SS Goblin

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I did some searching around and the info I found was that the back sail panel speakers in the camaro convertible are the same as whats in the doors. Any experts out there know if this is correct? And if so are they wired up the same as the fronts on a monsoon system. The system dosn't sound like they are because I'm not getting alot of bass out of the current back speakers. My right front is out and the left is getting ready to go. So, I was going to swap them all out. Planning on using the alpines as posted in the Sticky. Thanks for the help.

SMOKINV8

iTrader: (6)

The fronts and rears are 6.5" speakers, but the rears are VERY shallow mount speakers. If you're going to use a standard speaker back there, you need to use a spacer ring to get room behind it. If you don't, your convertible top will rip that pricey little magnet right off there.

Tom99SS

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Actually the front speakers are 6.5" coax speakers. The read speakers are a 6.5" combo tweeter/sub-woofer. If you put a regular coax back there you will get nothing out of the mid-range speaker part of the coax. Been there done that. The monsoon amp in the convertibles power all the speakers, the head-unit powers nothing. The monsoon amp handles all the cross-overs and only low frequencies go to the rear speaker's woofer.

Here are pictures of the wiring diagrams.

SS Goblin

iTrader: (1)

Are you sure your correct on the head unit not powering anything in a convertible? I find it hard to believe that GM would differ that much from one body style to the next on something like wiring. Just dosn't sound correct. Can anybody collaborate on this?

BJM

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I have a convertible and a service manual, the 4 head unit channels all go to the amp. Nothing is powered off the head unit directly. There are 8 channels coming out of the amp, the tweeters and mids are each powered separately.

All the speakers are coaxial speakers but there are 4 wires to every speaker.

SS Goblin

iTrader: (1)

Thanks alot guys. I'm off to Best buy in the morning. Thanks again.

SS Goblin

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Done. Thanks alot Tom for the wiring diagrams they helped out. The speakers sound alot better then the stock ones. I just did the fronts. They only had the one set at Best Buy. I guess I'll hold off on the rears until they blow. Thanks again guys.

Tom99SS

iTrader: (2)

Just remember, a coax will not work in the sail panels. In the verts, the sail panels are a tweeter/subwoofer combo. Only low freq. are sent to the subwoofer part. If you hook up the woofer part of the coax to this you will get very liitle sound.

See post:Another vert speaker post

SS Goblin

iTrader: (1)

I hate electronics. I guess when the rears do finally crap out I'll get a new amp. This is getting to be to much like work. Thanks again Tom.

Red_Rocket

I tried several 6.5 inch speakers and finally just threw up my hands and put a small amp in the trunk with a 12" dual voice coil Pyle. I FINALLY can get some bass in the back. Sounds great now.

2MuchRiceMakesMeSick

Using a 6.5 for "bass" is generally a bad idea. If you really want some bass in that convertable your gonna need to buy a sub. You have several options ranging from stealth boxes to bazooka tubes. All can be removed easily for when you go to the track.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/showpost....27&postcount=9

SMOKINV8

iTrader: (6)

Also keep in mind that not all convertibles have the same setup. It sounds like Tom gave sound advice here on the wiring and what not, but my stock setup wasn't a Monsoon system, and had no amplifiers. My fronts were coax still, and I believe the rears are too. I disconnected my rears though so I haven't tested them out. I would doubt that they have a low pass filter on them from the factory head unit though.

I'm just posting this info in case anybody searches and stumbles across it.

RickO

I've read the entire speaker replacement thread - only to find this and see that it isn't applicable. (What a kick in the ***. Ten bazillion pages and it doesn't apply to a convertible.) Well, there's great advice in there and great write ups anyway.

I've gone through this thread and would like to find some clarity by asking...

Who makes a combo tweeter/sub-woofer that I can use to replace my blown rear speakers? I realize I'll have to add a trim ring to bring it out, out of the way of the top frame - but who makes these speakers?

I like the sound of the Monsoon overall and wouldn't mind an upgrade to better speakers all around. What's the bottom line here?

Thanks in advance. I appreciate the knowledge.

Rick.

RickO

So, here's my promise to you. You who know. Tell me the answer and I'll photo document the install, all the detail and provide a step by step. I only need the info on convertibles.

Convertibles are different from standard coupe or T-Tops.

Please provide the suggested fronts. Infinity, Alipne....

As for the rears, as I asked, are there any out there that are direct replacements for the Tweeter/Sub-Woofer combo that is unique to the Camaro Monsoon, convertible set up?

Is it a viable solution to replace the 6.5 with a nice, single speaker for bass and mount a seperate tweeter aside the sub-woofer? Is the crossover controlled at the HU/Amp, or is it at the speaker?

If the cross over is independant to the speakers, wouldn't it be easy just to give it a nice sub in the same location and do a seperate tweeter?

If it is at the speakers, what bypass needed to be installed?

I promise you guys, give me some convertible 411 here and I'll do a great write up with photos.

Rick.

SSpeedracer

iTrader: (8)

Not sure if this answers your question, but the high/low pass filters are controlled by the monsoon amp. With seperate leads to each tweeter and woofer you could wire up component units but keep in mind at 4ohm it will have less volume than the front.

A sub will not fit that location.

RickO

Thanks. I'm thinking I'll base the write up in two or three segments for convertibles. It seems the hardest nut to crack here is the rear sail panel sub-woofer, tweeter combo.

A segment for direct replacement speakers to maintain an orginal stock look. There'll be and A and B comparison. The "A" being the cost associcated with ordering speakers from GM and the "B" being direct replacement, low cost, (but assumed better) speakers suggestions with how-to photos. Front and back.

