Monsoon Door Speaker Dilemma
#1
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Monsoon Door Speaker Dilemma
One of the past owners of my car had the great idea to mess with the factory wiring in the drivers door speaker. Instead of replacing the factory speaker that probably blew out they cut and rewired the door for a coaxial speaker. They left the wiring and harness for the tweeter but for the 4 wire component there is currently one dark and one light blue wire with a connector. From the sparce wiring diagram info i found it seems like the mid +/- for the factory component, but i cant be sure. There arent any missing wires from the amp or the wiring harness for my head unit Does anyone know the 4 factory colored wires i should be looking for?
#2
Aren't these listed in the Monsoon FAQ? You didn't say camaro or firebird....
Firebird Coupe
Doors
Tan...Left Tweeter +
Gray...Left Tweeter -
Dark Blue...Left Mid +
Light Blue...Left Mid -
Light Green...Right Tweeter +
Dark Green...Right Tweeter -
Orange...Right Mid +
Dark Green...Right Mid -
Sail Panels
Tan...Left Sub +
White...Left Sub -
Dark Blue with White...Left Sub +
Light Green with Black...Left Sub -
Red...Right Sub +
Tan...Right Sub -
Dark Green...Right Sub +
Light Blue with Black...Right Sub -
Hatch Area
Brown...Left Tweeter +
Yellow...Left Tweeter -
Red...Left Mid +
Purple...Left Mid -
Dark Blue...Right Tweeter +
Light Blue...Right Tweeter -
White...Right Mid +
Gray...Right Mid -
Camaro Coupe
Doors
Black...Left Tweeter +
Yellow...Left Tweeter -
Dark Blue...Left Mid +
Light Blue...Left Mid -
Light Green...Right Tweeter +
Purple...Right Tweeter -
Orange...Right Mid +
Dark Green...Right Mid -
Sail Panels
Dark Blue with White...Left Sub +
Light Green with Black...Left Sub -
Dark Green...Right Sub +
Light Blue with Black...Right Sub -
Hatch Area
Tan...Left +
White...Left -
Tan...Right +
Red...Right -
Camaro and Firebird Convertibles
Doors
Black...Left Tweeter +
Yellow...Left Tweeter -
Dark Blue...Left Mid +
Light Blue...Left Mid -
Light Green...Right Tweeter +
Purple...Right Tweeter -
Orange...Right Mid +
Dark Green...Right Mid -
Rear
Tan...Left Tweeter +
White...Left Tweeter -
Dark Blue with White...Left Mid +
Light Green with Black...Left Mid -
Tan...Right Tweeter +
Red...Right Tweeter -
Dark Green...Right Mid +
Light Blue with Black...Right Mid -
Firebird Coupe
Doors
Tan...Left Tweeter +
Gray...Left Tweeter -
Dark Blue...Left Mid +
Light Blue...Left Mid -
Light Green...Right Tweeter +
Dark Green...Right Tweeter -
Orange...Right Mid +
Dark Green...Right Mid -
Sail Panels
Tan...Left Sub +
White...Left Sub -
Dark Blue with White...Left Sub +
Light Green with Black...Left Sub -
Red...Right Sub +
Tan...Right Sub -
Dark Green...Right Sub +
Light Blue with Black...Right Sub -
Hatch Area
Brown...Left Tweeter +
Yellow...Left Tweeter -
Red...Left Mid +
Purple...Left Mid -
Dark Blue...Right Tweeter +
Light Blue...Right Tweeter -
White...Right Mid +
Gray...Right Mid -
Camaro Coupe
Doors
Black...Left Tweeter +
Yellow...Left Tweeter -
Dark Blue...Left Mid +
Light Blue...Left Mid -
Light Green...Right Tweeter +
Purple...Right Tweeter -
Orange...Right Mid +
Dark Green...Right Mid -
Sail Panels
Dark Blue with White...Left Sub +
Light Green with Black...Left Sub -
Dark Green...Right Sub +
Light Blue with Black...Right Sub -
Hatch Area
Tan...Left +
White...Left -
Tan...Right +
Red...Right -
Camaro and Firebird Convertibles
Doors
Black...Left Tweeter +
Yellow...Left Tweeter -
Dark Blue...Left Mid +
Light Blue...Left Mid -
Light Green...Right Tweeter +
Purple...Right Tweeter -
Orange...Right Mid +
Dark Green...Right Mid -
Rear
Tan...Left Tweeter +
White...Left Tweeter -
Dark Blue with White...Left Mid +
Light Green with Black...Left Mid -
Tan...Right Tweeter +
Red...Right Tweeter -
Dark Green...Right Mid +
Light Blue with Black...Right Mid -
#3
TECH Addict
Since the poster above gave you what you'll consider the "useful" information in the post, I will add: the previous owner did the correct thing. Who in their right mind would replace a factory speaker? They are literally the cheapest speakers that any manufacturer could source. Even "premium" stock systems use $.30 junk speakers. They are NEVER worth replacing with anything other than aftermarket.
