I've been looking all over the forums but most threads seem to gear towards the Bose system. I have an 09 1LT w/ stock radio...non-bose. The subwoofer blew on the passenger door and I'm looking to replace it. Now...does this audio setup have a factory amp with it or is this just the bose system that has the amp? Is the subwoofer in the door an 8" or 10" subwoofer? I'm looking to replace all the speakers first and then go for the HU. Any help / suggestions would greatly be appreciated.

 

The base stereo includes the following components:

• Head unit with relatively clean low level outputs
• Small amplifier in passenger footwell driving all speakers
• 3.5 inch dual cone mid/high frequency driver 1 in each upper door and one in center dash location
• 10" very thin woofer in lower door location
• 5.25" dual cone speaker in B pillar location

You can replace any of the individual components, as long as you get the proper adapters. Look in the FAQs, there should be specifics there.

You'll get a decent improvement in sound if you upgrade the 3.5" speakers, but you're still somewhat limited by the power driving them. A great staged upgrade is upgrading the door speakers, and adding a subwoofer and adding an aftermarket amp to drive them. You can leave the center and rears running off the stock amp (if you like the fill), or just disconnect them (for better clarity and imaging). Then upgrade the deck if you want the (small) improvement in sound quality, and better features.

One slightly difficult issue with the Vette is e stock 10" driver. The door panel is thin, so you don't have much mounting depth - around 2" IIRC. Some 8's will fit with a spacer, and some thin mount 10's might physically fit. But the door panels are not very structurally rigid, so they make awful enclosures for the speaker. That's why adding a subwoofer makes so much sense - it gives you so many more options for the door speaker configuration.

 

JL has a new 10" sub that should work in the doors with 2 1/5" mounting depthif someone wanted this option

 

Been an audio enthusiast for many years - IMO all Bose car audio sounds terrible compared to a half decent aftermarket deck, amplifier, speakers, and subwoofer setup. Just buy some mounting plates for the doors and install a nice set of 6 1/2" speakers (eg. I believe others have used the Alpine SPR series speakers because they fit, sound good, can handle lots of power, and are a relatively good value for the $).

 

C6 prints are HERE

If you know that you're eventually going to replace everything in stages that makes it easier to do it without wasting any more money than needed.

Figure out what you want your FINAL setup to be, then work towards it as you can.

A popular system is 6.5" components in doors, sub in trunk, both fed by 4-channel amp with 1+2 for fronts and 3+4 bridged to sub. If you want to retain the rears use a 5-channel amp.

To get the stock radio signal you'll need something like a modified ADD-GM24. This money is wasted once radio is replaced (but you can probably sell it on the forum).

To install a new HU you'll need the proper interface adapter. C5 BearsFan can hook you up with the best one for your car and setup.

 

the best harness for the C6 is coming in June

 

Do you know of anyone who has tried this option yet? I'm thinking that the composition of the doors would make this sound pretty bad without a LOT of work (stiffening, dampening).

I had thought about this when I did my system, but decided it would probably be much easier to add a rear mounted sub.

 

I wouldnt do it myself as the cost for two subs would be more than the one in the back.

Pentavolvo tried 2 8's in a c5
customer went back to a stealthbox

 

thanks for the responses and the info...I found some Pioneer 10" that have a shallow mounting depth. I'm considering those as an option.

http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-TS-SW2...6678838&sr=1-2

the TS-SW2501S2 is 2 ohm and there is a TS-SW2501S4 which is 4 ohm. Any ideas on a decent amp?

 

One of the ten comandments in car audio.

Subs dont work well in doors.

 

 

I had the 12" version of that sub in the hatch area of my C6 for a while, IMO it kicks way too hard for the door to be it's box.

I understand what you're trying to do, but subs in vette doors just isn't practical.

 

One other consideration is ensuring you have balanced coverage throughout the audible range. If you put a 10" in the door, which effectively covers up to 200hz or so, the 3.5" driver would have a difficult time covering the lower midrange.

I have 8's, with 4" mids in the door. The 8's are great mid bass drivers, and work well with the 10" sub in the hatch, and the 4" midranges. Short of that type of setup, a 6.5" component set and a subwoofer in back works really well.

 

I‘m in the process of finishing the installation of 10 inch MB Quart shallow subs in the doors in my 05 convertible with a mini Arc Audio 125.4 amp in the passenger side foot well.

Yes, I know doors are not the best location for subs, but in my C6 convertible, it made the most sense for me because I wanted a totally stealth installation with nothing in the trunk.

