New stereo upgrade build

[crafferty]

I've seen the Metra kits. I don't want to replace the Nav radio, just the CD portion with a DVD player.

The slot between the screen and A/C controls supports DVD I believe. There are some companies out there where you can unlock the video in motion but it's like $350.

Edited April 6, 2015 by crafferty

[barcia51]

to be honest, I've been into car audio for about 28 years, about 10 0f those professionally. I've heard some pretty amazing systems and designed + installed quite a few more.

i think the Bose stereo in my double cab is more than adequate.

my passengers find there is too much bass so i turn it down.

and if i were to have done your install i never would have replaced the factory woofers in the door. they make excellent mid bass drivers. way better than any 6.5" you could have put in there. mid bass in the doors brings your soundstage forward, you can easily decrease the frequencies you don't want but better to have too much capability than not enough.

also sealed subs never make good low end extension, i go ported and tuned for the vehicle i am installing in or i don't bother. usually i run a 10 tuned to about 38 hz and adjust from there.

but as long as your happy thats all that matters.

but if it were me, here is what i would have done.

either installed a bit 10 or alpine Pxa h800 digital signal processor. you could actually install it inline to the factory amp which IMO has plenty of power.

i would probably run a high pass filter for the door and dash speakers from 50hz and up, possibly add a tweeter to the factory dash speaker.

i would add a tweeter on the rear doors and run the factory speakers in the factory location.

then i would add a single ported 10 with amp on the floor in a similar sized box as you have done.

then i would time align everything and eq the system.

a system like this would allow you to control the xovers for each channel, level adjustment and eq for each speaker. you will find if you can get the time alignment to have the same arrival time to your listening position or at the very least to the front seat everything will increase in overall output. additionally i would set my gains so i reach full volume at about 75% on the head unit to minimize the bass attenuation that the HU does to prevent distortion.

since you've now matched and eliminated the frequencies that make the factory speakers distort, allowed the sub to do it's job, you can get a fair amount of power just using the factory bose amplifier.

the factory amp is probably about 40 or so watts per channel of true RMS power. what people don't realize is that even if you double your power to 80 watts you only gain 3db! 3db is considered perceptively louder. meaning "you can just perceive that amount"

what you do with bigger amps is put a lot more stress on your equipment for a very small amount of gain.

 

but for me, even being a guy who used to make the cars go BOOM. i love bass like the best of them (my screen name has nothing to do with fishing!)

given the cost and the time involved i think the factory bose stereo is plenty sufficient and not worth upgrading.

also you'll find if you actually listen to real music it actually sounds quite good.

I have the 6.2 and have active noise canceling that i value the quiet ride more then the loud stereo these days anyway.

 

but i like the clean install so you get a thumbs up from me, without hearing it i can't give an honest opinion but from experience and being unbiased toward factory verses aftermarket components, instead looking past the rumors and myths common to car audio.

if i am being honest, the factory stuff is a lot better than it used to be,

 

case in point. In my 2012 corvette Z06 i just added 2 subs to the factory system, and a different head unit that allowed me to time align and EQ + cross over the factory stereo using factory amps and speakers. i did a little test..

 

i went to several car audio shops who know me and respect my install abilities and had them listen to the stereo and guess what components had been replaced.

sort of a blind test comparison...

I've never seen eyes so wide or expressions so in awe when they found out the only components swapped out were the head unit, and the addition of a 300 watt amp, and 2 8" ported subs in the rear.

ive judged a lot of systems over the years and i guarantee you i had easily a top 5 best in SQ setup with just a little electronic adjustment, tuning and making use of what's good and enhancing what lacks in a factory stereo system.

the problem is most everyone will buy with their eyes, not their ears!

the placebo effect has proven time and time again, if you spend enough money, eventually you'll convince yourself it was an improvement over factory. until the day comes you hear someone like in my example play a little trick on you and ask for an unbiased opinion meaning (you don't know if it's stock or aftermarket) usually the weak link in any stereo is the head unit and lack of ability to control the sound. fact is factory speakers, even cheap ones have a wider dynamic range because they are often made of light weight paper, and use neodymium rare earth magnets verses ceramic because they take up less room and weigh a lot less. the cheap cones people,e refer to are actually more sensitive and give a higher db to watt ratio and for a wider range of frequencies than aftermarket.

if you have a good signal processor between the HU and amps or in my case in the HU itself. thats all you really need to make anything sound great.

[barcia51]

Bass mechanic, I have a 2015 Silverado with a Bose system. I added an amp with a 10" under my back seat. It worked great in my 2013 and in this one I am getting back feed from the active noise cancelation and would like to know how to disable it! I unplugged the far left plug on the Bose amp which fixes it but it also kills my backup alert. There are 2 wires in the plug that go to the microphones. I can't find any info on which 2 they are so I can cut them. Thanks

[barcia51]

Got this from the dealer. The far left (closest to the passenger side) plug on the Bose amp has 16 pins. #6 is the + for the rear microphone and the Greg/dark blue wire. The - is #14 and the grey/brown wire.