Wiring for a coaxial means using the woofer wires, as they aren't low-pass filtered. The only filter in the stock system is a piece of crap first-order highpass filter on the tweeter wire. (Well, and the lowpass in the amp for the sail panel speakers - first or possibly second order)
Wiring for a coaxial means using the woofer wires, as they aren't low-pass filtered. The only filter in the stock system is a piece of crap first-order highpass filter on the tweeter wire. (Well, and the lowpass in the amp for the sail panel speakers - first or possibly second order)
#6
My car has also had the two front door speakers replaced. The 4 factory wires were wired together red/red, black/black and attached to some pretty good Infinity speakers. Sounds like Crap! I thought it was something in the radio. Maybe Not????
#7
Never tried wiring two amp channels into a single load but I doubt it would work out very well. If the two channels are not perfectly matched, one will try to drive the other.
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#8
TECH Addict
Don't do this. The stock "crossover" for the tweeter is useless junk. Even a cheap-ish coaxial speaker will be better. Never, ever reuse the stock tweeter crossover with other speakers.
#9
To All
Thanks for the detailed information, I am about to replace my speakers in my 2001 Z28, that came with the Monsoon system.
Can any of you recommend a brand of speaker that performs well in the Camaro?
Wob
Can any of you recommend a brand of speaker that performs well in the Camaro?
Wob
#11
New speakers for my 2001 Z28.
It's a bit subjective and also depends on budget. What's your budget, at least?
Wob
#12
TECH Veteran
iTrader: (1)
In my case, I appreciate a decent sounding stereo, but my real interest is in acceleration, braking, and cornering...
#13
TECH Addict
I'd rather have $150 speakers with a $100 amp than have $500 speakers (twice the amount of the other option total) with no good amp... Not for sound quality reasons - strictly for volume.
#14
Banned
iTrader: (65)
Got you covered with CDT and Hertz. I have a killer set of Massive Audio RK6 components but they will only fit in a Camaro mount as they have very large drivers. The Firebird mount is smaller.
I have had packages for F-bodies for 4+ years now that work very well and sound better then stock using CDT Audio speakers. There are several threads on them. They mount int stock mounts and match up to what the stock wiring is. Been doing this for years now with these cars.
The other thing is that you can use these speakers with the stock setup and if you feel you need more, they can handle an aftermarket amp as well. So you can take it in steps and still be ok. Email is the best way to reach me if you have some more questions: keeaudio@bellsouth.net
Also do a search here as there are several write ups.
Completely agree with Rage...a $500.00 set of speakers are not scratching the surface of there potential on stock power and will sound no better then a set of $150.00 speakers. A speaker can only translate what it is given. Stock power is fine for most people and I do that on a daily basis for people here. There is no need to spend a bunch of money on the highest performing speakers on stock power because you would not hear the benefit.
I have had packages for F-bodies for 4+ years now that work very well and sound better then stock using CDT Audio speakers. There are several threads on them. They mount int stock mounts and match up to what the stock wiring is. Been doing this for years now with these cars.
The other thing is that you can use these speakers with the stock setup and if you feel you need more, they can handle an aftermarket amp as well. So you can take it in steps and still be ok. Email is the best way to reach me if you have some more questions: keeaudio@bellsouth.net
Also do a search here as there are several write ups.
