I just replaced my factory HU with an inexpensive Sony today. Holy crap it's so much better than that monsoon pos I am floored. I thought the bazooka sub were just lame until now, it sounds 100x better. I suggest changing out that monsoon asap! After that you can work from there. I bought the Sony cdx-gt56ui if anyone is curious, it was around $75 shipped.

 

How bad is the Monsoon head unit really? It doesn't seem that bad to me. Am I missing something?

 

You may not notice until you replace it with almost anything aftermarket. As floodofnoise said, there is a dramatic difference. The Monsoon HU (which is nothing special - just a cheap Delco unit with a Monsoon label on it) produces enormous distortion at fairly low volume levels. That distortion is one of the reasons that the factory speakers fail so regularly - distortion is a speaker's worst enemy.

 

Its pretty bad... I put in a Sony CDX-GT56UI about 2 months ago and its better in every way.

 

Same unit I bought, I love that thing man it sounds fantastic and has tons of adjustments for fine tuning everything.

 

Just to give everyone a heads up. Last week I was able to order my subs from Ian. I got them Friday and plan to put them in tomorrow. He is a very good and knowledgeable guy. His primary jobs been putting a lot of doubles on him lately. I can imagine how worn out his is when he gets home.

 

I bought a complete set from Kee Audio this month and he replied to emails within a day, and shipping was quick. No problems here.

 

I have seen these, I think the stock Monsoon is okay-- I like the higher end upgrade for about 399 on that website.

I would add a double-din CD player as well as a JL 10 stealth box that doubledmod's sell...

Would be a very nice upgrade over stock-- Wouldn't you say?

Gotta blast some Metal....

 

I guess this is a "what now post"I put the Cdt speakers in my T/a(basic package with Cdt sails and fills)They sounded great in the garage But when I hit the road with the tops off and had to turn it up the highs were terriblely pitchy and distorted(I never had this problem with the stock speakers).I suffered with this for a few weeks then replaced the head unit.it was better but those front speaker with any rock music are so distorted when turned up I have to fade them out.Also the speakers start to really break-up at higher volumes(with the stock speakers I could really crank that thing and never had that problem. the sails would just blow from time to time)Before I spend another dime on this F-ing stereo I need some educated advice.I really,really do not feel like buying and replaceing that amp with an aftermarket one if I don't have to.

 

I last week I finally put in my subs, they were the easiest I've seen, they sound good too, actually played with the eq to get more base out of them .

 

Well I just pulled up the specs for the Cdt speakers that are in my car.There is no way that stock amp is going to be able to keep up at higher volumes.This sucks.I should have done more research.Now since I don't want to chop up my car with aftermarket amp.I guess I will start putiing the stock speakers back in untill the stock amp can again carry the load at higher volumes.

 

Why would you say that? What spec do you think makes the CDT speakers unsuitable? Ian has carefully selected the speakers in those kits to replace stock speakers based on his extensive experience with f-body audio.

 

The listed peak/RMS power rating is immaterial. The sensitivity level and impedance are really all that matter when comparing the stock speaker specs against the CDT ones, at least with regards to how powerful of an amp should be driving them.

 

Well I have been fighting with this ever since I put those speakers in.All I know is that with the stock speakers that radio was awsome.Now there are songs that I can even listen to because those front speakers have such harsh highs.I put the stock fronts back in and it already is better and not as harsh.I also have seen other people on here have the same problem I am having.When you are out on the road and have to turn up the Cdt speakers with the tops off(especialy those fronts)they distort.I never,never had that problem and I have owned this car since new.The radio was always one of the cars strong points.If it wasnt for the fact of the subs blowing I would not have changed it.I know now I should have left it alone.All I wanted to do was make it better.Instead I make it worse.

 

No idea what you did to those with your install. Why is it thousands of guys have those in there cars and they don't sound like that?? Why is it do you think?
I guess all the other guys are wrong and your install is perfect.
Obviously there is something going on with your car. I was just reading some of your emails about how you said there is more then just bass coming through the sail panel subs and you can hear voices through them. Are you aware that the speaker translates what it is given. It doesn't create the signal, it translates what it is fed.
You have something not right in your install. I said this before and you still won't change anything other then putting in stock crap speakers. I can't hold your hand and make you trouble shoot stuff. All I can tell you is that something is NOT right with your install if your having issues like that and you need to get in there and start switching some things around. Or you can get on the forums and bitch about how bad the speakers are. Meanwhile everyone else has great tunes with the same speakers.
There have been many guys who have put these in and switched polarity on a speaker. I have done it myself once and it sound alot like what you are describing. I also have had a stock filter on my Trans Am doors go out and they made the tweeters sound like crap until I figured that out. The key here is...I FIGURED IT OUT because I knew it wasn't the brand new speakers I just bought. Your answer is blame it on the speakers and throw back in the piece of crap Mexican speakers.
I can't help someone who can't or won't help themselves. I can try but if you don't do it then it will never get fixed.

