Following is a picture in response to my own post - for other's future reference:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/pict...ictureid=99651

So, does removing the center speaker affect NonStar or BlueTooth handsfree phone audio? :lurk:

It appears that it does have an effect. I have a kenwwood dvd unit in a formerly bose equipped c6. When using the handsfree portion it sounds like like a 5.1 system with the center channel tuned off. You still get the callers voice but it is noticebly quieter and distant sounding. Still functional as long as your car isn't really loud(cammed&catless, headers etc).

I am attempting the do the same thing. I am keeping the factory HU and adding amp and door speakers.

However, I want to do the opposite. I want to make sure ALL the chimes and Onstar route through the center channel.

The reason is because there are complaints from people online who install after-market amps and, if using the PAC GM-24 harness, the chimes are routed through the left front after-market speaker.

The result is very loud chimes, even after the chime volume is put on the lowest setting.

Either MarkCZ or the Kokoman posted a solution but it involved some soldering and what looked to be a fair amount of work. I would like to disconnect the center channel speaker as well and maybe route the chimes and Onstar through the rear coaxes, which I guess I could leave hooked up to the OEM amp and HU. However, I was gonna put the rear speakers, which I already upgraded to Kicker coaxes, on the after-market amp.

I am kinda bummed at having to keep the center channel speaker because people who post on here say it lessens the sound quality - or sound stage as one poster put it.

Wow, old thread. I did what you are going to do. I don't have Onstar but the chimes and nav direction comes through the front left speaker. The volume adjustment on the nav does work and the nav voice does not come across too loud even with the volume up. I tested it before putting everything back together with the front channel hooked to the rear speakers still powered by the HU so all sounds came from the back and it was harder to hear it over the front speakers when it was cranked up a bit. I also disconnected the center speaker.

If you're keeping the oem radio you can't do much with the chimes, they're going to be part of the left front signal. You can swap the fronts and rears so the chimes are in back, then only amp the non-chime rears into the front doors.

Another option (which I'll prob be using) is to add an aftermarket adapter like the C2R-GM24 in addition to the oem radio. My plan is to use rear signals up front, front signals to sub (amp LPF will eliminate chimes), and use C2R for chimes and amp trigger. The only thing I'm not sure about is how the other car computers will react to having the radio AND the C2R connected at the same time. If the C2R doesn't work due to coms issues, I have a CM1 chime unit that I'll try, then rig up my relay idea for the trigger (to keep amps from turning on when the door is opened).

Let me know if you get the relay set-up to work as my attempt didn't give me the desired effect in my 2012. I DID follow your instructions for the rear speaker install and did that today. Boston Acoustics 5.25 Coax in the rear made it sound a little better. Will probably do the front 3.25s in a week or so.

What are your thoughts on the dash speakers now that the 2012s have 3 up there now? Have you explored the R & L dash "tweeters" yet?

I drove my '07 130 miles with the stock radio setup when I traded it in, then jumped right in to my '12. The new setup in the '12 is obviously better sounding than the '07 was. It still doesn't compare to a well amped component and sub setup, but is definitely an improvement.

I started my install last weekend, and canceled my travel plans for this weekend, so I hope to have everything done by Monday.

I have installed everything behind the oem radio, and the car seems to be happy with both the radio and the C2R-GM24 connected, so I won't have to use the diode and relay setup (but I'm sure it would work if I needed to).

End result for me will be 3-way active in doors and sub in trunk. Equipment will be: oem Nav, Pioneer DEQ-7600 processor, PowerBass XEX-23 crossover, PowerBass XAX-4160FD 4-channel amp for CDT HD-2 tweets and CDT ES-04 mids, Kenwood XR-5S bridged to CDT ES-06 bass and ch-5 to CDT QES-1020 in a RAAMaudio corner box. Once my 12 months of free XM runs out I'll be swapping out oem Nav for my Pioneer x920BT w/Sirius, OnStar is getting unplugged as soon as original trial runs out.

Stock amp, dash tweets, center channel, and rear speakers will all be left as-is, but I'll be pulling the amp fuse ;)

The only thing I'm still not entirely sure about is where everything will be mounted in the back. Most likely I'll be bolting it down near the rear wall using a sheet of 1/4" MDF under my Lloyd's cargo mat (wood under mat, gear on top, bolts going through).

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