Car Audio Experts?

[patooyee]

I have a 2005 Dodge 2500 quad cab that has always needed new speakers. I installed some cheapies when I got it but they suck and I really miss having decent audio. At the same time I installed a Kenwood KDC-x597 deck. I'm not an audiophile or anything, just like to listen to my music.

I recently purchased a wrecked 2006 Chevy Cobalt for another project that happens to have the factory premium Pioneer 6-speaker + amp + subwoofer system in it. I turned it on for the first time today and it rocks! It also happens that the Cobalt front speakers are the same size as the rear speakers in my truck. And the Cobalt rear speakers are the same size as the front speakers in my truck. And my truck has a spot in the dash for tweeters that currently aren't there and that the Cobalt has.

Looking at the wiring diagrams for the Cobalt stereo system it looks pretty straight forward. The amp has an input from the radio for 2 front and 2 rear speakers and then outputs for those + the dual coil sub. There is really only one wire that worries me, which is a low speed serial data coming from the DLC / OBDII connector. Not exactly sure what it does or if its required?

Does installing this Cobalt system in my truck seem like something that is possible? If not I'll probably never drop the coin to truly get the truck where I enjoy it. Its just not something I would spend money on. So in reality its probably this or continue with the crap speakers that are in it now.

 

[patooyee]

Oh, and before anyone mentions it, I've looked up the radio replacement procedures via Alldata for the Cobalt. It does not mention needing a code or scan tool to set up the new radio or amp, so I don't think that serial data wire is for that.

 

[patooyee]

Oh, wait, I misread the diagram. The serial data wire goes to the radio, not the amp. The amp is all just power, grounds, and speakers. This all seems really straight forward. Think I should do it?

 

[lowbudgetjunk]

Yes....tunes should sound right and sounds like it will be fairly straight forward

 

[patooyee]

Thanks, I think I'm going to go for it. One last question though:

My radio has a subwoofer output but the amp has no subwoofer input. I'm guessing I will just wire the amp as shown in the GM diagram and ignore the radio's sub outs?

 

[TBItoy]

Re: Re: Car Audio Experts?

The sub out on your radio is most likely an output that is below a certain frequency (normal adjustable in the radio menus)

You would use this output with a stand alone amp and sub.

 

[FlatlandFSJ]

From the sounds/looks of things. The stock amp from the cobalt takes care of the subwoofer without the need for sub specific outputs.

If i understood this correctly. You're swapping speakers/amp/sub from cobalt and using an aftermarket headunit?

It should be no different then if you just swapped the head unit in the cobalt as is. The vehicle shouldnt effect the wiring unless you are tryin to keep your door/key dingers. Id attempt to wire it up on the bench in the configuration that you are going to use in the truck to make sure it powers up and sends sound to all your speakers.

Easiest way Ive done things similar to this ( swapping full stock stereos car to car, stock head included) is to make the stereo set up, 100% standalone before you attempt to install it into another vehicle. Pull all the components from the cobalt, lay em out like they would be in the pick up, hook up some lil jumpers the way it would lay out in the truck/diagram. Toss some +12v at it and look for the light.

 

[patooyee]

If i understood this correctly. You're swapping speakers/amp/sub from cobalt and using an aftermarket headunit?

Yup.

 

[lowbudgetjunk]

I am ready for the finished product. $5 says it looks factory but sounds better.

 

[patooyee]

Re: Re: Re: Car Audio Experts?

I am ready for the finished product. $5 says it looks factory but sounds better.

It wouldn't take much to sound better than the current buzz box. I'm going to need to build a custom box for the sub. It will go under the driver side rear seat. Got any advice there?

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[lowbudgetjunk]

Find the right cubic feet for either ported or sealed box. That makes as big a difference as anything when building system.

 

[patooyee]

Re: Re: Re: Car Audio Experts?

Find the right cubic feet for either ported or sealed box. That makes as big a difference as anything when building system.

I found this on eBay, figured I couldn't beat it.

http://m.ebay.com/itm?itemId=271163078442

 

[patooyee]

I found some time to wire this all up tonight. At first i wired it like it would have been in the cobalt. IE, Kenwood head unit feeds Cobalt amp which feeds speakers and sub. This resulted in the sub working well but the door speakers having massive distortion at even moderate volume levels. I called my audio-expert-buddy Shane Vice who explained to me that my aftermarket Kenwood radio put out way more power than a factory head unit. By feeding all that power into an amp before the speakers I was feeding too much power. His solution was to have me wire the signals from the radio to the amp (so that the amp could run the sub) but to run the speakers off the radio, not the amp. He explained how to wire this and once i did everything was good. I'm rocking out now with bass to spare. I actually need ot adjust some settings to tone it down a bit because it is overpowering the speakers. I'll play with it over time.

I didn't end up using any of the speakers out of the Cobalt. I pulled them and hooked them up to the radio but they didn't sound as good as what i had and were obviously lower quality. It turns out that the buzzing I thought was shitty speakers was actually the plastic inner door moisture barrier stuff vibrating on the edge of the speakers. I cut away enough so that the plastic was no longer touching them and it turns out that they sound pretty good after all!

Overall I'm pretty dang stoked. This is the first vehicle I've ever owned that had a sub. Big change.

 

[lowbudgetjunk]

Glad your white genes took over and you made it sound good instead of loud.

 

[yankster]

Here's the best way I've found to control bass levels. Plugs in between the stereo's RCA output and amp.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNIVERSAL-CAR-AMPLIFIER-BASS-KNOB-CONTROL-VIA-RCA-RCA-AUDIO-INTERCONNECT-LC-1-/271207706720?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f253d3060