I was a little worried about using a sub design for a small sealed enclosure in a free-air configuration (i.e. the doors) but, I’m pretty happy with the outcome (I was realistic in my expectations).

Note: if I had a hardtop I wouldn’t have gone this route. But convertibles are a totally different animal when dealing with acoustics and lack of space.

BTW - I’ve deaden the doors quite a bit, but doors can’t compete with a properly built subwoofer enclosure.

 

FYI

Measured it. 2007 C6 Doors
From face of OEM fiberglass baffle;

2-7/8" to sled

3-1/8" to rail.

3-3/4" to glass.


Caution that is ZERO clearance !

 

Yes …. That is about the same measurements I came up with also, and that is why I choose the shallow 10 inch MB Quarts to experiment with.

They are just about 3 inch deep and with a ¼ spacer they fit.

They were also inexpensive enough that I was willing to take a chance experimenting with door subs


Here is a picture

 

True, but everything is a compromise. To begin with, a car is not a good sound stage. I'm sure there are those, me included, that would not give up the cubby spaces for a subwoofer.

v8rx7com, please let us know how the MB Quarts sounds compared to stock.

 

A little background on me just to let you guys know where I’m coming from.

I use to be a certified (MECP) mobile electronics installer when I was younger.

In my 20’s when I was an installer, I would have called a 10 inch sub in the door a midbass, now that I’m in my 40’s, I’m trying to call a 10 inch in the door a subwoofer.

When I was looking for ideas on my own car, I saw a few posts asking if anyone has put in aftermarket 10 inch subs in the doors, but I couldn’t find any proof that anyone had actually done it.

I knew starting off I wasn’t going to win any IASCA sound off competitions with my setup, but that wasn’t my goal with this installation.

I saw myself in a position to be the guinea pig of sorts and experiment with my own car and I wanted to share the results with others on this forum so there will be searchable information for others who might be considering doing the same thing.

Now with that said, here is an update:

Initial results were as I expected, basically it sounds the way BOSE should have done it. More volume, more treble and more bass. Also, no more muffled midrange (I thought the muffled midrange was just in my head until I heard about others with similar complaints).

The overall sound quality has improved, but I credit that mainly to the Arc Audio amp and my previous upgrade of the factory 3.5s and 5.25s speakers with Polk Audio. I’m running the 3.5s and 5.25s paralleled to create a 2 ohm (stereo) load on 2 channels of the Arc Audio 125.4 (4 channel amp). The subs are dual 4 ohms voice coils (paralleled) for a 2 ohm (stereo) load on the remaining 2 channels on the amp.

I know the hardcore audiophiles are probably already cringing at reading that I paralleled the front and rear speakers together. Yes, I know that is not what you want to do for proper sound staging. However, I didn’t want to rely solely on the 3.5s in the doors for all of my mids and highs. Also, keep in mind this is a convertible, so for this installation volume, sound quality, and not using up trunk space was my goal.

Biggest challenge I’ve had so far, is trying to isolate and then quiet all the things in the door panels that make noises at various resonating frequencies.

The bass is about what I expected for the subs being in the doors. Not as tight or as accurate as in a properly built box. But then again, I’ve never heard these MB Quart subs in a proper enclosure (I know MB Quarts are not what they use to be).

This car is my weekend toy, so I’m working on it when I have the time, so I’m not calling the install “done” yet, but I will post updates as things progress.

Sorry for the long post, but I’m trying to include the information I wish I had before starting on my own car.

 

You're right, cars dont offer a good sound stage, therefore, I did all I could to work with what we have to make it sound as good as possible. Putting subs in the door was not the way I would accomplish that.

I've heard subs mounted in doors before and it wasnt for me. The SQ was severley lacking. Having a vert complicates matters but I would have used JL subs in the rear speaker spots, and a killer set of 6.5" components in the doors. I have heard that and it sounded very nice. Maybe the OP has it figured out, would have liked to hear it when hes done.
I used a JL Stealthbox in my coupe, gave up only one cubby, still have plenty of room in back, roof still mounts in back and it sounds great.
To each his own.

 

I can’t argue with what you’ve stated above, and a similar setup is my “plan B” if I’m not happy with my outcome.

However, being an ex-installer I’m probably looking at this a little different (free labor).

Also, everything I’m doing to damping the doors will work fine even if I ditch the door sub idea and go with components later.

My biggest problem with this setup is going to be “me”, because I know what a high-end setup should sound like.

But I’m enjoying the challenge of seeing if I can get them to sound decent in the doors.