Anyone start tearing down a 2019 to install sound system?

[GarretAK]

What version is on your infotainment system? When mine was at V805 i didn't have any issues with my aftermarket system. As soon as it updated to V807, my focal amp died. Just curious if this is more of a GM problem then with my aftermarket equipment.

[TNAT4]

I'm not sure of my version, will need to check.  I have a 2020 AT4.  NavTV people said they haven't had a chance to update everything, said it was the NAVTV unit though rather than the GM software.  They recommended my installer put in the rocker switch for a reset and that is a work around.  Before that was installed there was no sound and no fix without going back to the installer.  

[GarretAK]

I'm getting my JL VX amp installed tomorrow, so hopefully no more issues for me.

[RedQuartz2019]

20 hours ago, GarretAK said:

I'm getting my JL VX amp installed tomorrow, so hopefully no more issues for me.

If you can get the installer to provide pics of everything, that would be great.  What did you decide on the Fix82?  I'm very interested since I'm hoping to do something similar to my '19 Sierra Denali w/factory Bose.

[GarretAK]

As of right now, not using a fix 82 or a loc. Spoke with JL and they said with the VX line of amps, i will not need anything else.

[WhineyTTwins]

Glad to see people using and abusing all the info here. Unfortunately, audio is one of those topics that information should be taken with a grain of salt. What I have learned is that everyone's taste is subjective, their knowledge varies, experience affects opinion, expectations are different, and not everyone is as open minded as they appear. Always 'trust but verify' an opinion that is given to you and then make your own judgement call. There are many people (especially audio forums) that will given you a recommendation which may be solely based on something they read somewhere on the internet. While it may turn out to be true, you need to be sure of that before you commit.

 

For those of you that are new to this, try not to be overwhelmed by the little stuff. Car audio guys can be super OCD regarding wires, installation, and imaging. That's fine, to each their own, but it throws so many of the invested folks off because you start this project thinking you'd only spend X and should get it installed pretty quick. Next think you know you're trying to figure out what wires are going to have the least amount of interference or which screw is the best one to use for X. Do yourself a favor and try not to get caught up in that. You will rabbit hole really quick and it really isn't worth it. As long as you don't go super cheap and you did your own research on the stuff, the little stuff shouldn't make you bash your head in because the stuff that most audio guys fuss about is either nonexistent (no real proof) or it's for someone with a much higher expectation than the average user.

 

You don't need $5000k to have a great sounding system but you also need to adjust your expectation to fit your budget. The one thing I have experienced in all of this is being able to see how big of an impact a good tuner can impact a system. Sage at Sounds Good Stereo is one of those people with "the ear" and he can make a budget system sound absolutely phenomenal with just a DSP. A good DSP and the right person to tune it (the right tuner is the really key component here) will allow you to extract so much more from a system without. At the end of the day, YOU need to be happy with your system. Sadly, I feel like I am constantly messing with it on a monthly basis because it "sounds off" and I really just think it's aging + losing it. 

 

Just wanted to chime in and leave some information since I haven't been on here in a while. I left some recommendations revolving around DSPs as I had gotten some questions about them and I really think they aren't given enough credit because of their steep prices. A DSP can not only last you a very long time but it adds a ton of flexibility that can also help make the process of changing/upgrading speakers, changing/upgrading amps, or changing vehicles much easier. There are reasonably priced DSP options that many people have lots of success with so don't let the price of the higher end DSPs scare you off completely.

 

Also throwing in some pictures of my back wall since I saw some posts asking about how everything got laid out.

 

DSP Tuner Recommendations

• Sage @ Sounds Good Stereo (Nashville, TN)
  • Sage has worked on mine and I have also listened to their SQ competition car.
  • All ears so you have to go to him
• Nick @ Apicella Auto Sound (Stony Point, NY)
  • Highly respected in the car audio world and plenty of people/videos/posts to back him up
  • Can do remote tunes to get you setup. Taking it to him would yield better results but should be more than enough for most.

