plates in the doors, new coax 5.25" speakers in the back, and a single 10" sub for one of the rear cubbies. Your budget pretty much dictates which speakers you go with. Power everything with a single 5 channel amp. The Alpine PDX-5 is popular, and can be hidden under the passenger seat or in the rear pooka opposite the sub, but it costs a bit more than needs to be spent if you're on a budget.
Regardless of which amp you end up with, a single 10" sub in the back should be plenty. Two subs with the stock amp for the rest of the speakers is definitely overkill. If you do end up keeping the stock amp, at least have them change out the front twiddlers for something like the Polk db351's or Boston Acoustic S35's. The stock speakers are seriously lacking when it comes to highs.
If money isn't much of a concern, and even if it is, the best way to go would be an aftermarket amp with component speakers on custom plates in the doors, and new coax rear speakers if you want to keep them. Many people insist that the rears mess up the sound stage, but I personally like having them.
Without rears, a single 4 channel amp works great (2 front, 2 bridged to the sub). With rear speakers, a 5 channel amp would be the cleanest install, but many use one 4 ch amp to the regular speakers and then get a separate single channel amp for the sub.
Just so the shop doesn't screw it up: If you don't have OnStar, or if you don't want to keep it, the GMCO is the only interface adapter that you need. If you have and want to keep OnStar, with the stock amp you need both the GMAH24B and the GMAHCM adapters, to keep OnStar and use an aftermarket amp you need the GMAH24 and the GMAHCM.
Last year I put in a DVD/Nav radio with the stock amp and speakers (other than upgraded front twiddlers). It sounded pretty good, but it didn't get very loud. It was OK with just the windows down, but with the top out I always found myself wanting more. Last month I put in a new amp, sub, and speakers. Check out my sig for details about the components, it only cost me about $600 for everything other than the radio itself (but I did make my own box), so you can get a great sounding system that gets pretty loud even if you're on a budget. Check out the "what do you run" sticky thread to see what others have done.
Long story short (too late, right): I would recommend 6.5" components on custom plates in the doors, new coax 5.25" speakers in the back, and a single 10" sub for one of the rear cubbies. Your budget pretty much dictates which speakers you go with. Power everything with a single 5 channel amp. The Alpine PDX-5 is popular, and can be hidden under the passenger seat or in the rear pooka opposite the sub, but it costs a bit more than needs to be spent if you're on a budget.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 0
From: Kansas City MO
thanks for the reply. I kinda understand what you are telling me. again I am not a stereo guy. I do have a 2500-3000 price range that I want to stay in. I do not have onstar or heads up or any other fancy things. my vette is the base 2007. I guess thats why I got it for 31k. its plenty fine for me. I am technology challenged.