Completely agree with Rage...a $500.00 set of speakers are not scratching the surface of there potential on stock power and will sound no better then a set of $150.00 speakers. A speaker can only translate what it is given. Stock power is fine for most people and I do that on a daily basis for people here. There is no need to spend a bunch of money on the highest performing speakers on stock power because you would not hear the benefit.
#16
TECH Addict
If you use stock wires, ignore the tweeter wire and only use the woofer wire. The stock "crossover" is uselessly bad. ALWAYS use the crossovers that come with your components. You WILL get bad sound quality otherwise and you can even damage the speakers if you try to use the stock crossover instead (depending on what speakers they are).
#17
Ungrounded Moderator
iTrader: (4)
"The sky is falling! The sky is falling!"
Don't worry too much about the stock high-pass filter... it's not a particularly expensive or fancy device but it works and it won't damage your speakers. It's just a simple capacitive/inductive filter design that is essentially the basis for all passive crossovers but some self-professed audiophile experts have an instinctive hatred for anything audio that comes out of an automobile factory.
Certainly if you're replacing speakers and amp and redoing the wiring for a higher-end system then the crossover becomes a major factor. But if you're just replacing speakers attached to the Monsoon amp (even if you replaced the head unit) then the factory filter is a good match for the amp output. If you aren't sure, ask any of the hundreds of Kee Audio customers on here who have installed his speaker replacement package without any re-wiring (and using the stock filter) and are very happy with the sound quality.
Don't worry too much about the stock high-pass filter... it's not a particularly expensive or fancy device but it works and it won't damage your speakers. It's just a simple capacitive/inductive filter design that is essentially the basis for all passive crossovers but some self-professed audiophile experts have an instinctive hatred for anything audio that comes out of an automobile factory.
Certainly if you're replacing speakers and amp and redoing the wiring for a higher-end system then the crossover becomes a major factor. But if you're just replacing speakers attached to the Monsoon amp (even if you replaced the head unit) then the factory filter is a good match for the amp output. If you aren't sure, ask any of the hundreds of Kee Audio customers on here who have installed his speaker replacement package without any re-wiring (and using the stock filter) and are very happy with the sound quality.
#18
TECH Addict
No, it CAN damage some speakers simply because aftermarket speakers are designed around aftermarket crossovers. If a component set uses a tweeter that uses a high crossover point and/or a very high slope, and the stock crossover does not match up, then it is quite possible to blow that tweeter. At low power levels, there would have to be a huge difference here for it to be a big deal, but I didn't call it likely. I called it possible. But even if you don't blow it, you might end up using a tweeter in a passband where it has very high distortion characteristics... for no reason.
As far as people that are happy with using the stock crossover instead of the correct crossover, there are also plenty of people that are happy with the stock sound, too. But I think we can all agree that it's garbage.
Why not just do it right? How many component speaker sets don't come with the proper crossovers? Want to call up some good speaker manufacturers and ask them if they will stand by you using the stock filter instead? Want to ask them if they would even honor your warranty if they knew you did that and you had a problem?
"But I'd lose an amplifier channel!" - Technically true, but practically false. Tweeters are only responsible for around 10% of the total power in the system. You will always be limited in volume by what the woofer can reproduce. It actually gains you almost nothing other than isolating the THD to have them on separate channels (which is not a big deal), unless you're using an active crossover like I do (www.minidsp.com), but even that is not being used to get more volume.
As far as people that are happy with using the stock crossover instead of the correct crossover, there are also plenty of people that are happy with the stock sound, too. But I think we can all agree that it's garbage.
Why not just do it right? How many component speaker sets don't come with the proper crossovers? Want to call up some good speaker manufacturers and ask them if they will stand by you using the stock filter instead? Want to ask them if they would even honor your warranty if they knew you did that and you had a problem?
"But I'd lose an amplifier channel!" - Technically true, but practically false. Tweeters are only responsible for around 10% of the total power in the system. You will always be limited in volume by what the woofer can reproduce. It actually gains you almost nothing other than isolating the THD to have them on separate channels (which is not a big deal), unless you're using an active crossover like I do (www.minidsp.com), but even that is not being used to get more volume.
Last edited by dragonrage; 09-28-2011 at 03:05 PM.