Question on non-monsoon upgrading
Question on non-monsoon upgrading Just picked up a Panasonic CQ-VD7001u headunit that ill be installing in the car later this week. My car did not come with the monsoon system only the regular cd player with no factory amp. By upgrading to a nonfactory headunit is my sound quality going to be crap by still using the stock speakers/wiring?
I would say yes. GM factory speakers blow for the most part. The speaker is the weakest link in the chain. You will get the most bang for your buck by replacing the factory speakers. Since you already bought the HU just save up for speakers but don't expect a big difference in sound quality with the stock speakers.
It'll be better, but mostly because of tone controls and more power. You should at least upgrade your fronts, fairly simple to do and in a non-monsoon car you don't have any funny wiring or anything to mess with.
At first i was upset that i didnt have the monsoon system like most ppl, now as im learning about upgrading im glad i dont. It just seems to complicate things. Would a component set work well for the fronts? I have a vert with the 6 speaker setup. I have two Polk 12's driven by a RF power 550s amp, connected via PAC-OEM1 to the stock headunit currently, everything else is stock.
- Put a set of very solid (component or otherwise) speakers in your front doors, and feed them ~75-100 watts rms. Dynamat at least a speaker kit around the speaker area. Make sure they are components that are designed to handle bass. Some component sets are essentially midranges and tweeters. You need a woofer. You need bass from the doors. My personal opinion is to go with a very robust coaxial, because the sound quality benefits of components go mostly wasted in a convertible, so value becomes a high priority. But speaker arguements are pointless, go with the price and brand you like/can afford. I am using Infinity 62.7i (I think?) which are a 2 ohm, oversize (6.75") coaxial with high sensitivity. Imho this is a very good fit for a vert, if your speaker budget is around $100. I'm sure there are better options but within that budget they are a good choice.
- Put a set of voice matched (lower level co-axial from the same line as your components) co-axials in the rear seat panels. These speakers are rear fill only, and produce no bass (they have no enclosure). So don't spend a lot of money here. You may well be ok with just head unit power driving them if you don't wiegh rear fill heavily.
With the top down those components, properly powered, are going to be 95% of your sound (if your subs are in the trunk). Don't skimp on them, thier installation, or the power they get. This is the best advice I can give a fellow vert owner, treat your door installation as the heart of your system.
...this assumes of course that you weigh top-down sound as important. I only drive my vert off-winter so it is most critical to me.
- Put a set of voice matched (lower level co-axial from the same line as your components) co-axials in the rear seat panels. These speakers are rear fill only, and produce no bass (they have no enclosure). So don't spend a lot of money here. You may well be ok with just head unit power driving them if you don't wiegh rear fill heavily.
With the top down those components, properly powered, are going to be 95% of your sound (if your subs are in the trunk). Don't skimp on them, thier installation, or the power they get. This is the best advice I can give a fellow vert owner, treat your door installation as the heart of your system.
...this assumes of course that you weigh top-down sound as important. I only drive my vert off-winter so it is most critical to me.
Last edited by todddchi; Aug 28, 2006 at 08:46 AM.
