Hello all,

I purchased a black on black 07 z51 6 spd vert two weeks ago. I am already into MAJOR mods. now for my question.. I have the factory navigation system and xm radio. Is it just me or is this BY FAR the worst sound system you have ever heard in a 'high end' car? I have a cadillac STS with nav and the sound system is 100 times better. Also I couldn't believe the POOR quality of sound from the xm radio. It sounds as if it is coming from under a wet blanket.

What the heck am I supposed to do to improve the stock sound? On my C5 vert (which had a bigger trunk by the way) I put jl audio stealth box and jl audio amp behind passenger seat just for sub. wired in parallel a pair of polk audio teweeters and placed them high on the door panels and the whole system was MUCH better.

What have you done to improve your audio if you have the NAV system. Please help, I like my music to sound good. Also, any way to wire in an mp3 player direct where quality doesn't suffer. And sorry if this is a dumb question because I never tried it, but will the nav system play dvd movies like the cadillac does as long as it is in park? Thanks for all the suggestions

It may not sound like it, but I like the new car, just not happy with the tunes, for all that money, they could do better.

 

I have an '06 vert. I share your concerns. The BLOSE system is inadequate and overrrated. Unfortunately for us 'Vert owners audiophiles dont take us seriously because they presume that we woukd rather hear the wind... BAHHHH.....
I'm going to replace the speakers first. (Seems that GM has chosen the South Asian ghetto urinal model speakers for our Corvette listening pleasure.)
Thanks Rick!

 

The sound systemis not the best, but it is not as terrible as you make it sound to be!! Go hear a $75K Porsche 911 and then you'll love the Vette's system

 

The bose sound system sounds great with the engine off while waiting for the Corvette parade to start. I would guess that they maximized the sound under the same conditions. Top down at speed, where I usually am, I don't even bother to turn it on. Probably the way it was meant to be!

 

I agree. Not just terrible, but could be alot better. My 2002 Collector Edition Trans Am's(CETA) monsoon sound system is alot better, top up or down. Heck, wifes Escalade system is better than either. Go figure!

 

I just finished upgrading mine last Friday. I was at a Best Buy and met another forum member who worked in the audio section.

After listening to different speakers and amp set ups, I ended up with:

An Infinity Component set - 6 1/2's in the doors with tweeters installed higher up.

5 1/4's in the rear

3 1/2's in the doors

Alpine Amp in the trunk.

What a difference $1,250 made. I heard others tried the speaker swap only, but, without an amp, the system still lacked a clear/crisp sound.

After $20,000 in mods on my '99, that's it for me

 

 

cor07vette, your profile does not have your city. Are you in Houston and if so which Best Buy?

 

South Florida.

 

I have an 07 Vert too! I think that the poor acoustics in the Vert make a bad situation even worse.
I find the XM to be bad, the FM to be a little poor, and the CD to be OK.

 

I have an 06 Z51 vert and my Xm sounds like my cd's, pretty loud and clear. Mine bangs loud, I have to turn it down otherwise it actually hurts my ears, and that's coming from a person who use to always up grade my head units, custom boxes, amps etc.

 

A few Qs for you, Jesse...

• Do the new speakers occupy the same spaces as the originals?
• Did you make any changes to the dash-mounted center speaker?
• I know that on some Bose set-ups (such as my former Audi A6), the Bose speakers contained integrated amplifiers with special equalization. Is this the case with the C6?
• Did you do the swap yourself? If so, how difficult was it?

Thanks, Jesse.

 

Would like to see pix ... sounds like a nice set-up.

 

 

Noticed your tribute to Walter Payton. I am a big fan and live in NW Indiana near chicago. Are you in the area? Would love to hear your system, and see it if you are, thanks. PS do you have the navigation system?

 

[1] The front 6 1/2's needed a custom bracket cut out to fit. This was an easy mod for the installer at Best Buy.

[2] No, I left the dash mounted center speaker alone

[3] No. The speakers did not have integrated amp's. There was a Bose amp under the dash that was kept to push the rear 5 1/4's. The installer said this needed to remain as to not effect the Nav.

[4] No, I turned it all over to the Best Buy installers. It was way beyond my skills. It took him about 4 hours, and he's been doing installs for 15 years. He owned his own business until his ex got it

What a difference the system makes clean, clear sound, finally

 

Actually I'm in Florida.

I respected the man and the player He will always be my favorite on and off the field. We lost him way too young

 

Every thing fit into the same screens. Here's the Alpine Amp, cost: $210.00:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1134701297748


The 3 1/2's, cost $69.00:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1166236336445


The 5 1/4's, cost: $99.00
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1166234894439


The 6 1/2's, cost: $219.00:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1166236336377


Needed a wire kit, cost $100.00.

Install approximately: $150.00

A few others things I don't recall. Total: approx. $1,250.00.

 

thanks for the details on the parts, sounds like a good upgrade where exactly did you mount the amp in the trunk?

 

On the right side under the trunk partition.

It is a small/thin amp. and doesn't take up much space

11-1/4"W x 2-3/8"H x 9-9/16"D