 

Common DSP options are:

• Helix DSP 
  • Mini (6 channel)
  • DSP.2 or DSP.3 (8 channel)
  • Pro Mk2 (10 channel)
• Mosconi DSP
  • 4to6 (6 channel)
  • 6to8 Pro or 6to8 Aerospace (8 channel)
• JL
  • TwK-88 (8 channel)
• miniDSP
  • C-DSP 6x8 (8 channel)
  • C-DSP 8x12 v2 (12 channel)

 

 

Edited April 4, 2020 by Ericruiz911

[GarretAK]

Got everything done with yesterday. Unfortunately they did not take a pictures. I have spent the last several hours throwing every type of music i can at these subs with the new VX amp. Have not had a single hick up yet. I am ecstatic with the sound system again. It could have just been a bad JL 750 HD amp. But since i moved up to the VX1000 i am beyond happy.

[Michael Huddleson]

So here is what I am thinking about

Hybrid Audio Technologies Unity 6x9 shallow midbass $400
Hybrid Audio Technologies Unity 3.7" wideband $200

JL Audio VX1000/5i $1300

Navtv interface $600

MTI dual 12" sub box with 12w3 subs $1100

Install hardware / sound dampening $300~

I am planning on toslink cable from the NAV TV interface into the amp and then running the front stage active 2 way with the internal DSP on the amp.

I think all in all it will come in about $3400 for everything

[Goobax]

What’s everyone doing for their tweeter mounting points? Gonna use my trump bucks to upgrade the factor speakers and then install my amplifier. Looking at 6.5 components for front/rear

[Buddy A]

My installer put the tweeters in factory location in dash. 

[Jon coulson]

On 4/4/2020 at 2:06 PM, GarretAK said:

Got everything done with yesterday. Unfortunately they did not take a pictures. I have spent the last several hours throwing every type of music i can at these subs with the new VX amp. Have not had a single hick up yet. I am ecstatic with the sound system again. It could have just been a bad JL 750 HD amp. But since i moved up to the VX1000 i am beyond happy.

What problems did you have with the hd750/1 I’m having issues with mine in my at4. I’m to the point of selling my complete JL stealthbox and amp and starting over. I have a stealthbox and hd750/1 and LC2i everything else is oem. The signal to the stealthbox is terrible would adding a DSP fix this or a different loc? I paid a Best Buy installer off the clock to install everything works as it should but sounds terrible for the money I paid for amp and enclosure should sound great. Any help would be awesome thanks. 

Edited April 23, 2020 by Jon coulson
Added more info.

[GarretAK]

2 hours ago, Jon coulson said:

What problems did you have with the hd750/1 I’m having issues with mine in my at4. I’m to the point of selling my complete JL stealthbox and amp and starting over. 

The 750/1 kept clipping and shutting off. The VX amp works way better than the hd amp did. 

[Jon coulson]

15 minutes ago, GarretAK said:

The 750/1 kept clipping and shutting off. The VX amp works way better than the hd amp did. 

I’m not having that problem. I think the lc2i is wired wrong looks like he took signal from the rear door speakers and not the factory subwoofer so the signal going to the subs is full range they are playing music and not just bad like they should. I need to access the oem

sub wiring and try to rewire the loc.  If wired from oem sub should only be one set of inputs?

[GarretAK]

the xv amp doesn't need the LC2i. I believe the rear speakers are the ones to tap into on the newer systems. 

 

Thats one reason i stepped up to the VX amp is so i wouldn't have to mess with the LOC or nav tv.

[JH1973]

You can split the subwoofer signal and use both inputs on the LC2i. The rear doors are the worst place to get signal from in these trucks(and most GM's for that matter).It's not full range I guarantee that.Probably bandpassed from like 150hz to 2000hz. I'd like to get into one of these and go through the outputs with a DMM and test tones just to see how Bose sets up the processing in that amp.

Edited April 24, 2020 by JH1973