BoomersWS6

Hey all, still a little new to this forum, and I know how you all hate the noobs that don't search the forum before they start a new thread. Well I have been surching this sight for 3 days and I have found alot of good info on speakers. Here is my prob. I have been looking through this forum and have read that some of you have just been replacing your old stock speakers with better new ones and not stock new ones but aftermarket ones like JBL and so on. So I go out today to buy some JBL's or something better than stock, and every audio store I have gone to tells me that nothing will work with my monsoon set up, and that I will have to tear out my whole system and buy a new one? All I want to do is replace my old for better new speakers? I am a gear head, but I don't know much about the new market for audio. The last time I worked on a stereo was back in 1991! Any of you big audio fans that can help me out a bit I would greatly appreciate it. Any pics, suggestions, comments, I am hear to learn from you all so please be nice and help an old fart out. Thank you in advance
Dan
AKA BoomersWS6
USAF

P.S I am not looking for AMP's or HU, I like the sound fine I would just like to know if I can just use better speakers.

Gordon0652

iTrader: (4)

What year is your car? Firebird? Camaro?
What price range?
What music do u lissten to?
Will you be willing to put an aftermarket subwoofer in? (Single 10")

BoomersWS6

2002 Trans AM WS6
I would like to stay under $600, but for the right speakers maybe $800
I listen to everything but Rap, and very little R&B Mostly Country, Rock, Alternative.
I don't realy want another subwoofer just whats in the car.
I have the 8 speaker monsoon system.
I don't realy need a kick a** system I am more into going fast and don't want all the weight that system bring. What ever my stock set up is, is about all I really want to have. I was realy bothered by the stupid people I talk to today at the audio stores, and don't think what they were saying made any sence?

Gordon0652

iTrader: (4)

What are some companies that you like?
For your sail panel subs you should look into eD 6.5" subwoofer (Elemental Designs 7Kv.2) because it is a DVC like your factory subs. They are about $70 a piece if i remember corectly.
Link of intrest: https://ls1tech.com/forums/wiring-stereo-electronics/795091-upgraded-stock-sail-speakers.html

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

Many audio shops are misinformed about the Monsoon system. They often assume that it is an integrated system like the Bose in earlier Camaros. The Monsoon "system" is a speaker enhancement package only. The head unit is just a plain old Delco radio. It is connected to the Monsoon amp using speaker-level outputs. The amp then powers all the speakers (except the tweeters in Firebird coupes) with built-in high and low filtering. The speakers are an odd combination of 2-ohm and 4-ohm but other than that they are quite ordinary.

Replacing speakers in a Monsoon system really only involves matching the type of speaker to the location in the car. For example, you want to put subs in the sail panels because they only receive low frequency signal and you want to put components in the doors because there are two channels there. Don't worry about the 2-ohm versus 4-ohm situation - good aftermarket 4-ohm speakers are efficient enough to replace factory 2-ohm speakers without a noticeable drop in volume.

For Firebirds, the eD 7kv.2 6.5" subs are a really good replacement because they are dual voice coil like the factory ones (so the wiring connections are very simple). In the doors you can use any good 6.5" component set. Infinity makes a commonly used set although several people have complained about how bright sounding they are (bleeding ears have been mentioned) - YMMV. CDT makes some excellent replacements for the doors. Alpine is another popular brand.

Bear in mind that the cheap factory head unit is a distortion machine. You will get the biggest improvement in sound quality by replacing the head unit. Then your new speakers will really sound good.

BoomersWS6

Thanks for the info. I guess I may have to look into a new HU before I buy new speakers. I have heard alot about the eD speakers in this sight, but I have also heard or read alot of bad as well. I have been told that Rockford Fosgate make a better 6.5 sub but hopefully I can hear them before I purchase them to make my own mind up about them.

dragonrage

I don't know, I think the speakers are much more important than the HU, though the whole system needs to be replaced in the end.

95TAJade

iTrader: (4)

LS1 bodies monsoon system can use a Metra brand interface thats like $20-30. that allows you to use an aftermarket HU. as far as he speaker plugs...$13 for the front door speakers and the ones in the hatch. the ones in the b-pillars are a bit different though; it's generally a 4 pin plug and you'll have to use the two wires that are NOT red and black. just remember...the darker color is positive.

KEE AUDIO

iTrader: (65)

I can get you everything you need to get that hooked up and sounding how you want it. PM me and I can take care of all of the above for you, speakers, radios, Metra harness adapters, mounting kits, amps, enclosures, etc.

Straticus

You can buy the same shitty stock subwoofers from a trans am online for a price of 80 dollars, just check ebay, they say the speakers are "improved" from the ones before, but im sure they're still guarenteed to blow just like the old ones

BoomersWS6

Thanks for all the help and info I knew I could count on you guys.

02Z28LS1

iTrader: (2)

just like it was mentioned, i would start with a new head unit and work from there. IIRC, the stock HU has that shitty "speed-sensitive" volume adjustment, along with a cut in bass output above a certain volume. replacing the HU will get rid of both of those nuisances.

the factory monsoon amp is a decent amp, it only amplifies what is fed to it...**** in = **** out.

if you feel that the sound still isn't good enough after replacing the HU, i would replace the sail panel woofers first, then the front door speakers, then the hatch speakers.

a component set in the front doors is obviously going to sound better than a coaxial speaker will, and are highly recommended for a firebird, since there are provisions for tweeters built into the door panels....usually no (or very little) modification needed to fit the tweeters into the doors.

VIP1

The Firebird Monsoon doesn't have that. Only the Camaro Monsoon does.

tonydepo

If I just want to replace the sails and not HU or add amps.. what coil do I go with on the ED's?

eD 7Kv.2 Subwoofer
Dual 2 or Dual 4 Voice Coils

2 or 4?

Thanks

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

Dual 4-ohm. In a Firebird that's the same as stock. In a Camaro you wire the two coils in parallel to produce a net 2-ohm impedance (same as stock).

tonydepo

Thanks