C5 Tech Corvette Tech/Performance: LS1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Tech Topics, Basic Tech, Maintenance, How to Remove & Replace
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

2004 - replacing speaker question

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Feb 22, 2025 | 06:21 PM
  #1  
VetinaVette's Avatar
VetinaVette
Thread Starter
Racer
10 Year Member
Veteran: Air Force
 
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 428
Likes: 25
From: Tulsa OK
Default 2004 - replacing speaker question

I have the Power Acoustik aftermarket head unit along with the ACC harness that allows me to use the Bose amp and it has it's own ACC power source. My question is about replacing the twiddlers. I'm not a huge audiophile, just want an improvement to sound over the 21 year old worn out speakers. From what I understand, a noticeable improvement can be made by replacing the 3.5" twiddlers in the front but leaving the OEM bass unit alone and replace the 6.5" twiddlers in the rear.

I saw that Metra makes an adapter so you can remove the entire front speaker unit, but I assume that is for people that are replacing everything and running an aftermarket amp/bass setup?

This is what I'm looking at and wondered if anyone has them installed. I've got the wire harness adapters on order .

Amazon Amazon

Amazon Amazon
Reply
Old Feb 22, 2025 | 11:55 PM
  #2  
mmartinez's Avatar
mmartinez
Melting Slicks
15 Year Member
Active Streak: 30 Days
Active Streak: 60 Days
Liked
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,117
Likes: 793
From: Espanola New Mexico
Default

What the heck are twiddlers, I think you are meaning to say tweeters.
Reply
Old Feb 23, 2025 | 12:03 PM
  #3  
Fiberbundle's Avatar
Fiberbundle
Drifting
Veteran: Army
Conversation Starter
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 1,271
Likes: 398
From: Tacoma WA
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Default

Twiddler is the name used with the Bose 3.5 inch speakers in the front panel, since it is not a true tweeter but some sorry attempt to combine a tweeter and a mid range speaker. Not sure who started calling it that but there are a lot of threads on it in the audio section.
Too bad GM couldn’t have just put a great sound system in their flagship car at the beginning and too many have upgraded the system. Of course there are those of us who hardly ever turn the radio on since the Corvette provides its own fine sounds.
Reply
Old Feb 23, 2025 | 12:31 PM
  #4  
VetinaVette's Avatar
VetinaVette
Thread Starter
Racer
10 Year Member
Veteran: Air Force
 
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 428
Likes: 25
From: Tulsa OK
Default

Originally Posted by mmartinez
What the heck are twiddlers, I think you are meaning to say tweeters.
I thought the same thing

Some name they came up since they provide high and mid-range sounds.
Reply
Old Feb 23, 2025 | 02:41 PM
  #5  
mmartinez's Avatar
mmartinez
Melting Slicks
15 Year Member
Active Streak: 30 Days
Active Streak: 60 Days
Liked
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,117
Likes: 793
From: Espanola New Mexico
Default

Ok, learn something new every day
Reply
Old Feb 24, 2025 | 01:48 PM
  #6  
grinder11's Avatar
grinder11
Race Director
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12,791
Likes: 4,614
Default

Originally Posted by Fiberbundle
Twiddler is the name used with the Bose 3.5 inch speakers in the front panel, since it is not a true tweeter but some sorry attempt to combine a tweeter and a mid range speaker. Not sure who started calling it that but there are a lot of threads on it in the audio section.
Too bad GM couldn’t have just put a great sound system in their flagship car at the beginning and too many have upgraded the system. Of course there are those of us who hardly ever turn the radio on since the Corvette provides its own fine sounds.
GM didn't put a great sound system in their flagship car because said "flagship" was damn near eliminated from production. This is why so much of the C5 interior is of questionable quality. The car was almost axed!! They had to hurry up and design a lot of things on the fly to make it ready for the 1997 MY. I wonder how many people know that the later C5s nearly came an 8 speed automatic transmission? Yup, GM contracted with Gear Vendors to adapt their O.D./U.D. unit to the 4L60E. They even had the 8 speed auto badges made up. Someone high up in GM killed it at the last minute. The info is out there. President of Gear Vendors said he felt like he was riding on a dinosaurs tail, and when it changed direction he was thrown to the wayside. It appeared in a Motor Trend article in 2011. Interesting reading......