[bass mechanic]

Bass mechanic, I have a 2015 Silverado with a Bose system. I added an amp with a 10" under my back seat. It worked great in my 2013 and in this one I am getting back feed from the active noise cancelation and would like to know how to disable it! I unplugged the far left plug on the Bose amp which fixes it but it also kills my backup alert. There are 2 wires in the plug that go to the microphones. I can't find any info on which 2 they are so I can cut them. Thanks

couldn't tell you how to disable it, but I know the aftermarket kicker box gm sells as an accessorywill not work in the 6.2 for this same reason.

[barcia51]

I already got it disabled by disconnecting the rear microphone. Thanks

[kd77123]

Good Evening Gentlemen,

 

I recently upgraded my stereo in my 2015 Silverado. I went with an Audio Control DQ-61, JL XD700/5 amp, C2 components in the front doors, JL C2 coax in the rear doors, and a 10" JL sub. Since picking up my truck from my installer, I am quite frustrated with how loud the chime volume is for the seat belts, door open, and the volume of the turn signals. I have since learned that the volume is played through the driver side front door. I have turned down the chime volume setting in the settings and it is still obnoxiously loud. I have called my installer and he pretty much told me that I would either have to live with it or turn the gains down. Was curious to see what you guys have done for this issue.

[muddkatt]

Good Evening Gentlemen,

 

I recently upgraded my stereo in my 2015 Silverado. I went with an Audio Control DQ-61, JL XD700/5 amp, C2 components in the front doors, JL C2 coax in the rear doors, and a 10" JL sub. Since picking up my truck from my installer, I am quite frustrated with how loud the chime volume is for the seat belts, door open, and the volume of the turn signals. I have since learned that the volume is played through the driver side front door. I have turned down the chime volume setting in the settings and it is still obnoxiously loud. I have called my installer and he pretty much told me that I would either have to live with it or turn the gains down. Was curious to see what you guys have done for this issue.

Oh that has to be fun, seat belt chime at 150 watts... get a couple of these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/151561816231?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Then bypass the door switch and quit using the turn signals...problem solved!

[Sorensenp1]

I just installed an amp and sub in my non bose 2014 silverado. I tapped into the front speakers with a signal converter than back to the am and box. The problem I have now is all can hear is the sub. It is trying to play the high notes too. In case you can not tell, I am not an audio installer. Do I need a digital processor? If so, what is the best way to wire it in?

[Jeff5347]

I just installed an amp and sub in my non bose 2014 silverado. I tapped into the front speakers with a signal converter than back to the am and box. The problem I have now is all can hear is the sub. It is trying to play the high notes too. In case you can not tell, I am not an audio installer. Do I need a digital processor? If so, what is the best way to wire it in?

What amp? Brand and model #. Not all but most amps have a Normal, hi and low pass x over...such as this. If it is on full the sub will try to do all freq. Switch h the switch to low pass. Usually only 250 hz and below are allowed thru

 

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[Sorensenp1]

Thanks Jeff5347. I did that and now it sounds good. All thats left mow is to figure out how to build a box that will house this RE 12". not sure it will fit under the seat.

[Jeff5347]

As far as I've tried a standard 12 won't fit under the seat. The low pro 12s might but I doubt they have any punch to them. I took a 12 inch box that is 14.5x14.5x14.5 and put it in the back behind my console. It has a little to be desired in the looks Dept and I'm working on that as I'll build a better one but for now with my one 12 and a profile ca600 amp ( ollllddd school) she pounds. This is the basic premise of what I have minus the good looks ( not the amp rack under the seat)

 

Edited May 17, 2016 by Jeff5347

[Strykers_Inc]

As far as I've tried a standard 12 won't fit under the seat. The low pro 12s might but I doubt they have any punch to them. I took a 12 inch box that is 14.5x14.5x14.5 and put it in the back behind my console. It has a little to be desired in the looks Dept and I'm working on that as I'll build a better one but for now with my one 12 and a profile ca600 amp ( ollllddd school) she pounds. This is the basic premise of what I have minus the good looks ( not the amp rack under the seat)

Hmmm....that looks familiar.

[Jeff5347]

Hmmm....that looks familiar.

It's something to aspire to. ..lol. I just wish I lived close enough to hear what this beast sounds like.

 

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[Strykers_Inc]

It's something to aspire to. ..lol. I just wish I lived close enough to hear what this beast sounds like.

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Yep, it's a beast at 1ohm and 1100 being pushed into it.....although I limited it at 850 via gains. It's more than enough for SQ.