Second segment re-uses the install info already posted with upgrade speakers.

Third is where I am most interested and still need info. A semi-stock approach.

If 6.5 component speakers have no pass filters on them, and that's all controlled on the cross-over box, (typically a separate piece)...

Then why not buy a set of Infinity Reference Series 6000cs, (as an example) wire the sub-woofer signal to the 6.5 seperate, (requires a trim ring to bring it out a little) and then mount the tweeter just aside it wired as stock. True this set-up is at 4ohms, but my assumption is...

Putting the fader someplace up to 65-75% to the rear will enable a nice capability to these speakers. I mean, Ohms aside, this 6.5 inch speaker is probably way better than the stock GM version. Well, that's my hope.

This is where I need input from you gurus. My goal is to provide an upgarde that maintains audiophile tone, or goals (regardless of the crappy amp.) That statement by itself is hard to describe. I'm not looking for a replacement that supports the current thump-thump-thump trend. The goal is to reproduce the music spectrum in a well balanced way.

Look forward to hearing from you.

RickO

Next step. It was stated that the all the cross-over is controlled through the amp, so...

I went to woofersetc.com and found a 6.5, 3ohm component set up for $173.99.

It's the 165H - Focal 6.5 Poly flex compoment. Please take a peak at it. The photo shows some sort of filter or crossover in-line between the two.

If I purchase this for the rear of a convertible, I'm thinking that I will...

- make a trim ring to resolve the depth problem.
- cut the cross over out and wire the sub-woofer leads direct into the 6.5
- mount the tweeter just aside the woofer, now being used as a sub-woofer, direct from the monsoon.

I assume this will be a very nice upgrade to the stock system and the only impact is...

- the trim ring,
- lower volume because of 3ohms (which can be compensated for w/the fader
- and a now visible tweeter

How can this plan fail to produce a better sound than stock convertible rears?


Rick.

Hurin

I just had my door speakers replaced. The speakers are Memphis 2-way speakers with a built-in passover so only one pair (channel) is connected to each speaker. The installation guy just bundled the others up and stuffed them in the door.

I understand that the channel that goes to the tweeter is filtered at the Monsoon amp. But is the other channel (that goes to the mid-range) a full-range signal from the Amp? Otherwise, I think I just got hosed at the local car audio store.

todddchi

iTrader: (3)

All that follows is exclusive to verts.

I think there are minor differences between the Monsoon systems, both year to year and Camaro to Firebird (obviously hardtop vs. vert, as well). Or perhaps, some confusion about the wiring diagrams. I think there were 8 different ones for 2000, for example.

I have a 2000 Z28 vert... and I know for a fact that the rear speakers are fill only - no bass.

The front's are bi-wired. So, you can take a good quality co-ax, and bi-wire through some tweaks to mimic the factory wiring arrangement. But you can only do this on certain coaxials like the alpines that have distinct wiring to the tweeter. Not all do.

Be sure that the proper channels go to the tweeter before the tweeter crossover. I know this works because I did it (same as Tom... can't explain why they are different). There is a write up in the vert forum. For my car, this was a major sound quality improvement, though I gained no or very little volume, I gained much treble, clarity, and bass quality.

I left the rears alone because they are rear fill only IN MY CAR and do not generate bass. Replacing them would improve sound quality but I prefer a front soundstage with very weak rear fill. I can't verify their wiring because I have not pulled them. There seems to be some evidence that some Camaros had different convertible systems with rear subs. I find this unlikely but I'm can't argue with someone who knows from thier own car.

Don't replace the rears expecting increased bass. Even if you did re-amp them / re-wire them to get bass... there is no enclosure there and they are too high up in the cabin to make any real bass. You'll get **** bass and probably pick up a lot of rattles.

You can get "decent" bass with the front change as described above, but it will definitely NOT thump. It can be ok and comparable to a top of the line factory system. But no real bass. That is a limitation of a 6.5" driver in a door enclosure. But for $70 and some work, it is a great upgrade and a no brainer if your monsoon drivers are toast.

If you really want hitting bass in a vert, then you need to take some extraordinary steps. Both require enclosure work, amps, and real subs.

One is an arrangement that ports sound basically where the top storage panel is. You will lose bass with the top down, but it will still be much more effective than the rear speaker upgrade you are considering. Some make boxes, I've also seen simple panels that can hold up to four 8" drivers. You basically replace the stock top storage separator with a sub panel / box, being careful not to violate the top storage area.

Another arrangement is to sacrifice the rear driver's side seat for a sub box, or fab some bastardization of a spare seat integrating a sub box. Since this is low in the cabin, and a real sub with real amplification, this will produce BY FAR the best bass response. Long term, I think I will do this, as I hate having people sitting back there in the first place and very rarely have anyone there. Though I think it would be perfectly feasible using a donor seat, to fabricate a low profile bandpass box, concealed by a factory seat cover and ported out the front. You could even grille / brace up the box to allow someone to sit there (terribly uncomfortably) for a short time. The benefit here is maintaining factory appearance, critical in a vert (imho).

Obviously both of these options are costly and rather painful. The front speaker upgrade is the only fairly painless upgrade. To get above and beyond that you have to start spending significant time and money.

You can't just toss a tube or box in the trunk. It isn't like a hatchback with the reenforcement of the hatch connected to the passenger area. You'll end up with a rattling truck lid and poopy sound.

JohnnyBs98WS6Rag

iTrader: (1)

^^ Good Advice.

I can help out there. Check the link in my sig.........