Hey Folks,

I was real comfortable gutting my C6 interior for a complete audio install and ready to do the same with my “new to me” C7.

I am going to do the I.O.6 upgrade for Nav and Apple car play, I thought I might as well do a complete audio upgrade from HU back including sound insulation.

We don’t have a sticky for C7’s so maybe I could get some of our fellow car aficionados to chime in on some questions I have

doors : indicate 10” sub and 3.25 spkrs
dash : tweeters corners - 3.25 “ center
mid panel : 5.5” I know not needed for front sound stage but to keep fader in tack might as well swap
rear sub 10”

* do I need to run all new speaker wire , if not does anyone have a schematic that a novice could read.
* do you go with nice 6.5” components in front doors or back with shallow mount subs? If shallow mount subs which ones
* which sub is a good replacement for rear
* separate dsp and amp or amp with dsp integrated
* is an m650-GM audio interface required to circumvent the Bose amp , if not is there another option for a plug-n-play audio interface

Any tips/tricks/links to remove door panels
Any tips/tricks/links to remove dash speakers
Any tips/tricks/links to remove mid panel speakers

The biggest decision I am up in the air about is whether on not to build a unit with storage cubbies and cell phone charging plugs that would house two 8” subs and the amp with crossovers in area below amp.


I guess that’s it for now , I am going to order the HMI and Radio module on Monday to get that in the pipeline.

Any speaker suggestions or an encompassing list of parts I need would even be better.

Thanks , Rich

 

Front Stage : https://www.crutchfield.com/p_210EC9...arbon-93A.html
Rear Fill: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_210MU5...-502-MKII.html
Rear sub is an 8": a good shallow mount will do, or you could remove it and use the area to hide the amps.
It all depends on how much bass you want.
I would recommend multiple amps or a single amp with enough channels to do a full active setup. 8 channel JL Audio comes to mind.
I always replaced the factory wiring, but I've seen many installs that use the factory wiring without any issues.
If you search the "C7 General" section, you will find all the tips, tricks, and wiring details.
Which HMI and radio module are you going with?

 

I think I am going with 404parts and purchasing the io6 option to get Nav along with Apple Car Play. Using factory wiring would be much easier and cleaner.

If I removed the rear sub and mounted the amp back there would the 9” door subs be enough base? I like some tight base but at 63 looking for clean music now that I can crank with the top off at 70mph on the interstate and still hear my tunes.

What is your suggestion for my dsp? Or get one built into the amp?

 

to keep it clean, get one of the subs that fit in the corner cubby, like the jl audio. I would get an amp with built in dsp ( jl, audio control, other high end amps.)

 

Okay ordered my HMI and radio upgrade from 404parts today. Here is a $1k+ question …. how necessary is a DSP and if I don’t put that in will I still have the 3 band equalizer in the radio?

I ask this because the 8 channel JL audio amp with built in DSP is $1800.

Then one other question is - what is the function of the iTv Nav GM650 , would this take place of the Crutchfield $480 pac unit AND need for dsp?

 

One more question, has anyone ever put an amp under the seat of a C7. The Crutchfield guy swears it will fit as it’s only 2 1/8” in height. I told him no way and if I utilize factory sub location for a replacement sub I was going to have to come up with another location for an amp.

 

Also am really confused , how is the factory Bose channels setup?

cargo area. 5 1/4” ——— rear
door subs ———-
door and center dash mids. —
dash corner tweeters ———— front ?
rear sub —————————-

That being said if I keep cargo area speakers for fill how would you set up channels:

dash tweeter ………………
door/dash mids ……………
door subs. …………………
rear cargo 5 1/4” ………….
Rear factory sub ………….

 

DSP - only if you are going all the way and getting it professionally tuned. If you're not, then go with a conventional EQ.

under seat Amp- nothing fits under there

I don't think that you'll get the output you want it off the stock subwoofer location. It will sound good, but may leave you wanting more.

The custom cubby box is the minimum that would upgrade to. In my C6 coupe, I built a petted box for 2 X 12" JL Audio and it sounded amazing. I don't have the same space in my C7 Vert, so looking at alternatives.
In building up my next system, here's what I have so far:
2 X JL Audio HD600
2 X 10 inch shallow mount Kenwood
2 X 3.5" Infinity Kappa Midrange
2 X 3/4" JL Audio tweeters
2 X 5 1/4" Infinity Kappa co-axials
1 X Pioneer 8" sgallow subwoofer

one of the hd600 will run the rear 5 1/4 and front mid/tweeters (using passive x-over).
the second Amp will be bridged to the door midbass/woofer.