What are the specs you are referring to that are not compatible??? Do you even know what those specs mean?? Since you think they are not compatible please share that with everyone so you don't just make a blank statement with nothing to back it up. I would love to hear your expert opinion on the specs of the speakers and why they are not compatible.
I guess a 2ohm, 90.8db sensitivity level driver that is about 80watts RMS full range or 160watts @120hz HPF wouldn't be compatible??
Your thoughts?? You want to make claims like that to everyone in the forums here but you have no clue what you are talking about. It is that kind of crap that really annoys the hell out of me because then someone believes that BS that also has no clue about speakers or how they work thinks that you know what you are talking about.



To be perfectly honest, I have about had it with all the BS that is floating around this forum and is why I don't get involved like I used to. I used to love helping people on here with there installs and audio questions. I did that for 8 years. Now a 5 month newb member (not you Vette) who knows nothing about Kee Audio gets on here and trash talks my company. I did more to help out here as much as I possibly could for many years....in fact several years before I ever went into business I was on here helping people all the time. I only went into business so that I could help out the F-Body community, if you think I am getting rich off doing that your sadly mistaken or I would have quit my other job as I love car audio and I love F-Bodies!

I am still VERY much in business. I have several orders going out daily. I cannot get to my phone during the day at all when I am on duty because I will get fired from my job if I do that. If it were a brief conversation then it would be possible but it never is. So for years now I have said email me and I will get back to you. I answer every email I get the same day or no more then 24 hours after getting it. If you didn't hear back from me in 24 hours, I didn't get your email. Also, some people don't know the difference between a private message and an email. They are not the same thing and PM's do not go to my email account. Emails go to my email account.

I have NEVER hidden the fact that I have another job nor have I ever been dishonest about that as a certain newb member here has implied. This however is NOT a hobby as it was put. Just because it is not my primary source of income does not make it a hobby. It is a second job that I usually enjoy doing. I get up at 3:00AM and I go to bed at 11:00pm. In this case, I will be signing off at 12:00AM and getting up at 3:00 AM.

I said all this because I felt it needed to be said. There has been alot of misleading comments made about me and I just got sick of reading this crap and wanted to set the record straight.

 

Never had any issues with my system... The trick is to use "Made in USA" products.

MVH P8300BT Pioneer media head unit
Image Dynamics- CTX chameleon midbass in the doors
Digital Designs - silk dome tweets
Digital designs - Component X-over
Zapco Reference coaxials in the sails
rear speakers unplugged
Zapco 500m mono for the sub
sundown 50x4 for the door speakers
and a DD 1508 in a stealth box tuned to 42htz...

I pieced everything together to suit my tastes.. i can turn it up way past what my ears can handle and still no distortion...

 

Props to Kee Audio. I purchased some speakers from a forum member(premium package) and emailed kee audio and got an email back by the next day. Very good info and very helpful.

 

The STRIPE on the tweeter wire is POSITIVE. This is a common mistake, to reverse polarity on it.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/stereo-el...-polarity.html

 

That is a great system with quality components. I put together systems like that all the time. Great stuff!!


That being said. 99% of the guys I deal with do not want to change the factory head unit or amp. All they are looking to do is get the stock system back to operating the way it did when it was new and not have to do it again. That's where I come in and have been for several years. It has been said that there are hundreds of companies out there who carry the same stuff I do. If that were the case then Best Buys, Crutchfield and all the rest would have stuff compatible with your car when upgrading the factory Monsoon system back. The fact of the matter is they don't. Not when it comes to upgrading the stock system and leaving it to just a speaker upgrade.
Anyone can put aftermarket in there car and it will sound decent. Using high end gear, it will sound even better. Aftermarket amps and subs, etc. will all sound better then just keeping a stock system and just upgrading the speakers.
With that said the stock Monsoon system actually sounds pretty good when it is working right. Not everyone wants a monster aftermarket system in their car and just want to upgrade the stock speakers and keep the rest so they are not having to rewire the entire car.
My 98 Trans Am went through the entire gambit with Monsoon all the way to full blown competition system. I know all the tricks and ways to tweak the stock system to make it sound better and I also know how to build a full blown comp level system in the same car and everything in between.

 

Kee Audio's very much alive... I'll be ordering a head unit and speaker package for the 'camaro sometime in the next day or so.