Last edited by grinder11; Feb 24, 2025 at 02:03 PM.
Reply
Old Feb 25, 2025 | 08:39 AM
  #7  
SideOfTheRoad's Avatar
SideOfTheRoad
Advanced
All Eyes On Me
Liked
 
Joined: Dec 2024
Posts: 92
Likes: 50
Default

Originally Posted by VetinaVette

I saw that Metra makes an adapter so you can remove the entire front speaker unit, but I assume that is for people that are replacing everything and running an aftermarket amp/bass setup?

This is what I'm looking at and wondered if anyone has them installed. I've got the wire harness adapters on order .

https://www.amazon.com/JBL-GX302-2-W...dp/B00O8MNNT6/

https://www.amazon.com/JBL-GX602-2-W...dp/B00O8MULHI/
Correct, those speaker plates are for an aftermarket overhaul.
I am looking at swapping out my OEM speakers for the same JBL's as you. Let me know if you are happy with them! I'm not going full audiophile in this car either; that's what home speakers are for! I just want something better than the Bose for Highway cruising.
Reply
Old Feb 25, 2025 | 10:12 AM
  #8  
LannyL81's Avatar
LannyL81
Melting Slicks
20 Year Member
Conversation Starter
 
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,322
Likes: 141
From: Green Valley Arizona
Default

I replaced the OEM speakers with those JBL's last year, and used that same wire harness adapter. Huge improvement in sound?....no. Noticeable.....yes, but not night and day different. Now if your OEM speakers are torn or separated causing buzzing, then sure, the JBLs will make a more noticeable difference.
The swap is pretty easy to do. Just have to be careful taking off the door panels. Probably a good idea to get several new fastners as you will break one of them, at least.!
Also, if you do a search on here, you will read that the OEM speaker terminals have the (+) and (-) terminals reversed as far as size. So to get the wire harness adapters to work, you will need to remove the terminals from the connector and swap them around, or cut the speakers slide-on terminals off, put new ones on, or live with the polarity swapped.
The front speakers have the same problem. I just removed the terminals from the connector bodies and swapped the pins around.

Good luck.
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To 2004 - replacing speaker question

Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

2027 Corvette vs The World: Every Model vs Closest Competitor

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!

 Joe Kucinski
story-4

10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!

 Brett Foote
story-6

Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)

 Joe Kucinski
story-7

Grand Sport & Grand Sport X Launch Alongside All-New 535hp LS6 V8!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-8

5 Reasons Bad Drivers Crash & 5 Ways to Avoid a Costly Mistake!

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

7 Bolt-On Upgrades From Extreme Online Store to Level Up Your C6 Corvette

 Pouria Savadkouei




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:26 AM.

story-0
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every Model vs Closest Competitor

Slideshow: 2027 Corvette lineup vs the world.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-20 17:58:41


VIEW MORE
story-1
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!

Slideshow: 10 major Corvette problems from the last 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-14 16:37:05


VIEW MORE
story-2
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!

Slideshow: 5 most and least popular Corvette model years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-08 13:25:01


VIEW MORE
story-3
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!

Slideshow: 2027 Corvette buyer's guide

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-17 16:41:08


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)

Slideshow: 10 things C8 Corvette owners hate, but won't tell you.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-01 18:36:07


VIEW MORE
story-5
10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!

Slideshow: Should you add one of these incredible Corvettes to your garage?

By Brett Foote | 2026-04-01 18:14:05


VIEW MORE
story-6
Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)

Slideshow: Every Corvette Grand Sport explained

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-03-26 07:13:44


VIEW MORE
story-7
Grand Sport & Grand Sport X Launch Alongside All-New 535hp LS6 V8!

Slideshow: Breaking down the 2027 Grand Sport, Grand Sport X, Stingray, and LS6 V8.

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-03-26 13:48:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
5 Reasons Bad Drivers Crash & 5 Ways to Avoid a Costly Mistake!

Slideshow: 5 reasons bad drivers crash sports cars & 5 ways to avoid a costly shame!

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-03-25 16:32:55


VIEW MORE
story-9
7 Bolt-On Upgrades From Extreme Online Store to Level Up Your C6 Corvette

Slideshow: Check out these easy-to-install upgrades from Extreme Online Store that reshape the look and feel of the C6 Corvette.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-03-23 17:00:27


VIEW MORE