Just picked up a new Z06 1LZ and I want to change out the crappy Bose with a system that warrants this car. I use to own a Z51 3LT and the system was even worse. The sub was terrible.

I have not done an install in years, but am very comfortable with doing this. The biggest obstacle is just ringing out the existing wires and tying it into the OEM head unit.

I have been doing my research and and even took apart the back of the car to look at the amp, fuse box and battery connections. Man I love that battery bus, makes it so easy.

I have read where people just add a sub, such as the JL Audio or the Vette Nuts box and leave the rest in place.

I want to add the sub box, but also replace the speakers , Obviously keep the head unit, replace the Bose crap amp.

I still want to be able to have all the systems in place such as indicator bells and hands free calling.

I still have some questions, but this where I am so far.

1. For the sub I will use Vette Nuts box and JL Audio Sub. Like this one better than the JL Audio. The JL looks terrible IMO.
http://www.vettenuts.net/index.php?l..._detail&p=1540

2. For OEM interface, use the JL Audio. This interface looks really cool. If it performs like it says, it should solve a lot of head unit output issues.
http://www.jlaudio.com/fix-86-car-au...m-tuning-98103

3. For AMP, I figured I would go JL Audio XD700/5v2 or if anyone have any other thoughts let me know. I want to use the same area where the Bose amp is now.

4. For Speakers, again need your help. What are people using in the C7? I figured I would go Focal, JL Audio C5-653's speakers... Any other thoughts, models? I might need to go true separates, therefore a crossover would need to also be placed in the trunk area. Correct?

To expand on the speakers, is it possible to use the existing speaker wiring. I really do not want to run new wiring to the doors.

I was going to abandon the center speaker unless I can figure out how to move the chimes and bluetooth to that speaker. I remember someone posting about this. If the wiring goes to the back now and I don't have to touch the dash, then great. Hope someone can guide me on that.

Finally, does anyone have the wiring schematics of the amp, speakers, interface wires, etc.

Thanks all and hope to be able to put together an install thread when I kick this off.

 

Personally I think a higher end system than what comes stock is a waste of money. The car has sooooo much road noise and exhaust noise that increasing the music clarity is an exercise in futility.

Now if you had a Jaguar XF or XL then I could see doing that but certainly not in the Vette.

 

As much as I hate to agree with this, I do--and I'm an audio nut, too; McIntosh, Krell, OPPO, etc at home.

I'm just back from a 5,000+ mile road trip. My z51 has two layers of RattleTrap sound insulation in it, and still the road noise (w/Mich A3+) was enough to impose on the OEM 3LT system. (As far as I'm concerned, RT is comparable to Dynomat... nd the A3+s are much quieter than the Michelin PSSs.)

I have a hard time believing that your z06 would really benefit from the upgrades even if you doubled up on Dynomat (or whatever sound insulation you should choose); the z06's exhaust is so much louder than the z51 in Touring mode I can't see that you'd make much headway unless the volume is set much higher than conversational levels.

 

I greatly appreciate the above two viewpoints. As I am deep into Audio, I so want this car to have a better system. You start to try to improve it and them all of a sudden you are knee in time and cost.

My issue is I want to continue to tweak the car. I have to take a step back I think and just enjoy the car.

Think I need to find a new (less expensive project)

 

I replaced the stereo in my Mazdaspeed that I owned before the Corvette. It was rumbly and loud on the highway, but I dont think it was a waste to do an SQ build in it. I think the stock stereo in the Corvette is quite livable. Enough that I probably wont fool with the audio beyond a small sub maybe.

For intercepting the stock amp and such, I think there is a guide for the stock stereo wiring in the how-to master list. Id suggest going with a Helix processor or something, I think they have one now that has an amp built in. Those seem to be the standard for most of the SQ competitions these days. I had a Rockford 3sixty.3 and you can pick those up cheap, but a Helix DSP is the new fad like I mentioned.

For staging, Id recommend doing away with the center channel and figuring something out with two way or three way components, but the speakers on the dash are not in a great position for imaging, you could have some pods built or something, but eh.

You can get spec sheets on a lot of home audio and build your own component set thatll perform much better than some of your mystery car audio. There is a group on facebook called Strictly Sound Quality that would be a lot of help, just know this is going to be expensive as **** and a pain in the ***.

 

Thanks for the FB group and I still agree I want to do something with the Bose. I just cannot stand it. I think I just have to pull back on some of the gear.