I'm still looking for an Amp to Power the 8 inch sub.

the stock wiring has all of these independently wired to the factory Amp, except for the dash tweeters. The tweeters are wired in parallel with the door woofers. The tweeters have a bass blocking cap in line. You should need to run new wire to the tweeters, which is very easy to do.

Since you got that Nav unit, you won't need the PAC adapter.

 

This is the items the Crutchfield guy emailed methat we talked about.

89.99 Hertz Dieci DCX 87 3-1/2" 2-way Speakers (3.5” for center dash)
549.99 Focal Access 165 AS3 6-1/2" 3-Way Component System (doors and dash corners)
139.9 Hertz Dieci DCX 160.3 6" 2-way Speakers. (cargo area )
439.99. PAC Amp Pro Amplifer Interface for GM MOST 50 (20-pin/8Pin)
34.99 PAC APH-GM02 Amp Pro Harness
169.99 Kicker 8” sub 48CWRT82 8" Dual 2-ohm Component Subwoofer ( Back replacement)
83.98 EFX Delta 2-Channel RCA Delta 17' (2- RCA cables @ 41.99 each)
229.99 JL Audio JD250/1 250W x 1 Car Amplifier. 9-9/16"W x 2-1/8"H x 7-1/2"D
599.99 JL Audio XD600/6v2 75W x 6 Car Amplifier. 10-1/4"W x 2"H x 7-1/8"D

 

I received my Course Motorsports phone holder today, really cool. I will receive my Valentine V1 Gen2 radar detector tomorrow with the pricey hardwire kit from BlendMount.

 

You will also need two bulk kits of Dynamat xtreme to make it sound perfect.

 

JL Audio XD600/6v2 (in 5 channel mode for door/dash mids/tweets, rear 5-1/4, and rear subwoofer)
JL Audio XD400/4v2 (in 2 channel mode for the door midbass)
Kenwood Excelon KFC-XW1000F Shallow-mount 10" 4-ohm subwoofer (Door woofer/midbass)
Hertz MP 70.3 Mille Pro Series 3" midrange speakers (Door Midrange)
Hertz C 26 OE Cento Series 1" component tweeters (Dash Corners)
Hertz CX 130 Cento Series 5-1/4" 2-way car speakers (Cargo Area)
PAC APH-GM02 Amp Pro Harness
Kicker 8” sub 48CWRT82 8" Dual 2-ohm Component Subwoofer (This will work with the xd600/6 bridged in 5 ch mode)

Add Dynamat and a tweeter passive cross over and you'll be grinning for a long time.

 

all this looks good so two questions remain
A) if the 3 1/2” mids in the door are on a separate channel can I add the center 3 1/12” dash speaker to that channel?
B) what plug-n-play unit am I using to convert the audio output to rca jacks to feed them amps.

 

A)no. It's better to just not use the center channel if you don't have a dedicated channel.
B) you said you are getting the NAV unit. That has the rca outputs for front, rear, sub, and center.

 

This is what will be here next week HMI to turn my factory non Nav unit to a Nav unit and the other module on the passenger side will add Apple Car Play

https://404parts.com/products/2014-2...30874242154562

 

I misunderstood your earlier comment then. You still need the PAC adapter then.

 

What is the difference between
iTv Nav GM650 $660
and
Crutchfield Pac unit $439

I called TV Nav and they couldn't tell except "this isn't a Pac unit " they were nice as could be but couldn't answer the question because they said they didnt know what a Pac unit was.

 

Pac unit has a level control for channel 6. It can be used to control the subwoofer.

everything else appears to be the same.

 

Hey Vince , you mentioned for the rear replacement sub “ 2 ohm load (single 2 ohm, dual 4 ohm, or dual 1 ohm)

I am not able to find a sub with those specifications , even searching in the Pioneer shallow mount 8” subs

Also was wondering how much fab work was required using the 10” shallow mount Kenwoods in the door. Specs are showing just shy of 3.25” of clearance and these subs are needing 3 15/16” .

If I make a 3/4” spacer I am worried the door panels won’t fit back on. Really just trying to get a game plan before I pull the trigger on 2-3k in audio equipment.

Already have 1300 in the radio upgrade and $700 on radar detector/Mount/hardwire kit. So 2k and haven’t started the speaker/ amp upgrade. My wallet is crying but my logic says while I have the interior out of the car to get it all done at the same time.

 

You'll regret not doing it right the first time