HardBlu

About to upgrade the OEM Monsoon speakers (lol GM's) and read several combo's that are available but wanted to hear what your thoughts are with Kee Audio and others and are they worth the money? Having troubles with the rear hatch and maybe the sails... I have searched here on the forum and read alot of information that I think made me to stupid to make a choice...

I've done research based on the specs from here and many different brands show up but I'm not sure if they are wired correctly for the Monsoon HU. Brands like Harmony, Altec Lansing, Kenwood, JBL, Sony, and Pioneer, show up as compatible. So I thought I better get more data from the smart people that have gone through this already.

Let me know your opinions...

Thanks

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

Camaro or Firebird? The speaker (and amp) setups are different between them so I'll stick to generalizations for now.

The hatch area speakers are there simply for rear fill and not as a primary sound source. You generally want most of the sound coming from the front speakers like it would if you were at a concert. The rear fill is similar to the reflected sound you would get from the wall at the back of the auditorium and gives the music depth without you really noticing where it's coming from. That's why the factory speakers there are only 4". Almost any 4" round speaker will do the job adequately. In a Firebird, you can just replace the 4" mids and leave the factory tweeters since they almost never fail - or you can get any non-metallic dome .75" tweeter if you want to replace them. Metallic dome tweeters tend to be brighter sounding than material dome (silk) tweeters so they also tend to draw more attention to themselves which defeats the "fill" purpose. Really, unless the sail speakers are blown, you can probably get away with just leaving the stock ones there.

The sail panel speakers are 6.5" subs (actually more like mid-bass but GM calls them subs) that either 2-ohm single voice coil (SVC) in Camaros or 4-ohm dual voice coil (DVC) in Firebirds. A Firebird compatible DVC sub can be wired to work in Camaros but the reverse is not true. Here your choice will be based on current and future plans for your audio system and your budget. If you're looking to improve the Monsoon system and don't plan to go with a bigger aftermarket system in the future then the Bazooka subs are good for improving sound at a reasonable price. You can, of course, get better speakers like CDT, Kicker, Memphis, etc. by spending more money but remember that many of those have specs that the Monsoon amp can't come close to achieving so the extra cost could be wasted. Now if you're looking to possibly upgrade beyond the Monsoon system later then the better subs could be an investment that won't have to be replaced later.

Door speakers are completely different design between Camaro and Firebird. Camaros have the component tweeters mounted in the middle of the woofer so they look like coaxials even though they are actually separate components. Firebirds have the more traditional separate woofer and tweeter setup. The CDT "convertible" 6.5" component sets are great sounding speakers taht can be used in either situation.

HardBlu

Appreciate the clarity and information. I should have stated up front I have a 99 Camaro SS. So if I understand, if I keep the Monsoon I can buy a package or even separate speaker components as long as they fit the specs of the Monsoon? I also heard spending to much on high quality speakers is a waste on money with the Monsoon HU so it's best to shop for medium cost speakers.

I was also looking for "reviews" on the popular packages or individual speaker components since this dilemma has been around for decades and wanted to know which speakers for the Camaro are best with the Monsoon HU. I've read a lot on the available speakers but haven't read which are rated better than others based on price.

Again, appreciate any insight.

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

Yes, you can buy speaker packages or individual speakers to go with your Monsoon system as long as you match the type of each speaker with the Monsoon specs. You need 6.5" full-range component door speakers, 6.5" sail panel subs (2-ohm in the case of Camaro), and 4" full-range hatch area speakers. You can get away with coaxial speakers in the doors but you will be giving up an amplified audio channel in each door if you do. Basically, the only reason to do that would be cost savings. You can't put full-range speakers in the sail panels without rewiring because they will sound like crap due to the low pass filtered signal that the amp provides there.

And yes, if you intend on staying with the Monsoon system, especially the distortion monster original head unit, then there is no reason to spend a lot of money on speakers. On the other hand, simply upgrading the head unit to a good aftermarket one will be a huge improvement. The Monsoon amp is very capable for its size and will produce clean output when given a clean signal (something the OEM HU is incapable of doing) so spending a little more on speakers in that situation can be worthwhile.

You can certainly research and put together your own combination of speakers but I think most members here would agree that Kee Audio has already done that research and put together some packages which give excellent results with a Monsoon system. A search in the forum for Kee Audio should turn up lots of reviews of those packages.

HardBlu

Thanks for the guidance and info.

ARSENAL670

Just recently installed the Level 4 kit from Kee Audio for my WS6. A world of difference between stock and these speakers. I'm not upgrading my HU, but even so, it's night and day.

Powers00SS

Hey everyone I have a quick question. I installed the Level 3 kit in my 2000 Camaro SS coupe and have been powering it with the stock monsoon system. I am thinking about upgrading the HU to something with bluetooth but am wondering if I will need to disable the built in amp on the new HU or will the stock monsoon amp and the head unit work together? Thanks!

Edit: Also, I would love to hear some recommendations for a double din HU with bluetooth, if it has Android Auto that would be a bonus.

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

The great thing about the f-body Monsoon system is that it uses a completely ordinary head unit providing speaker level output to the amp. This means that replacing the head unit is a simple matter of getting a mounting kit (since nobody makes 1.5 DIN head units anymore), a harness adapter (about $10), and an antenna adapter (GM's antenna plug is smaller than the standard Motorola connector used by aftermarket HUs) to make it basically plug and play. Don't forget that a double DIN will require a replacement trim bezel or modifying your existing one. You will not disable the internal amp in the new HU as you will need the speaker level output to power the Monsoon amp.

As far as HU recommendations, it will really depend on the features you want and your budget. For example, if FM radio is important to you then Pioneer is the obvious choice - their SuperTuner is still the best in the industry. On the other hand, if you're looking for the best navigation then Kenwood would be the first choice because they use Garmin followed by Alpine with their HERE provided navigation (the company which does many OEM systems). Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are common on most new HUs but the best include the wireless versions (the standard versions require plugging in your phone). There are plenty of other options to consider like should you go with a 7" screen for the most display space or a slightly smaller 6.5" display which then includes physical buttons for important functions like volume control (I prefer the latter but your mileage may vary).

Overall, try to stick with the major brands with Pioneer and Kenwood at the top; Alpine, Sony, and JVC close behind; and Boss and Pyle (Pyle of crap) at the bottom. The jury is still out on the Android HUs from China - some people love them, some are happy enough based on them being throwaways after a couple of years, and others consider them total junk. I have no opinion other than to be cautious and do your research before buying one.

If you plan to keep the car for a while then I would recommend bumping up your budget as necessary to get the quality and features you want rather than settling for something cheaper or without all the features. The extra cost will probably be minuscule when divided out over the length of time you own it but it will seem like eternity if you regret your purchase every day.

GM DR

I used for my Monsoon is Alpine S-S65 in the doors (with modifying the speaker), hatch Alpine S-S40, and sails Tang Band 6.5 subs. I am very happy with the sound quality. PS with the help from WhiteBird00.
Thanks

wannafbody

iTrader: (2)

I had Alpine S65 in the front doors and DVC Bazookas for the subs(Trans Am). The Alpine S sounded good but lacked volume. The Bazookas overpowered them. I switched to JBL GX series and they were louder and balanced better with the Bazookas.